Zeppo, p.41
Zeppo, page 41
Marx, Groucho. The Groucho Phile: An Illustrated Life. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1976.
Marx, Groucho. Love, Groucho: Letters from Groucho Marx to His Daughter Miriam. Edited by Miriam Marx Allen. Boston: Faber and Faber, 1992.
Marx, Groucho, and Richard J. Anobile. The Marx Bros. Scrapbook. New York: Darien House, 1973.
Marx, Harpo, with Rowland Barber. Harpo Speaks! New York: Bernard Geis Associates, 1961.
Marx, Maxine. Growing Up with Chico. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1980.
Marx, Robert. Son of a Gummo: Growing Up the Son of a Marx Brother. Privately published, 2002.
Marx, Susan Fleming, with Robert S. Bader. Speaking of Harpo. Lanham, Md.: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2022.
Mast, Gerald. The Comic Mind: Comedy and the Movies. Indianapolis / New York: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1973.
McDougal, Dennis. The Last Mogul: Lew Wasserman, MCA and the Hidden History of Hollywood. New York: Crown, 1998.
Meredith, Scott. George S. Kaufman and His Friends. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1974.
Miller, Constance O., and Edward M. Gilbert, Jr. The New Complete Afghan Hound, 4th Edition. New York: Howell Book House, 1988.
Riche, Melissa. Mod Mirage: The Midcentury Architecture of Rancho Mirage. Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith, 2018.
Rose, Frank. The Agency: William Morris and the Hidden History of Show Business. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995.
Rosenberg, Bernard, and Harry Silverstein. The Real Tinsel. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1970.
Russo, Gus. Supermob: How Sidney Korshak and His Criminal Associates Became America’s Hidden Power Brokers. New York: Bloomsbury, 2006.
Ryskind, Morrie, with John H. M. Roberts. I Shot an Elephant in My Pajamas. Lafayette, La.: Hunting House Publishers, 1994.
Server, Lee. Handsome Johnny—The Life and Death of Johnny Rosselli: Gentleman Gangster, Hollywood Producer, CIA Assassin. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2018.
Sinatra, Barbara, with Wendy Holden. Lady Blue Eyes: My Life with Frank. New York: Crown Archetype, 2011.
Stoker, Sgt. Charles. Thicker ‘N Thieves: The 1950 Factual Expose of Police Pay-Offs, Graft, Political Corruption and Prostitution in Los Angeles and Hollywood. Los Angeles, Calif.: Thoughtprint Press, 2011.
Stoliar, Steve. Raised Eyebrows: My Years Inside Groucho’s House. Los Angeles, Calif.: General Publishing Group, 1996.
Stuart, Gloria, with Sylvia Thompson. I Just Kept Hoping. Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1999.
Teichmann, Howard. George S. Kaufman: An Intimate Portrait. New York: Atheneum, 1972.
Teichmann, Howard. Smart Aleck: The Wit, World and Life of Alexander Woollcott. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1976.
Turner, Lana. Lana: The Lady, The Legend, The Truth. New York: E.P. Dutton Inc., 1982.
Woollcott, Alexander. While Rome Burns. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1934.
Zuckerman, Michael J. Vengeance Is Mine: Jimmy “The Weasel” Fratianno Tells How He Brought the Kiss of Death to the Mafia. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1987.
3. SCRIPTS AND TREATMENTS
Johnstone, Will B. I’ll Say She Is. Library of Congress, copyright registration number D-68674, August 2, 1924.
Johnstone, Will B. I’ll Say She Is. November 10, 1924.
Kaufman, George S. The Cocoanuts. 1925.
Kaufman, George S., and Morrie Ryskind. Animal Crackers. 1928.
Marx, Zeppo and Gouverneur Morris. Tom, Dick and Harry. 1932.
Marx, Zeppo and Gouverneur Morris. A Pair of Shoes. 1932.
Marx, Zeppo and S. J. Perelman. Roller-Coaster. 1932.
Marx, Zeppo. Muscle-Bound. 1932.
Ryskind, Morrie, and Will B. Johnstone. “Four Marx Brothers Radio Sketch.” 1932.
Timberg, Herman. On the Balcony. 1921.
4. ADDITIONAL SOURCES
Billy Rose Theater Collection
New York Public Library of the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, New York.
Charlie Chaplin Archive
www.charliechaplinarchive.org/en.
Groucho Marx Collection (1911–1978)
Smithsonian Institution, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C.
Groucho Marx Papers (1928–1971)
Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research, Madison, Wis.
Hollywood Greats: Groucho Marx. BBC-TV, August 8, 1979.
The Keith—Albee Vaudeville Theater Collection (1890–1952)
The University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections and University Archives, Iowa City, Iowa.
Sol M. Wurtzel Papers, Correspondence (1917–1961)
Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Los Angeles, Calif.
Loyd Wright Papers (1924–1971)
Hoover Institution Library and Archives, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.
Palm Springs Historical Society
Welwood Murray Memorial Library, Palm Springs, Calif.
The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell. PBS-TV, March 10, 1982.
Betty Marx interview. Conducted by Robert Weide. Recorded but not used for The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell. 1981.
Zeppo Marx interview. Conducted by Shirley Eder. Recorded July 1970, Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Zeppo Marx interview. Conducted by David Fantle and Tom Johnson. Recorded March 21, 1979, Palm Springs, Calif.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THIS BOOK EXISTS IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF TIM MARX. TIM ENCOURaged me to write Zeppo’s story after a couple of other well-meaning authors had expressed interest. Tim’s contribution to the book goes beyond giving enlightening interviews. He shared his mother Marion’s archive of documents, letters, and photos, and provided insights about her that no one else could. It was the next best thing to interviewing Marion.
I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the kindness and patience of Tim’s wife Laura, who has learned a lot about the Marx Brothers in recent years. Tim was also able to help me secure an interview with his brother Tom. Tom Marx would rather not talk about his father, but he was gracious and generous with his time and spoke freely about the difficult relationship he had with Zeppo and Marion. It would not have been possible to tell Zeppo’s story without the cooperation of his sons.
Other members of the Marx family shared information and stories about Zeppo that could not have come from any other source. Harpo’s son Bill, with whom I’ve maintained a more than thirty-five-year friendship, shared tales of Zeppo that revealed several aspects of his personality. (e.g., “Zeppo could make you laugh like you’d never laughed before, and he could also beat the crap out of you a minute later.”)
Gummo’s son Bob knew his Uncle Zeppo as well as anyone. He grew up around Zeppo and spent a lot of time with him in his later years in Palm Springs. Bob Marx was an enthusiastic supporter of my work, and a great resource in my research on the Marx family. Sadly, Bob passed away as this book was nearing completion. He loved to talk about his father and his uncles, and I’m fortunate to have gotten to know him and to have been his friend.
Bobby Marx, the son of Zeppo’s second wife Barbara, while never legally adopted by Zeppo, was as much a son to him as Tim and Tom. In fact, they would say Bobby got more of a father-son relationship out of Zeppo than either of them ever did. I’m particularly grateful to Bobby for providing a realistic and balanced view of his mother, who all too often is portrayed as a caricature and a stereotype. Bobby also filled in some critical gaps in Zeppo’s story.
One of the more challenging aspects of writing a Zeppo Marx biography was the lack of information about his final years in Palm Springs. Roxann Ploss was among the closest friends Zeppo had during that period. Her initial reluctance to talk about her relationship with Zeppo somehow morphed into an easy ongoing conversation and a new friendship. Roxann revealed the sweet side of a man everyone else described as a tough guy with a ruthless streak. Without her unique perspective, the book would have been incomplete. I’m very grateful to Roxann for allowing me to use her precious memories of Zeppo in this book.
Researching the life of Zeppo Marx took me into areas I would not have imagined (the United States Patent Office, the Chicago Juvenile Court Archive, and the Kefauver Committee Hearings, to name a few). I was fortunate to find two men who worked for the Aeroquip Corporation during the 1950s when the company purchased Zeppo’s company, Marman Products. Mike Lefere and Al Wagner provided information about the transaction and, amazingly, copies of the Aeroquip company newsletters with details of the Marman acquisition. A. Dale Herman’s daughter, Rita Mae Joyce, provided additional information about Marman and shared insight on her father’s decades-long friendship with Zeppo.
Sharon McKibben, the daughter of Zeppo’s childhood friend Joey Bass—initially skeptical about my inquiry—graciously decided to share personal memories that filled in gaps in the story that would have remained gaps without her help. Denise Singer Vogel, who was injured by a rock thrown by Tim Marx when she was eight years old, hung up on me when I first called her. But that was because she assumed I was a telemarketer. Once we established that I wasn’t trying to sell her anything, Denise was incredibly gracious and forthcoming in discussing an incident that caused her pain and suffering for many years.
My longtime Marx Brothers fan friends were especially helpful with research on this book. Paul Wesolowski and I go back more years than either of us want to count. As he has with my previous books, Paul freely shared his research and his sizable archive. John Tefteller not only provided some rare photographs, but he also shared his correspondence with Zeppo.
Robert Moulton scares me a little. When I think I’ve researched something to the point where nothing else can be found, Robert will ask if I’d spoken to so and so’s grandson. His ability to find things and people I either missed or didn’t know I cared about is humbling. I hesitate to ever say my research on something is complete until Robert has signed off on it.
I’ve known Paul, John, and Robert for a long time, but there’s a Marx fan I’ve known longer than all of them. Charlie Kochman was among the earliest and most enthusiastic supporters of the idea of me writing a biography of Zeppo. While others may have thought it was a nice concept, Charlie said that I must write the Zeppo book. As far as this book is concerned, these guys are Four of the Three Musketeers.
My mother, Sandy Bader, has finally given in and become a devoted Marx Brothers fan. A lifetime of support from her has gone a long way. Among the many friends and associates who’ve offered either a piece of research or just some much appreciated support, are Jeff Abraham, David Brandt, Mark Brodka, Steve Buschel, Dick Cavett, Will Coates, Michael Crain, Mary Crosby, Noah Diamond, Scott Eyman, Allan Falk, David Fantle, Frank Ferrante, Arne Fogel, Jeff Friedman, Paul Friedman, Howard Green, Gregg Hawks, Tom Johnson, Steven Lasker, David Leopold, Stan Levin, Laura Liebowitz, Matt Luxenberg, Alice and Leonard Maltin, Andy Marx, Barry Mitchell, John Myhre, Andrea Orlando, Jim Pierson, Jonathan Pont, Katie Pratt, Marc Ribler, Lynn Surry, Amy Thorsen, Jay Wartski, Robert Weide, Morris Weiss, Timothy Weng, Dan Wingate, and Dave Zobel.
Richard J. Anobile—who sadly passed away as this book was nearing completion—deserves special mention for always being kind to me whenever I contacted him. He was many years removed from his work on Marx Brothers projects and would politely let me know that he had moved on to other things. Then he would patiently answer my questions. Richard was a very nice man whose work in the 1970s was incredibly important to a generation of young Marx Brothers fans.
Research for my previous books certainly led me to writing Zeppo: The Reluctant Marx Brother. My deepest bow of gratitude is to the people who were interviewed or provided other assistance for those books but passed away before this book was even a thought. Matt Hickey, Bob Birchard, Toby Ruby Garson, Florence Mirantz, Maxine Marx, Minnie Marx Eagle, Miriam Marx Allen, and Susan Fleming Marx have all managed to posthumously contribute to this book.
Herbert Marx and his Aunt Hannah, circa 1903.
Julius, Minnie, Sam (top), Herbert, cousin Polly, and Milton (bottom), circa 1904. COURTESY JERRY SEINFELD
Herbert in front of 179 East 93rd Street.
A portrait of Herbert taken shortly after the family moved to Chicago.
Herbert at age twelve in Chicago around the time of his stage debut.
Gary, Indiana, February 24, 1914: Herbert officially makes the Four Marx Brothers a quintet for one performance. GARY EVENING POST (2/23/14)
Joliet, Illinois, May 1, 1914: The Marx family behind the Orpheum Theatre on the occasion of thirteen-year-old Herbert’s two-day appearance with his brothers. (Left to right, Arthur, Leonard, Sam, Herbert, Minnie, Milton, and Julius.)
Herbert and Arthur around 1915, when the Marx Brothers company had a baseball team.
In the summer of 1915, Herbert toured the W.S. Butterfield vaudeville circuit with his brothers. It was the only time they were ever billed as the Five Marx Brothers. The ad is for the quintet’s opening engagement in Lansing, Michigan. LANSING STATE JOURNAL (8/13/15)
Richmond, Indiana, September 4–6, 1916: Herbert appears as “Buster Palmer” on a bill with his brothers as Minnie prepares him for his own vaudeville career. RICHMOND PALLADIUM ITEM (9/6/16)
Fifteen-year-old Herbert at the beach on the shore of Lake Michigan.
Fall 1916: The Juvenile Six: the Kashner Sisters—Marvel, Ida, and Fay—the Harris Brothers—George and Victor—and Herbert Marx. SPOKANE CHRONICLE (1/15/17).
Seattle, Washington, January 21–24, 1917: By the middle of their lone vaudeville season, the Juvenile Six was occasionally getting top billing. SEATTLE STAR (1/20/17)
St. Joseph, Missouri. March 29–31, 1917: An unusual billing for the Juvenile Six shows the members billed individually. ST. JOSEPH NEWS PRESS GAZETTE (3/30/17)
Leonard, Julius, and Herbert, around the time Herbert joined the Four Marx Brothers in 1918.
Spring 1921: Gummo, Groucho, and Ruth (front), Humor Risk producers Nathan “Nucky” Sachs and Oscar “Mike” Mirantz, and Zeppo, holding Chico’s daughter Maxine.
Fall 1921: The Four Marx Brothers in what is possibly the earliest photograph of Groucho’s greasepaint moustache.
Portrait of Zeppo just prior to the Four Marx Brothers’ arrival on Broadway. COURTESY TIM MARX
May 1924: Zeppo, Chico, Groucho, and Harpo surround Minnie Marx as I’ll Say She Is opens on Broadway.
Aspiring Broadway chorine Marion Bimberg (aka Marion Benda) around the time she met Zeppo. COURTESY TIM MARX
December 1925: Zeppo surrounded by chorus girls from the Broadway cast of The Cocoanuts.
August 14, 1926: Zeppo and Marion pose for the press as they announce their engagement. COURTESY TIM MARX
Marion and Zeppo again pose for the press to formally announce their marriage in April 1927. COURTESY TIM MARX
Groucho, Gummo, Harpo, and Chico strike a pose with Zeppo and Marion at their wedding on April 12, 1927, at the Chalfonte Hotel in New York. COURTESY TIM MARX
Zeppo on vacation at Camp Kenawa in Woodstock, New York, circa 1927. COURTESY TIM MARX
Zeppo in Boston, Massachusetts on October 13, 1929, during the Animal Crackers road tour that began a week after the death of Minnie Marx. COURTESY DAVID BRANDT/MARX BROTHERS INC.
Zeppo, Marion, Harpo, Betty, Chico, Miriam, Ruth, Groucho, and Arthur on board the SS Paris, en route to England in December 1930.
February 3, 1931, London: Zeppo and Marion walking Riff, Phyllis Robson’s Afghan Hound, in Hyde Park.
Chico, Zeppo, and Groucho arrive in New York from Europe on February 14, 1931. Harpo had traveled separately and arrived a week earlier.
Harpo on the set of Monkey Business with Zeppo’s Afghan Hounds, Omar and Asra. COURTESY JOHN TEFTELLER/MARX BROTHERS INC.
Ruth Hall and Zeppo—the romantic leads in Monkey Business. COURTESY PAUL WESOLOWSKI/MARX BROTHERS INC.
March 1931. A Monkey Business publicity photo from the Marxes’ first days in Hollywood.
Zeppo and Groucho in a scene deleted from Horse Feathers. COURTESY JOHN TEFTELLER/MARX BROTHERS INC.
October 24, 1932: Zeppo addresses the crowd at the Los Angeles premiere of A Bill of Divorcement at the Hill Street Theatre. COURTESY DAVID BRANDT/MARX BROTHERS INC.
Zeppo at the February 4, 1933, birthday party for his friend and decorator Jetta Goudal at La Golondrina in Hollywood. COURTESY DAVID BRANDT/MARX BROTHERS INC.
Marion and Zeppo in Palm Springs.
May 15,1933: Zeppo stops at Dearborn Station in Chicago with the train carrying his father’s body to New York. COURTESY DAVID BRANDT/MARX BROTHERS INC.
Raquel Torres and Zeppo on the set of Duck Soup.
April 1932: Publicity photo for the unsold “Four Marx Brothers Radio Sketch.”
Zeppo visits with Dorothy Mackaill on the set of Paramount’s 1932 film No Man of Her Own—which featured his friends Carole Lombard and Clark Gable several years before their marriage.
September 3, 1932: Marion and Zeppo with friend and neighbor Alice Glazer at the “Gay Nineties” party celebrating Fredric March’s birthday.
September 25, 1932: Leila Hyams and Phil Berg (left), Zeppo at the wheel of his Mercedes-Benz, and Marion, leaning on the car at the Muroc Dry Lake match race with Berg’s Dusenberg. COURTESY DAVID BRANDT/MARX BROTHERS INC.
Zeppo in a scene deleted from Duck Soup. COURTESY JOHN TEFTELLER/MARX BROTHERS INC.
