THE THREE STOOGES BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

The Three Stooges were an American comedy act of the 1900's most notable for their short subject films. The Three Stooges was originally comprised of Moe Howard, Shemp Howard, and Larry Fine, but changed a few times. The original came together in 1925 with Ted Healy, and performed a vaudeville act called ‘Ted Healy and His Stooges’.
 
Moe Howard (1897-1975) had originally tried to launch a stage career in 1910, but had no luck and therefore teamed up with his brother, Shemp (1903-1952), and longtime friend, Ted Healy (1896-1937), in 1922 for a comedy act. Larry Fine (1902-1975), who was a comedian/violinist, joined the Howards and Healy in 1925. The act consisted of Healy attempting to make a joke, but being interrupted by The Stooges, and then verbally or physically abusing them for their rude intrusion. Ted Healy and His Stooges hit Broadway in the late 1920's for Earl Carrie’s “Vanities”. The group appeared in only one film, Fox’s “Soup for Nuts” (1930) with an additional stooge, Fred Sanborn (1989-1961). In the film, they were credited as ‘The Racketeers’. In 1932, Healy and his stooges returned to Broadway for “The Passing Show of 1932”, but after, Shemp left the group to go solo. He was replaced by the Howards’ younger brother, Jerry, better known by his stage name Curly Howard, who would become known as ‘Curly’ due to a distinctive haircut.
 
Ted Healy and His Stooges (as they became billed) appeared in a vast amount of pictures starting in 1933, as they had just been signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer to a movie contract. They were in a number of funny musical shorts beginning with “Nertsery Rhymes” (1933). Further shorts ensured, such as “Beer and Pretzels” (1933), “Plane Nuts” (1933), and “The Big Idea” (1934). They were also cast in MGM feature films. Their most notable flicks include “Meet the Baron” (1933), “Dancing Lady” (1933), and “Hollywood Party” (1934). After “Hollywood Party” and once their MGM contract expired, the stooges decided to leave Healy and his mood swings behind. Each went on to find success, but unfortunately, Healy died mysteriously in 1937.
 
In 1934, Moe, Larry, and Curly signed on with Columbia Pictures. They officially became ‘The Three Stooges’. The trio agreed to perform in a series of two-reel comedies for an extended amount of time, but was also allowed to make appearances for up to thirteen weeks of the year. They gained major popularity from the Columbia shorts; however they made much more money on tour. The team additionally aided the war effort in the 1940's, through the works of two anti-Nazi films: “You Nazty Spy” (1940) and “I’ll Never Heil Again” (1942).
 
Sadly, in 1946 Curly suffered a major stroke, and could no longer be a part of the group. The trio created ninety seven comedy shorts during Curly’s involvement. Ironically, Shemp was reintroduced, and he replaced the man that had once replaced him. He remained with The Three Stooges until his death in 1955 due to a heart attack. After Shemp was out, Joe Besser (1907-1988) joined the act. He stuck with the Stooges until Columbia’s final feature “Sappy Bull Fighters” (1958), but quit as soon as the contract was up to care for his sick wife.
 
By this time, The Stooges’ popularity had decreased from the ‘Curly days’ and Moe and Larry were considering throwing in the towel. However, at this time many Stooge shorts were hitting television and re-airing. This gave them the boost they needed to continue creating funny. In 1959, they adopted Joe DeRita (1909-1933), who was nicknamed Curly-Joe, as the third man in their trio and kept on making full length films until 1965. The more popular movies include “Have Rocket, Will Travel” (1959), “The Three Stooges Meet Hercules” (1962), and “The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze”. Their final film was “The Outlaws IS Coming!” (1965). An animated series, “The New Three Stooges” (1966) was also created. Their very last feat was the short film television pilot for “Kook’s Tour”, which never became a reality due to Larry having a stroke that paralyzed him and the show.
 
Larry suffered a couple more stokes, and died in 1975 while in a coma. Moe wanted to continue The Three Stooges’ legacy and considered some additional movie ideas. Unfortunately his plans never panned out, for he also died in 1975 from lung cancer. Curly Joe unsuccessfully tried to continue on with ‘The New Three Stooges’ through live performances with Mousie Garner and Frank Mitchell in the mid 1970's.  Joe Bessner died in 1988, with Joe DeRitta (Curly Joe) following him in 1993.
 
While all of The Stooges are now deceased, they still remain an integral part of American culture today. Their films continue to appear on television, and many of them can be found on DVD. With their DVD release, many old fans remember why they enjoyed the trio so much, and many new fans have been created.
 

Filmography
 
1970  Kook's Tour  
1966  The New Three Stooges 
1965  The Outlaws IS Coming!
1963  4 for Texas
1963  It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
1963  The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze
1962  The Three Stooges in Orbit
1962  The Three Stooges Meet Hercules
1961  Snow White and the Three Stooges
1960  Stop! Look! and Laugh!
1959  Have Rocket, Will Travel
1959  Three Stooges Fun-O-Rama
1959  Sappy Bull Fighters
1959  Triple Crossed
1958  Oil's Well That Ends Well
1958  Flying Saucer Daffy
1958  Sweet and Hot
1958  Pies and Guys
1958  Fifi Blows Her Top
1958  Quiz Whizz
1957  Outer Space Jitters
1957  Rusty Romeos
1957  Horsing Around
1957  Guns a Poppin!
1957  Space Ship Sappy
1957  A Merry Mix Up
1957  Muscle Up a Little Closer
1957  Hoofs and Goofs
1956  Commotion on the Ocean
1956  Scheming Schemers
1956  Hot Stuff
1956  Rumpus in the Harem
1956  For Crimin' Out Loud
1956  Flagpole Jitters
1956  Creeps
1956  Husbands Beware
1955  Blunder Boys
1955  Hot Ice
1955  Wham-Bam-Slam!
1955  Stone Age Romeos
1955  Bedlam in Paradise
1955  Gypped in the Penthouse
1955  Of Cash and Hash
1955  Fling in the Ring
1954  Scotched in Scotland
1954  Shot in the Frontier
1954  Knutzy Knights
1954  Pals and Gals
1954  Musty Musketeers
1954  Income Tax Sappy
1953  Goof on the Roof
1953  Bubble Trouble
1953  Rip, Sew and Stitch
1953  Pardon My Backfire
1953  Spooks!
1953  Tricky Dicks
1953  Loose Loot
1953  Booty and the Beast
1953  Up in Daisy's Penthouse
1952  Cuckoo on a Choo Choo
1952  Three Dark Horses
1952  Gents in a Jam
1952  He Cooked His Goose
1952  Corny Casanovas
1952  Listen, Judge
1952  A Missed Fortune
1951  Pest Man Wins
1951  Hula-La-La
1951  The Tooth Will Out
1951  Gold Raiders
1951  Merry Mavericks
1951  Scrambled Brains
1951  Don't Throw That Knife
1951  Baby Sitters Jitters
1951  Three Arabian Nuts
1950  A Snitch in Time
1950  Slaphappy Sleuths
1950  Studio Stoops
1950  Three Hams on Rye
1950  Self-Made Maids
1950  Love at First Bite
1950  Dopey Dicks
1950  Hugs and Mugs
1950  Punchy Cowpunchers
1949  Dunked in the Deep
1949  Vagabond Loafers
1949  Malice in the Palace
1949  Fuelin' Around
1949  Hokus Pokus
1949  Who Done It?
1949  The Ghost Talks
1948  Crime on Their Hands
1948  Mummy's Dummies
1948  I'm a Monkey's Uncle
1948  Heavenly Daze
1948  The Hot Scots
1948  Fiddlers Three
1948  Squareheads of the Round Table
1948  Pardon My Clutch
1948  Shivering Sherlocks
1947  All Gummed Up
1947  Sing a Song of Six Pants
1947  Brideless Groom
1947  Hold That Lion!
1947  Out West
1947  Fright Night
1947  Half-Wits Holiday
1946  Three Little Pirates
1946  Rhythm and Weep
1946  G.I. Wanna Home
1946  Three Loan Wolves
1946  Monkey Businessmen
1946  The Three Troubledoers
1946  Uncivil War Birds
1946  Swing Parade of 1946
1946  A Bird in the Head
1946  Beer Barrel Polecats
1945  Micro-Phonies
1945  If a Body Meets a Body
1945  Idiots Deluxe
1945  Rockin' in the Rockies
1945  Booby Dupes
1945  Three Pests in a Mess
1944  No Dough Boys
1944  Gents Without Cents
1944  Idle Roomers
1944  The Yoke's on Me
1944  Busy Buddies
1944  Crash Goes the Hash
1943  A Gem of a Jam
1943  Phony Express
1943  Dizzy Pilots
1943  I Can Hardly Wait
1943  Higher Than a Kite
1943  Three Little Twirps
1943  Back from the Front
1943  Spook Louder
1943  Dizzy Detectives
1943  They Stooge to Conga
1942  Sock-a-Bye Baby
1942  My Sister Eileen
1942  Even As IOU
1942  Three Smart Saps
1942  Matri-Phony
1942  What's the Matador?
1942  Cactus Makes Perfect
1942  Loco Boy Makes Good
1941  Some More of Samoa
1941  In the Sweet Pie and Pie
1941  An Ache in Every Stake
1941  I'll Never Heil Again
1941  Time Out for Rhythm
1941  All the World's a Stooge
1941  Dutiful But Dumb
1941  So Long Mr. Chumps
1940  Boobs in Arms
1940  Cookoo Cavaliers
1940  No Census, No Feeling
1940  From Nurse to Worse
1940  How High Is Up?
1940  Nutty but Nice
1940  A Plumbing We Will Go
1940  Rockin' Thru the Rockies
1940  You Nazty Spy!
1939  Three Sappy People
1939  Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise
1939  Calling All Curs
1939  Saved by the Belle
1939  Yes, We Have No Bonanza
1939  A Ducking They Did Go
1939  We Want Our Mummy
1939  Three Little Sew and Sews
1938  Flat Foot Stooges
1938  Mutts to You
1938  Three Missing Links
1938  Violent Is the Word for Curly
1938  Healthy, Wealthy and Dumb
1938  Tassels in the Air
1938  Start Cheering
1938  Wee Wee Monsieur
1938  Termites of 1938
1937  The Sitter Downers
1937  Playing the Ponies
1937  Cash and Carry
1937  Goofs and Saddles
1937  Back to the Woods
1937  3 Dumb Clucks
1937  Dizzy Doctors
1937  Grips, Grunts and Groans
1936  Slippery Silks
1936  Whoops, I'm an Indian!
1936  False Alarms
1936  A Pain in the Pullman
1936  Disorder in the Court
1936  Half Shot Shooters
1936  Movie Maniacs
1936  Ants in the Pantry
1935  Three Little Beers
1935  Hoi Polloi
1935  Pardon My Scotch
1935  Uncivil Warriors
1935  Pop Goes the Easel
1935  Restless Knights
1935  Horses' Collars
1934  Three Little Pigskins
1934  The Captain Hates the Sea
1934  Men in Black
1934  Punch Drunks
1934  Woman Haters
1934  Hollywood Party
1934  The Big Idea
1934  Hollywood on Parade
1934  Fugitive Lovers
1933  Turn Back the Clock
1933  Broadway to Hollywood
1933  Myrt and Marge
1933  Dancing Lady
1933  Meet the Baron
1933  Plane Nuts
1933  Hello Pop!
1933  Beer and Pretzels
1933  Nertsery Rhymes
1930  Ted Healy and His Stooges
1930  Soup to Nuts