.....;Posted on 04/11/2014 1:20:44 PM PDT by virgil283
"Curly's trademark excited yelps of 'woob woob woob,” his dog barks, his compliant “Soitenly,” and his brisk face washes (where he is excited and smooths his hands up and down over his face, briskly, over and over) were loved- and happily expected- by his legions of fans.
Curly was what Moe called a "slow study,” meaning he simply couldn't remember lines very well. One day, Moe watched as Curly forgot his line in a scene. As Moe recalled, "his eyes rolled back, he fell on the floor and started spinning around like a top." And thus, the “Curly spin" was born........."
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(Excerpt) Read more at neatorama.com ...
By the mid-1920's, Jerry had managed to score a steady gig conducting the Orville Knapp Band. It was a comedy bit of shtick, where Jerry would conduct the band, and as he did, bits of his clothing would fall off, until at last he was left standing in a big diaper. At the age of 29, he replaced his older brother “Shemp", as the third stooge in the Three Stooges slapstick comedy act.
Shemp, Moe, and a frizzle-haired violinist named Larry Fine had made up a comic trio for several years, along with their leader at the time, a man named Ted Healy. But by 1932, Shemp decided he wanted to try making it on his own and left the act. Jerry was brought into the act.
Jerry had spent the early years of his life with thick, brown curly hair and a big mustache. When he joined the act, the first step was shaving off the facial hair and cutting off all his hair. The story goes that Jerry actually was crying when they cut his hair off.
“If you want me, call me ‘Curly,’ he said, and his lifelong (soon world-famous) monicker was set. Being the youngest of five children in the Howard household, he was known lovingly as “Babe." Another version of the “Curly" derivation story has Ted Healy seeing Jerry with a shaved head and saying, “Don't you look girly.” Moe misheard him and thought he said “Curly' and the new nickname was soon adopted.
Curly's comic character became fully fleshed out and nothing quite like him has ever been seen on the movie screen- before or since. Curly was a surreal kind of man-child. To everyone's happy surprise, it was quickly discovered that Curly was a master of invention and was a virtuoso at slapstick comedy. He had a zest and enthusiasm for life and all of it's adventures. He was Moe's most frequent target for a slap, a poke in the eyes, or a pie in the face.....
By the mid-'50s the demand for short films had petered out. So, in 1957, Columbia unceremoniously announced they weren't renewing the Stooges' contracts. Moe and Larry were devastated. After 23 years, what else would they do? Moe was rich from real estate investments, but Larry was broke - which made it even harder. They decided to get a third Stooge (Curly and Shemp were dead) and go back on tour. Joe DeRita, "Curly Joe," was selected.
They started making appearances in third-rate clubs, just to have work. Meanwhile, Columbia, hoping to get a few bucks out of its old Stooge films, released them to TV at bargain prices. They had no expectations, so everyone (particularly Moe and Larry) was shocked when, in 1959, the Stooges emerged as the hottest kids' program in America. Suddenly the Stooges had offers to make big-time personal appearances and new films. And they've been American cult heroes ever since.....
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Apparently he had some sad things in his life
If he were still alive he would probably be governor of California.
Lol
Many great comedians do. It’s what drives their creative genius.
The slapstick act of The Three Stooges was comic genius. It was so stupid that it was hilarious.
I don’t think modern stupid films are funny - the stooges were
Bump
Stupid is a genus with many species.
Yuk Yuk, bump.
Thanks. Excellent story.
They came up in Vaudeville, where you a) had to learn very quickly what appealed to “the common man” while, at the same time b) not crossing any of the boundaries of the much stricter social norms of the day.
So they learned how to play it just right. For the hoi palloi, but not offensive.
As compared to today’s entertainment aimed at low-info audiences.
I wish I could remember his/her name, it was an interesting insight into the personalities of other two stooges.
Mo! Larry! The CHEESE!
His best quote:
“I’m tryin’ to think, but nothin’ happens!”
My favorite is, “Well being as there’s no other place around the place, I reckon this must be the place, I reckon.”
Nyuk nyuk nyuk nyuk!
I love the Stooges. Back then you had to be talented to be an entertainer.
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