There's a long-running legend in my college town of Fredonia, NY that the Marx Brothers - while performing at the historic 1891 Opera House, then part of the vaudeville circuit - were kicked out of town for bringing hookers back to their room.  In response, the dysfunctional nation led by Groucho's Rufus T. Firefly was named "Freedonia" in their next film, Duck Soup:

Despite having alma matered, matriculated and / or otherwise grad-ee-ated from that fine institution, I never did find out what the real story was (if there was one at all) until now.  The story I've always heard is completely fabricated, but there was something akin to a fiasco when the film was released.  According to this 1933 TIME magazine movie review, the mayor of Fredonia took issue with the unflattering use of the village name:

"*Mayor Harry B. Hickey of Fredonia, N. Y. protested to the Marxes: "The name of Fredonia has been without a blot since 1817. I feel it is my duty as Mayor to question your intentions in using the name of our city in your picture."

Back cracked the Marxes: "Your excellency: Our advice is that you change the name of your town. It is hurting our picture. Anyhow, what makes you think you are Mayor of Fredonia? Do you wear a black moustache, play the harp, speak with an Italian accent or chase girls like Harpo? We are certain you do not. Therefore we must be Mayor of Fredonia, not you. The old gray Mayor ain't what he used to be."

No hookers, but I do enjoy the Marx Brothers response, which boils down to an advertisement for the film and family brand.  It would also appear that Mayor Harry B. Hickey never saw any of their films, as I'm almost positive that those very same words were uttered by every Marx Brothers' "villain" - it's like he was just asking to be slandered.

Loading mentions Retweet