Biography of Zeppo Marx (February 25, 1901 – November 30, 1979)
Herbert Marx, better known to the world as Zeppo, the fourth Marx Brother, was born in New York City, New York, U.S.A. on February 25, 1901. He was the youngest of the Marx brothers born to Frenchie and Minnie Marx, and like his brothers grew up in a financially poor, yet loving environment. And like his siblings, he was conscripted into “Minnie’s plan” to turn her sons into stars on the stage. Although his stage character was that of the straight man to Groucho, Chico and Harpo’s antics, off-stage he was the most humorous of the brothers.
Zeppo had an excellent tenor singing voice, which can be heard in many of the Marx Brothers comedies, notably singing “Everybody Says I Love You” in Horse Feathers. Although he could have succeeded with the group or on his own on the stage, he felt that the Marx Brothers didn’t need a straight man, and left the group after their film, Duck Soup. He joined his brother Gummo’s talent agency, where he was successful — but he had another talent that he would use to make his own fortune.
Zeppo had a knack for inventing things, and several of his inventions were very successful financially. He formed a company, Marman, to manufacture and sell some of his inventions, including:
Inventions
- the Marman Clamp, with applications in aircraft and aerospace, still in use.
- And, the Marman Clamp was used in the first atomic bomb raids over Japan in 1945.
- the Marman Twin, a 2-cycle motorized bicycle, which was only made for 2 years, and is now highly collectible.
- a cardiac arrest alarm wristband.
Personal life
Zeppo’s personal life was less successful – he married his first wife, Marion, in 1927, and despite their adopting a son, Timmy, in 1944, they ultimately divorced in 1954. He later married Barbara Marx in 1959, but they also divorced in 1973.
Zeppo Marx passed away from cancer in Palm Springs, California, U.S.A. on November 30, 1979 — the last surviving Marx Brother. He was cremated and had his ashes scattered at sea.
Trivia about Zeppo Marx
- Ashes scattered at sea.
- Throughout his life, he had many careers including inventor, talent agent, manufacturer, commercial fisherman, and grapefruit grower.
- One of only two of The Marx Brothers to play a recurring role in their films (not counting when they used their own names). He played the role of “Jamison” in both The Cocoanuts (1929) and Animal Crackers (1930).
- Since he’d missed out when his brothers received their nicknames, he was given one by his siblings. He was always practicing acrobatics, so he was named “Zippo” — after “Mr. Zippo,” the star of a chimpanzee act. Feeling it was unflattering, he insisted it be Zeppo. Another version of this story , was that his name was changed to “Zeppo” in honor of the then popular “Zepplin”.
- At the time of his death, he was the last surviving of The Marx Brothers.
- He and his first wife adopted their only child, Timothy, in 1944.
- Officially left the brothers’ comedy team to become an agent on March 30, 1934.
- His company, Marman Products, marketed and produced what came to be known as the Marman Clamp, which proved to have numerous applications in aircraft and aerospace, and is used to this day. The company eventually grew to two factories employing more than 500 workers. Marx would often hire studio prop men and unemployed big band musicians.