Erin Fleming

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Erin Fleming (August 13, 1941–April 15, 2003) was an American actress who was best known as the companion and care-giver to Groucho Marx in his final years.

1 Biography
2 Sources
3 External links
4 Footnotes

[edit] Biography

Born Marilyn Fleming in Canada, she appeared in minor roles in five films from 1965 through 1976, during which time she became acquainted with Marx and moved into his house. Her influence on Marx was controversial; many close to him admitted that she did a lot of work on his behalf to revive his popularity and have him awarded an honorary Academy Award during his lifetime; others, including Marx's son, Arthur, described her in Svengali-esque terms. In the years leading up to Marx's death in 1977, his heirs filed several lawsuits against her. One allegation leveled against Fleming was that she was determined to sell Marx's favorite car, a Cadillac, against his wishes. When Marx protested, it was said, Fleming threatened, "I will slap you from here to Pittsburgh."

The court battles dragged into the early 1980s, but judgements were eventually reached in favor of Arthur Marx, ordering Fleming to repay $472,000 to the Marx estate.

Fleming's mental health deteriorated in the 1990s. She was arrested once in the Los Angeles area on a weapons charge, and spent much of the decade in and out of commitments to various psychiatric facilities. She committed suicide in 2003 by shooting herself.^[1]

[edit] Sources

Stefan Kanfer, Groucho: The Life and Times of Julius Henry Marx (2000)
Miriam Marx Allen, Love, Groucho: Letters from Groucho Marx to his Daughter Miriam (1992)
Arthur Marx, My Life with Groucho (1992) revised from Life With Groucho (1954)
Steve Stoliar, Raised Eyebrows: My Years Inside Groucho's House (1996)