The Right Ladder I think being a successful/ famous working parent can’t be ‘ easy’ ,even more so when you might have children who lack purpose/ ambition but have a baffling sense of entitlement.Books by the children of Joan Crawford,Marlene Dietrich & Klaus Kinski are important and essential.Just as much as the book by Bill Marx.He was very lucky that his father found the balance between his home life and his public life.
What a nice guy. And it is so refreshing to hear a man talk so nicely about his father. 35 years later, Bill is still out there, preserving his father's name.
And what's amazing is that he was self taught. After he retired he tried taking some formal lessons but wound up teaching the instructor more that he was learning!
That thing he always did with his leg, making it be in Margaret Dumont's hands, was So Funny, every time, I'm laughing now just picturing it... then also all the stuff in his coat, including kittens ahaha
I bought the Marx Bros box set...superb. I bought Harpo Speaks....again totally superb. I am now 66, been laughing since i was 4. That's entertainment!
That book means the world to me. I bought this second edition when I was a kid in the 90’s. And still, at age 44, when I am having a bad day, I crack it open and find a reason to smile.
Yes, the controlled mayhem of the Marx Brothers was right up there with Laurel and Hardy. There were many other comedy teams that were great, but none had the lasting impact of these two teams, with the possible exception of Abbott and Costello and the Three Stooges. Of all these greats, Groucho, Harpo, Chico (pronounced Chick-o not Cheek-o) and to a lesser extent Zeppo. There was another brother Gummo, who never appeared in the movies, only Vaudeville. He became their manager. As Casey Stengel used to say "You could look it up"
I'll add my two cents about the book, which I just finished. It's simply unbelievable. You'll laugh, you'll cry. You get through one incredible adventure only to have the next one be even more incredible. The people who he knew or crossed paths with is just jaw dropping, from all the early New Yorker people, Alexander Woolcott, Robert Benchley, Harold Ross, Dorothy Parker, to you name it.... Eddie Cantor, George Burns, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Levant, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Arnold Schoenberg, Ruth Gordon, William Randolph Hearst, all of whom he treated no differently than some guy on the street.
This is wonderful, I absolutely adored Harpo...he was my fav Marx brother....hearing Bill Marx imitate Harpo's voice is great...there was a video here on YT with the audio of Harpo's voice and he really had a deep sound, was not expecting him to sound like that....thanks so much for sharing this clip from Dave's show.....Rest In Peace Harpo, I love you 💜🌹💜
Similar to that of Carlo Pedersoli, known professionally as Bud Spence who's real voice sounded like Arnold schwarzenegger, that is why they dubbed his voice even in Italian films.
Harpo Marx adopted all of his children, he once said he wanted a child for every window in the front of his house so he could see their smiles when he went off to work. He fulfilled that wish with the 3 boys and a girl.
scarletfluerr - actually, the exact quote is from George Burns, who recollected, "One thing he said to me that was so, so nice... He adopted four children, you know. So I said to him, ‘When are you gonna quit? How many children are you going to adopt?’ He says, ‘I’d like to adopt as many children as I have windows. So when I leave, I want a kid in every window, waving goodbye.’”
@@mjw1955 That's none of your business. You shouldn't even be asking. There may have been many reasons. It didn't make them any less as parents because they adopted.
Harpo Marx was a wonderful Jewish gentleman. A wonderful son, brother, husband and father. Bill, his two brothers and sister were blessed to have him as a father. You can see his influence in Bill. When Harpo died Groucho cried uncontrollably for hours. Apparently he was the nicest of all of them. RIP Comedy icon. Shalom.
The good ok days when Letterman was light-hearted, before he mistook humorless political rants for the usually well-crafted political humor of Johnny Carson. Good thing he didn't disgrace the same stage as Johnny. That was done by Leno's successor..
The Marx's were a quirky bunch, all immensely talented .... but I've never heard a negative story about Harpo. He seems to have avoided the dysfunction that often comes with fame and fortune.
It is wonderful to see such unbridled laughter in a family. I used to look at laughing carefree families when I was a kid and longingly wonder what that felt like.....
After Harpo arrived in Heaven, God started to notice a large number of harps left discarded in a pile. One by one the angels were turning in their harps. He called all the angels over, pointed to the pile, and asked them all, "What's going on?" One angel spoke up. "Well, Sir," he said, "We only found out this last few minutes that Harpo Marx just arrived.......well, what can we say? We know when we're beat!"
I read it in the '70s, fascinating. They had it rough in the beginning, trying to make a living in vaudeville, sometimes not getting paid, and his harp being thrown off the train, etc. The parts about he and his pals being dedicated croquet freaks -'anytime, anywhere', were especially funny
Harpo was my favorite of the brothers...maybe because he was my brother's favorite. He must have been a good father, because his son here seems to be good guy and doesn't seem to dislike his father any
As a kid wasn't hard to fall in love with The Marx Brothers & Harpo was easily my fave. digging through the Back Room last week & re-discovered the ragged ol' copy of HARPO SPEAKS i'd bought for around $1 WAYYYYYYYYYYYY back at a little shop in Hornsby AUSTRALIA , I reckon i was 15/16 ( 53 now) .:O It still has the statement: "This is the property of Pen the Punk" handwritten inside the opening page, So Dear "Pen the Punk", just want to let you know i still treasure this tome & consider it a HUGELY valued possession.
I'm sorry to hear that James, There is nothing I can say to make you feel better, but I wish you had a real dad too, I know you would have made him an amazing son, If you ever have kids be the best father to them, and they will love you forever,
Blanca Miranda Ironically, I wished someone could save me FROM my real Dad. I was constantly verbally and physically abused by this 6 ft. Marine from the age of 6. I wish we both could have had a father like Harpo!
I first saw the Marx Bros. when I was a teenager. There was a local show hosted by an aficionado of old Hollywood comedy, that played Sunday afternoons. I was fascinated by all those old Vaudevillians. I've loved the Marx Brothers ever since.
I just loved Harpo. I also know that he played roles in westerns. He was bald so not easy to recognize, he spoke and it was a very interesting voice to hear. I was told that he taught himself to play the Harp and he played it backwards. Harpo and Chico were my favorites, although they were all excellent.
The book he's plugging, Harpo Speaks, is truly a great read and a must read for anyone who considers themselves a fan--Harpo lived an amazing life, which included sneaking documents into the Soviet Union for the US govt (according to that book).
I read this book in the 70s when I was in high school. I remember laughing out loud. One of the best autobiographies. Harpo was a funny, yet gentle, man.
We've had the pleasure of meeting Bill twice, most recently on our last anniversary. He was playing jazz piano at a small club and played most of the show directly to us. He's just a great guy.
Too bad they didn’t talk more about the book. Harpo Speaks is delightful, a great read full of anecdotes and crazy stuff they used to do when they were just starting out.
The Marx bros were one if a kind. A Day at the Opera my fav. Hard to pick a fad Marx they were each unique. I was in awe at chicos accent it was dead on and if course groucho had much more exposure in later years. How could you not marvel at his acerbic wit on you bet your life? Sad that his marriages didn't bring him the happiness he deserved. They will never be forgotten.
I would have loved to have seen Jimmy Cliff after this great interview. Just last month I was in Montego Bay Jamaica riding on Jimmy Cliff Blvd and suddenly Jimmy comes on the radio--it was fantastic
![[Live] : ONE 168 วันนี้!! "โจนาธาน vs ซุปเปอร์เล็ก"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0jIN65KgJsI/mqdefault.jpg)
How life affirming to hear and see a child of a well known comedian promoting a book about how wonderful their parent was.Rather rare nowadays...
Rather rare full stop
The Right Ladder I think being a successful/ famous working parent can’t be ‘ easy’ ,even more so when you might have children who lack purpose/ ambition but have a baffling sense of entitlement.Books by the children of Joan Crawford,Marlene Dietrich & Klaus Kinski are important and essential.Just as much as the book by Bill Marx.He was very lucky that his father found the balance between his home life and his public life.
The book is a re-release of a book written by Harpo. Harpo himself promoted it on the "Today Show" back in 1961.
Amen. Looks like he was a great dad. And lots of fun.
amen
What a nice guy. And it is so refreshing to hear a man talk so nicely about his father. 35 years later, Bill is still out there, preserving his father's name.
Such a handsome and well spoken gentleman. He was very fortunate to have such a unique dad.
Harpo was not only hilarious, he had an innocence about him and when he played the harp he was angelic
And what's amazing is that he was self taught. After he retired he tried taking some formal lessons but wound up teaching the instructor more that he was learning!
Best Harp player since King David
Great guns too.
@@mjw1955 didn't know that.... Not surprised though! TY.
@@mjw1955
"The Harpo Method" is now taught as an alternative to the traditional form.
Bill is a real down to earth guy. Not a hollywood type at all. So sincere too. Letterman did not abuse him either. Good interview too !
Right on triumphmanful!!! :-)
And don't forget GORGEOUS 😄
This was wonderful to see how a beloved comedian was also an exemplary human being- beyond rare.
To me Harpo was the funniest Marx Brother and when ever he was on the screen he would get 100% of my attention
That thing he always did with his leg, making it be in Margaret Dumont's hands, was So Funny, every time, I'm laughing now just picturing it... then also all the stuff in his coat, including kittens ahaha
Duck Soup was amazing. Brilliant humor.
I bought the Marx Bros box set...superb. I bought Harpo Speaks....again totally superb. I am now 66, been laughing since i was 4. That's entertainment!
My favourite Hollywood memoir
Can we still buy that box set? It's still on sale? 😶
That book means the world to me. I bought this second edition when I was a kid in the 90’s. And still, at age 44, when I am having a bad day, I crack it open and find a reason to smile.
The Marx Brothers are an American treasure!
Wow he never did talk. Marc Brother's love them. What a cool son classy.
"The only geniuses in America are the Marx Brothers , and Disney " --Salvador Dali
Yes, the controlled mayhem of the Marx Brothers was right up there with Laurel and Hardy. There were many other comedy teams that were great, but none had the lasting impact of these two teams, with the possible exception of Abbott and Costello and the Three Stooges. Of all these greats, Groucho, Harpo, Chico (pronounced Chick-o not Cheek-o) and to a lesser extent Zeppo. There was another brother Gummo, who never appeared in the movies, only Vaudeville. He became their manager. As Casey Stengel used to say "You could look it up"
@@patmac1134 Love them all. But The Three Stooges absolutely have just as much of a lasting impact. Maybe even moreso then the others.
This is wonderful to watch and listen to. Harpo was a wonderful father. His son turned out well and we can see why.
Yeppers
I'll add my two cents about the book, which I just finished. It's simply unbelievable. You'll laugh, you'll cry. You get through one incredible adventure only to have the next one be even more incredible. The people who he knew or crossed paths with is just jaw dropping, from all the early New Yorker people, Alexander Woolcott, Robert Benchley, Harold Ross, Dorothy Parker, to you name it.... Eddie Cantor, George Burns, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Levant, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Arnold Schoenberg, Ruth Gordon, William Randolph Hearst, all of whom he treated no differently than some guy on the street.
It's a fabulous book.
I loved the Schoenberg story, and the George Bernard Shaw, and the Rachmaninoff, and the Danny Thomas, and Harry Truman....
I also read the book and you are absoutely right. The book is a treasure, just lovely.
I also adored Harpo and alll the Marx Brothers.
Great read.
Thanks for sharing. Gonna order book today
This is great! Imagine having Harpo as your dad with the other Marx brothers as your uncles!
This is wonderful, I absolutely adored Harpo...he was my fav Marx brother....hearing Bill Marx imitate Harpo's voice is great...there was a video here on YT with the audio of Harpo's voice and he really had a deep sound, was not expecting him to sound like that....thanks so much for sharing this clip from Dave's show.....Rest In Peace Harpo, I love you 💜🌹💜
i saw that vid too! i was amazed! i wish there were more audio of harpo!
heres the link to that audio
th-cam.com/video/oiatjttPdwE/w-d-xo.html
Harpo's too busy keeping heaven laughing to take a rest. Tears in my eyes!
Similar to that of Carlo Pedersoli, known professionally as Bud Spence who's real voice sounded like Arnold schwarzenegger, that is why they dubbed his voice even in Italian films.
In heaven I hope with his brothers. What a gift to make people laugh.
Dude, like you needed another reason to love Harpo even more..
Harpo Marx adopted all of his children, he once said he wanted a child for every window in the front of his house so he could see their smiles when he went off to work. He fulfilled that wish with the 3 boys and a girl.
He and his wife started looking for children to adopt right from the time they were married. Was one of them infertile?
He seemed like such a gentle soul and a great person to be around. I don’t think he had a mean bone in his body. God bless him and all the Marx Bros.
scarletfluerr - actually, the exact quote is from George Burns, who recollected, "One thing he said to me that was so, so nice... He adopted four children, you know. So I said to him, ‘When are you gonna quit? How many children are you going to adopt?’ He says, ‘I’d like to adopt as many children as I have windows. So when I leave, I want a kid in every window, waving goodbye.’”
@@mjw1955 That's none of your business. You shouldn't even be asking. There may have been many reasons. It didn't make them any less as parents because they adopted.
@@Pashasmom1 I decide what's my business.
Harpo made everyone laugh so hard. He didn't need anything. No words, no jokes, just being present and being Harpo.
He respected his father and mother, not seen so much these days.
Harpo Marx was a wonderful Jewish gentleman. A wonderful son, brother, husband and father. Bill, his two brothers and sister were blessed to have him as a father. You can see his influence in Bill. When Harpo died Groucho cried uncontrollably for hours. Apparently he was the nicest of all of them. RIP Comedy icon. Shalom.
Only seven minutes long but one of the most enjoyable Letterman clips I’ve ever watched.
I agree with you Charles!!! :-)
Harpo was one of the best comedians EVER!!
To me Harpo was an Angel on earth He Never had biological kids, all his kids were adopted and loved them a lot.
Piontro Pechetrini I didn't think he looked like Harpo, Was he sterile?
The good ok days when Letterman was light-hearted, before he mistook humorless political rants for the usually well-crafted political humor of Johnny Carson. Good thing he didn't disgrace the same stage as Johnny. That was done by Leno's successor..
It was a shame to see what Letterman turned into, also most of the rest of the late-night comedians.
Yes, he had some sort of problem having kids. His son was adopted same as the other kids he had with his beautiful wife.
Could be his wife had some sort of problem .
The Marx's were a quirky bunch, all immensely talented .... but I've never heard a negative story about Harpo. He seems to have avoided the dysfunction that often comes with fame and fortune.
I have just become a Marx Brothers fan at the age of 57. I really enjoyed this, now I want to look for this book!!!
I always thought Harpo was the MORE GENTLE of the "Marx Brothers". You could tell they were ALL CLOSE!!!! What a GREAT INTERVIEW!!!!
It is wonderful to see such unbridled laughter in a family. I used to look at laughing carefree families when I was a kid and longingly wonder what that felt like.....
What a lovely man and magical life. Harpo obviously had a huge heart and love for life to raise such a fine fellow.
After Harpo arrived in Heaven, God started to notice a large number of harps left discarded in a pile. One by one the angels were turning in their harps. He called all the angels over, pointed to the pile, and asked them all, "What's going on?"
One angel spoke up. "Well, Sir," he said, "We only found out this last few minutes that Harpo Marx just arrived.......well, what can we say? We know when we're beat!"
I love this! Great comparison!
I was lucky to have a great Dad too.
Happy seemed like he was such a happy,warm,sincere man.Wish I could have met him
It’s a superb book. Highly recommended
The book is HILARIOUS, The brutality of their Vaudeville days or the incisive and loving portrait of the Algonquin Round Table are priceless.
The book is a great read and anyone who is a fan of Harpo must get it!
Halfway through Harpo speaks! Such a good book.
I read it in the '70s, fascinating. They had it rough in the beginning, trying to make a living in vaudeville, sometimes not getting paid, and his harp being thrown off the train, etc. The parts about he and his pals being dedicated croquet freaks -'anytime, anywhere', were especially funny
@@katiezee2 yes! i finished the book a few months ago but am still thinking about it :).
Harpo was my favorite of the brothers...maybe because he was my brother's favorite. He must have been a good father, because his son here seems to be good guy and doesn't seem to dislike his father any
It's nice when you here about someone that's a nice guy and you find out later it wasn't a facade. and that it was how he actually was.
This is just wonderful. I loved Harpo....he was so sweet and funny! His son is quite handsome.
As a kid wasn't hard to fall in love with The Marx Brothers & Harpo was easily my fave.
digging through the Back Room last week & re-discovered the ragged ol' copy of HARPO SPEAKS i'd bought for around $1 WAYYYYYYYYYYYY back at a little shop in Hornsby AUSTRALIA , I reckon i was 15/16 ( 53 now) .:O
It still has the statement:
"This is the property of Pen the Punk"
handwritten inside the opening page,
So Dear "Pen the Punk", just want to let you know i still treasure this tome & consider it a HUGELY valued possession.
Harpo was a true man child in all the good ways...
What a handsome and charming man.
Yes indeed Carolus!!! :-)
I loved Harpo..Such a smart and sweet man...I loved hearing him play the harp...so beautiful.
I grew up watching and loving the Marx Bros. "Harpo Speaks" was a great book. Harpo was a real mensch!
When I was a child Harpo used to scare me on t.v. His son sure doesn't scare me. How incredibly handsome.
Yes he is.😍
I always watch the marx brothers because Harpo in particular reminds me to have more fun in life.
I would have given ANYTHING to have had Harpo Marx as my father.
diddymuck ..and the rest of the Marx Bros as your uncles....wow!
@@ironmaven1760 Yes, Imagine that :)
Proud to say I read the orginal release of Harpo Speaks! A good read.
I believe that Bill Marx was a composer AND a Jazz pianist - and quite good at both....
I remember watching the Marx Brothers for the first time when I was a kid. Harpo cracked me up. Good interview.
I loved the Marx Brothers.
I would have given most anything to have had a father who was a real Dad.
I'm sorry to hear that James, There is nothing I can say to make you feel better, but I wish you had a real dad too, I know you would have made him an amazing son, If you ever have kids be the best father to them, and they will love you forever,
@Timdanby Yeah me too.
Me 3
Yea,I know👤💔 I always thought my dad would find me an save me.
Blanca Miranda Ironically, I wished someone could save me FROM my real Dad. I was constantly verbally and physically abused by this 6 ft. Marine from the age of 6. I wish we both could have had a father like Harpo!
I first saw the Marx Bros. when I was a teenager. There was a local show hosted by an aficionado of old Hollywood comedy, that played Sunday afternoons. I was fascinated by all those old Vaudevillians. I've loved the Marx Brothers ever since.
Great book
Thank you for the amazing post.
Harpo lovely man!
So is his great family❤God bless you all.🙏
I can say with certainty, no actor/comedian makes me laugh as much as Harpo Marx. Brilliance
One of my favorite books. Funny and touching. Harpo knew how to live and wasn’t afraid of it.
Love the Marx Brothers. Pure comic geniuses.
I just loved Harpo. I also know that he played roles in westerns. He was bald so not easy to recognize, he spoke and it was a very interesting voice to hear. I was told that he taught himself to play the Harp and he played it backwards. Harpo and Chico were my favorites, although they were all excellent.
So awesome to hear him talk about his dad!!
The book he's plugging, Harpo Speaks, is truly a great read and a must read for anyone who considers themselves a fan--Harpo lived an amazing life, which included sneaking documents into the Soviet Union for the US govt (according to that book).
I read this book in the 70s when I was in high school. I remember laughing out loud. One of the best autobiographies. Harpo was a funny, yet gentle, man.
I've read the book. It is very good. And I'd love to meet Bill myself.
We've had the pleasure of meeting Bill twice, most recently on our last anniversary. He was playing jazz piano at a small club and played most of the show directly to us. He's just a great guy.
Letterman seems not so acerbic with Mr Marx, almost reverent. good! Bill Marx is a terrific personality..
diddymuck Letterman understands their place in the pantheon of American comedy.
Bill is one of the finest men I've ever known, and I am proud to have him as a friend.
I was on pins and needles hoping Letterman wouldn’t interupt or blow him down.....thank heavens he showed respect!
I love the Marx Brother's. Way ahead of their time. Wonderful stories.
He seems like such a sweet man...just like his father.
he was brilliant - a genuine talent
Bill Marx also wrote his own book about growing up in the family with Harpo as his Dad. I am currently reading it and it is a wonderful book too!!!
I breathed the same air as Harpo for 13 days..
I'm reading that book now = it is great.
Love Harpo.
Another example of the fantastic nature of Late Night with David Letterman. Sublime.
Sounds like a fun family to have grown up in and you can tell this man loved his father Harpo.
My favorite,because of his talent, comic skills; and his mastery of playing the harp👼
Lucky kids, having the best brother as a dad.
master musician too
You can understand how this child turned out so well.
I met Bill at a party. He used to live in Vallejo. Nice guy.
As in Vallejo, CA? I live across the bridge from Vallejo.
Watching this, in 2021. Harpo,my comedy hero
@DonGiller - Thanks for publishing & sharing with Us. That was Super to watch & reminisce people of a great Hollywood vaudeville & comedic era. ; )
This interview is wonderful. Hugely entertaining and informative.
what a handsome, talented and smart man...........only nice things to say, how refreshing
I keep seeing a resemblance to his father, but he's adopted.
Yeah as soon as I saw him I thought he had the Marx brothers look, was shocked to hear that he was adopted.
toddles9 How lucky to be adopted by such a famous, kind and talented family!
Iron Maven : Yeah! He (Bill) looks just like his father to me too!
Are they sure he was adopted??
Yeah me too, but then I have one adopted brother and he totally blends in with the rest of us.
Was probably "adopted" to cover up illegitimacy
The Gilbert Gottfried sizable and big podcast brought me this way, and Don Giller is a legend in his own right!
Thank you for uploading! Great video.
Fantastic book! Everyone should read it.
What a handsome and lively man !
Those videos were enjoyable.
Too bad they didn’t talk more about the book. Harpo Speaks is delightful, a great read full of anecdotes and crazy stuff they used to do when they were just starting out.
The Marx bros were one if a kind. A Day at the Opera my fav. Hard to pick a fad Marx they were each unique. I was in awe at chicos accent it was dead on and if course groucho had much more exposure in later years. How could you not marvel at his acerbic wit on you bet your life? Sad that his marriages didn't bring him the happiness he deserved. They will never be forgotten.
I recall reading that Harpo’s dream was to drive up to his house and see a smiling child at every window.
Harpo is our family's patron saint.
great to hear Harpo "talk"
What a great book
So glad to know that Harpo was the opposite of a "Daddy Dearest."
Harpo Speaks is an excellent book! I read it twice and I might just read it again! He was a one of a kind gem of a person.
bill marx a great piano player…live in Palm Springs..,.weekly
Groucho said he cried hard when Harpo died. He was a kind soul.
So lovely!
I would have loved to have seen Jimmy Cliff after this great interview. Just last month I was in Montego Bay Jamaica riding on Jimmy Cliff Blvd and suddenly Jimmy comes on the radio--it was fantastic
the Marx bros mean so much to me...along with wc fields they gave me much fun during my life...bless them all.
I read Harpo speaks. I recommend it.