rano ▁voice ▁and ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁remain ▁on ▁key . ▁Julius ' s ▁early ▁career ▁goal ▁was ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁doctor , ▁but ▁the ▁family ' s ▁need ▁for ▁income ▁forced ▁him ▁out ▁of ▁school ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁twelve . ▁By ▁that ▁time , ▁young ▁Julius ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁v ora cious ▁reader , ▁particularly ▁fond ▁of ▁Hor atio ▁Al ger . ▁Marx ▁would ▁continue ▁to ▁overcome ▁his ▁lack ▁of ▁formal ▁education ▁by ▁becoming ▁well - read . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁few ▁st abs ▁at ▁entry - level ▁office ▁work ▁and ▁jobs ▁suitable ▁for ▁ad oles c ents , ▁Julius ▁took ▁to ▁the ▁stage ▁as ▁a ▁boy ▁singer ▁with ▁the ▁Gene ▁L ero y ▁T rio , ▁debut ing ▁at ▁the ▁Ram ona ▁Theatre ▁in ▁Grand ▁Rap ids , ▁M I , ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 0 5 . ▁Marx ▁re put edly ▁claimed ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁" h op eless ly ▁average " ▁as ▁a ▁v au dev ill ian , ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁typical ▁Marx , ▁wis ec rack ing ▁in ▁his ▁true ▁form . ▁By ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁Minn ie ▁Marx ▁had ▁assemble d ▁her ▁sons ▁into ▁an ▁und ist ingu ished ▁v au dev ille ▁singing ▁group ▁bil led ▁as ▁" The ▁Four ▁Night ing ales ". ▁The ▁brothers ▁Julius , ▁Mil ton ▁( G um mo ▁Marx ) ▁and ▁Arthur ▁( origin ally ▁Ad olph , ▁but ▁Har po ▁Marx ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 1 ) ▁and ▁another