LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Groucho Marx: Erin Fleming
built 236 days ago
In the early 1970s, Groucho made a comeback of sorts doing a live one-man show, including one recorded at Carnegie Hall in 1972 and released as a double album, An Evening with Groucho, on A&M Records. He ... developed a friendship with television host Dick Cavett, and became a frequent guest on Cavett's late-night talk show. His previous works once again became popular and were accompanied by new books of interviews and other transcribed conversations by Richard J. Anobile and Charlotte Chandler. He had become quite frail by this time and his last few years were accompanied by descent into senility and a controversy over a companionship he had developed with Erin Fleming, which consequently raised disputes over his estate.
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By that time, Groucho had become an institution, a 20th century classic; as popular with children and teenagers as with his original, aging fans. He ... lived up to his nickname--according to acquaintances, he was indeed a grouch, needling his victims with hilarious but often bitter insults. His last year was marred by a custody battle between his family and his longtime companion, Erin Fleming. Marx died in 1977 at the age of 86.
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The sight of the shrunken, pitiful star being led around by Erin Fleming that day greatly disturbed several of the cast members, especially Robert Hegyes (who's character 'Epstein' often imitated Groucho on the hit series). "How can I go out and make people laugh after seeing that?" was his stunned reaction. Groucho made his last public appearance at a deposition for the Fleming trial early in 1977, then died that summer from complications due to pneumonia.
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Erin Fleming