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American actress, singer, and musician (born 1946) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Melinda Marie Marx (born August 14, 1946) is an American former actress, singer, and musician who had a brief movie career. She is the daughter and only living child of Groucho Marx and his second wife, Kay Marvis Gorcey.
Melinda Marx | |
---|---|
Born | Melinda Marie Marx August 14, 1946 United States |
Other names | Melinda Marx Leung |
Occupation(s) | Actress, singer,[1] musician |
Spouses |
|
Children | 2 |
Parent(s) | Groucho Marx Kay Marvis Gorcey |
Relatives | Miriam Marx (half-sister) Arthur Marx (half-brother) Chico Marx (uncle) Harpo Marx (uncle) Gummo Marx (uncle) Zeppo Marx (uncle) Al Shean (great uncle) |
Marx[2] appeared frequently on television with her father. She was a contestant/performer on his quiz show You Bet Your Life at least five times: She first appeared at age 8 (a surprise contestant who did not play the game) with boxer Mickey Walker.[3] On this same episode Melinda and Groucho sang "There Is Beauty in the Bellow of the Blast" from The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan.[4] On a later episode, she and Groucho teamed up with Edgar Bergen and his then 11-year-old daughter Candice Bergen to win $1,000 for the Girl Scouts of the USA;[5] Melinda and Candice also sang a duet. Melinda appeared on You Bet Your Life again on June 12 – not as a contestant, but as a surprise guest to sing "Witch Doctor".[6]
She appeared a fourth time, on March 17, 1960, solidly acquitting herself in a tap dance routine with hoofer Gene Nelson. She appeared a fifth time in a 1961 episode with singer/actor Bobby Van as a contestant and sang and danced "Put On A Happy Face" from Bye, Bye Birdie[7] with him on stage. They won $2000. Six years later, father and daughter shared a Father's Day installment of The Dating Game.[8]
She acted alongside her father in a television production of The Mikado (1960) on The Bell Telephone Hour[9] and the film The Story of Mankind (1957) in which her father and uncles Chico and Harpo also appeared.[citation needed]
After a few more roles in films, including an uncredited appearance in the movie Bye, Bye Birdie (1963),[10] and The Violent Ones, Melinda retired from acting in 1972. A musician, mostly playing the mandolin, she was in a Gloriana Opera Company (Mendocino County, California) production of Bye, Bye Birdie, in 1996, alternately playing bass and guitar. She is one of their regular ensemble.[citation needed]
In addition to acting, Melinda had a brief career as a recording artist in 1965, appearing on shows such as Shivaree,[11] Shindig![12] and The Hollywood Palace,[13] to promote her singles "The East Side of Town"[14] and "What".[15][16][17]
She is divorced from Sahn Berti,[18] with whom she has two children, including actress Jade Marx-Berti.[19] She married Jack Leung in 1985,[20] and was also briefly married to Mack J. Gilbert,[21] and also used the name Melinda Marx Leung professionally.[22]
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