While his son Arthur wrote several books about his father, and daughter Miriam put together a collection of letters, young Melinda's been...elusive. Which beats being bitter but funny, or alcoholic and Sapphic, as her siblings turned out to be.
You'll recall, if you're a Grouchophile, that cute Melinda turned up on her Daddy's quiz show. Proud poppa insisted that she sing, and back then she did seem like she was auditioning for an "Our Gang" revival that might need a new Darla. However Melinda's enthusiasm waned. So did everyone's...to the point where you can see just what kind of dysfunctional family they became...
...a chagrined kid, an alky wife and a grouchy old hubby. (The comments section duly noted that this picture shows Eden Marx, Melinda's step-mother. Melinda's mother was Groucho's second wife Kay). Listening to this A-side single, cut post-puberty (about six years after the photo you see on this page), you get the idea with "East Side of Town" that Melinda Marx doesn't want to be the next "Downtown" Petula Clark.
You can almost imagine her telling the sound engineer: "can I get this over in one take?" Turning Fabian's echo chamber into a mausoleum, here's Melinda Marx singing her way out of show business...
The East Side...and Down Side of Being a Celebrity Daughter.... New link, Instant Download or Listen on Line
Really enjoyed hearing her (for a sullen daughter) and thank you for making her sullenness available to all of us! All things considered, she's not too bad. :)
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed hearing her (for a sullen daughter) and thank you for making her sullenness available to all of us! All things considered, she's not too bad. :)
ReplyDeleteGrouch's 2nd wife, Kay, is often shown as being born Kay Marvis. I don't know how she acquired the name Marvis, but I suspect it was a creation of Hollywood. I was in her 6th grade class at the Sacred Heart School in Atlanta. That would have been 1935, as we were both 12 years old then. Her name was Catherine Dittig. This can be verified by checking Atlanta newspaper morgues, as they followed her career in Hollywood, as well as her marriages to Leo Gorcey and Groucho Marx.
ReplyDeleteI lost track of her when her family took her to California shortly after she won the annual Kiddy Revue at Atlanta's Fox Theater.
I know that she was hospitilized
in Silver Spring, MD and treated for clinical depression. That was in the '60's. Catherine was a very beatiful and sensitive woman who was very well liked by all who knew her.
I would like for recognition to be made of her true maiden name, Catherine Dittig.
Frank Dukes
Purcellville, VA
Thanks, Frank. In the revised version of Gorcey's autobiography, Leo's daughter noted that "Kay" refused to share any recollections because she was working on her own book on what it was like to be married to Gorcey and Groucho. Too bad she didn't leave behind a manuscript.
ReplyDeleteOr did she?
This was all news to me - a big marx movies fan, I know little about the children of any of 'em.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I cannot agree with your surmising re Melinda's vocals - at least not on this track. I think it was real sweet. It's a shame about the end note which actually sounds to me more like a warp in the record. Besides, an artist these days can get any off note righted by a quick engineering flick of the studio's post-production wrist!!
illfolks.blogspot.com; You saved my day again.
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ReplyDeleteRe: The dysfunctionality of the Marx family. I recall reading somewhere, Arthur saying the only time he ever saw his father cry was at Harpo's funeral.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vilstef. Arthur's second book ("Son of Groucho," as opposed to the much earlier and milder "LIfe with Groucho") is one of the best on Mr. Marx. He mentions that Melinda's been extremely elusive and that does say a lot about how much Julius lived up to his nickname. A great man, but maybe a difficult husband or father.
ReplyDeleteArthur's description of Chico's funeral is classic. Oh. Maxene's book about her father Chico is surprisingly good...a fast read that is honest and entertaining in describing the often distant and cold Groucho, and the charming but exasperating and disappointing Chico. Harpo...everybody loved.
I thought I read somewhere, I don't recall the article, that Melinda more or less ran away from Groucho and married Sahn Berti. Is this true?
ReplyDeleteI think in "Son of Groucho," Arthur Marx did mention that Melinda got out of the house as soon as it was possible, and stayed a pretty fair distance away from Groucho for many years.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ill Folks. I'm glad I have some sanity left in me! LOL
ReplyDeleteGroucho's daughter Miriam edited his letters to her for a book entitled 'Love, Groucho'.
ReplyDeleteI think it's safe to say he never anticipated they would be published so they probably provide a rather candid view of how he interacted with her.
In them, he comes across as a concerned, caring father. As she grows older and, like her mother, manifests alcoholism, he supports her both financially and morally but does his best to establish and maintain boundaries.
He even encourages Miriam to pursue a good relationship with her mother (his ex-wife) though he questions why he still has to pay her alimony after she remarries.
After Melinda is born, he often expresses delight and a bit of wonder at her behavior.
Through all the letters I got a sense of a man trying to do his best to be a good parent and found I liked him even more than I had before starting the book.
It is too bad Groucho's brothers died at such an early age. He was obviously very much attached to them although they had their disagreements. Groucho was such a confident performer with a clear love for the audience. He was great as an individual and great as a Marx Brother team member. His mind was so active that he suffered from insomnia.
ReplyDeleteIn 1975, I wrote a fan letter to Groucho and addressed it to him simply "Beverly Hills, CA." A few weeks passed and one day a manila envelope came for me. Inside was an 8 by 10 of Groucho, on which he had written "To Scott, a very punny fellow - Groucho." I had that photo for over 30 years...lost it in a move. I'm pushing 60 and the Marx boys are just as interesting to me as they were when I discovered em at the age of 8.
ReplyDeleteNice, Scott. Had I known. Makes sense, just write Groucho Marx, Beverly Hills, California. The Post Office would know. He did sign his own stuff. His secretary made it a little simpler and less time-consuming. He said, "Groucho, there's NO OTHER Groucho, you don't have to write "Groucho MARX." That's the trouble with possessions...losing them. And wondering how it could've happened. Keep a search going on eBay; maybe it will turn up there...but at a high price, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous beat me to it . . . so many articles describe Groucho as a bad husband/father but daughter Miram's book of their letters, 'Love, Groucho', do indeed reveal a caring, concerned and need I say witty man doing his best to deal with and help his family. The notion that he "drove his wives to alcoholism" is absurd.
ReplyDeleteThat said, it's likely he was difficult at times but aren't we all?
Just watched a Marx Brothers documentary. Chico's daughter described him as great with children but difficult to know
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ReplyDeleteI fell in love with Groucho when I was 9 and the love affair has never stopped. I realize he was a depressed and complex person and I'm sure he was overbearing with Melinda.
ReplyDeleteI think people read too much into his personal life. Who wants their family scrutinized like that? The man was an entertaining man who had problems like everyone else. So his daughter left and his other kids had problems. How is that any different than other families who’s parents aren’t famous? Respect the work he and his brothers did
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