In the house in Beverly Hills where our four children grew up, living conditions were a few thousand times improved over the old tenement on New York's East 93rd Street we Marx Brothers called home.

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His non-speaking in his early films was occasionally referred to by the other Marx Brothers who were careful to imply that his character's not speaking was a choice rather than a disability. The turn-of-the-century building that Harpo called "the first real home they ever knew" (in his memoir Harpo Speaks) was populated with European immigrants mostly artisans – which even included a glass blower. Over time he darkened the pink to more of a reddish color again alluded to in films with names such as "Rusty.

His comic style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He was the second-oldest of the Marx Brothers. Marx frequently used props such as a horn cane made up of a lead pipe tape and a bulbhorn and he played the harp in most of his films.