Susan Fleming
Fleming in 1933
Born(1908-02-19)February 19, 1908
New York City, NY, U.S.
DiedDecember 22, 2002(2002-12-22) (aged 94)
Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
Other namesSuzanne Fleming
Susan F. Marx
Susan Fleming Marx
OccupationActress
Years active1926–1954
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1936; died 1964)​
Children4

Susan Alva Fleming (February 19, 1908 – December 22, 2002) was an American actress and the wife of comic actor Harpo Marx and sister in law to Groucho, Chico, Zeppo and Gummo. Fleming was known as the "Girl with the Million Dollar Legs" for a role she played in the W. C. Fields film Million Dollar Legs (1932). Her big stage break, which led to her Hollywood career, was as a Ziegfeld girl, performing in Rio Rita.[1]

Career

Susan Fleming in 1931.

Fleming was from New York City and went to school in Forest Hills, Queens.[2] After starring in the Ziegfeld Follies productions on Broadway, she started appearing in movies with The Ace of Cads, in which she appeared under the name Suzanne Fleming.[1] One of her earliest film roles was a starring role in The Range Feud as Judy Walton, the love interest of John Wayne. Fleming combined her dancing and cinematic interests in the 1932 movie Million Dollar Legs, in which she played the daughter of W. C. Fields's character. As part of a publicity stunt for the film, her legs were insured for the eponymous million dollars.[3]

Fleming was unhappy with Hollywood, stating in a 1995 interview that she found "nothing more boring than working on a movie... I hated it!".[3]

Personal life

I first met Harpo at a party as is typical in Hollywood. I sat next to him and Fanny Brice. He had taken her to the party because he felt she would be entertaining, and he loved to be entertained.[4]

At a dinner party held in the home of Samuel Goldwyn in 1932, Fleming was seated next to Harpo Marx and found him fascinating.[3] Despite his silent persona in films, she found Marx to be "a warm, fun, darling man to talk to".[3] She pursued him relentlessly, dating for four years and proposing marriage to him on three occasions before he accepted.[3] She ended her Hollywood career when she married Marx on September 28, 1936.[3] Fleming's wedding to Marx was revealed to the public when President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt sent the couple a telegram of congratulations in November. Marx had sent a thank you letter to Roosevelt in appreciation for a signed photograph of the President, in which Marx had stated that he was "in line for congratulations, too, having been married since September" in an unspecified "little town up North".[2]

Fleming was happy to leave show business, serving as Marx's "valet" and raising their four children, whom they had adopted. In addition to his widespread interest in playing musical instruments, including his trademark harp, Fleming helped foster her husband's interest in painting; she would make elaborate frames for his paintings, as well as creating her own works of art. The two collected many artworks, which Fleming donated widely after her husband's death. In 1956,[5] they moved to Rancho Mirage, California, with three out of the four other Marx Brothers; Gummo, Zeppo and Groucho building homes nearby.[6][7]

Fleming became active in local community affairs, was the first woman on the board of College of the Desert[8] and was elected to the Palm Springs Unified School District Board of Education.[3]

Harpo Marx died at age 75 on September 28, 1964, their 28th wedding anniversary. Following his death, Fleming became more involved in local activities, including the local League of Women Voters. She became an advisory planning commissioner for Rancho Mirage, California, and headed an organization dedicated to preserving development on the fragile desert hillsides. She served a total of 18 years on the district board of education and ran and lost in a campaign for the California State Assembly.[3] Honoring her contributions, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to her in 2002.[9]

In a 1981 decision later overruled by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in a case brought by Fleming, federal judge William C. Conner ruled that the producers of A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine had improperly used the Marx Brothers characters in their Broadway theatre production and that the publicity rights of the comedians, even after their deaths, overrode the First Amendment issues raised by the show's creators.[10] In April 1980, Conner refused to issue a preliminary injunction and allowed producer Alexander H. Cohen to open the show as planned.[11]

Death

Fleming outlived Marx by almost forty years during which she was an artist and activist in the Palm Springs area. She died at age 94 on December 22, 2002, of a heart attack at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage.[3] She died on the same day as her close friend, Mary De Vithas, her brother-in-law Chico Marx's second wife.[1]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1926 The Ace of Cads Joan as Suzanne Fleming
1931 Lover Come Back Susan
Arizona Dot Uncredited
Alternative title: Men Are Like That
A Dangerous Affair Florence
Range Feud Judy Walton
1932 Ladies of the Jury Suzanne Uncredited
Careless Lady Guest of Captain Girard Uncredited
Million Dollar Legs Angela Barret
Heritage of the Desert Dance Hall Girl Uncredited
Alternative title: When the West Was Young
1933 Olsen's Big Moment Virginia West Alternative title: Olsen's Night Out
He Learned About Women Joan Allen
I Love That Man Miss Jones, Stenographer
My Weakness Jacqueline Wood
Broadway Through a Keyhole Chorine Uncredited
1934 Now I'll Tell Minor role Uncredited
Alternative titles: When New York Sleeps
When New York Sleeps
She Learned About Sailors Departing Sailor's Girlfriend Uncredited
Charlie Chan's Courage Chorus Girl
Call It Luck Alice Blue
Elinor Norton Publisher's Staff Uncredited
1935 George White's 1935 Scandals Chorine Uncredited
Break of Hearts Elise
Navy Wife Jenny Alternative title: Beauty's Daughter
1936 The Great Ziegfeld Ziegfeld Girl Uncredited
Star for a Night Mildred La Rue
Gold Diggers of 1937 Lucille Bailey (Hobart's secretary)
1937 God's Country and the Woman Grace Moran, Steve's Secretary
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1954 Inner Sanctum Liz Episode: "The Fatal Hour" (final appearance)

References

  1. 1 2 3 Marx, Susan Fleming (2022). Speaking of Harpo. Essex, CT: Applause Books. ISBN 9781493065301.
  2. 1 2 via Associated Press. "HARPO MARX WEDS; Marriage to Susan Fleming Is Revealed In Wire to Roosevelt", The New York Times, November 5, 1936. Accessed July 20, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Oliver, Myrna. "Obituaries; Susan F. Marx, 94; Widow of Comedian Harpo Marx", Los Angeles Times, December 27, 2002. Accessed July 29, 2009.
  4. ↑ Marx, Groucho; Anobile, Richard J. (September 8, 1973). "The Marx Bros. Scrapbook". Darien House. Retrieved September 8, 2018 – via Google Books.
  5. ↑ "Palm Springs - real estate - Harpo Marx Estate has Historic Designation in Rancho Mirage". palmspringslife.com. May 10, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Groucho Marx and Hollywood's elite at Tamarisk Ranchos". desertsun.com. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Harpo Marx's Rundown, Renovated Neff in Rancho Mirage". curbed.com. September 10, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  8. ↑ Rufus, Anita (August 10, 2016). "Know Your Neighbors: Bill Marx Honors His Famous Family Name by Giving Back and Sharing His Talents". cvindependent.com. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  9. ↑ Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated Archived 2012-10-13 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ↑ Martin, Douglas. "William Conner, Judge Expert in Patent Law, Dies at 89", The New York Times, July 19, 2009. Accessed July 20, 2009.
  11. ↑ Cummings, Judith; Krebs, Albin. "Notes on People: The Marx Musical", The New York Times, April 30, 1980. Accessed July 20, 2009.
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