The name of a character played by Harpo Marx in Duck Soup (1933). As with all of Harpo's characters, Pinky is a mute and a moron, but in that loveable sort of way. Much less creepy than that dastardly Chaplin.

Together with Chicolini, Pinky is a spy hired by the Sylvanian Ambassador, Trentino, in order to dig up dirt on Rufus T. Firefly, leader of Freedonia. In a memorable scene (aren't they all?), Trentino asks Pinky for Firefly's record, and without hesitation, Pinky pulls a vinyl record out of his coat. Trentino, flabbergasted by the spies' continued ineptitude, exclaims "No! No! No!", and within a second, Pinky flings the record into the air, whips out a pistol and shoots it, clay pigeon style.

"And the boy gets a cigar."

Pinky is one of the few Harpo characters that doesn't play the harp. There is a short (and quite funny) moment in Duck Soup where Pinky sees an open grand piano and has a tug of the strings, much to the annoyance of Chicolini, only to have the lid come crashing down on his hands. That's about as far as his musical prowess goes in this movie, which is a welcome respite for some modern-day viewers, who find the instrumental interludes in the Marx Bros. movies rather boring (not me!).

Pinky is probably the nicest Harpo character as well. There isn't nearly as much stealing, cheating and chasing blondes as there is in some of the other Marx Bros. flicks.

Pinky also appears as a dog catcher in Horse Feathers. But that's not as funny.

And then there's the Pinky of Pinky and the Brain fame. I wonder where they got his name from.