Groucho and Me

Back in the 1970’s I wrote Groucho Marx a letter.  I requested a photo and told him that I hoped to go “into comedy”  (among other things).  He sent me back this great photo.

Not only did he sign it but he also wished me “best of luck in your career.”  It was also great that his brothers Harpo and Chico were also pictured.  Ha!

Since then, I’ve done a lot of drawing and writing.  I’ve also done some performing.  Some of this is unorthodox “performance art” such as the two years  spent drawing on an abandoned building in downtown Detroit.

I’m also in two musical groups: the Spaceband and the Don’t Look Now Jug Band.

It’s in my puppet shows though, that I do follow though on a “comedy career” of sorts.  Of course I feel “Groucho’s blessing” has helped me be funnier in my schtick.  I have been able to get an audience laughing, sometimes wildly and uproariously laughing.  That’s a great feeling, but it’s a lot of hard work!

PS: I’m a  true Groucho fanatic: his books, quotes, biographies, the Marx Brothers movies, his You Bet Your Life quiz show, etc. etc. etc.

In the week since I posted this I ran across the date I received this in my old journals: November 8, 1975. “I got a personally autographed picture of Groucho Marx in the mail today in reply to the letter I sent him……”

This photo will enlarge if you click on it and hit the backspace to return to the post.