Harpo Marx: The Today Show Booking Plugging Guest Who Wouldn’t Talk

The Today show has for years had guests on who plug their books. But there was one guest on who did it without saying a word: Harpo Marx, the hugely popular silent brother of the classic vaudeville-film Marx Brothers team. In 1961, in his early 70s, he appeared on the show and promoted his new book. Minus talking:

Harpo was famous for his parts in the Marx Brothers movies where he’d honk a horn rather than speak. And there are few recorded instances of him talking in front of a microphone.

And this is one of the few:

Here is one of the Marx Brothers’ most famous comedy bits — from the film Duck Soup, reportedly shot in one take after one rehearsal and with no script.

Mustachioed wise-cracking brother the great Groucho Marx sees something fishy with the reflection of him in the mirror — who is really Harpo Marx. Third main brother Chico Marx (also wearing a mustache like Groucho) appears at the end. If you’re a young person who has never seen it you are IN FOR A CLASSIC COMEDY TREAT: