America’s Love Affair With Groucho Marx

In 1918, Zeppo joined the act as the straight man, letting Groucho, Harpo, and Chico push their comedy further. Audiences saw him mostly in supporting roles, though contemporaries praised his timing and charm. After five films, he left to become the family’s agent and later ran Marman Products, a company that produced war-era machinery, the Marman Twin motorcycle, and components used in the “Fat Man” bomb, as well as patented medical devices.