Harpo Marx Biography

Fast Facts

• He and lifelong companion Susan Fleming adopted four boys over the course of their marriage and stated they would have liked to adopt more
• Along with Chico and Groucho, was ranked No․ 20 on the American Film Institute's "100 Years․․․ 100 Stars" list for Male Legends
• After dealing with bullying for years, he finally dropped out of school in the second grade to start working odd-jobs to help support his family of eight
• Quote: "If things get too much for you and you feel the whole world's against you, go stand on your head․ If you can think of anything crazier to do, do it․"
• Quote: "I am the most fortunate self-taught harpist and non-speaking actor who has ever lived․"
• Enjoyed success on television later in life which would include guest appearances alongside TV favorites including Lucille Ball, Red Skelton and Carol Burnett
• Decided to experiment with silent comedic acts after performing an ad-libbed act with his brothers Julius (Groucho) and Milton (Gummo) which garnered negative reviews from critics
• His first film, 1921's "Humor Risk", was only screened once and lost soon after due to unknown circumstances
• A lifelong croquet enthusiast, he was inducted into the Croquet Hall of Fame in 1979
• Gained the nickname "Harpo" because he often played the harp as a young adult which was given to him by his mother at a young age
• Served as a government spy to the Soviet Union in 1933 while acting as a goodwill ambassador and performer