The Three Stooges were a beloved American vaudeville and comedic trio that were extremely
popular during the 1920s to the 1970s.
The era in which they captivated the minds and hearts of viewers certainly could be described
as 'simpler times.
Their signature styles were slapstick and physical comedy.
Six stooges appeared during the comedy team's run, while only three were ever active at
any given moment.
Moe Howard, whose true name was Moses Horwitz, and Louis Feinberg's Larry Fine were mainstays
throughout the act's five-decade spanning run.
The third stooge was originally Shemp Howard, AKA Samuel Horwitz, but Curly Howard eventually
took over this post for some years before Shemp Howard stepped back in following Howard's
debilitating stroke in 1946.
Later, after Shemp's death in 1955, the third stooge's position would be occupied by Joe
Besser and then 'Curly Joe' DeRita.
Arguably the most beloved line-up of the three stooges was the trio Moe, Larry, and Curly.
From 1934 to 1946, this ensemble produced over 90 short subject films for Columbia Pictures.
This era is considered to be when the stooges were at their prime.
Curly Howard was generally considered to be the most popular and recognizable stooge.
His high-pitched voice and signature expressions such as 'nyuk nyuk nyuk', 'woob woob woob',
and 'soitenly', in addition to his gift for physical farce, improv, and absurd athleticism
made him a fan favorite.
Sadly, after his massive stroke in May of 1946, Howard was forced out of show business.
He continued to suffer from serious health concerns and had several additional strokes
before dying at the age of 48 on January 18, 1952.
For years, the cause of his first stroke remained a mystery.
Recently, however, we've come to learn the truth about what brought on this life-changing
medical emergency.
Join us as we reveal the true cause of Curly Howard's career-ending 1946 stroke.
Curly Howard: A Life Ending In Tragedy
Jerome Lester Horwitz, or as he was known professionally, Curly Howard, was born on
October 22, 1903.
Curly was indeed the most famed member of the slapstick comedy team, The Three Stooges.
Alongside his older brothers Moe and Shemp Howards and actor Larry Fine, Curly earned
himself a place in comedy history with his unique catchphrases and on-screen shenanigans.
Curly never received formal acting training.
Instead, he was a natural comedian.
He borrowed from - and greatly exaggerated - many of the vocal idiosyncrasies that the
soft-spoken comic Hugh Herbert had coined, but beyond that he was overall a very original
and self-inspired entertainer.
By 1934, Curly had practically trademarked his version of his 'woob-woob-woob' vocalization
when he first uttered it in the Stooges' second film, Punch Drunks.
By the end of the 30s, Curly was the clear stand-out star-of-the-show among the Stooges.
His almost childlike demeanor and mannerisms, and effortless comedic delivery made him a
charming hit with audiences – especially the younger crowd.
He became famous for seemingly having an 'indestructible' noggin.
It didn't matter what you threw at his dome, from bowling balls to saw blades, it was ultimately
his head that came out on top.
Since he hadn't received any training as an actor, his comic skill was purely spontaneous.
By the mid-40s, Curly's energy had begun to diminish.
It seemed as if he had started to simply run out of steam.
If you take a look at Stooges' movies from this period, like Idle Roomers or Booby Dupes,
you'll find that Curly's voice seemed to be deeper and his actions were not quite as quick
and agile as they once had been.
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The Beginning Of The End
After appearing in Idiots Deluxe, at Moe's urging, Curly felt compelled to check himself
into the Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, on the 23rd of January, 1945.
It was there that he received a diagnosis of severe hypertension, retinal hemorrhage
and obesity.
Curly's rapidly deteriorating health forced him to take it easy and rest, which is why
in 1945, he only was able to grace the screen for five shorts – the Stooges had been putting
out anywhere from six to eights films a year previously.
It's believed that Curly likely suffered from the first of many mild strokes somewhere around
this time.
Moe urged the infamous Columbia head Harry Cohn to let Curly take some time off after
he was discharged from the hospital so that he could recuperate and build his strength
back up.
Cohn, who notoriously only was concerned about making a profit, flat-out to halt the production
of one of his biggest money-makers, the Stooge shorts.
To him, it didn't care if making the films literally killed Curly so long as his bank
account received a steady inflow of cash.
Sadly, Cohn's decision to press on with production at all costs would prove to be what author
Michael Fleming would later call 'a disastrous course of action'.
The first Stooge flick made after Curly's stroke was the less-than-impressive short
If A Body Meets A Body.
In that movie, it was clear that something was going on with Curly behind the scenes.
His actions and mannerisms were quite noticeably slower, and overall he just didn't quite seem
like his regular, goofy self.
Curly would go on to work with novice director Edward Bernds who took a much more sympathetic
approach to working with the ailing actor.
Bernds made sure to come up with ways that Curly, despite his limitations, could continue
to be the star he was without having to contribute a great deal to the film.
Bernds films, Micro-Phonies, A Bird in the Head, and Monkey Business, were prime examples
of offerings that showed that Curly was no longer in his youthful prime.
In the latter, it's said that Moe had to coach Curly on camera just to get the shots that
were needed.
Previously Curly had no trouble performing with little direction.
Later Stooges films featuring Curly directed by filmmakers like Jules White, ended up going
a different route by focusing the brunt of the action on Larry and Moe instead.
But if you've ever seen films like Uncivil War Birds or Beer Barrel Polecats, then you
might have noticed that not only did the chemistry seem to be off, but Curly clearly seemed like
he was suffering.
Curly's Health Steadily Declined
Curly had his good days and his bad days after his stroke.
Occasionally directors were able to catch him at one of his peeks with positive results.
One such example is the film Three Little Pirates.
In that one, Curly seemed to be doing better, and during its production there was a great
deal of hope that he had finally managed to gain some control over his illness.
Curly's last appearance as an official Stooge was in the film Half-Wits Holiday – which
was a remake of the comedy classic Hoi Polloi.
While filming that offering, Curly suffered a severe stroke on May 6, 1946, while sitting
in Jules White's director's chair, waiting to shoot the final scene of the day.
When White called for Curly to take the stage, he didn't answer.
Moe then set out to go find his brother.
When he found him, Curly's head had dropped to his chest and he was at first unresponsive.
Moe would later say that his mouth was contorted and he was unable to talk.
Sadly, all that he could do was cry.
Moe went and found White and quietly informed him of the situation.
Curly was then immediately rushed to the closest hospital.
After Moe and Larry had finished filming for the day, they joined him there.
You would think that they would have immediately accompanied him given the severity of the
situation, but White had decided to finish filming in order to meet a deadline.
After Curly was discharged from the hospital, he was taken in by the Motion Picture & Television
Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California – an establishment dedicated
to providing healthcare for ailing actors and Hollywood professionals.
Light In The Darkness
While recovering from his stroke, Curly met a woman named Valerie Newman, whom he married
after a brief courtship on July 31, 1947.
Valerie cared for Curly profoundly and had the patience to allow him to recover at his
own pace.
The couple welcomed a baby daughter into the world whom they named Janie in 1948.
After getting married and having a child, Curly's health continued to decline.
In late 1948, Curly suffered his second massive stroke.
That one would leave him partially paralyzed.
By 1950, he needed the assistance of a wheelchair to get around and had to be placed on a strict
diet of boiled rice and apples to get his weight down.
Regardless of these lifestyle changes, Curly's health continued to deteriorate.
Valerie ended up having to admit him back into the Motion Picture Country House and
Hospital in the late summer of 1950.
After several long months of tests, procedures and treatments, Curly was cleared for release,
although he would need to return periodically to the facility several times leading up to
his death.
In February of 1951, Curly was admitted into a nursing home.
A month later he suffered yet another massive stroke.
In April of that year he was transferred to the North Hollywood Hospital and Sanitarium.
On the 7th of January, 1952, Moe was on the set of the film He Cooked His Goose when he
was asked to help move Curly for what would prove to be the last time.
A week and a half later, on the 18th of January, Curly died from what his doctors determined
to be a massive cerebral hemorrhage.
He was 48 when he passed.
The Three Stooges would continue to entertain audiences for years following Curly's death,
but the outfit was never quite the same.
It's abundantly clear that Curly's absence left behind a hole that wasn't easily filled.
That's not to say that Samuel Shemp wasn't a worthy replacement.
He certainly had his moments and was a gifted comic just as Curly was, but there was simply
no replacing Curly Howard.
Who was your favorite of the Three Stooges?
And how do you think Curly Howard ranks compared to the other Stooges?
Let us know in the comments.
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