Marx Brothers apartment house 179 East 92nd Street New York NY
THEN
The legendary Marx Brothers moved to this four-story tenement in 1895. Built for eight families in 1882, the facade originally had a pedimented cornice and modest classical details. At the time, Chico was about eight, Harpo was seven, and Groucho was five. Fondly remembered in his memoir Harpo Speaks, they lived on the top floor until 1909, sharing the apartment with Gummo and Zeppo, their French and German-born parents Sam and Minnie, and a changing roster of relatives. The Marx Brothers launched their careers as vaudeville entertainers in 1905 and eventually made fourteen films, many of which are considered comic masterpieces. A playground at Second Avenue and East 96th Street is named for them.
