Some friends met Mr. Skelton, back in the 1980’s. Said that he was very kind and knew a lot about American history.
Groucho’s companion in later years Erin Fleming’s influence and relationship with Groucho were portrayed as controversial. Many of Groucho’s friends and colleagues acknowledged that she did much to revive his popularity, by arranging a series of personal appearances and one-man shows culminating in a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall, which was recorded and issued on a best-selling record album. She also successfully lobbied for the honorary Academy Award Groucho received in 1974.
Several of Groucho’s friends, family and employees, including his son Arthur and youngest daughter Melinda, ruthlessly charged Fleming with embezzling money and pushing the increasingly frail Groucho to the limits of his endurance, largely for her own personal gain.
They also charged her w/ psychological and suspected physical abuse.
Groucho died on August 19, 1977, aged 86. Litigation over his estate was eventually resolved in 1988 in favor of his three children; Fleming was ordered to repay $472,000 which they said she had fraudulently taken from Groucho’s estate.
It destroyed Fleming. Later, Fleming was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. She spent much of the last decade of her life impoverished, homeless, delusional, and in and out of various psychiatric facilities.
Fleming took her own life in Hollywood on April 15, 2003, at age 61.