The Three Stooges began in vaudeville in 1922. Moe joined Ted Healy, one of the highest paid vaudeville performers as a stooge. A stooge is a planted audience member who is invited on stage. Shemp joined his brother Moe shortly afterward with Larry joining in 1928. The name Three Stooges weren’t used formally until the group parted ways with Healy in the early 1930. By this time Shemp has left and Curly, Moe and Shemp’s brother, had taken his place.
There were six different people that were the Three Stooges between 1922 and 1970 when Larry had a stroke ending his acting career and the Three Stooges.
Moe Howard was the leader of the Three Stooges. He was born Moses Harry Horwitz on June 19, 1897 and died May 4, 1975.
Shemp Howard
Moe’s older brother, Samuel Horwitz born March 11, 1895, was one of the original stooges of Ted Healy. Shortly after they arrived in Hollywood he left the stooges, partly because of his dislike of Healy’s abrasiveness and drunken bouts of anger, to pursue a solo career. When Curly suffered a stroke in 1947 he returned to the Stooges remaining one until his death on November 22, 1955.
Larry Fine
It was Larry who turned the Stooges into the Three Stooges when he was hired by Ted Healy. Larry Fine was born Louis Feinberg in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 5, 1902 and died on January 24, 1975.
Curly Howard
Jerome Lester Horwitz, the younger brother of Shemp and Moe was born on October 22, 1903. He took Shemp’s place in the act when he left beginning in 1932. Curly suffered a stroke in 1946 that required him leave the act. He would appear once more with his two brothers and Larry in the 1947, Hold That Lion!. This was also the Stooges 100th short. He would die on January 18, 1952.
Joe Besser
When Shemp died there was a short search for his replacement and that role went to Joe Besser. Joe Besser was born August 12, 1907 and appeared in 17 shorts as a Stooge. Before becoming a Stooge he worked with Abbott and Costello in their TV series. He played his same whinny character. One that wasn’t a big success with the Stooges. After about two years as a Stooge he left to tend to his sick wife. Besser died on March 1, 1988.
Joe (Curly-Joe) DeRita
Born Joseph Wardell on July 12, 1909, Joe DeRita became the sixth and final Stooge in 1959. By this time TV was discovering the Three Stooges. Joe DeRita resembled Curly and he shaved his head for the role. He remained with the act until Larry suffered his stroke in 1970. DeRita died on July 3, 1993 as the Last Stooge.