Chico Marx
Leonard "Chico" Marx (March 22, 1887 – October 11, 1961) was an American comedian and movie star.[1] He was one of the five Marx Brothers. In the movies, Chico talked with a pretend Italian accent and played the piano. He flirted with the ladies and wore a curly wig. In most of the movies, he got into trouble by playing pranks with his brother, Harpo.
Chico Marx | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Leonard Marx March 22, 1887 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | October 11, 1961 (aged 74) |
| Cause of death | Arteriosclerosis |
| Occupation | Actor, bandleader, comedian |
| Years active | 1926–1959 |
Chico was a good pianist. As a child, he started playing with only his right hand and fake playing with his left. Chico finally learned to play the piano very well. But to be funny, he was famous for “shooting” the keys of the piano. He would play the notes with his thumb up and index finger straight; like a gun.[2]
Personal life
Chico Marx was born in New York City.[1] His father was born in France and worked as a tailor and his mother was from Germany. He was married twice. In 1917, he married Betty Karp. They had a daughter named Maxine. He taught her to be an actress. After a divorce, he later married Mary De Vithas. They married in 1958, three years before his death. Chico died at home of arteriosclerosis, on October 11, 1961, in Hollywood. He was the oldest brother and the first to die. He is in a mausoleum in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
Chico Marx Media
Lobby card for Monkey Business (1931) with Chico (left) and Harpo (right)
Chico Marx playing cards with himself; taken at Rockaway Beach, New York, in July 1909, aged 22
Chico playing his favorite piano at hotel in 1956
Chico with Groucho on the set of A Day at the Races (1937)
The Marx Brothers, from top: Chico, Harpo, Groucho, and Zeppo Marx
Chico starred in ABC's 1950 comedy-variety series The College Bowl as a campus malt-shop owner who dispensed sodas and advice to the students.
The Marx Brothers (clockwise from bottom: Groucho, Chico, and Harpo) by Yusuf Karsh in 1948
Harpo and Chico in "The Incredible Jewelry Robbery", a 1959 episode of General Electric Theater.
Chico Marx's grave in the Freedom Mausoleum in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Chico Marx Biography: Actor, Pianist, Comedian (1887–1961)". Biography.com website. 2014. Archived from the original on 11 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
- ↑ "2x Marx at the Piano in a Duet". Piano Street's Classical Piano News. 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
Other websites
- Chico Marx on IMDb
- Chico Marx at the TCM Movie Database