OUCHO MELMARX
Real Name: Oucho Melmarx
Identity/Class: Extradimensional/alternate reality
(Reality-88131) extraterrestrial (Melmacian)
Occupation: Mayor;
formerly quiz show host, actor
Group Membership: City Hall
Affiliations: Dame Beverly
Frills, Gornan
the
Bar-B-Q-Barian, Gumbo (assistant), Princess
Rhondar-ling, Gordon Shumway (later ALF)
Enemies: Don Calzone,
Kitchen Witch (posing as
widow
Dumelmont)
Known Relatives: Burpo Melmarx, Chippo Melmarx (brothers)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Mobile on planet Melmac
First Appearance: ALF#6/2 (August, 1988)
Powers/Abilities: Oucho Melmarx has an erratic
personality but shrewdly uses this to confuse others so he
can overcome obstructions. Scheming but always ready with a humorous
quip, Oucho also
seeks a wealthy wife so he can live an easy and comfortable life. He
has the usual physical attributes of a Melmac native
(compared to humans), with heightened immunity, extended lifespan (set
at 650 years) and a
savage appetite open to many forms of food (including cats). Oucho
requires spectacles.
Height: 4'
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Black
Hair: Brown fur (with black
head hair highlights)
History:
(ALF#6/2 (fb)) - After winning the lottery and
quickly
losing the money, Gordon Shumway's father Bob appeared on Oucho
Marx's quiz show "You Bet Your Wife."
(ALF#21/2 (fb) - BTS) - The Melmarx Brothers (Oucho,
Burpo & Chippo) starred in a number of successful movies.
(ALF#21/2 (fb)) - Hearing renown opera singer Dame
Beverly Frills was in town, Oucho quickly went to her dressing room
before her debut performance, hoping to woo the diva. Oucho confused
Frills' assigned bodyguard Gordon Shumway with reflected questions and
shuffled him out of the room. Oucho focused on Frills, regaling her
with bizarre quips, but Shumway returned with Burpo and Chippo with
their chip cart; chaotic hijinks ensued until crime boss Don Calzone
suddenly appeared, threatening Frills with a (performance) contract.
Shumway and the Melmarx Brothers saved Frills by running over Calzone
with the chip cart. Frills scared the muddled Melmarx Brothers away
with an
impending sub-plot (which they hated in their movies).
(ALF Holiday Special#2/3) - Now mayor, Oucho ran a
corrupt city and confounded his assistant Gumbo. Oucho's next target for
a wealthy wife was newly arrived widow Dumelmont (actually the evil
fugitive Kitchen Witch from ancient Melmac). Pursuing the Kitchen
Witch, the adventurer Gornan the Bar-B-Q-Barian used a time portal and
arrived at Oucho's office. Thinking him his new bodyguard, Oucho tossed
Gornan money before the warrior could explain and the duo went to
Dumelmont's mansion. While Gornan feasted with Dumelmont's guards Burpo
and Chippo, Oucho tried to woo the "widow." But Gornan discovered her
disguise and she transformed to the Melmarx Brothers' surprise. Gornan
was reunited with his love Rhondar-ling, formerly held captive. A few
days later, Oucho hired his brothers to redecorate his office once
Gornan was done cleaving the office walls searching for the time portal.
(ALF#1 - BTS) - The Melmarx brothers very likely
perished with
the
destruction of the planet Melmac.
Comments: Created by Michael Gallagher, Dave Manak, Marie Severin.
Of course, Oucho, Burpo and Chippo Melmarx are based on Groucho, Harpo and Chico Marx, respectively, of Marx Brothers fame, who were wacky comedy titans.
Frills' opera "The Barbeque of Seville" of course
refers to the opera "The Barber of Seville" (I'm surprised she wasn't
wearing orange... ha!). The puns fly thick and
fast in Marvel's ALF comic stories, so I won't explain everything.
Groucho Marx said "Humor is reason gone mad"; indeed,
Oucho uses/paraphrases
many Groucho comedic quotes in the stories.
Further details on the Melmacian alien species (according to the ALF television show) can be found on a Melmac fansite. No problem!
This profile was completed 01/08/2022, but its publication was delayed as it was intended to represent Elric for the Appendix 25th anniversary's celebratory event.
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
Oucho Melmarx has no known connections to:
Don Calzone was the senior local mob boss and was
involved in a gang war on hot dog stands. A rumor spread that
his target would be opera singer Dame Beverly Frills on her debut
night, so Gordon Shumway was assigned to be her bodyguard. However, the
unpredictable Oucho Melmarx burst in to woo Frills, followed by his
brothers Burpo and Chippo. The Melmarx Brothers' chaotic behavior was
suddenly stopped as Calzone arrived and threatened a distraught Frills
with a (performance) contract. Shumway and the Melmarx Brothers ran
Calzone over with a chip cart and the bedraggled mob boss was taken
away by Shumway.
--ALF#21/2
Dame Beverly Frills was a renown soprano opera singer
who was making her local debut singing "The Barbeque of Seville."
However, local mob boss Don Calzone wanted a piece of the action on the
hot dog stands outside, and Orbit Guardsman Gordon Shumway was assigned
to be her bodyguard for the evening debut. But Shumway was confounded
and
thrown out by the erratic Oucho Melmarx, who sought to woo the wealthy
diva. Chaos erupted as Shumway returned with Oucho's brothers Burpo
and Chippo until the armed Calzone arrived. He pulled out a
(performance) contract on Frills, which terrified her, but Shumway and
the Melmarx Brothers ran Calzone over with their chip cart. Frills got
rid of the pesky Melmarx Brothers by pretending to call a submarine
captain (thereby scaring them away with an unnecessary sub-plot).
--ALF#21/2
The mute Burpo was one of the Melmarx Brothers; he
frequently burped and had a fearsome appetite, gulping down food. Burpo
ran a chip cart with his brother Chippo and the duo were never too far
from their scheming brother Oucho. Burpo and Chippo interrupted Oucho
when he tried to woo opera diva Dame Beverly Frills. With bodyguard
Gordon Shumway's help, the Melmarx Brothers knocked down mob boss Don
Calzone, who had suddenly arrived to threaten Frills. Later, Burpo and
Chippo were hired as guards to widow Dumelmont (actually the evil
fugitive Kitchen Witch from ancient Melmac in magical disguise). Oucho
arrived to woo Dumelmont and Oucho's bodyguard Gornan the
Bar-B-Q-Barian (an adventurer pursuing the Kitchen Witch through time)
feasted with the two guards. However, Gornan deduced the truth and
forced the witch to reveal herself, but she escaped. Burpo and
Chippo returned to working their chip cart but were soon hired by Oucho
to redecorate his office once Gornan had finished slashing the office
walls searching for the time portal.
--ALF#21/2 (ALF Holiday Special#2/3
The erratic Chippo Melmarx ran a chip cart with his brother Burpo and the duo were never too far from their scheming brother Oucho. Chippo and Burpo interrupted Oucho when he tried to woo opera diva Dame Beverly Frills. With bodyguard Gordon Shumway's help, the Melmarx Brothers knocked down mob boss Don Calzone, who had suddenly arrived to threaten Frills. Later, Chippo and Burpo were hired as guards to widow Dumelmont (actually the evil fugitive Kitchen Witch from ancient Melmac in magical disguise). Oucho arrived to woo Dumelmont and Oucho's bodyguard Gornan the Bar-B-Q-Barian (an adventurer pursuing the Kitchen Witch through time) feasted with the two guards. However, Gornan deduced the truth and forced the witch to reveal herself, but she quickly escaped. Chippo and Burpo returned to working their chip cart but were soon hired by Oucho to redecorate his office once Gornan had finished slashing the office walls hunting for the time portal.
--ALF#21/2 (ALF Holiday Special#2/3
images:
(without ads)
ALF#21/2, p3, pan1 (main image)
ALF Holiday Special#2/3, p, pan (headshot)
ALF#21/2, p6, pan3 (Calzone)
ALF#21/2, p2, pan1 (Frills)
ALF#21/2, p7, pan3 (Burpo, full shot)
ALF Holiday Special#2/3, p, pan (Burpo chomping)
ALF#21/2, p5, pan1 (Chippo, full shot)
ALF#21/2, p7, pan2 (Chippo, headshot)
ALF Holiday Special#2/3, p, pan (threesome)
Appearances:
ALF#6/2 (August, 1988) - Michael Gallagher (writer), Dave Manak
(pencils), Marie Severin (inks), Sid Jacobson (editor)
ALF#21/2 (November, 1989) - Michael Gallagher (writer), Dave Manak
(pencils), Marie Severin (inks), Sid Jacobson (editor)
ALF Holiday Special#2/3 (Winter, 1990) - Michael Gallagher (writer),
Dave Manak (pencils), Jacqueline Roettcher (inks), Sid Jacobson (editor)
First posted: 09/28/2026
Last updated:
01/08/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™
and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com.
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix!