THE 1990 "EUREKA" CARD Recently I released an article entitled Four and a Half Years of Me, showing that there are only four communications from July 31st 1969 to January 29th 1974 where the Zodiac Killer teased us with his identity or name. In each of these communications, including the 408 cipher on July 31st 1969, 13-Symbol cipher on April 20th 1970, Halloween card on October 27th 1970 and Exorcist letter on January 29th 1974, the Zodiac Killer may have revealed his identity of "ME" numerous times. The joke was probably on us as we attempted with ever increased fervour to find a meaningful solution to his identity. The Exorcist letter itself appeared to push the boat out even further, supplying us with "Signed, yours truley" which means "ME", gave us a "Tit-Willow" verse whose next line contained "my name is", before finally giving us the visible signature of "Me-37" in his boasting victim total..
I thought this was the final clue to the Zodiac Killer's identity but I may have been wrong, because the December 1990 "Eureka" card delivered probably the biggest joke to date, by featuring one of the greatest comedians of all time.
This festive greeting card was designed by George Schill, a contract artist with the American Greetings Card Company, who featured the imagery of Groucho Marx on the face of the snowman, with the accompanying text that promised to reveal his identity. The outer portion of the card read "From your secret pal. Can't guess who I am yet. Well, look inside and you'll find out". Once opened the card inner failed to deliver by giving us the taunting message of "That I'm gonna keep you guessin". Happy Holidays anyway". In 1990, the Zodiac Killer had chosen a card with Groucho Marx imagery on the outside and the promise of his identity on the inside, the very year that Groucho Marx was celebrated in the newspapers in October, commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth on October 2nd 1890.
I thought this was the final clue to the Zodiac Killer's identity but I may have been wrong, because the December 1990 "Eureka" card delivered probably the biggest joke to date, by featuring one of the greatest comedians of all time.
This festive greeting card was designed by George Schill, a contract artist with the American Greetings Card Company, who featured the imagery of Groucho Marx on the face of the snowman, with the accompanying text that promised to reveal his identity. The outer portion of the card read "From your secret pal. Can't guess who I am yet. Well, look inside and you'll find out". Once opened the card inner failed to deliver by giving us the taunting message of "That I'm gonna keep you guessin". Happy Holidays anyway". In 1990, the Zodiac Killer had chosen a card with Groucho Marx imagery on the outside and the promise of his identity on the inside, the very year that Groucho Marx was celebrated in the newspapers in October, commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth on October 2nd 1890.
1959 FIRST EDITION This centenary saw several related events and releases, including a new radio series, stage revues, and articles. A play titled Groucho Marx a Life in Revue was performed at the Geva Theatre in Rochester, New York in February 1990. But if this card was chosen specifically to highlight Groucho Marx on the cover and "ME" on the inside, how could we possibly find the clue, assuming we had already made the connections in the other four communications? Look no further than his first edition 1959 autobiography entitled Groucho and Me, published the year before he performed in the "Bell Telephone Hour" in 1960, in which he played Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner in The Mikado. He sang Tit-Willow that featured in the Exorcist letter. The book was reissued in 1990 to mark the centenary of Groucho Marx's birth.
Groucho and Me is the highly acclaimed autobiography of the legendary comedian Groucho Marx, first published in 1959. Written in his own unique, witty, and irreverent style, it offers anecdotes and insights into his life and the saga of the Marx Brothers. This is Groucho Marx's main autobiography, in which Groucho tells the story of the Marx Brothers' rise, the crooked world of small-time vaudeville, and their adventures in the film industry with a "rags-to-riches story with a difference" The book was first published in 1959 by Bernard Geis Associates.
So, did the Zodiac Killer allude to the newly publicized and reissued 1959 autobiography of Julius Henry "Groucho Marx" in 1990, effectively supplying us with "Groucho and Me" on the 100th anniversary of his birth, which the Bay Area murderer possibly commemorated by mailing the biggest joke of all and asking us to guess his identity rather than supplying the word "ME" in more obvious form? The Zodiac Killer mailed two mysterious "Secret Pal" cards to the San Francisco Chronicle (including the Halloween card on October 27th 1970) - and both offerings may have pointed us to "ME" on at least three occasions. Secret pal cards are used for various occasions, including birthdays, holidays (like Christmas), or just as a "thinking of you" gesture. The primary purpose is to send messages or gifts without the recipient immediately knowing the sender's identity.
This, and the above linked article, highlight the argued presence of "ME" in five communications from July 31st 1969 to Christmas 1990, all of which teased us with his identity. The theatrical Zodiac Killer may have finally brought the curtain down on his audience and taken one last bow, by using the comedic genius of Groucho Marx to play his biggest prank of all. Then he left the stage for good.
Groucho and Me is the highly acclaimed autobiography of the legendary comedian Groucho Marx, first published in 1959. Written in his own unique, witty, and irreverent style, it offers anecdotes and insights into his life and the saga of the Marx Brothers. This is Groucho Marx's main autobiography, in which Groucho tells the story of the Marx Brothers' rise, the crooked world of small-time vaudeville, and their adventures in the film industry with a "rags-to-riches story with a difference" The book was first published in 1959 by Bernard Geis Associates.
So, did the Zodiac Killer allude to the newly publicized and reissued 1959 autobiography of Julius Henry "Groucho Marx" in 1990, effectively supplying us with "Groucho and Me" on the 100th anniversary of his birth, which the Bay Area murderer possibly commemorated by mailing the biggest joke of all and asking us to guess his identity rather than supplying the word "ME" in more obvious form? The Zodiac Killer mailed two mysterious "Secret Pal" cards to the San Francisco Chronicle (including the Halloween card on October 27th 1970) - and both offerings may have pointed us to "ME" on at least three occasions. Secret pal cards are used for various occasions, including birthdays, holidays (like Christmas), or just as a "thinking of you" gesture. The primary purpose is to send messages or gifts without the recipient immediately knowing the sender's identity.
This, and the above linked article, highlight the argued presence of "ME" in five communications from July 31st 1969 to Christmas 1990, all of which teased us with his identity. The theatrical Zodiac Killer may have finally brought the curtain down on his audience and taken one last bow, by using the comedic genius of Groucho Marx to play his biggest prank of all. Then he left the stage for good.
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