Jack, Harpo, and Allan Sherman

[LLeff]

This is such a great article that I just had to share:

http://www.marxoutofprint.org.uk/harpogift/harpogift.htm

[Maxwell]

Terrific article, LL! The dialogue with Jack asking Allan Sherman to park his car sounds like something from one of his shows. Only two things wouldn't happen on the show: Jack would never leave such a large tip (unless he got spun around in a barber chair three times) and it would have been Jack rather than Mary who was still completely unaware of the fact that Sherman wasn't the parking boy.

Great stories about Harpo, too. I've seen enough pictures of him sans makeup to visualize him chasing flies with the oversized vacuum cleaner.

[Roman]

What a wonderful charming story! Thank you for posting this. It actually fills in a bit more information on Harpo's last concert as George Burns also mentioned it in one of his autobiographies. George was a very close friend of Harpo's and thought the world of him as a performer and, especially as a person. In Burns' version of Harpo's last concert, Harpo came on stage and talked up a storm knowing that this was his last professional appearance. Allan Sherman's version explains that part of Harpo's reason for coming back out and delivering his long impromptu speech was to relieve the embarrasment of Sherman who had become tongue tied with emotion in his tribute to Harpo. Another small example of what a class act Harpo was.

[David47Jens]

Wanna hear what it sounds like when... Harpo Speaks?

[Maxwell]

Weird...about halfway through Harpo's story, I thought, "He's got a great voice for radio." Then the BBC narrator finished up by saying, "A perfect voice for radio."

[WaltP]

Excellent article, Laura! Thanks!

And David, thanks also for the link. I was under the impression Harpo's voice more like a Gracie Allen voice. You've just shattered an old image of mine -- thankfully.