Harpo Marx

Comedian and vaudeville entertainer Harpo Marx performed with his brothers, the comedy team The Marx Brothers, in a series of stage and film productions in the 1920s and '30s. Harpo never spoke on film, and instead used pantomime and props to perform creative visual gags.

Fast Facts

1. Real Name: Adolph Arthur Marx
2. Born: November 23, 1888
3. Place of Birth: New York, New York
4. Religion: Judaism
5. Taught himself how to play the harp
6. Married actress Susan Fleming
7. Had four adopted children
8. Died: September 28, 1964

Performing on Film

Harpo often played a sneaky troublemaker, confusing police officers or other authority figures with his visual antics. In The Night at the Opera, a pretentious actor attempts to fire Harpo, who bludgeons him on the head with a mallet. Harpo presents smelling salts in front of the actor's nose to wake him, then bludgeons him again.

Harpo was an experienced harp player and would frequently play musical numbers in between comedy routines in the brothers' films.

Speaking Voice

Though many film viewers believed Harpo to be a mute, he did indeed have a speaking voice. It was much deeper than Groucho's and more regal than would be expected from his impish character. This may have been the reason that his film characters never spoke, though this is speculation.

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