Acting
Susan Fleming
Susan Fleming (February 19, 1908 – December 22, 2002) was a prominent American actress best known for her marriage to comic legend Harpo Marx and her memorable performances in early Hollywood films. Dubbed the "Girl with the Million Dollar Legs," Fleming earned this title for her role in the 1932 W. C. Fields film, Million Dollar Legs. Her career took off when she became a Ziegfeld girl, showcasing her talent in The Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway, which paved the way for her transition to the silver screen.
Born and raised in New York City, Fleming attended school in Forest Hills, Queens. One of her notable early film appearances was in Range Feud, where she starred as Judy Walton, the love interest of John Wayne. In Million Dollar Legs, her role as the daughter of W. C. Fields' character further solidified her place in film history, and as part of a publicity stunt, her legs were insured for a million dollars.
Despite her on-screen success, Fleming found little joy in Hollywood, famously expressing her discontent in a 1995 interview. Her fate changed when she met Harpo Marx at a dinner party hosted by Samuel Goldwyn; she was captivated by his charm and warmth. After a four-year courtship, she married Marx on September 28, 1936, a union that garnered attention when President Franklin D. Roosevelt congratulated them.
Fleming devoted her later years to art and activism in Palm Springs, outliving Marx by nearly four decades. She passed away at the age of 94 due to a heart attack, leaving behind a legacy that included a daughter, three sons, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
