47 Facts About Curly Howard

Jerome Lester Horwitz, better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and actor.

Curly Howard was a member of The Three Stooges comedy team, which featured his elder brothers Moe and Shemp Howard, as well as actor Larry Fine.

Curly Howard was generally considered the most popular and recognizable of the Stooges.

An untrained actor, Curly borrowed the "woo woo" from "nervous" comedian Hugh Herbert.

Curly Howard had to leave the Three Stooges act in May 1946 when a massive stroke ended his show business career.

Curly Howard suffered serious health problems and several more strokes until his death in 1952 at age 48.

Curly Howard was born Jerome Lester Horwitz in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, New York, on October 22,1903.

However, when his elder brother Shemp Howard married Gertrude Frank, who was nicknamed "Babe", the brothers called him "Curly" to avoid confusion.

Curly Howard was a mediocre student, but excelled as an athlete on the school basketball team.

Curly Howard did not graduate high school; instead, he kept himself busy with odd jobs and constantly following his older brothers, whom he idolized.

Curly Howard was an accomplished ballroom dancer and singer and regularly turned up at the Triangle Ballroom in Queens, occasionally bumping into actor George Raft.

When Curly Howard was 13, he accidentally shot himself in the left ankle while cleaning a rifle.

Curly Howard was so afraid of surgery that he never had the limp corrected.

Curly Howard was interested in music and comedy, and watched his brothers Shemp and Moe perform as stooges in Ted Healy's vaudeville act.

Curly Howard liked to hang around backstage, although he never participated in any of the routines.

Curly Howard left the room and returned minutes later with his head shaven.

The Stooges soon became the studio's most popular short-subject attraction, with Curly Howard playing an integral part in the trio's work.

Curly Howard was known in the act for having an "indestructible" head, which always won out by breaking anything that assaulted it, including saws and hammers.

Moe Howard later confirmed that when Curly forgot his lines, that merely allowed him to improvise on the spot so that the "take" could continue uninterrupted:.

Curly Howard developed a set of Brooklyn-accented reactions and expressions that the other Stooges would imitate long after he had left the act:.

On several occasions, Moe Curly Howard was convinced that rising star Lou Costello was stealing material from his brother.

Curly Howard was the only "third Stooge" who never made a series of his short films, without Moe or Larry, either before joining the Stooges or after leaving.

Curly Howard exhibited significant weight loss and pronounced facial lines, reflecting the toll of his deteriorating health.

Moe immediately alerted White, leading the latter to rework the scene quickly, dividing the action between Moe and Larry while Curly Howard was rushed to the hospital, where Moe joined him after the filming.

Curly Howard spent several weeks at the Motion Picture Country House in Woodland Hills before returning home for further recovery.

An extant copy of the Stooges' 1947 Columbia Pictures contract was signed by all four Stooges and stipulated that Shemp's joining "in place and stead of Jerry Howard" would be only temporary until Curly recovered sufficiently to return to work full-time.

However, Curly Howard's health continued to worsen and it became clear that he would not be returning.

Curly Howard was visiting the set; this was sometime after his stroke.

In June 1948, Curly Howard filmed a second cameo as an angry chef for the short Malice in the Palace, but due to his illness, his performance was not deemed good enough, and his scenes were cut.

Still not fully recovered from his stroke, Curly Howard met Valerie Newman and married her on July 31,1947.

Later that year, Curly Howard suffered a second massive stroke, which left him partially paralyzed.

Curly Howard used a wheelchair by 1950 and was fed boiled rice and apples as part of his diet to reduce his weight.

Curly Howard was released after several months of treatment and medical tests, although he returned periodically until his death.

In February 1951, Curly Howard entered a nursing home, where he suffered another stroke a month later.

In December 1951, the North Hollywood Hospital and Sanitarium supervisor told the Howard family that Curly was becoming a problem to the nursing staff at the facility because of his mental deterioration.

Curly Howard lived the shortest life of the Stooges, dying at the age of 48.

Curly Howard was given a Jewish funeral and was buried at the Western Jewish Institute section of Home of Peace Cemetery in East Los Angeles, California.

Curly Howard rarely exhibited the boisterous behavior that defined his public image, except in the presence of family, while performing, or during episodes of inebriation.

Curly Howard was widely recognized for his compassion, particularly his tendency to care for stray dogs.

Curly Howard struggled with deep insecurities related to his shaved head, which he believed rendered him unattractive to women.

Curly Howard spent lavishly on wine, food, women, and real estate, frequently finding himself in precarious financial situations, often nearing bankruptcy.

Moe Howard ultimately intervened to manage his brother's finances, assisting with budgeting and even preparing Curly's income tax returns.

Curly Howard found solace in the companionship of dogs, frequently forming bonds with stray animals during the Stooges' travels.

Curly Howard often adopted homeless dogs encountered on tour, transporting them from town to town until suitable homes could be secured.

Moe urged Curly Howard to find himself a wife, hoping it would persuade his brother to finally settle down and allow his health to improve somewhat.

Curly Howard is considered by many fans and critics alike to be their favorite member of the Three Stooges.

Curly Howard was merriment personified, a creature of frantic action whose only concern was to satisfy his immediate cravings.