Miriam Marx Allen (May 19, 1927 – June 29, 2017) was an American author and the daughter of Groucho Marx and his first wife, Ruth Johnson.

Miriam Marx
Born(1927-05-19)May 19, 1927
DiedJune 29, 2017(2017-06-29) (aged 90)
Other namesMiriam Allen
Occupation(s)Writer, memoirist
Parent(s)Groucho Marx
Ruth Johnson
RelativesArthur Marx (brother)
Melinda Marx (paternal half-sister)

Marx was born in Manhattan on May 19, 1927.[1] She studied for a time at Bennington College in Vermont.[1] But after being expelled for alcohol-related infractions three months before graduating, she worked as a writer at Mademoiselle Magazine.[2] She later worked on her father's quiz show, You Bet Your Life.[2][1][3] She also appeared in several Marx Brothers documentaries.[4]

In her 1992 book, Love Groucho: Letters from Groucho Marx to His Daughter Miriam, she detailed her difficult relationship with Groucho, her battle against addictive substances, and her eventual reconciliation with her father.[5] She died June 29, 2017, in Capistrano Beach, California, at the age of 90.[1][2] Her elder brother, Arthur Marx, died in 2011.[6] Her marriage to Gorden Allen, whom she met at Menninger Clinic while undergoing treatment for alcoholism, ended in divorce.[1]

Bibliography

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  • Marx, Miriam. Love Groucho: Letters from Groucho Marx to His Daughter Miriam. Faber & Faber, 1992; ISBN 0-571-12915-3.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Barnes, Mike (7 July 2017). "Miriam Marx Allen, Daughter of Groucho Marx, Dies at 90". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Marble, Steve (7 July 2017). "Miriam Marx Allen, daughter of Groucho Marx who turned his letters into a revealing life story, dies". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ^ Strange, Bill. "Groucho Marx's Daughter Dies". iHeartRadio. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Miriam Marx". IMDb.
  5. ^ McLellen, Dennis (1989-09-07). "Love, Groucho : Comedian's Letters to Daughter Show a Gentler, Unknown Side". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2014-04-03.
  6. ^ Grimes, William (14 April 2011). "Arthur Marx, Who Wrote About Groucho, Dies at 89". New York Times.