Harpo’s Birthday! – November 23rd, 2016
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Nov.23, 2016, under Books
Harpo’s Birthday!
Today would have been Harpo Marx’s 128th birthday! I’m a huge fan of the Marx Brothers and the writers who wrote for them. One of the greatest things that has happened in my life has been the Marx Brother’s films I watched as a child leading me to discovering, also as a child, the amazing collection of writers and their pals who were part of the Smart Set and the Algonquin Round Table back in the 1920s and beyond. What Kaufman, Parker, Benchley, Sherwood, Woollcott, Ferber, etc, etc could do with the English language is mesmerizing.
Harpo was also part of the elite literary set through his great friendship with Alexander Woollcott. The adventures they and Round Table members had are written through Harpo’s autobiography, ‘Harpo Speaks’, which I’m finally reading now.
I first found a hard cover copy of the book about 35 years ago. I remember it being that long ago and the card from the long gone grocery store Kash ‘n Karry inside helps me remember. Of the few dozen Marx Brother’s books in my collection, ‘Harpo Speaks’ was one i decided I would read later in life.
This year with the death of my father, cartooning hero Jack Davis, so many friends members of families and my tiny stroke had me realize later in life is now. So, I’m reading the book and loving every part of it! Marking the great parts and the bits of Florida history included.
The photo is of the book and my Marx Brothers Shrine. The Shrine includes 3 statues of the brothers that i bought around 1982 from, one time Central Florida tourist stop, Stars Hall of Fame Wax Museum, where i drew caricatures. The statues and book have weathered many significant moves and tumultuous times. All show wear and tear, just like me. But we’ve gotten through it all. Just as Harpo writes he did in ‘Harpo Speaks’.
No comments for this entry yet...
Leave a Reply
Linked In
Networked Blogs
Web Stat
