We saw a play last night, FOR PIANO AND HARPO, written by and starring Dan Castellaneta. Tells the story of mid-century eccentric star Oscar Levant, his battles with depression and sedatives, and his on-and-off friendship with Harpo Marx. I ran across Levant in college, and remember reading his memoir, "Memories of an Amnesiac." He was a classically trained pianist who became the go-to guy for a funny or eccentric sidekick character actor in the 40s and 50s (for example, he is the eccentric pal, sidekick, pianist in American in Paris). He also knew Gershwin - he was the pianist of record at Gershwin's funeral - and his recording of Rhapsody in Blue was considered one of the best. He descended later in life into deeper eccentricity and mental problems, in and out of hospitals. When he appeared on talk shows like Jack Paar, he would make cracks like, "I'm here because the beds were full in the loony bin tonight." Harpo Marx had a colorful life and personality despite being "the one who never talked" on screen, the obvious forerunner of Teller.
There's a scene where he's pursuing what would be his second wife, who tells him (in the bar) to scram, and he says, I can't get out, I'm lost in your eyes. She retorts, "Take a left at the cataract and straight down the tear duct." He pops back, "Damn, now I'll have to love you for your mind, too."
