The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-11-26

with the remark that the day that
Harpo said anything, the Marx
brothers would have to seek en-
ployment other than theatrical.
Well, Harpo was to get his wish
granted in "A Night at the Opera
After much haggling and begging
the producers told him to go ahead
and speak in the picture. But the
director held him down to a single
utterance of the one word, NO"
Dialogue" Clipped Out
But here's the rub. When the pic
tre was sent to the clipping room,
some one (and there are definite
reasons to suspect the crafty
Groucho) instructed the clippers to
axe out Harpo's dialogue" and out
it came.
Responsible for their success, ac-
cording to the boys, was their
mother, Minna Schoenberg Marx
daughter of a German magician
OIlt CdIlt w MAJ ASN
Samuel Marx, bore five sons,
First born was Chico, whom she
taught to play the piano Next
came Harpo; she hadn't the slight
est idea of what TO do with him
Then followed the wag, Groucho
who talked her out of all the bread
and jam in the house. She taught
him how to sing. The other two
brothers were Gummo and Zeppo.
Two Quit Stage
Gummo is now in the raincoat
business and ZeppO has quit the
stage to become an actors agent in
Hollywood.
Mrs. Marks brother is AL Shean,
appearing this week at Loew's in
It's in the Air" and a member of
the famous team of Mr. Gallagher
and Mr. Shean.
PLENTY" was an unknown word i'll
the Me- 'Sehold in the early
years wnen lark sacrificed
the chance to bcCoA., great actress
to start her brood on the road to
success.
Chico readily became a fine plan
list. He undertook TIC teach Harpo
how to play. Harpo learned two
songs, merely by mimicking his
brothers finger movements. After
losing five jobs that Chico got him
as a pianist, Harpo gave up and be-
came a bellboy in the Savoy Hotel.
First Act Got $40
Groucho developed a good voice
and also learned to tap dance. His
mother found work for him one
season in Gus Edwards musical
school. Groucho was just 13 then.
He later teamed with his other
brother. Gummo and a girl soprano
to form The Three Nightingales, .
an act which drew $40 a week.
With Chico making money, Mrs.
Marx feared to leave Harpo alone in
New York so she forced him to give
up carrying ice water and join the
act. With no part written for him.
one night she showed him onto the
stage with the other three He
pantomimed his part and did so well
that Mother Marx wouldn't allow
him to say word afterWard.
1t was many years later that Al
Shean bought a decrepit harp in
New York for $40 and sent it to Mrs
Marx. Harpo, ashamed of not being
able to play an instrument, learned
alone. But when his self education
was completed he discovered that
he had tuned his harp backwards
and played it in a wholly unortho-
COX manner. He still does.
Separated by War
Success in vaudeville with a skit
Fun in Hi Skule," was followed b.
the failure of play, Mr.. Green's
Reception which they wrote and
produced themselves in 1918. The
war separated the brothers, Harpc
going overseas. Gummo training at
Great Lakes and Chico and Grouchc
entertaining in the camps.
Reunited in 1923. the boys and
their mother tasted the first real
tid-bit of success. 1t was in a musical
III Say She Is" which lasted two
years Followed The CoconutS,
gsanrrnN CnMorn~