Speaking of Harpo

Susan Fleming appeared in three Broadway shows and twenty-eight films before marrying Harpo Marx in 1936. Their twenty-year age difference made her a young widow in 1964. She worked in Hollywood with stars like John Wayne, W.C. Fields, and Katharine Hepburn and fell in love with a confirmed bachelor, twenty years older than her. Her account of her 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 the Marx Brothers.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2022
Publisher: Globe Pequot Press

Susan Fleming's remarkable journey in the world of entertainment began with her appearances in three Broadway shows and twenty-eight films before she decided to pursue a career that she never truly embraced or desired. However, her life took a significant turn when she married Harpo Marx in 1936, marking the beginning of a remarkable union that would span two decades. Together, they raised four adopted children and enjoyed one of Hollywood's happiest and most successful marriages. However, their twenty-year age difference ultimately led to Susan becoming a young widow in 1964.

Susan's path to Hollywood was marked by her involvement in Broadway musicals produced by Florenz Ziegfeld and George White, where she befriended a young dancer named Paulette Goddard. In Hollywood, Susan's talent and versatility shone through as she appeared in films alongside iconic stars such as John Wayne, W.C. Fields, and Katharine Hepburn, working at all the major studios. However, it was her encounter with a confirmed bachelor, twenty years her senior, that would ultimately shape her destiny.

Susan's frank and opinionated perspective in her autobiography, Harpo Speaks!, offers a unique insight into the life of Harpo Marx, providing a behind-the-scenes look at his final years after the publication of his own book. Her account of their more than thirty-year adventure includes encounters with a diverse range of personalities, including 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's book delves into the inner workings of the family and candidly discusses her relationships with her brothers-in-law, who may not have always been her favorite comedians.

Through her memoir, Susan Fleming shares a captivating tale of resilience, determination, and the pursuit of personal fulfillment, offering a rare glimpse into the life of a Hollywood icon and the enduring love she shared with her husband, Harpo Marx.

Weight: 502g
Dimension: 160 x 238 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781493065301