Harpo’s truly golden silence
QUESTION
Could Harpo Marx actually speak?
In HIS autobiography Harpo Speaks! (ghost-written by Rowland Barber), the Marx brother tells of an incident where his father Sam ‘Frenchie’ Marx won a bet with a stranger that the silent curlyheaded kid performing on stage could actually speak.
The reaction of the man who lost the bet when Marx identified himself and introduced him to his son is not recorded.
Angus Gafraidh, London E11. THe Marx Brothers were a U.S. comedy act that was successful in vaudeville, on Broadway and in film from 1905 to 1949.
The core of the act were the three elder brothers, each of whom developed a highly distinctive stage persona: charming con artist Chico, the silent clown Harpo and wise-cracking Groucho. They were sometimes joined by their brothers Gummo and Zeppo.
Adolph Arthur Marx, better known as Harpo, was born on november 23, 1888. The second oldest child, he was known for his easy-going disposition, much like his father.
He changed his name to Arthur shortly before World War I because he felt Adolph was too German.
Harpo was the clown of the group, with his curly red hair, top hat and horn. Though chasing women Benny Hill-style was his favourite comedy routine, he was a devoted husband and father to his four adopted children.
He could speak — but chose not to during the act.
The brothers were introduced to vaudeville by their uncle Albert Schonberg, who performed as Al Shean of Gallagher & Shean. The brothers appeared in various singing groups, including the Three nightingales, the Four nightingales and the Six Mascots, until their fortunes changed.
After one singing performance, the brothers broke out into the spontaneous madcap comedy for which they would become famous.
In 1910, Harpo, Chico and Groucho appeared as the Marx Brothers in the classic sketch Fun In Hi Skule, which set the path of their comedy career.
It was not long before Harpo’s ego received a serious blow. The brothers starred in a show called Home Again, written with the help of Uncle Al, who removed most of Harpo’s lines because he didn’t think he could compete with the ad-lib verbal sparring of Chico and Groucho. Harpo didn’t agree and adlibbed his own material.
A critic in the local newspaper described the show: ‘Adolph Marx performed beautiful pantomime, which was ruined whenever he spoke.’
Harpo realised he could steal the scene by not speaking and remained mute for the rest of his career.
Hillary Prosser, Edinburgh.
QUESTION What is known about the ghost bus reportedly seen in London’s North Kensington in the Thirties?
THe ghostly number 7 red doubledecker was said to haunt the dangerous intersection of St Mark’s Road and Cambridge Gardens in north Kensington.
Some of those who had road accidents there claimed they had crashed while swerving to avoid a speeding doubledecker that hurtled down St Mark’s Road in the small hours, long after bus services had ended for the night.
In June 1934, there was a coroner’s inquest on Ian James Beaton, 25, a metallurgical engineer, of Dollis Hill, north-West London, who died following a collision with a vehicle driven by George Pink, the chauffeur of the Hon Samuel Vestey of Manchester Square.
It made national headlines when witness Frederick Robinson said the junction was noted for accidents and claimed it was where the ghost bus had been seen.
When the coroner expressed his cynicism, hundreds of locals wrote to his office, and to newspapers, offering to testify that they, too, had seen the ghost bus.
A resident of Cambridge Gardens told the Morning Post of June 16 ‘that on certain nights . . . people have been awakened by the roar of a bus coming down the street.
‘When they have gone to their windows they have seen a brilliantly lighted double- decker bus approaching with neither driver nor passengers.
‘The bus goes careering to the corner of Cambridge Gardens and St Mark’s Road and then vanishes.’
A verdict of accidental death was recorded and Mr Pink exonerated. The local authority straightened the road afterwards and the sightings ceased.
This legend is believed to have been the inspiration for e. F. Benson’s famous short story The Bus-Conductor, later adapted into an episode in the classic 1945 British horror film Dead Of night.
Alistair Duncan, London E11.