Comely auburn-haired, blue-eyed actress and dancer, a distinguished alumna of the renowned Ned Wayburn Academy in New York. Her impressive talent and captivating stage presence earned her a coveted spot as a Ziegfeld Girl, where she mesmerized audiences on Broadway with her dazzling dance performances in the Follies and George White's Scandals. This remarkable achievement caught the attention of Paramount, leading to a long-term Hollywood contract and a whirlwind of excitement.
A publicity campaign for the quirky W.C. Fields romp Million Dollar Legs (1932) catapulted her to fame, earning her the nickname "The Girl with the Million Dollar Legs" - a moniker that was indeed reflected in the insurance value of her remarkable legs. In the film, she played a captivating 'Klopstokian' girl named Angela, a character that, it's worth noting, was part of a larger group of Klopstokian girls, all of whom shared the same name.
Susan's subsequent film appearances, though less well-remembered, included roles for 20th Century Fox, RKO, and Warner Brothers. However, as she herself confessed in a 1995 interview, she found the film acting process to be a tedious and time-consuming experience, remarking, "It took forever to get the lights sorted out. I hated it!"
A chance encounter with the legendary comedian Harpo Marx at a dinner party hosted by Samuel Goldwyn marked the beginning of a four-year courtship, during which Susan would propose marriage to Harpo three times before he finally accepted. Following their marriage, Susan abandoned her film acting career and devoted herself to supporting Harpo and his work, becoming Susan F. Marx. Together, they adopted four children and followed the Marx Brothers on their various projects, with Susan even taking on the task of cleaning Harpo's iconic curly wigs.
After the Marx Brothers' final film, Love Happy (1949),Harpo and Susan retired to Palm Springs, where Susan dedicated her life to local politics and philanthropic causes.
