What do you think?
Rate this book
Speaking of Harpo
Susan Fleming appeared in three Broadway shows and twenty-eight films before she turned her back on a show business career she never really enjoyed or wanted. The role of her lifetime came when she married Harpo Marx in 1936. Together, they raised four adopted children and enjoyed one of Hollywood's happiest and most successful unions. But their twenty-year age difference made Susan a young widow in 1964.
On her path to Hollywood, Susan worked in Broadway musicals produced by Florenz Ziegfeld and George White and befriended a young dancer who would later be known as Paulette Goddard. In Hollywood, she appeared in films with stars like John Wayne, W.C. Fields, and Katharine Hepburn and worked at all the major studios. But it wasn't until she fell in love with a confirmed bachelor, twenty years older than her, that she found her purpose. Her story is the counterpoint to the beloved and acclaimed Harpo Marx autobiography, Harpo Speaks! Susan's frank, opinionated perspective provides a true look behind the curtain and details Harpo's last years, following the publication of his own book.
Susan's account of her more than thirty-year adventure with Harpo includes encounters with people like Charlie Chaplin, William Randolph Hearst, Salvador Dalí, Somerset Maugham, Joan Crawford, Howard Hughes, George S. Kaufman, Helen Keller, Oscar Levant, Jean Harlow, Bugsy Siegel, Samuel Goldwyn, Menachem Begin, Ginger Rogers, Alexander Woollcott, and of course, the Marx Brothers. Susan provides an inside look at the family and pulls no punches when discussing her brothers-in-law, who weren't always her favorite comedians.
On her path to Hollywood, Susan worked in Broadway musicals produced by Florenz Ziegfeld and George White and befriended a young dancer who would later be known as Paulette Goddard. In Hollywood, she appeared in films with stars like John Wayne, W.C. Fields, and Katharine Hepburn and worked at all the major studios. But it wasn't until she fell in love with a confirmed bachelor, twenty years older than her, that she found her purpose. Her story is the counterpoint to the beloved and acclaimed Harpo Marx autobiography, Harpo Speaks! Susan's frank, opinionated perspective provides a true look behind the curtain and details Harpo's last years, following the publication of his own book.
Susan's account of her more than thirty-year adventure with Harpo includes encounters with people like Charlie Chaplin, William Randolph Hearst, Salvador Dalí, Somerset Maugham, Joan Crawford, Howard Hughes, George S. Kaufman, Helen Keller, Oscar Levant, Jean Harlow, Bugsy Siegel, Samuel Goldwyn, Menachem Begin, Ginger Rogers, Alexander Woollcott, and of course, the Marx Brothers. Susan provides an inside look at the family and pulls no punches when discussing her brothers-in-law, who weren't always her favorite comedians.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2022
29 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 10, 2024
Enchanting book about Harpo Marx by his wife. You learn a lot about who Harpo was on screen and off. Mostly nice stories that you probably have not seen in other Marx Brothers biographies. A large portion of the book is a biography of Susan including her limited film career. Susan is pretty frank about everything, and I didn't get the feeling that she was pulling any punches about anyone including herself. I always enjoyed the Marx Brothers movies and even now occasionally will watch on with my Grandson who gets quite the kick out of them.
June 24, 2023
I have been enchanted by Harpo Marx since early elementary school. I can still recall the very first time i saw him prove his brother Groucho wrong by reaching into his seemingly bottomless overcoat and extracting a candle that was, indeed, lit at both ends. Groucho threw insults and Chico was the con man, but Harpo was the cherubic waif, always pulling nonsensical, hilarious stunts while reserving the right to remain silent. To this day, Harpo remains my favorite Marxist. That said, a devout Marx Brothers fan must face facts: They will not be making any more movies, or television appearances, or radio broadcasts. Nor will they be writing any more books. The last of the quintet of merry-making siblings died in the 1970s. Most of their children have passed as well. I thought I had already read every source with first hand knowledge of the family.
Not quite. Along comes Speaking of Harpo, a polished version of a memoir penned by Harpo's wife Susan Fleming Marx (with a hearty assist from Marxophile Robert Bader). Marx Brothers fans likely know that Harpo was the only member of the quartet (later reduced to a trio) who led a happy life. He was judicious with his money, his mind was unpolluted by education, he married late in life for no other reason than for love, and he adored each of his four adopted children. But fans may not know Susan Marx's side of the story. Not that she has any salacious details to unveil. It's just neat to hear a fresh (to contemporary readers, anyway) perspective on life with a celebrated film star.
Ms. Fleming-Marx has no small resume herself. She appeared in 28 films--often as an uncredited extra, but hey, how many films have I ever done?--and in the ensemble of four Broadway shows. That said, the last thing she wanted to discuss was her show business career. As she points out in this book, it was the only work she could find during the Depression, and it helped her family keep the lights on and the oven occupied. But neither did she toss everything aside when she met Harpo. She persisted for a short while, but once they were married, her minimal interest in show business shrank away to nothing.
Ms. Fleming-Marx serves capably as her own Boswell. We can hear her impatience with her performing career paired with genuine fondness toward the memories and the friendships she accumulated. Her assessment of life as a show-business wife is measured and honest. While her praise for Harpo is loving and sincere, her exasperation at his insistence on pushing himself to perform even after a series of heart attacks is frank and crystal clear. Ms. Fleming-Marx served as the glue that held the family together, beyond question. But Harpo had the most fun. One of my favorite stories is of one night when she awoke to find Harpo gone. She went looking for him through the house, and found him sitting on the floor of his daughter Minnie's bathroom, engrossed with Minnie in a game of ball and jacks.
Perhaps most moving is Ms. Fleming Marx's assessment of her life after Harpo passed. The children were grown and gone, and she found herself alone in the vast house that she and Harpo had built for a family of six. She was only 58 when Harpo died, and her friends repeatedly goaded her about marrying again, but with her characteristic blunt force, she refused, saying she had already had the best. She sold the house and moved into a condominium, and began the not-always-easy process of defining herself as someone other than Harpo's wife. She ended up serving on the Cathedral City Board of Education for twelve years, and discovered facets of herself that had long lay hidden or forgotten.
Groucho Marx humiliated three different wives and drove them to drink, and they eventually left him. Chico cheerfully cheated on his first wife, and then married a second wife who was his girlfriend while still married to his first. Chico also gambled away a lifetime of fortune, which surely caused his wives/girlfriends many a sleepless night. Harpo, on the other hand, was the same childlike pixie that appeared on the screen. He never treated Susan with anything other than love and respect, and she flourished in their relationship. We Marx Brothers fans have always believed this; it's good to have our beliefs confirmed by the gracious lady who knew him best.
Not quite. Along comes Speaking of Harpo, a polished version of a memoir penned by Harpo's wife Susan Fleming Marx (with a hearty assist from Marxophile Robert Bader). Marx Brothers fans likely know that Harpo was the only member of the quartet (later reduced to a trio) who led a happy life. He was judicious with his money, his mind was unpolluted by education, he married late in life for no other reason than for love, and he adored each of his four adopted children. But fans may not know Susan Marx's side of the story. Not that she has any salacious details to unveil. It's just neat to hear a fresh (to contemporary readers, anyway) perspective on life with a celebrated film star.
Ms. Fleming-Marx has no small resume herself. She appeared in 28 films--often as an uncredited extra, but hey, how many films have I ever done?--and in the ensemble of four Broadway shows. That said, the last thing she wanted to discuss was her show business career. As she points out in this book, it was the only work she could find during the Depression, and it helped her family keep the lights on and the oven occupied. But neither did she toss everything aside when she met Harpo. She persisted for a short while, but once they were married, her minimal interest in show business shrank away to nothing.
Ms. Fleming-Marx serves capably as her own Boswell. We can hear her impatience with her performing career paired with genuine fondness toward the memories and the friendships she accumulated. Her assessment of life as a show-business wife is measured and honest. While her praise for Harpo is loving and sincere, her exasperation at his insistence on pushing himself to perform even after a series of heart attacks is frank and crystal clear. Ms. Fleming-Marx served as the glue that held the family together, beyond question. But Harpo had the most fun. One of my favorite stories is of one night when she awoke to find Harpo gone. She went looking for him through the house, and found him sitting on the floor of his daughter Minnie's bathroom, engrossed with Minnie in a game of ball and jacks.
Perhaps most moving is Ms. Fleming Marx's assessment of her life after Harpo passed. The children were grown and gone, and she found herself alone in the vast house that she and Harpo had built for a family of six. She was only 58 when Harpo died, and her friends repeatedly goaded her about marrying again, but with her characteristic blunt force, she refused, saying she had already had the best. She sold the house and moved into a condominium, and began the not-always-easy process of defining herself as someone other than Harpo's wife. She ended up serving on the Cathedral City Board of Education for twelve years, and discovered facets of herself that had long lay hidden or forgotten.
Groucho Marx humiliated three different wives and drove them to drink, and they eventually left him. Chico cheerfully cheated on his first wife, and then married a second wife who was his girlfriend while still married to his first. Chico also gambled away a lifetime of fortune, which surely caused his wives/girlfriends many a sleepless night. Harpo, on the other hand, was the same childlike pixie that appeared on the screen. He never treated Susan with anything other than love and respect, and she flourished in their relationship. We Marx Brothers fans have always believed this; it's good to have our beliefs confirmed by the gracious lady who knew him best.
July 30, 2024
In the final chapter of "Speaking of Harpo," Susan writes that her wonderful husband was "exactly what you hope he was. A simple, uncomplicated, beautiful, funny soul, who loved and cherished his friends and family." Anyone who loves the Marx Broyhers will love this book. While it's somewhat uncomfortable to see her taking shots at Groucho, Chico, and Gummo (Zeppo gets off relatively easy), all of her criticisms are valid. Most Marx Brothers fans know that Groucho was an asshole and Chico was addicted to gambling, and it makes sense that their sister-in-law would be personally affected by that.
Susan was an incredible writer. Even though this book was published posthumously, there is a consistent, strong, intelligent voice throughout. Frequent Marx author Robert Bader couldn't have done it himself, and his afterward confirms how he put the manuscript together and preserved Susan's voice.
My only criticism is that it was pretty hard to read about Susan (and Harpo's) love and support for Israel, given the ongoing genocide in Gaza right now. I'm not making any judgment on Susan and Harpo decades ago, I'm simply saying that it was difficult for me as a reader today. She did a great job writing about Harpo's experiences with antisemitism (including, tragically, from his own mother-in-law), and framed their 1963 trip to Israel as having a powerful impact on Harpo's faith. But there is zero question where Susan and Harpo would stand politically if they were alive today, and that's a bit of a bummer.
More important than that, this was a wonderful book about the most angelic, impish, childlike Marx Brother and the woman who loved him. It was just as fascinating to read about Susan's own life and the short film career that she didn't even want. Marx fans should buy this book immediately: 60 years after Harpo's death, there are still new things to learn about him and his brothers.
Susan was an incredible writer. Even though this book was published posthumously, there is a consistent, strong, intelligent voice throughout. Frequent Marx author Robert Bader couldn't have done it himself, and his afterward confirms how he put the manuscript together and preserved Susan's voice.
My only criticism is that it was pretty hard to read about Susan (and Harpo's) love and support for Israel, given the ongoing genocide in Gaza right now. I'm not making any judgment on Susan and Harpo decades ago, I'm simply saying that it was difficult for me as a reader today. She did a great job writing about Harpo's experiences with antisemitism (including, tragically, from his own mother-in-law), and framed their 1963 trip to Israel as having a powerful impact on Harpo's faith. But there is zero question where Susan and Harpo would stand politically if they were alive today, and that's a bit of a bummer.
More important than that, this was a wonderful book about the most angelic, impish, childlike Marx Brother and the woman who loved him. It was just as fascinating to read about Susan's own life and the short film career that she didn't even want. Marx fans should buy this book immediately: 60 years after Harpo's death, there are still new things to learn about him and his brothers.
November 9, 2023
Watching Marx Brothers movies on rainy weekends takes me straight back to my childhood. While I liked them all as a team and individually, that funny guy who never spoke, played the harp and always seemed so joyful and innocent even when he was chasing pretty ladies around the movie sets became my favourite.
Reading his biography, Harpo Speaks, quite a few years ago did nothing to dispell my belief that he was a rare and special individual.
His wife's biography, Speaking of Harpo, written with Robert S Bader. is a dovetail to Harpo Speaks.
While she downplays it through the book, Susan Fleming Marx had her own career on stage and screen before she married Harpo Marx. Unlike many of the starlets of the era, she saw acting as a 'job', working in nightclubs on the US East Coast before travelling west to try her luck in Hollywoor out of necessity when the stockmarket crashed and she became the sole bread earner for herself and her parents. It's good to see her career and accomplishments acknowledged.
Speaking of Harpo starts on the saddest day of her life, then works its way back.
Though she writes scantily - there are no lurid exposes or spilling of beans - through her eyes you get glimpses into Harpo, their children, their life together and insights into Harpo's friends and family. The two of them eloped to dodge the Hollywood gossip coumnists so you get the impression that privacy was paramount to both of them.
I was grateful for the stories and recollections she did share, better understanding some of the stories I'd read in Harpo Speaks from her observations. The more I read, the more I liked her, smiling at her affectionate references to "my boy" (Harpo). A couple that got along with each other, got married, raised four children, had a good life. How un-Hollywood can you get? Yet how perfectly wonderful for Mr and Mrs Harpo Marx! My respect for both of them deepened through reading this book.
Ih his afterward, co-author Bader speaks of receiving a much larger manuscript and notes that he and Susan Marx worked on again/off again for years, The biography only stretches 175 paged, which isn't very long (especially when you're a Marx Brothers tragic.) I couldn't help wondering about all the stuff that got left behind.
Reading his biography, Harpo Speaks, quite a few years ago did nothing to dispell my belief that he was a rare and special individual.
His wife's biography, Speaking of Harpo, written with Robert S Bader. is a dovetail to Harpo Speaks.
While she downplays it through the book, Susan Fleming Marx had her own career on stage and screen before she married Harpo Marx. Unlike many of the starlets of the era, she saw acting as a 'job', working in nightclubs on the US East Coast before travelling west to try her luck in Hollywoor out of necessity when the stockmarket crashed and she became the sole bread earner for herself and her parents. It's good to see her career and accomplishments acknowledged.
Speaking of Harpo starts on the saddest day of her life, then works its way back.
Though she writes scantily - there are no lurid exposes or spilling of beans - through her eyes you get glimpses into Harpo, their children, their life together and insights into Harpo's friends and family. The two of them eloped to dodge the Hollywood gossip coumnists so you get the impression that privacy was paramount to both of them.
I was grateful for the stories and recollections she did share, better understanding some of the stories I'd read in Harpo Speaks from her observations. The more I read, the more I liked her, smiling at her affectionate references to "my boy" (Harpo). A couple that got along with each other, got married, raised four children, had a good life. How un-Hollywood can you get? Yet how perfectly wonderful for Mr and Mrs Harpo Marx! My respect for both of them deepened through reading this book.
Ih his afterward, co-author Bader speaks of receiving a much larger manuscript and notes that he and Susan Marx worked on again/off again for years, The biography only stretches 175 paged, which isn't very long (especially when you're a Marx Brothers tragic.) I couldn't help wondering about all the stuff that got left behind.
April 2, 2025
A wonderful trip through the life of the silent partner of the silent Marx Brother.
April 14, 2024
A worthwhile book, telling us considerably more about Harpo than we had known. The section about Susan's life before she met Harpo was actually just as compelling as the rest of the book. On the whole, though, I found SPEAKING OF HARPO to be constantly interesting but rarely fascinating. One of the most entertaining parts was Robert Bader's afterward,telling how the book came to be written. Mr. Bader did a superb job of assembling Susan Marx's book into a cohesive work, undoubtedly a Herculean task.
November 1, 2022
"Speaking of Harpo" is a nicely written autobiography by the spouse of comedian Harpo Marx, Susan Fleming Marx with the assistance of a co-writer, Robert S. Bader.
Mrs. Marx had a fascinating and fulfilling life, beginning as a performer in the Ziegfeld "Follies." Her account of that experience is a vivid one; as accounts of people associated with the "Follies" are scarce, her reflections are appreciated. Before her marriage she was an actress in films in the early 1930s, and is chiefly remembered for the film "Million Dollar Legs".
Mrs. Marx via her courtship and marriage to Harpo Marx met numerous famous people. Her memories of Alexander Woollcott are fascinating. She describes episodes in Harpo's professional life involving and beyond the Algonquin Roundtable that are not covered elsewhere.
The Marx family are described here. As there are not too many stories about their father, "Frenchy", they are appreciated. Their mother Minnie had passed away before Harpo and Susan got together. The relationship between the brothers is described in detail and impacted Harpo's life for good and on occasion not so good involving investments and lifestyle choices of the brothers and in the case of Gummo Marx, recommendations of physicians providing healthcare during a not terribly advanced time in cardiac care.
Susan and Harpo were family people and their children are written about with love. An account of her life after Harpo's passing is provided.
Definitely recommended for those who are fans of the Marx Brothers. Beyond that it stands very well on its own as an autobiography.
Mrs. Marx had a fascinating and fulfilling life, beginning as a performer in the Ziegfeld "Follies." Her account of that experience is a vivid one; as accounts of people associated with the "Follies" are scarce, her reflections are appreciated. Before her marriage she was an actress in films in the early 1930s, and is chiefly remembered for the film "Million Dollar Legs".
Mrs. Marx via her courtship and marriage to Harpo Marx met numerous famous people. Her memories of Alexander Woollcott are fascinating. She describes episodes in Harpo's professional life involving and beyond the Algonquin Roundtable that are not covered elsewhere.
The Marx family are described here. As there are not too many stories about their father, "Frenchy", they are appreciated. Their mother Minnie had passed away before Harpo and Susan got together. The relationship between the brothers is described in detail and impacted Harpo's life for good and on occasion not so good involving investments and lifestyle choices of the brothers and in the case of Gummo Marx, recommendations of physicians providing healthcare during a not terribly advanced time in cardiac care.
Susan and Harpo were family people and their children are written about with love. An account of her life after Harpo's passing is provided.
Definitely recommended for those who are fans of the Marx Brothers. Beyond that it stands very well on its own as an autobiography.
September 6, 2022
This book is a delight and a pure joy to read. I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve spent with the Susan, Harpo, and their family.
December 8, 2022
Really good book when Susan Marx talked about Harpo, but when she talked about herself, it got a little tiring when she kept downplaying herself.
May 27, 2023
I was a bit disappointed in this book. I found it lackluster and at times boring. Maybe it was because I was more interested in Harpo Marx than his wife, Susan Fleming Marx, the author. She writes a lot about her own life and movie career which really didn’t interest me. Being a huge Marx Brothers fan, I wanted to learn more about Harpo, who I have loved since I was kid, as he didn’t speak in the movies and thus was always a mystery to me.
It wasn’t a total bust as I did learn a little about Harpo’s off screen personality, the older entertainer, and the good husband and father from this book. She described her husband as “A simple, uncomplicated, beautiful, funny soul.” He seemed to be low key, grounded, quiet, reserved, caring, loving, amusing, generous, had a big heart, and didn’t possess a mean bone in his body. He preferred to listen and learn. In short, Harpo was a good man, probably the best of all the brothers. He did many good deeds to benefit society.
It was interesting learning what Harpo did later in his life when the Marx Brothers as a team ended, where his solo career went and his fruitful experiences abroad. The author’s honest stories of Harpo’s relationship with his brothers were interesting. Harpo was very loyal to his brothers, no matter what. I don’t think Mrs. Marx cared much for her brother-in-law, Groucho, though. One of my favorite parts of the book was learning about Harpo playing the harp, which I always enjoy seeing in the movies. I didn't know he was self-taught and that his harps produced a unique sound. Harpo’s heart issues were also mentioned which was sad to read.
The book features very little of Harpo’s childhood and his rise to stardom with his brothers. The author bypasses all that and begins her story from the time she met Harpo who was in his late 40s by then. Therefore this book left me hungry for more info about Harpo in his earlier years as it focuses mainly on the second part of his life. I think I’ll read Harpo’s “Harpo Speaks!” now to find out more about his earlier life and career.
It wasn’t a total bust as I did learn a little about Harpo’s off screen personality, the older entertainer, and the good husband and father from this book. She described her husband as “A simple, uncomplicated, beautiful, funny soul.” He seemed to be low key, grounded, quiet, reserved, caring, loving, amusing, generous, had a big heart, and didn’t possess a mean bone in his body. He preferred to listen and learn. In short, Harpo was a good man, probably the best of all the brothers. He did many good deeds to benefit society.
It was interesting learning what Harpo did later in his life when the Marx Brothers as a team ended, where his solo career went and his fruitful experiences abroad. The author’s honest stories of Harpo’s relationship with his brothers were interesting. Harpo was very loyal to his brothers, no matter what. I don’t think Mrs. Marx cared much for her brother-in-law, Groucho, though. One of my favorite parts of the book was learning about Harpo playing the harp, which I always enjoy seeing in the movies. I didn't know he was self-taught and that his harps produced a unique sound. Harpo’s heart issues were also mentioned which was sad to read.
The book features very little of Harpo’s childhood and his rise to stardom with his brothers. The author bypasses all that and begins her story from the time she met Harpo who was in his late 40s by then. Therefore this book left me hungry for more info about Harpo in his earlier years as it focuses mainly on the second part of his life. I think I’ll read Harpo’s “Harpo Speaks!” now to find out more about his earlier life and career.
September 19, 2023
A warm memoir about a charming and enduring love.
Susan Fleming was an actress who amassed some impressive credits but who remained indifferent to her own success. Eventually she found happiness through true love of a man who was as decent as he was successful.
Marx Brothers fans will enjoy the color that she adds to the family dynamic. She is modest to a fault and writes with reverence about her husband and her children.
Harpo's life is amazing. Leaving school in the second grade, he went on to become the toast of Broadway and then one of the biggest movie stars in the world. But his third act is the real payoff. At 48 years old he married for the first and only time. He and Susan eventually adopted four children and raised them in a house filled with joy, music and art.
The book was written in the 1990s but only published last year. Credit for the publication belongs to Robert Bader, who co-wrote this memoir over many years and was able to get it published after the great success of his book about the Brothers stage career.
Credit too to Bill Marx, the eldest son of Harpo and Susan. He clearly wants the world to know just how happy his parents marriage was, and that's a lovely sentiment.
Susan Fleming was an actress who amassed some impressive credits but who remained indifferent to her own success. Eventually she found happiness through true love of a man who was as decent as he was successful.
Marx Brothers fans will enjoy the color that she adds to the family dynamic. She is modest to a fault and writes with reverence about her husband and her children.
Harpo's life is amazing. Leaving school in the second grade, he went on to become the toast of Broadway and then one of the biggest movie stars in the world. But his third act is the real payoff. At 48 years old he married for the first and only time. He and Susan eventually adopted four children and raised them in a house filled with joy, music and art.
The book was written in the 1990s but only published last year. Credit for the publication belongs to Robert Bader, who co-wrote this memoir over many years and was able to get it published after the great success of his book about the Brothers stage career.
Credit too to Bill Marx, the eldest son of Harpo and Susan. He clearly wants the world to know just how happy his parents marriage was, and that's a lovely sentiment.
March 20, 2024
Susan Marx's autobiography "Speaking of Harpo" is a great companion book to her husband's book "Harpo Speaks!" The life of Susan Fleming Marx is just as interesting in pre-Harpo and post-Harpo. But her life with Harpo fills in their life together with stories which aren't covered in Harpo's book.
This is especially true of their Jewish experiences as fundraisers, supporters of the new state Israel. Their trip to Israel is poignant as Harpo realizes his Jewish heritage in the real world, which is not covered in great detail in "Harpo Speaks!"
The writing and pacing is smooth and sketches her early life with her parents and career as breadwinner for her parents when she was a Ziegfeld dancer then a contract actress in Hollywood spanning late silent and early talking movies.
After Harpo's death she had to rediscover who she was and what she wanted for the coming decades. Eventually she does discover herself in the realm of politics and education.
Highly recommended for glimpse in a long lost world of Hollywood and a past which is just as complex as today is. Read it!
This is especially true of their Jewish experiences as fundraisers, supporters of the new state Israel. Their trip to Israel is poignant as Harpo realizes his Jewish heritage in the real world, which is not covered in great detail in "Harpo Speaks!"
The writing and pacing is smooth and sketches her early life with her parents and career as breadwinner for her parents when she was a Ziegfeld dancer then a contract actress in Hollywood spanning late silent and early talking movies.
After Harpo's death she had to rediscover who she was and what she wanted for the coming decades. Eventually she does discover herself in the realm of politics and education.
Highly recommended for glimpse in a long lost world of Hollywood and a past which is just as complex as today is. Read it!
May 20, 2024
Susan Fleming Marx wanted to wait twenty years after her death to have her memoir about her life with Harpo published. I don’t know if that delay was necessary based on what is found between the pages, but as a Marx fan I am glad I was finally able to read her take on what that life was like. She was obviously deeply in love with her husband of almost 30 years, but she is also very straightforward in her criticisms of his siblings and her take on the entertainment industry as a whole is less than complimentary. A reluctant actress, who went from the Ziegfeld Follies to an ingénue in a series of mostly forgotten films, (“Million Dollar Legs” being a notable exception.) she does not share with rose colored glasses; rather she is fairly cutting and sarcastic in her commentary, obviously a woman who did not suffer fools gladly and was more than able to stand up to Harpo’s equally famous siblings when she was calling them out for less than exemplary behavior. The book is definitely an insider’s take on what the relationships were like within the team, but not delving as deeply as a well-researched biography, this is still a worthwhile addition to any Marx fans library.
March 17, 2024
If you have never read "Harpo Speaks", or like me, it had been decades since you have, I highly recommend reading that and this back to back. If you had an inkling that he was, by far, the nicest of the Marx Brothers, you are correct...though he might blush if he read this.
"With marriage to Harpo, an emotional harmony set in. Harpo, no role player, was a completely natural person in an unnatural world. At peace with himself, he was an understanding observer. He never gave directions because that meant making judgments, which was not his way. He could respect a person for just one redeeming feature, while I was looking for a weakness to reject the whole. His creed was, "Do the best you can and, with luck it will all come out right." Harpo was a supporter. He was every performer's best audience. Unthreatened by the success of others, he was the first and loudest in his applause. He never questioned an action of mine even when we both knew it should be questioned." ~ Susan Fleming Marx in "Speaking of Harpo.
"With marriage to Harpo, an emotional harmony set in. Harpo, no role player, was a completely natural person in an unnatural world. At peace with himself, he was an understanding observer. He never gave directions because that meant making judgments, which was not his way. He could respect a person for just one redeeming feature, while I was looking for a weakness to reject the whole. His creed was, "Do the best you can and, with luck it will all come out right." Harpo was a supporter. He was every performer's best audience. Unthreatened by the success of others, he was the first and loudest in his applause. He never questioned an action of mine even when we both knew it should be questioned." ~ Susan Fleming Marx in "Speaking of Harpo.
June 5, 2023
A star and a half. Ghost written of course, but she needed a better ghost writer than she had, in spite of a much touted "writing course" she says she took. The style is repetitive and lifeless, making it hard to engage with Fleming. The stilted, dry style doesn't loosen up until halfway through the book. She calls it "speaking of Harpo" but it's mostly about her, her reactions to life with Harpo, and her political activities. I got the impression she strongly disliked the other Marx brothers, though she adored their parents. Quite possibly she was riding the wave of Harpo Speaks!, a much better book.
By the end I was skimming, and when I was confronted with a long list of her professional career (those movies and revues she says she so disliked) I closed the book.
I won't be reading this again.
By the end I was skimming, and when I was confronted with a long list of her professional career (those movies and revues she says she so disliked) I closed the book.
I won't be reading this again.
April 30, 2025
This was a superbly written biography, and IMO, this book sets a whole new standard in the craft of bio composition. Robert Bader began the process over twenty years before the biography finally came to its deserved fruition. How he collected the background and finally assembled it was expressed in the “afterward” and was interesting in itself.
Harpo Marx’s widow was a remarkable woman who, you could feel, simply adored her famous husband. Famous in her own right, I was so pleased that Bader really teased out Susan’s own career in show business, although she may have nonchalantly downplayed it all.
The end result is a terrific journey down memory lane with someone inside Hollywood in its golden age. This book is a treasure, and I enjoyed each page as the story of their lives together and apart was so eloquently told.
In a word EXCELLENT!
Harpo Marx’s widow was a remarkable woman who, you could feel, simply adored her famous husband. Famous in her own right, I was so pleased that Bader really teased out Susan’s own career in show business, although she may have nonchalantly downplayed it all.
The end result is a terrific journey down memory lane with someone inside Hollywood in its golden age. This book is a treasure, and I enjoyed each page as the story of their lives together and apart was so eloquently told.
In a word EXCELLENT!
August 8, 2023
This book was well-written and thoroughly enjoyable. I have seen The Marx Brothers’ movies on T.V., but I have never read any books about them. I’m not a fanatic, though I very much liked their work. Therefore, I was an excellent candidate to read this candid, personal book about Ms. Fleming’s relationship to Harpo and his relationship to his brothers. It was interesting to read about their show-biz lines and the years beyond. There was some dirt, but that wasn’t the primary part of the book. Everything was in perspective and real Marx Brothers fanatics should not miss this. Some portions had me in stitches. Others had me in shock. Read it. You won’t be disappointed.
November 23, 2022
Nice, fluffy book that fills in some gaps in Marx history.
Susan Fleming was an aspiring model and actress, who quickly lost most of her interest in a career in Hollywood.
When the depression hits, she became the sole income source for her family and so stumbled along, in a half hearted attempt to make it in movies.
Then she met a fellow named Arthur Marx...
Susan was there for the final years of the Brothers' movie career and the various solo projects that came after.
Most of the focus is on her and Harpo's life and her view from the fringe of Hollywood.
Her life before and after are pretty much skimmed through, which is a shame, as the bits we are given are an interesting look at the times.
She also gives us some interesting bits about the other brothers and their lives.
Nice little bit of history. Just wish she'd had more interest in talking about her own life.
Susan Fleming was an aspiring model and actress, who quickly lost most of her interest in a career in Hollywood.
When the depression hits, she became the sole income source for her family and so stumbled along, in a half hearted attempt to make it in movies.
Then she met a fellow named Arthur Marx...
Susan was there for the final years of the Brothers' movie career and the various solo projects that came after.
Most of the focus is on her and Harpo's life and her view from the fringe of Hollywood.
Her life before and after are pretty much skimmed through, which is a shame, as the bits we are given are an interesting look at the times.
She also gives us some interesting bits about the other brothers and their lives.
Nice little bit of history. Just wish she'd had more interest in talking about her own life.
July 10, 2023
A little slow at the start but then becomes an easier read. I was sort of hoping to get some insight into Harpo's friendships with others like Oscar Levant. Harpo is often mentioned in Levant's bio, A talent for Genius; however Levant is barely mentioned in Harpo's widow's book. In thinking about it, she focused mostly on his family life and his brothers, so I didn't really hear a lot about what made Harpo tick.
March 3, 2023
Thank you Susan Marx for sharing some memories of what it was like to be the longest married wife of any marxs wives, sounds like she had to keep some distance between all the brothers and their wants from each other.
July 13, 2023
This short book by Harpo Marx's wife Susan will delight fans of the Marx Brothers, and old Hollywood. Harpo always seemed like the nicest, most level-headed of the Marx Brothers, and it turns out, he was. Lots of old Hollywood stuff in here to go along with a portrait of a wonderful marriage.
September 11, 2023
Having read Harpoon Speaks and Son of Harpo speaks i just had to read this book by his w.idow.There are so many warm and numerous stories about Harpo that it makes one regret that I need saw him perform live.A very enjoyable book to read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2024
I have been a Marx Brothers fan since I was a teen. Harpo became my favorite of the three and I really enjoyed reading Susan's book. She added so many wonderful stories about their life together. They truly were a special couple.
This book was a pure joy to read.
This book was a pure joy to read.
September 20, 2022
I was very excited for this book, and it certainly did not disappoint. This will be a must-read for Marx Brothers fans.
December 7, 2022
Just the right balance of stories about Harpo and stories about Susan.
April 18, 2023
I am a huge Marx Brothers fan and especially of Harpo. Loved the book but wanted even more Harpo stories. Great insight and pics of his private life. For any Marx fan, this is a must!
Read
July 6, 2023I loved reading the book. It was good.
April 10, 2024
Decent writing, decent narration, but... it just wasn't all that interesting. Oh well.
January 18, 2026
You will love Harpo Marx more than you do now if you read this book. His wife’s memoir is touching and fascinating. She speaks her mind, which is what makes this book so good.
April 4, 2024
Lovely last line almost got another star from me.
We need more Harpos in the world.
We need more Harpos in the world.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews