Gummo Marx

See also: Marx

Milton Marx (born the October 23rd 1892, deceased the April 21st 1977, sunommé Gummo , was one of the 5 Marx Brothers. Born with New York City, he played with his brothers in light comedies, but had to leave the scene when he was enlisted in the American army at the end of the First World War (he was besides the only one of Marx Brothers to be been useful in the American Army). He began his effective military service little time after the Armistice and was thus never sent in Europe. Tired trade of actor, it never went up on scene.

After the Army, Gummo launched out initially as tailor. Later it joined his brother Zeppo Marx in a theatrical agency. It was then the different business manager of sound brother Groucho Marx and worked with the television program The Life off Riley , with the success of which it contributed. It was also the business manager of other actors and many writers.

Gummo was a respected businessman. Its contacts with the artists whom it represented were rare, its philosophy being that if its work were appropriate to them they would continue to trust him, and that if not they would see elsewhere. Contrary to his brothers it usually cotoyait especially peoples of the underworld of the businesses.

Gummo owes this diminutive with its tendency to be underhand in slides and to go on the feet of the others without knowing them, like a shoe with gum soles (gumshoe). The other explanation advanced by its biographers and the members of his family were that Milton, being of the five brothers most prone to coolings often carried rubber gaiters (still called gumshoes ) to avoid taking cold in rainy weather. Three of his/her brothers, (Groucho, Chico and Harpo) had been seen allotting their nicknames during part of charts to the Orpheum theater of Galesburg (Illinois): they kept these nicknames for the remainder of their lives.

Gummo died the April 21st 1977 with Palm Springs (California). One did not announce his death with Groucho, because this last was him even already so sick at that time that it was thought that this news would do nothing but worsen its health condition.

Quotations

In the novel To marble Fforde The Fourth Bear , one finds a short mention of GummoWorld, an amusement park dedicated to Gummo Marx.
In film of Woody Allen Stardust Memories , participating with a cinema festival known as “to have written the complete catalog of films of Gummo Marx”. Another admiror answers him whereas “that is curious since Gummo does not appear in any film”.
the film of Harmony Korine film Gummo (1997) owes its name in Gummo Marx, with a reference to its comic style in a scene.

Bonds

Marx Brothers Blog

Random links: