Arthur Adolph "Harpo" Marx (November 23, 1888 – September 28, 1964), born Adolph Arthur Marx, was the second-born of the Marx Brothers and a unique comic performer whose style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He was well known by his trademarks: he wore a curly reddish wig, he never talked during performances (although he often blew a horn or whistled to communicate), he frequently used props (such as a walking stick with a built...
more
Arthur Adolph "Harpo" Marx (November 23, 1888 – September 28, 1964), born Adolph Arthur Marx, was the second-born of the Marx Brothers and a unique comic performer whose style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He was well known by his trademarks: he wore a curly reddish wig, he never talked during performances (although he often blew a horn or whistled to communicate), he frequently used props (such as a walking stick with a built-in bulb horn), and he played the harp.
The Marx family grew up in a neighborhood now known as Carnegie Hill on the Upper East Side (E 93rd Street off Lexington Avenue) of Manhattan. The turn-of-the-century building that Harpo called "the first real home they ever knew" (in his memoir Harpo Speaks), was populated with European immigrants, mostly artisans - which even included a glass blower. Just across the street were the oldest brownstones in the area, owned by people like the well-connected Loew Brothers and William Orth.
Harpo's parents...
less
