Talk:Harpo Marx

I think this article needs an overhaul.

also, i have a great picture of harpo. i was wondering how i add it under the fair use provision thingy? im pretty new here. Everything Inane 05:09, 2 Jun 2005 (UTC)

I agree, this article does need some work. And, if you're still around, I think your picture may be good. It should qualify as fair use. If you took the picture or it was taken before 1922 there'd be no copyright to worry about but I doubt either is the case. Nevertheless, it probably would qualify as fair use. Check out WP:Fair use if you haven't already for reasons why it might be acceptable.

This article does need a good photograph of Harpo. The Dali drawing (while interesting) isn't as good as a photograph would be. -kotra 11:32, 16 May 2006 (UTC)

Why did he have an open heart surgery?

It is usually because of a heart attack. Rarely done as elective surgery.Shsilver 16:34, 8 January 2006 (UTC)

yes, he had a few heart attacks. if you want to read about it i suggest "harpo speaks", his autobiography. he initially became scared and was careful with the heart attacks, but after a while he decided to continue to do the things he loved anyways, like the harp, and golf, and just having fun. he was true to the last. Everything Inane 04:18, 9 January 2006 (UTC)

• I can't find my copy of the book. Since you have it, could you maybe clear up (if necessary) the question of what his real name was? I don't think it was "Adolph Arthur Marx", I think it was originally "Adolph" and he changed it to "Arthur". But I'm not totally sure on that point. Wahkeenah 09:56, 9 January 2006 (UTC)

i think you might be right, but i dont remember, ill have to look into it

Yes, his real name was Adolph. His brothers called him "Ahdie". It's a little creepy how his "adopted" son Alex looks alot like Gummo in later life!!!

Look for "Harpo speaks" on Amazon.com. You'll prolly find it at a great price!

I have Harpo Speaks in my travel bag - I'm fairly sure that in it he relates that he was born Adolph, and then changed it in the 1930s in response to the rise of Hitler and his brand of anti-semitism. I will search for the quote. -Harlsbottom 03:47, 17 July 2006 (UTC)

• Please do. I've been trying to find my copy. I too am almost certain he was born Adolph and changed it to Arthur; that his name was not "Adolph Arthur Marx". However, I haven't posted that because I couldn't find the book. Feel free to fix it. :) Wahkeenah 04:20, 17 July 2006 (UTC)
• This site [1] elaborates. The interesting thing is that Harpo was calling himself Arthur as early as 1913, before the outbreak of WWI. Now we really need to find out what he says in Harpo Speaks, especially if he is contradicting himself. But there seems little doubt that he was born Adolph and adopted the name Arthur. Wahkeenah 16:45, 29 July 2006 (UTC)

I think the popular legend is that he changed it prior to WWII for obvious reasons and particularly to distance himself from the anti-Semitic Nazis, but the truth may be closer to avoiding anti-German sentiment prior to the Great War. The Marxes were demonstrably proud of being American, and the extent of Nazi German anti-Semitism wasn't apparent in the US until after American involvement in WWII. [EDIT] This is from the article on Marx Brothers:

During World War I, anti-German sentiments grew, and the family tried to hide their German origin. Harpo changed his real first name from Adolph to Arthur, and Groucho discontinued his "German" stage personality.

There is no citation, but it strangely encapsulates what I was trying to say earlier. This is echoed by one of the article's references, http://www.marx-brothers.org/biography/harpo.htm:

Harpo was given the name Adolph, but changed it to Arthur during World War I because it was too 'German'.

Although no exact date is given, the consensus is leaning toward the pre-WWI explanation. Canonblack 01:59, 3 August 2006 (UTC)

Allan Sherman and HM

My relevant book (A Gift of Laughter) is packed away, but it's worth mentioning that Marx and Allan Sherman were neighbors and good friends. Marx, as I recall, was partially responsible for jump-starting Sherman's parody-singing career (as distinct from his stalled career in television game shows).Lawikitejana 18:01, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

Harpocrates

it was recently suggested and edited into the harpo page here that harpo was names after harpocrates, the egyptian god of silence. This is untrue according to the autobiography "Harpo Speaks", and I have removed it, but Ill be god damned if this isnt an interesting point. We know that there was great interest in egyption culture or at least fashion in the 20's as well. But even if the card player who gave Harpo his name knew this, it is too interesting that harpo happened to play the harp as well, and wasn't this beore he stopped speaking on stage? As far as I can tell it's all unrelated but even if it partially wasn't, it's very coincidential....