Arthur "Harpo" Marx (born Adolph Marx; November 23, 1888 â€" September
28, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, mime artist, and musician,
and the second-oldest of the Marx Brothers. In contrast to the mainly
verbal comedy of his brothers Groucho Marx and Chico Marx, Harpo's
comic style was visual, being an example of both clown and pantomime
traditions. He wore a curly reddish blond wig, and never spoke during
performances (he blew a horn or whistled to communicate). He
frequently used props such as a horn cane, made up of a pipe, tape,
and a bulbhorn, and he played the harp in most of his films.Harpo was
born on November 23, 1888, in Manhattan. He grew up in a neighborhood
now known as Carnegie Hill on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, on
East 93rd Street off Lexington Avenue. The turn-of-the-century
tenement that Harpo later called (in his autobiography Harpo Speaks!)
"the first real home I can remember" was populated with European
immigrants, mostly artisansâ€"which even included a glass blower. Just
across the street were the oldest brownstones in the area, owned by
people like David L. Loew and William Orth.Harpo's parents were Sam
Marx (called "Frenchie" throughout his life) and his wife, Minnie
Schoenberg Marx. Minnie's brother was Al Shean. Marx's family was
Jewish. His mother was from East Frisia in Germany, and his father was
a native of Alsace in France and worked as a tailor.
28, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, mime artist, and musician,
and the second-oldest of the Marx Brothers. In contrast to the mainly
verbal comedy of his brothers Groucho Marx and Chico Marx, Harpo's
comic style was visual, being an example of both clown and pantomime
traditions. He wore a curly reddish blond wig, and never spoke during
performances (he blew a horn or whistled to communicate). He
frequently used props such as a horn cane, made up of a pipe, tape,
and a bulbhorn, and he played the harp in most of his films.Harpo was
born on November 23, 1888, in Manhattan. He grew up in a neighborhood
now known as Carnegie Hill on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, on
East 93rd Street off Lexington Avenue. The turn-of-the-century
tenement that Harpo later called (in his autobiography Harpo Speaks!)
"the first real home I can remember" was populated with European
immigrants, mostly artisansâ€"which even included a glass blower. Just
across the street were the oldest brownstones in the area, owned by
people like David L. Loew and William Orth.Harpo's parents were Sam
Marx (called "Frenchie" throughout his life) and his wife, Minnie
Schoenberg Marx. Minnie's brother was Al Shean. Marx's family was
Jewish. His mother was from East Frisia in Germany, and his father was
a native of Alsace in France and worked as a tailor.
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