Susan Fleming American actress Date of Birth: 19.02.1908 Country: USA

Biography of Susan Fleming

Susan Fleming, an American actress, is best known as the "girl with a million-dollar legs," the heroine of Edward F. Cline's comedy film "Million Dollar Legs" released in 1932. She was born on February 19, 1908, in New York City, USA. Fleming attended school in Forest Hills, Queens.
After becoming a Broadway star in a series of theater productions called the "Ziegfeld Follies," Fleming started her film career. One of her early performances was playing the star role of Judy Walton, the love interest of John Wayne's character, in D. Ross Lederman's melodrama "Range Feud" in 1931. In 1932, Fleming combined her dancing skills and cinematic interests in the sports comedy "Million Dollar Legs," where she played the daughter of a character portrayed by W.C. Fields. To attract additional attention to the film, Susan's legs were insured for one million dollars.

However, Susan remained dissatisfied with Hollywood, stating in an interview in 1995 that there was nothing more boring than working in the movie industry. She even added, "I hate it!"
During a dinner at Samuel Goldwyn's house, the actress sat next to Harpo Marx and found him to be a very interesting person. He was a charming and funny actor with whom she had a lot to talk about. As a result, Fleming relentlessly pursued Marx, dating him for four years and even proposing to him three times before the actor finally agreed. Susan ended her Hollywood career when she married Harpo on September 28, 1936. The wedding attracted public attention, especially after U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent the couple a congratulatory telegram in November.
In general, Fleming was glad to leave the show business world to "serve" Marx and raise their four adopted children. This New York native was fond of playing musical instruments, with the harp becoming her trademark. She also became interested in painting under her husband's influence, creating frames for paintings and producing true works of art. She donated two of her collections after her husband's death.
Marx and Fleming moved to Palm Springs, California, a few years after completing the filming of the 1949 movie "Love Happy," the last film where the Marx Brothers, Harpo and Chico, acted together. In Palm Springs, Susan became an active participant in local affairs and was elected to the Palm Springs Unified School District Board.
Harpo Marx passed away at the age of 75 on September 28, 1964, exactly on the couple's 28th wedding anniversary. After his death, Fleming immersed herself in local activities, including being involved with the League of Women Voters. She was appointed as a planning consultant in the city of Rancho Mirage, California, and became the head of an organization focused on preserving fragile desert hills. In total, Susan dedicated 18 years to the District Board of Education and also lost a political race for a seat in the California State Legislature.
Susan Fleming survived her husband Harpo Marx by almost 40 years, during which she achieved much as an artist and activist in the Palm Springs area. She passed away at the age of 94 on December 22, 2002, from a heart attack at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. She left behind a daughter, three sons, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.