Weird Facts

Stooge Facts

The Three Stooges

The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville act. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe, Larry, and Shemp," among other lineups. Originally formed as a vaudeville team in 1923 by brothers Moe and Shemp Howard, who performed with “Ted Healy and His Stooges.”  In 1928 the brothers added Larry Fine to the act, which appeared in Broadway revues. After Shemp left the act (1930), he was replaced by his brother Curly.  Shemp Howard returned in 1946 to replaced brother Curly, when Curly suffered a debilitating stroke. After Shemp's death in 1955, he was replaced by comedian Joe Besser, after the use of stuntman Joe Palma to record several "Shemp" shorts after his death. Eventually Joe "Curly-Joe" DeRita (born Joseph Wardell) would replace him. Larry suffered a serious stroke in 1970, and was unable to continue performing. Emil Sitka, a longtime actor in Stooge comedies, was contracted to replace Larry, but no film was ever made with him in the role, although publicity photographs exist of him with his hair combed similarly to Larry's, posing with Moe and Curly-Joe (see below). However, Larry's paralyzing stroke in 1970 effectively marked the end of the act. He died in January 1975. Moe died of cancer a few months later.

The Three StoogesMoe HowardMoe Howard:  Real Name: Harry Moses Horwitz,
Born: 6/19/1897 Passed Away 5/4/75  
Stooge years: 1922,1926 1929-1971


Larry FineLarry Fine:  Real Name: Louis Feinberg
Born: 10/5/02
Passed Away: 1/24/75  
Stooge years: 1925-1926, 1929-1971

Curly HowardCurly Howard:  Real Name: Jerome Horwitz

Born: 10/22/03
Passed Away: 1/18/52  
Stooge years: 1934-1946

Shemp HowardShemp Howard:  Real Name: Samuel Horwitz
Born: 3/17/1895
Passed Away 11/23/55  
Stooge years: 1922-1925, 1929-1932, 1947-1955



Joe BesserJoe Besser:   Real Name: Joe Besser

Born: 8/12/07
Passed Away 3/1/88 
Stooge years: 1955-1958



Curly Joe DeRitaCurly Joe DeRita:  Real Name: Joseph Wardell   Born: 7/12/09
Passed Away 7/3/93 
Stooge years: 1958-1971

 

STOOGE FACTS

 

  • The three stooges made 10 films with Ted Healy from 1930 through 1934.
  • Curly made 103 films which included 6 features and 1 remake of an earlier Stooge film.
  • Shemp made 78 films including 1 feature.
  • Shemp made 11 remakes of older Stooge films.
  • Joe Besser made 16 films 5  of which were remakes.
  • Joe DeRita made 10 films with the three stooges, all features.
  • Moe appeared in 4 films without the Stooges including, "Doctor Death, Seeker of Souls" in 1973. This was his last film.
  • Shemp performed as "Knobby Walsh" in Joe Palooka shorts for Vitaphone from1934-1937. After that he appeared in 36 films without the Stooges.
  • The Stooges as a team made a total of 207 films.
  • The only episode that all three Howard brothers appeared together in was "Hold that lion" from 1947. The Footage was also used in 'Booty and the beast'.
  • The Three Stooges GolfCurly had his stroke while filming 'Half-wits holiday' in 1946.
  • Curly had a gun accident as a teenager that made standing for extended periods very painful.
  • Curly's nickname was 'Babe'.
  • Curly was very self conscious about having to shave his head for the act. He ended up becoming a heavy drinker. He felt he was unattractive to the opposite sex and liquor gave him the courage to approach women.
  • 8 Shemp films were released  after he passed away in 1955.
  • Shemp was replaced by a stunt man named Joe Palma from the time of his death in late 1955 until Joe Besser was signed on as the "third Stooge".
  • Palma had long, stringy hair like Shemp, and he was seen only from behind in the new footage, which was combined with old scenes of the real Shemp to create the "new" episodes.
  • Joe DeRita was Moe's first choice to replace Shemp but he was under contract to another studio.
  • Their next choice was Joe Besser, a burlesque comedian. Joe Besser performed with the Stooges until 1958. He stopped performing due to the failing health of his wife. Joe DeRita was then asked to join the three Stooges and did so in 1958.
  • The New Three Stooges cartoon premiered in 1965.
  • The three stooges produced 156, 5 minute cartoons for TV.
  • The Stooges were preparing to do a TV series in 1970 based on an idea they had toyed with for several years. It would be a series of color travel films with the three stooges visiting and fouling up the entire world. The title would be 'Kook's Tour'. It was designed to be a tour with a boat and camper and their co-star, Moose, a black Labrador retreiver. Location filming was shot in the Northwest. The three stooges headed back to Los Angeles to shoot closeups. Then Larry had his stroke. Moe knew the Stooges as an act had come to an end.
  • The three stooges appeared three times on the Ed Sullivan show. On their first appearance Ed introduced them as the Three Ritz Brothers. Ed got out of the mistake by adding, 'who look more like the three stooges to me'.
  • The Stooges did one show with Milton Berle. It wasn't Moe's most enjoyable appearance. He wasn't comfortable being on the receiving end of slapstick and in one routine Berle slapped Moe and cracked his front tooth.
  • Moe and Larry passed away in 1975. Shemp passed away in 1955. Curly passed away in 1952 at the young age of 48.

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