Buzz
Few entertainers have endured more for their craft than Moe Howard, Curly Howard, and Larry Fine, the iconic trio known as The Three Stooges. For years, these former vaudeville stars created a series of comedy shorts that revolved around slapstick humor, pie-throwing antics, and chaotic misunderstandings. Discover intriguing details about their beginnings, their surprisingly modest earnings, and the unexpected reason Adolf Hitler harbored animosity toward them.
1. THEIR FIRST LEADER MET AN UNTIMELY END.
From their early years in Brooklyn at the turn of the century, brothers Moses “Moe” Horwitz, Jerome “Curly” Horwitz, and Samuel “Shemp” Horwitz—all using the stage name “Howard”—were drawn to the stage. Their major opportunity came when Ted Healy, a vaudeville performer and childhood friend, recruited them in 1922 to serve as comedic foils in his act, known for its slapstick humor. (Larry Fine, with his distinctive frizzy hair, later joined the group, replacing Shemp when he left.) Despite years of touring with Healy, the trio grew frustrated with his volatile behavior and heavy drinking, leading them to break away in 1934 and pursue a film career on their own.
In 1937, Healy’s unpredictable behavior led to his demise: After a confrontation with Pasquale DiCicco, an associate of mobster Lucky Luciano, Healy was fatally assaulted outside a Sunset Strip bar. Actor Wallace Beery was rumored to be involved in the altercation, and Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, the future producer of James Bond films, witnessed the incident. Despite suspicions, no one was ever prosecuted for the crime. Speculation that Shemp might have known details about the incident was never verified, likely due to fears of retaliation from Luciano.
2. THEY SHARED THE SCREEN WITH LUCILLE BALL.
In the 1934 short film Three Little Pigskins, the Stooges appeared alongside a rising Columbia Pictures star named Lucille Ball. Ball, who would later achieve iconic status in comedy, once humorously reflected on her experience working with the trio, saying, “I learned how to duck.”
3. HITLER SOUGHT THEIR DEMISE.
After solidifying their comedic legacy on screen, the Stooges inadvertently made cinematic history. Their 1940 short, You Nazty Spy!, was the first American film to openly ridicule Adolf Hitler and his regime. (Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator followed nine months later.) The short deeply offended Hitler, who reportedly included the Stooges on his personal list of targets for elimination. (It remains unclear whether he specified each member individually.)
4. THEIR ICONIC EYE POKE WAS INSPIRED BY A REAL-LIFE EVENT.
In the Stooges’ comedic repertoire, few gestures convey disdain as effectively as the classic eye poke, executed by forming a “V” with the ring and index fingers and thrusting them toward someone’s eyes. This signature move was reportedly inspired by an actual altercation. During a card game, Shemp became furious after suspecting Larry Fine of cheating. In a fit of anger, Shemp stood up and jabbed Larry in both eyes. Moe, ever the keen observer, took note of the incident and later incorporated it into their onscreen antics.
5. THEY WERE UNDERPAID FOR THEIR WORK.
Despite their immense popularity and 23-year tenure starring in Columbia Pictures’ short films, the Stooges were notoriously underpaid. Studio head Harry Cohn, known for his frugality, required the trio to renegotiate their one-year contract annually, claiming the shorts division was unprofitable. Convinced by Cohn’s narrative and wary of his rumored ties to criminal figures, the Stooges accepted meager wages throughout much of their careers. When Columbia disbanded its shorts department in 1957, the trio found themselves out of work.
6. THEY PERFORMED LIVE ON STAGE.
Modern fans of The Three Stooges can enjoy over 200 of their classic shorts on television, but there was a time when audiences could experience their antics live. During and after their Columbia Pictures era, the group toured extensively, bringing their live performances to cities across the country in the 1950s and 1960s. After Curly Howard’s death in 1952, Joe DeRita stepped in as his replacement. This sometimes bewildered young fans, as Larry Fine bluntly explained to a curious child who asked about Curly’s absence. “Curly’s dead,” Fine replied matter-of-factly.
7. A SUBSTITUTE STOOGE HAD A NO-VIOLENCE CLAUSE IN HIS CONTRACT.
The lineup changes within The Three Stooges can be hard to track: While Moe and Larry remained constants, the third member shifted over time. Shemp was the original third Stooge, but he left for a solo career, making way for Curly. After Curly’s illness forced him to step down, Shemp returned, only to pass away in 1955. Briefly contemplating continuing as a duo, Moe and Larry eventually brought in Joe Besser in 1956. However, Besser, already under contract with Columbia, refused to endure the same level of physical comedy as his predecessors. His contract explicitly barred excessive abuse, including pie-throwing. “I wasn’t the type to get hit with a pie,” he later said, raising questions about his suitability for the role. After Besser’s exit in 1959, Joe DeRita joined for live performances and films like 1961's Snow White and the Three Stooges.
8. A FORGOTTEN STOOGE EXISTED.
Emil Sitka, a recurring character in 35 Columbia shorts, often portrayed the exasperated straight man to the Stooges’ chaotic antics. When Larry Fine passed away in 1974, Moe Howard, the last original Stooge, planned a new film and invited Sitka to replace Fine. Sitka agreed and signed a contract, but Moe’s death in 1975 halted the project before it could begin.
9. SEAN PENN WAS NEARLY CAST AS LARRY.
For years, directors Bobby and Peter Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber) aimed to create a high-budget homage to The Three Stooges, focusing on their comedy rather than their personal lives. In 2009, they nearly succeeded, with Sean Penn committing to portray Larry, Benicio del Toro set to play Moe, and Jim Carrey agreeing to take on the role of Curly. Carrey even began gaining 40 pounds for the part before the project collapsed. The Farrellys eventually released the film in 2012, starring Sean Hayes as Larry, Will Sasso as Curly, and Chris Diamantopoulos as Moe.
10. A MUSEUM IN PENNSYLVANIA CELEBRATES THE STOOGES.
The Stooges’ enduring impact on pop culture has been honored with a dedicated museum. In 2004, The Stoogeum opened in Ambler, Pennsylvania, roughly 25 miles from Philadelphia. Founded by Gary Lassin, who married Larry Fine’s great niece in 1981, the museum houses over 100,000 items related to the Stooges, with around 3500 on display at any given time. Highlights include a Hall of Shemp, a game area featuring Whack-a-Moe, and a vast collection of memorabilia.
