Jerome (Curly) Horwitz was one of the three
Horwitz brothers who, along with Larry Fine (Levi Feinberg), became the
slapstick comedy icons The Three Stooges, best known for their numerous
short subject films. Since Jewish names were generally avoided by film
actors, they changed their surname to Howard.
The original members of the trio were Moses (Moe) Horowitz, his brother
Samuel (Shemp), and their friend Larry Fine . Shemp was later replaced
by brother Curly. Curly made more than 100 film appearances with the
team before a massive stroke on the set of Half-Wits Holiday (1947)
after which Shemp rejoined the act in 1946,.
Curly was best known for his expressions "nyuk-nyuk-nyuk!"
and "woo-woo-woo!" which become a part of American pop culture. Larry Fine
once recalled, "Personally, I thought Curly was the greatest, because he was
a natural comedian who had no formal training. Whatever he did, he made up
on the spur of the moment. When we lost Curly, we took a hit.."
Curly recovered slightly from his stroke
and made a brief cameo appearance in Hold That Lion !
(1937), the
third film after Shemp returned to the trio, It was the only film that
featured Larry Fine and all three Howard brothers, Moe, Shemp and Curly,
simultaneously; director Jules White later said that he spontaneously staged the
bit during Curly's impromptu visit to the soundstage: |
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