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Source Description
Original Exhibition Caption: Arthur "Harpo" Marx of the Marx Brothers comedy team sent FDR this witty letter after listening to California Governor Earl Warren's speech outlining the GOP's campaign platform at the 1944 Republican National Convention.
Harpo had a silent role in the Marx Brothers act. He did not speak, instead blowing a horn or whistling to communicate. His stage name reflected his talent as a harpist, and he played the harp in some of the Marx Brothers films. When FDR wrote to thank Harpo for his letter, he noted: "I'll bet if you tried to, you could play those six lines on your harp beautifully."
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
519767885
label
Letter, Harpo Marx to Franklin Roosevelt
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
519767885
contentType
document
title
Letter, Harpo Marx to Franklin Roosevelt
description
Original Exhibition Caption: Arthur "Harpo" Marx of the Marx Brothers comedy team sent FDR this witty letter after listening to California Governor Earl Warren's speech outlining the GOP's campaign platform at the 1944 Republican National Convention.
Harpo had a silent role in the Marx Brothers act. He did not speak, instead blowing a horn or whistling to communicate. His stage name reflected his talent as a harpist, and he played the harp in some of the Marx Brothers films. When FDR wrote to thank Harpo for his letter, he noted: "I'll bet if you tried to, you could play those six lines on your harp beautifully."
citationUrl
identifierLocal
AR 2025.1.44
collections
Papers as President, President's Personal File
President's Personal Files
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
519767885
levelOfDescription
item
productionDates
day
30
logicalDate
1944-06-30
month
6
year
1944
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
2c41239432f87e13
ocrText
ASR
9437 Santa Monica Blvd.,
Beverly Hills, California,
June 30, 1944.
My dear Mr. President,
Farl
I listened to Governor Warren's address
x856
outlining the Republican platform and he stressed
three points
x2167-A
1. Win the war,
2. Bring back the boys,
3. Get them jobs.
I wonder if he thinks the Democratic platform is
pp73131-A
1. Lose the war,
2. Keep the boys over there,
x1871-A
3. Don't give them any jobs.
My best to you always.
Harpistically yours,
(Herbert Swope gave
me that word.)
Huro mary
Harpo Marx