Herbert Manfred "Zeppo" Marx (February , â€" November , ) was an
American actor, comedian, theatrical agent, and engineer. He was the
youngest and last survivor of the five Marx Brothers. He appeared in
the first five Marx Brothers feature films, from to , but then left
the act to start his second career as an engineer and theatrical
agent.Zeppo was born in Manhattan, New York City, on February , . His
parents were Sam Marx (called "Frenchie" throughout his life), and his
wife, Minnie Schönberg Marx. Minnie's brother was Al Shean, who later
gained fame as half of the vaudeville team Gallagher and Shean. Marx's
family was Jewish. His mother was from East Frisia in Germany; and his
father was a native of France, and worked as a tailor.As with all of
the Marx Brothers, different theories exist as to where Zeppo got his
stage name: Groucho said in his Carnegie Hall concert in that the
name was derived from the Zeppelin airship. Zeppo's ex-wife Barbara
Sinatra repeated this in her book, Lady Blue Eyes: My Life with
Frank. His brother Harpo offered a different account in his
autobiography, Harpo Speaks!, claiming (p. ) that there was a popular
trained chimpanzee named Mr. Zippo, and that "Herbie" was tagged with
the name "Zippo" because he liked to do chinups and acrobatics, as the
chimp did in its act. The youngest brother objected to his being
likened to a chimpanzee, and it was altered to "Zeppo". In a rare TV
interview years later, Zeppo said that Zep is Italian-American slang
for baby and as Zeppo was the youngest or baby Marx Brother, he was
called Zeppo (BBC Archives).Zeppo replaced brother Gummo in the Marx
Brothers' stage act when the latter joined the army in . Zeppo was at
that time employed as a mechanic for the Ford Motor Company, but he
remained with the team and appeared in their successes in vaudeville,
on Broadway, and the first five Marx Brothers films, as a straight man
and romantic lead, before leaving the team. He also made a solo
appearance in the Adolphe Menjou comedy A Kiss in the Dark, as Herbert
Marx. It was described in newspaper reviews as a minor role.
American actor, comedian, theatrical agent, and engineer. He was the
youngest and last survivor of the five Marx Brothers. He appeared in
the first five Marx Brothers feature films, from to , but then left
the act to start his second career as an engineer and theatrical
agent.Zeppo was born in Manhattan, New York City, on February , . His
parents were Sam Marx (called "Frenchie" throughout his life), and his
wife, Minnie Schönberg Marx. Minnie's brother was Al Shean, who later
gained fame as half of the vaudeville team Gallagher and Shean. Marx's
family was Jewish. His mother was from East Frisia in Germany; and his
father was a native of France, and worked as a tailor.As with all of
the Marx Brothers, different theories exist as to where Zeppo got his
stage name: Groucho said in his Carnegie Hall concert in that the
name was derived from the Zeppelin airship. Zeppo's ex-wife Barbara
Sinatra repeated this in her book, Lady Blue Eyes: My Life with
Frank. His brother Harpo offered a different account in his
autobiography, Harpo Speaks!, claiming (p. ) that there was a popular
trained chimpanzee named Mr. Zippo, and that "Herbie" was tagged with
the name "Zippo" because he liked to do chinups and acrobatics, as the
chimp did in its act. The youngest brother objected to his being
likened to a chimpanzee, and it was altered to "Zeppo". In a rare TV
interview years later, Zeppo said that Zep is Italian-American slang
for baby and as Zeppo was the youngest or baby Marx Brother, he was
called Zeppo (BBC Archives).Zeppo replaced brother Gummo in the Marx
Brothers' stage act when the latter joined the army in . Zeppo was at
that time employed as a mechanic for the Ford Motor Company, but he
remained with the team and appeared in their successes in vaudeville,
on Broadway, and the first five Marx Brothers films, as a straight man
and romantic lead, before leaving the team. He also made a solo
appearance in the Adolphe Menjou comedy A Kiss in the Dark, as Herbert
Marx. It was described in newspaper reviews as a minor role.
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