MarxLennon's Gratuitous Image Page

Born June 13th, 1920, Bertram Wolfgang "BeeWee" MarxLennon was the firstborn MarxLennon. This in and of itself may have destined him to live the life he led.

Cleveland in the 1920's was a remarkable town. Its Euclid Avenue rivaled New York's Fifth Avenue as America's most fashionable street. Cleveland was where the rich and mega-rich lived, loved, partied, and relaxed.

The MarxLennon family was not one of these families, but managed to be associated with them. Lynn MarxLennon, the riding instructor for the Carnegie family, was beautiful and charming. She fast became the instructor for all the wealthy families in the area. Her husband, Gunther, a cellist in the Cleveland Orchestra, earned the lion's share of his income playing for private parties along Cleveland's "Millionaire's Row". Perhaps the couple merely amused the rich. Perhaps their talents were truly appreciated. Whatever the reason, the couple lived a comfortable if somewhat unusual life.

"Unusual" would be a word often used to describe BeeWee.

For reasons known only to himself, Gunther insisted that young BeeWee wear dresses until the age of six. After that, Gunther insisted on tutoring his son in all the "manly" arts. This, apparently included introducing BeeWee to Leona LaFave. Leona was a local teenage girl known for her friendliness.

It would seem that BeeWee's eleventh birthday was an especially festive occasion, as Leona, then 16, gave birth to BeeWee's son Maxwell some nine months later.

Even for a family as bohemian as the MarxLennon's, this was an intolerable situation. Despite the fact that the Depression had begun, the family managed to arrange for Leona to move to the town of Brookpark, on the far western end of Cleveland. Though Maxwell carried the MarxLennon name, Leona remained LaFave.

BeeWee was sent off to a boy's school in Marrietta, Ohio. He never saw Leona alive again.

The Lathrop Cooley School stressed the curative powers of the simple, rural life. Although not accustomed to a life of luxury, young BeeWee was unprepared for the life he was to face. The barracks style dormitories held no appeal.

The school did manage to hold BeeWee for a little over four years. In 1936, BeeWee returned to Cleveland, though not home to Gunther and Lynn MarxLennon.

Cleveland may have been the home of Elliot Ness at that time, but there was still money to be made smuggling. If you wanted rum, if you wanted gin, if you wanted whiskey, you wanted to know Floyd "Freddie" Katz.

BeeWee knew Freddie, knew him well.

From October of 1936 until late summer of 1939, BeeWee was one of Freddie's best runners. He knew the waters between Windsor and Toledo like most men know the palm of their right hand. BeeWee knew the back roads between Toledo and Cleveland even better. During his employment with Katz, BeeWee was never arrested. BeeWee was never even suspected.

The fact that Prohibition ended in 1933 played a major role in BeeWee's lack of a criminal record.

Leaving the Katz organization, BeeWee next traveled with the carnival as a fortune teller. Billing himself as the Great Alexander, BeeWee played the carnival circuit from 1939 until early 1943. Combining sleight-of-hand and simple illusion with the usual crystal ball gazing, BeeWee managed to elevate the Great Alexander from the carnival tent to the theater stage.

In late 1944, BeeWee returned to Cleveland to play the Palace Theatre. For the first time in twelve years, he returned to visit Gunther and Lynn.

Hard times had befallen the couple. Lynn had become a opium addict during the 30's and could no longer ride a horse without giggling. Gunther, confused by the whole thing, spent his time talking to his cello.

Miss Rachel Calhoon had moved in with the family just two years after BeeWee had been sent to the Lathrop Cooley School. Rachel cared for Gunther and Lynn while she studied to be a teacher at nearby Baldwin-Wallace College.

Moved by his parent's plight and Miss Calhoon's devotion to them, BeeWee began visiting routinely. With Rachel's help, BeeWee was able to forgive his parents.

During the winter of 1945, Gunther wandered out of the house heading towards Lake Erie. He was found three days later frozen to death.

The next summer, Lynn died in her sleep.

That fall, September 28, 1947, BeeWee and Rachel were married. They sold the house on St. Clair. Rachel, who had gotten her degree the year before, gave up the idea of being a history teacher to become the Great Alexander's "beautiful assistant, Roxanne".

They went out on the road.

BeeWee and Rachel, now known exclusively as the Great Alexander and Roxanne, settled in Hollywood in 1952. Both played bits parts in the rash of B-movies produced at the time. BeeWee was listed as the Great Alexander in the credits of Roger Corman's "The Raven" as "Technical Assistant to Mr. Corman". It was the closest they came to fame.

BeeWee returned to Cleveland one last time, August 11th, 1969. It was the only time he ever saw his son Maxwell and the first time, his grandson, Jesse James MarxLennon. The occasion was the funeral of Leona LaFave.

The Great Alexander and Roxanne retired to Las Vegas in the spring of 1980, opening a small magic shop on the outskirts of town.

They still are still known to perform their act for local retirement homes.