Harpo Marx
Biography
Harpo Marx was an American comedian, actor and harpist who became the silent, visual member of the Marx Brothers. Born in New York City, he began performing with his brothers in 1910 in an act that grew into the Marx Brothers. On screen he became known for a wordless comic style drawn from vaudeville, clowning and pantomime, using whistles, a horn and mime while wearing a curly wig and pulling props from his coat. His first screen appearance was in Humor Risk (1921) with his brothers, and he went on to appear in Marx Brothers films including The Cocoanuts (1929), Animal Crackers (1930), Horse Feathers (1932), Duck Soup (1933), A Night at the Opera (1935), A Day at the Races (1937), At the Circus (1939) and A Night in Casablanca (1946). He played the harp in most of the brothers' films, recorded harp albums, and appeared on television in the 1950s and 1960s.
75years old at death
- Born New York City
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
- Adolph Marx (birth name)Also credited as Adolph Arthur Marx and Arthur Marx
Movie Career
- Films
- 14
- Career span
- 28 years1929 to 1957
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A role that slipped away
Harpo Marx turned down an offer of $50,000 to speak the single word "Murder!" in the 1946 film A Night in Casablanca, keeping his silent screen character intact.
Early training
Harpo Marx copied a harp-playing angel he saw pictured in a five-and-dime to learn how to hold the harp. Nobody in town could play it, so he tuned it himself and taught himself without lessons, discovering three years later that his tuning was wrong.
About the name
Stories differ on how the Harpo stage name began, but they agree it started at a card game. Art Fisher, the dealer that night, called Marx "Harpo" because he played the harp.
Harpo Marx movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Sam Wood directed two of these films, Norman Z. McLeod two and Edward Buzzell two. Two actors appear in fourteen of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Groucho Marx's page
Chico Marx's page
Margaret Dumont's page
Zeppo Marx's page
Sig Ruman's page
Bess Flowers's page
Sam WoodDirector, 2 films, 1935 to 1937
All films by Sam Wood
Norman Z. McLeodDirector, 2 films, 1931 to 1932
All films by Norman Z. McLeod
Edward BuzzellDirector, 2 films, 1939 to 1940
All films by Edward Buzzell
Also two films together10 more actors
- Douglass DumbrilleThe Big Store (1941) and A Day at the Races (1937)
- Donald MacBrideRoom Service (1938) and Animal Crackers (1930)
- Edgar DearingGo West (1940) and Horse Feathers (1932)
- Nat PendletonAt the Circus (1939) and Horse Feathers (1932)
- Robert GreigHorse Feathers (1932) and Animal Crackers (1930)
- Thelma ToddHorse Feathers (1932) and Monkey Business (1931)
- Cyril RingMonkey Business (1931) and The Cocoanuts (1929)
- E.H. CalvertDuck Soup (1933) and Horse Feathers (1932)
- Walter Woolf KingGo West (1940) and A Night at the Opera (1935)
- Allan JonesA Day at the Races (1937) and A Night at the Opera (1935)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.