On the 1974 Academy Awards telecast , Marx 's final major public appearance , Jack Lemmon presented him with an honorary Academy Award to a standing ovation . The award honored his brothers as well : " in recognition of his brilliant creativity and for the unequalled achievements of the Marx Brothers in the art of motion picture comedy . " Noticeably frail , Groucho took a bow for his deceased brothers . " I wish that Harpo and Chico could be here to share with me this great honor , " he said , naming the two deceased brothers . He also praised the late Margaret Dumont as a great straight woman who never understood any of his jokes . Groucho 's final appearance was a brief sketch with George Burns in the Bob Hope television special '' Joys '' ( a parody of the 1975 movie '' Jaws '' ) in March 1976 . His health continued to decline the following year ; when his younger brother Gummo died at age 84 on April 21 , 1977 , Groucho was never told for fear of eliciting still further deterioration of his health
1974 Academy Awards telecast
46th Academy Awards
Groucho Marx