Toy Magnate. At the age of sixteen and the oldest of three, Marx had to help support the family. On a friend’s recommendation, he was hired to work full-time at the Ferdinand J. Strauss Company, a toy manufacturer that produced items for Abraham & Strauss Department Stores and a pioneer in the tin toy industry. His energy and enthusiasm helped him to become a manager by the time he was twenty. In 1919, after being fired by Strauss due to differences on production matters and a stint with the American Army during World War I, Marx decided that it was time to venture out on his own. He and his brother David established the Louis Marx & Company, and set up office at 200 Fifth Avenue, in New York City. They became one of the world’s largest toy manufacturers. When he retired in 1976, he sold Marx Toys to Quaker Oats for $52 million.  (bio by: Eamonn)  Family links:  Spouse:  Rene E. Saltzman Marx (1906 – 1944)* *Calculated relationship