Harpo Marx

Adolph Arthur Marx, known as Harpo Marx ( born November 23, 1888 in New York City; † September 28, 1964 in Los Angeles ) was an American entertainer, actor and mime, and together with his brothers Groucho, Chico, Zeppo and Gummo Marx Brothers, which, on Broadway and in the movies enjoyed great success in Vaudeville.

Life

As a member of the Marx Brothers, he appeared in several comedy films in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. His trademark was the (red ) wig, his harp playing and the fact that he never spoke in front of the camera and of course made ​​especially with horns and whistles. This was due to the expression of a critic during the vaudeville period of the Force, the Harpo a brilliant pantomime talent attested, which considerably but would lose its fascination, as soon as he was speaking text. Harpo could only reluctantly convinced of this circumcision of his ways, first even threatened with leaving the comedy troupe, then come to terms yet with the situation and became a " silent film star of the sound film era ." In the silent film Too Many Kisses, you can read him his only set of the lips: " You sure you can not move? "

Also included a musical performance on the harp of the standard repertoire. About the Harp (English " harp" ), he came to his stage name. Harpo had to play the harp self-taught, - just as reading and writing. He had left after the second class the school.

In addition to the films listed below with the rest of the Marx Brothers, he appeared in a number of other films, but did not achieve the notoriety of the Marx Brothers films and are now lost in part.

Despite its small education Harpo Marx used a lot of friends in intellectual circles and was a member of the Algonquin Round Table, among other things, the critic and writer Alexander Woollcott, the columnist FPA, the founder and editor of the magazine The New Yorker, Harold Ross and the screenwriters Dorothy Parker, George S. Kaufman and Robert Benchley belonged.

Harpo Marx married on September 28, 1936 Susan Fleming, with whom he adopted four children: Bill, Alex, Jimmy and Minnie. Three years before his death in 1964 brought Harpo Marx his autobiography Harpo Speaks! out. On September 28, 1964 his 28th wedding anniversary, Harpo Marx died as a result of heart surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Harpo Marx was 75 years old. His widow Susan died on 22 December 2002 at the age of 94 years.

Groucho's son Arthur Marx later said that Harpo's funeral was the only moment in which he saw his father cry. Harpo bequeathed his famous harp to the people of Israel.

Filmography