Sam Marx facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Marx
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Marx in his later years
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| Born |
Simon Marx
October 23, 1859 Mertzwiller, Alsace, Second French Empire
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| Died | May 10, 1933 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Other names | Frenchie |
| Occupation | Tailor (made cameo appearance in sons' film Monkey Business) |
| Spouse(s) | Minnie Schönberg |
| Children | Manfred Marx (1885–1886) Leonard "Chico" Marx Adolph "Harpo" Marx Julius "Groucho" Marx Milton "Gummo" Marx Herbert "Zeppo" Marx |
Samuel Marx, also known as Simon Marx, was born on October 23, 1859, and passed away on May 10, 1933. He was the father of the famous American comedy group, the Marx Brothers. The Marx Brothers were big stars in vaudeville (a type of stage show), on Broadway (New York's theater district), and in movies. Samuel was married to Minnie Marx, who also managed their sons' careers.
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Sam Marx: Father of the Marx Brothers
Samuel Marx was born in Alsace, a region that was part of the Second French Empire at the time. Because he was from France, people often called him "Frenchie". He moved to the United States from France in 1880.
His Family and Life in America
In New York, Samuel met Minnie Schönberg while working as a dance teacher. They got married in 1884. Together, they had six sons. Their first son, Manfred, was born in 1885 but sadly passed away as a baby.
Their other five sons grew up to become the famous Marx Brothers:
- Leonard (Chico), born in 1887
- Adolph (Harpo), born in 1888
- Julius (Groucho), born in 1890
- Milton (Gummo), born in 1893
- Herbert (Zeppo), born in 1901
Samuel was very good at playing pinochle, a card game. He taught this game to his two oldest sons.
A Talented Cook and Tailor
Samuel Marx worked as a tailor, making clothes for people. However, his sons often joked that he wasn't the best tailor. His son Groucho once said that Samuel's tailoring shears were often at the pawnshop. This meant he couldn't always measure or cut fabric properly.
Harpo, another of his sons, explained that Samuel would guess people's sizes instead of measuring them. If a customer didn't like a suit, Samuel would travel to New Jersey. There, he would sell the rejected suits door-to-door.
Even his youngest son, Zeppo, joked about his father's tailoring skills. He said Samuel found "stupid" people who would buy his clothes. This helped him earn money for the family's food.
Despite his tailoring challenges, Samuel was known as an excellent cook. Groucho remembered that his father's good meals sometimes helped them convince their landlord to wait for rent payments.
His Movie Moment
Samuel Marx even appeared in one of his sons' movies! He had a small, uncredited role, called a cameo appearance, in the film Monkey Business (1931). In the movie, you can see him sitting on top of luggage. He is behind the Marx Brothers on a pier as they wave to an officer. They had just snuck off a ship without being caught.
Samuel Marx passed away in Hollywood, California, on May 10, 1933. He was 73 years old.
