Many of these scenes required the presence of Shemp, and this created a major problem for the troupe. Howard died He worked extensively for Universal Studios, including supporting parts for W.C. Fields and The Andrews Sisters, and in series like The Thin Man. He had two younger brothers, Moe and Jerome, as well as two older brothers, Irving and Benjamin. Shemp went on to pass away himself only a few years after returning to the troupe. [citation needed], Away from Vitaphone, Howard unsuccessfully attempted to lead his own group of "stooges" in the Van Beuren musical comedy short The Knife of the Party. [3], Shemp Howard, like many New York-based performers, found work at the Vitaphone studio in Brooklyn. Moe would bring in his younger brother Jerome, later rechristened Curly, to replace Shemp in the group. Director Sam Rami has always had a soft spot for the Three Stooges. As for his smoking habits, Maurer says: "They all smoked! Joe was just the right size to be a body double for the deceased Shemp. By the end, Curly could only communicate with Moe by squeezing his hand, sometimes just by blinking his eyes. Howard's obituary also appeared in the November 23 afternoon editions of Los Angeles newspapers, citing the death on the night of November 22. A cast member's death isn't the only reason a production might need to employ a Fake Shemp. Who a contract player with Columbia Pictures that often used for bit parts in the studios films. The main ways that the Three Stooges attempted to convince the audience that Joe Palma was actually Shemp Howard were by only filming the actor from behind. March 17, 1895, New York, New York, U.S.d. He died on January 13, 1972 in Toluca Lake, California, USA. The act was a hit, and before long Healy was earning $3,500 a week, of which he paid Moe $100 a week. January 28, 2023, 4:29 pm, by When Broadway comedian Frank Fay walked out on a series of feature films teaming him with Billy Gilbert, Gilbert called on his closest friend, Shemp Howard, to replace him in three B-comedy features for Monogram Pictures, filmed in 194445. Shemp Howard (March 11, 1895 November 22, 1955) was an American actor and comedian best known as a part of the Three Stooges comedy team. Al thought Shemp was clowning around, but soon realized that Shemp was actually dead. It was there, on January 18, 1952, that the great Jerome "Curly" Howard passed away. Moe took responsibility for his care until Curly's death in 1952 at the age of 49. The Three Stooges most iconic shorts feature Curly in the role of the third member instead of Shemp or any of Shemps later replacement. However, Shemp ended up making his exit from the troupe shortly before it rose to superstardom. Most of the shorts costarred another Howard brother, Jerome, who replaced Shemp in 1932 after the former branched out on his own. Shemp's brother Moe Howard started in show business as a youngster, on stage and in films. Die beste Serie; Kommende Folgen; Heute im Fernsehen; Mitglied kostenlos; Out West (1947) Stream Kostenlos. Palma came to be known by Stooge fans as the "Fake Shemp". The fact that stock footage already used in shorts made by the Three Stooges by the time of Shemps death. He was given his own starring series in 1944. Also sharing their insights are Stooges' family members, He lent comic relief to Charlie Chan and The Thin Man murder mysteries. While he could still roll with the punches as the recipient of Moe's slapstick abuse, he was more of a laid-back dimwit versus Curly's energetic man-child persona. . He did his best to make us laugh, this Shemp Howard, with his patented shadowboxing routine and "ee-bee-bee-bee" snuffle snores, though, truth be told, the more Shemp mugged, the more we shrugged. Thus, Shemp Howard remained a popular movie star for more than a decade after his death. When not working with The Three Stooges, Shemp made a lot of feature film appearances, such as The Bank Dick (1940) with W.C. Fields.Shemp, Moe, Larry and Curly appeared in only one short together -- Hold . 22 1955 . / . Curly had already suffered a series of strokes prior to the filming of If a Body Meets a Body (1945), and in January 1945 Shemp filled in for Curly at a week-long appearance at the St. Charles Theatre in New Orleans. Shemp Howard was not fond of Ted Healy. until his death of a heart attack in 1955, three years . To fill in a good deal of the blanks in the four shorts that they needed to complete in order to stay on good terms with the studio. In the early 1920s they teamed up with a vaudeville comedian named Ted Healy and a few years later they were joined by Larry Fine and the Three Stooges were born. Director Sam Raimi and his childhood friend actor Bruce Campbell refer to body doubles and stand-ins as "Shemps" or "Fake Shemps" in reference to the postmortem Stooges shorts. He also played a few serious parts, such as his supporting role in Pittsburgh (1942) starring Marlene Dietrich and John Wayne. He made repeated attempts to break in as an actor, and then took to vaudeville in a comedy duo with his older brother, Samuel. Unique pictures help to illustrate the message conveyed. Before Shemp's death, the Three Stooges and Columbia had agreed to a new deal, and the studio told theater owners that they could expect eight new Three Stooges shorts. James Arness. 155", "The Final Years of Curly (of Three Stooges Fame)", "Comic Shemp Howard of 3 Stooges Dies. He was coming bock from a boxing match. Though certainly Helen would have been understanding of the uncertainties of a show business career she counted Harry Houdini among her cousins Moe wanted to have a "real" job. And the director would continue using the term to credit body doubles on the sets of many of his subsequent features. Her parents are heartbroken and devastated by the . Facts Verse But she ended up spilling the beans on one of the most embarrassing chapters of her life instead. He performed with such comic greats as W. C. Fields with whom he played the bartender in the 1940 film, The Bank Dick, and the comedy team Abbott and Costello, who would reportedly trim his scene-stealing material. He liked to wear a sea captain's hat (he had black and white captain hats) and, like any new father, he loved playing with and doting on his newborn daughter. The Los Angeles county coroner's death certificate states that Shemp Howard died on Tuesday, November 22, 1955, at 11:35 [PM] PST; confirming that, Shemp's obituary appeared in the November 23 afternoon editions . She truly loved Curly and stuck by his side, through his constant downhill ride over the next few years, feeding and even bathing him as his health continued its slow deterioration in the late 1940s. The need did just that in 1955, with the death of Shemp Howard. By the mid-1950s, the beloved slapstick comedy troupe the Three Stooges had suffered the loss of iconic member Curly Howard. And previous member Shemp Howard had to brought back in to replace him. Actor Gene Hackman who played villain Lex Luthor didn't agree with Donner's firing and refused to participate in reshoots. Rumpus in the Harem borrows from Malice in the Palace, Hot Stuff from Fuelin' Around, and Commotion on the Ocean from Dunked in the Deep (all originals released 1949; all re-edits released 1956). (Special thanks to Frank Reighter) Born Morton Horwitz in Brooklyn, New York, he was the only son of Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges, and Gertrude "Babe" Frank. During the next few months, as his health got worse, Curly became confined to bed. Because of this, Robert didnt bring back Crispin. He was replaced after his death in 1955 by Joe Besser, then by DeRita in 1959. In late 1935, Vitaphone was licensed to produce short comedies based on the "Joe Palooka" comic strip. In the immediate wake of the passing of original member Shemp Howard. One day Moe spotted his brother Shemp in the audience, and yelled at him from the stage. Moe's daughter, Joan Howard Maurer, wrote in The Three Stooges Scrapbook that Shemp died of a heart attack. On stage, Healy would sing and tell jokes while his three noisy stooges would get in his way. On November 22, 1955, Shemp went out with associates Al Winston and Bobby Silverman to a boxing match (one of Shemp's favorite pastimes) at the Hollywood Legion Stadium at North El Centro and Selma Avenues, one block above the Hollywood Palladium. Facts Verse Curly, a brilliant comedian to the end, acquits himself quite well in his brief appearance, coming across as very funny, even doing his trademark "woo-woo-woo" sound effects. . At the same time, they worked for a rival vaudeville circuit, without makeup. ("I'm hideous," he explained to reporters.) While he could still roll with the punches in response to Moe's slapstick abuse, he was more of a laid-back dimwit as opposed to Curly's energetic man-child persona. How The Death Of The Three Stooges' Shemp Howard Led To A Popular Film Technique. The director was well aware of how the slapstick comedy troupe had handled the death of Shemp Howard. Shemp costarred in the first 7 shorts, released during 1936 and 1937; 9 were produced all together, with the last 2 done after Shemp left Vitaphone to move to greener pastures on the West Coast. The best (and most technically accomplished) is Scheming Schemers, combining new footage with recycled clips from three old Stooge shorts: A Plumbing We Will Go, Half-Wits Holiday, and Vagabond Loafers. This reduced popularity caused Columbia Pictures to decrease the budget allotted for Three Stooges shorts. According to Mental Floss, this is the reason the body double has his cape over his face in every shot. He was replaced in 1946 by Shemp Howard, who was with the Stooges until 1955 . The act was broken up when Shemp was drafted for service in World War I, but he was discharged after a few months "he was a bedwetter," wrote Moe. Featured over a dozen fake Shemps listed over the course of its end credits. Of which he had one of the founding members. He had his first stroke soon thereafter, in early 1946. Joe Palma would go on to continue appearing as supporting characters in the troupes shorts after the Three Stooges hired on Joe Besser as its new third member. With his Aztec profile, his receding forehead and long, wavy . The Stooges, whose roots . He was replaced in 1946 by Shemp Howard, who was with the Stooges until 1955, when he died. Director Robert Zemeckis had asked Crispin Glover to return to reprise his role from the first film,. In 1946, Curly suffered a massive stroke, and Shemp agreed to come back permanently, replacing his kid brother as "The Third Stooge" again. In 1934, the group was put under contract with Columbia Pictures. According to reports, she passed away on Thursday from an apparent suicide. Shemp agreed to remain with the group permanently. When did Shemp replace Curly on the Three Stooges? And by obscuring his face with some object on the film set. Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly-Joe DeRita and Joe Besser routinely corresponded with their young admirers, invited them into their homes, and forged genuine friendships. It involves using a body double to replace an actor or actress who for whatever reason is unable or unwilling to perform. It became his trademark sound as the "nyuk nyuk" sound had become Curly's. On November 23, Shemp spent the evening with friends. The Stooges moved to rejoin him, but Shemp put his foot down. In spite of their past differences, Moe knew an association with the nationally known Healy would provide opportunities the three comics were not getting on their own. Moe and Shemp eventually tried their hands as minstrel-show-style "blackface" comedians with an act they called "Howard and Howard A Study in Black". He also played a few dramatic parts, such as his supporting role in Pittsburgh (1942) starring Marlene Dietrich and John Wayne. (At left, a photo of all four in "Hold That Lion!"). Curly's great vigor and boyish vitality, his comedy trademarks, sank lower and lower. Curly is generally considered the most popular and . Moses Horwitz was the one who got the acting bug in a big (or bad) way. However, fake Shemps are still used in events where an actor or actress has passed away while filming a role and their estate grants permission to the respective production. He intended to stay only until Curly recovered, which never happened as Curly's health continued to worsen. Studio chief Harry Cohn rejected the proposal. Mort Howard originated the self-serve gas station with his Ce-How chain of service stations .It had . Emil Sitka died on January 16, 1998, making him the last "Stooge" to die (though Sitka never performed on film as a member of the trio, but did appear in a few publicity shots). His family was of Lithuanian Jewish descent. At least part of Healy's problems were a result of his growing dependence on alcohol; his ego and temper were rampant, causing friction and hard feelings. Now its time to here from you: did you know that the term fake Shemp coined by director Sam Rami. Curly Howard suffered a stroke in 1946 that forced him to retire, and he died six years later. He was "telling jokes when he suddenly dropped his head, leaned against one of the men, closed his eyes and, with a smile on his face, died," Moe related. The Three Stooges Meet Hercules is a 1962 American comedy fantasy film directed by Edward Bernds.It is the third feature film to star the Three Stooges after their 1959 resurgence in popularity. Moe, Larry and Shemp continued until July 1932, when Ted Healy approached them to team up again for the Shuberts's Broadway revue "Passing Show of 1932," and they readily accepted the offer. ", 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. To fulfill the contract, producer Jules White manufactured four more shorts by reusing old footage of Howard and filming new connecting scenes with a double, longtime Stooge supporting actor, Joe Palma, who is seen mostly from the back. With their classic lineup of Moe, Larry, and Curly in place, the Three Stooges went on to make a series of films for Columbia Pictures while Shemp went off and had his own career. Released by Columbia Pictures, The Three Stooges Meet Hercules was directed by long-time Stooges . Sams brother Ted, as well as star Bruce Campbell. Fake Shemps oftentimes require the use of heavy makeup and effects in order to trick the audience into not noticing. If youre enjoying this video so far, be sure to hit the like button to show your support! .". The Evil Deads second sequel, which named Army of Darkness. Surprisingly, this was more than . In 1937 he followed his brothers' lead, moved to the West Coast, and landed supporting-actor roles at several studios, predominantly Columbia Pictures and Universal. Curly Howard suffered a stroke in 1946 that forced him to retire, and he died six years later. Shemp was cast as "Knobby Walsh" and although he was only a supporting character, Shemp became the comic focus of the series, with Johnny Berkes and Lee Weber as his foils. The best-received and most technically accomplished is Scheming Schemers (again 1956), combining new footage with recycled clips from three old Stooge shorts: A Plumbing We Will Go (1940), Half-Wits Holiday (1947) and Vagabond Loafers (1949).[7]. During the taxi ride home, Shemp had just finished telling a joke and began lighting a cigar when he suffered a massive heart attack. Mort's widow Geri lives in CA, as do Shemp's granddaughters Sandie and Jill, and their families. Curly's appearance grew worse until finally, while filming his 97th Three Stooges short, "Half Wit's Holiday," on May 6, 1946, the straw finally broke the camel's back. Apparently, they arent subscribers to the old adage that too much of a good thing can actually be a bad thing. For those who have never heard the term fake Shemp. He is best known as a member of the American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges, along with his older brothers Moe Howard and Shemp Howard, and actor Larry Fine. The original members were the brothers Moe and Shemp Howard and Fine. Shemp's take as the third Stooge was much different from Curly's. Shemp was replaced by his younger brother Jerome (Curly) and recalled in 1946 when Jerome had a stroke. Columbia had promised exhibitors eight Three Stooges comedies for 1956, but only four were completed at the time of Shemp Howard's death. Originally playing bit roles in Vitaphone's Roscoe Arbuckle comedies, showing off his goofy appearance, he was entrusted with speaking roles and supporting parts almost immediately. Did the 3 Stooges smoke? But few people realize where the term originated. Return with The Three Stooges: from 1946 until his death 1955. Mantan if you must see one of his . Their actual names were Moses Horwitzand Sam Horwitz, with the nickname Shemp coming from the way their mother used to say the name "Sam." He was survived by his mother Gertrude Frank Howard. Jules White, a great director of Curly in many Three Stooges shorts, recalls one of his final visits to Curly during Curly's waning days. Fine died in 1974 . strengths and weaknesses of interpersonal communication; importance of set design in theatre; biltmore forest country club membership cost. He reluctantly returned to the Stooges as a favor to his brother Moe and friend Larry Fine to replace his brother Curly as the third Stooge after Curly's illness. Shemp Howard played the same scared and ignorant types as a stooge as did many other comedians. November 23, 1955, Los Angeles, California), Moe Howard (original name Moses Horwitz; b. Gertrude Frank Howard outlived her husband and son, and was living when her first cousin Barney Frank (born 1940, the son of her father's brother) became a US Congressman. Of which he had one of the founding members. When did Moe Howard die? Facts Verse Howard was given his own starring series in 1944; he was working for Columbia in this capacity when his brother Curly was felled by a debilitating stroke on May 6, 1946. One of those tragedies the death of Shemp Howard actually led to a technique that is used fairly often across the entertainment industry. His 1955 death started off a filming technique that became a Hollywood norm. Facts Verse After Shemp's death in 1955, he was replaced by comedian Joe Besser, after the use of stuntman Joe Palma to record several "Shemp" shorts after his death. Shemp suffered a mild stroke in November 1952, but recovered within weeks. Late 1935 Vitaphone licensed rights to produce short comedies based on the "Joe Palooka" comic strip. cousins Joan Howard . He also watched and admired a young television comedian named Jackie Gleason. He was replaced in 1946 by Shemp Howard, who was with the Stooges until 1955, when he Moreover, Shemp's death also put the surviving Stooges in a bind from a production and business standpoint. herculoids gloop and gleep sounds This is the Navajo detective series we're doing for AMC, based on the fantastic Joe Leaphorn . In his last few years of "health," Curly was still upbeat and seemed happy, not down or sad about all that had happened to him. He reportedly had just lit a cigar when he suffered a massive heart attack and died. He livened up scenes with ad-libbed dialogue and wisecracks, which became his trademark. The four appeared in one feature film, . March 28, 2021, 6:21 am, by This the first time that the term had ever used in an official capacity. He was called "Shemp" because "Sam" came out that way in his mother's thick Litvak accent. The show was a success due to its excellent writing and directing. And some people dont even realize that the term is in reference to the Three Stooges! He landed at Brooklyn's Vitaphone Studios for movie appearance opportunities in May 1933. 1972 at the age of 44. The Stooges and Healy began rehearsing for A Night in Venice, staged by Busby Berkeley and including a performance by "the Stevens Brothers and their wrestling bear.". Broadway led to a film for Fox Studios (later 20th Century-Fox), Soup to Nuts, written by Rube Goldberg (yes, that Rube Goldberg). in 1945, Shemp starred in the Columbia two-reel comedy. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for THE THREE STOOGES COLLECTION - Volume 8 - 1955-1959 DVD at the best online prices at eBay! Also, subscribe to the channel if youd like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way! From expensive cars to enormous mansions to copious quantities [] More, While Peter Lawford might the least well-known member of the Rat Pack, he is sometimes referred to as the Man Who Kept The Secrets due to his secretive efforts to connect Marilyn Monroe and his brother-in-law JFK. Tom Emery, a good friend of Curly, recalls going on a drive with Curly one day in the late 1940s. 1080. The director ended up doing a pretty good job. June 20, 2021, 9:06 am, by However, stock footage not going enough to get the job done completely. Moe Howard passed away on May 4, 1975 at 77 years old from lung cancer.Moe Howard Net Worth. Largely seen . Having starred in such television programs as VEGA$ and Spenser: For Hire. Moe adamantly refused. (1943), Moonlight and Cactus (1944) and San Antonio Rose (1941), in the latter of which he was paired with Lon Chaney, Jr. as a faux Abbott and Costello. 1 Year-Later She Realizes Her Huge Mistake, Bebe Buell Reveals Everything About Her Rock Star Romances, The Real Reason Peter Lawford Got Kicked Out of the Rat Pack, Pam Dawber is Unrecognizable Today (Try Not to Gasp), Why Jan Smithers DISAPPEARED After WKRP in Cincinnati, Celebrities Who Died Due to Medical Malpractice, slapstick comedy troupe the Three Stooges, The ONE Time Dolly Parton Got Naked in Public, Rare Photos of Lynda Carter Not Suitable for All Ages, The Tragic Death of Robert Urich & His Wife, The Tragic Life and Demise of Angie Dickinson, How Each Gilligans Island Cast Member Died. Because of this, Moe Howard and Larry Fine already had a positive working relationship with the man. Moe's brother Shemp, a member of the original Three Stooges from 1920 to 1932, passed away unexpectedly in November 1955 after attending a boxing match with associates Al Winston and Bobby Silverman. This was a popular American sitcom that ran over 12 seasons and 380 episodes from 1960 to 1972. Following this, the two remaining members of the Three Stooges extended an invitation to Shemp to return. In 1931 they added "Three Lost Soles" to the act's name, and took on Jack Walsh as their straight man. Shemp was the first and oldest member stooge of group. The four aforementioned shorts that had yet to finished upon Shemp Howards death are the only Three Stooges shorts featuring Joe Palma as a fake Shemp. From 1934 to 1944, Curly Howard and the other Stooges made 80-odd of the funniest shorts in the history of movie comedy, but by 1945 something was obviously wrong with the brilliant Curly. Fact; 1: His great-granddaughter Caroline has a small role in The Three Stooges (2012). As Moe Howard explained in his autobiography, Moe Howard and the Three Stooges, they changed their name to Howard, "which sounded better than Horwitz and Horwitz," performing as Howard and Howard. Curly Howard replaced brother Shemp, who later returned when Curly suffered a debilitating stroke in 1946. Crazy about dogs, he enjoyed playing with his beloved pets, a collie named "Lady" and two other canines named "Salty" and "Shorty." After her role on that classic sitcom ended, Jan became more interested in being a mother than being an actress. And so [] More, Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll. Shemp had a successful solo run as comic relief and character actor in films, and occasionally was cast in straight or even villainous roles, and was featured in his own two-reel comedy shorts, similar to what The Three Stooges cranked out for Columbia, per Britannica. Shemp played a bumbling fireman in the Stooges' first film, Soup to Nuts, the only film in which he plays one of Healy's gang. Shemp Howard was very much unavailable, so the studio used a technique that became known as a Fake Shemp. Shemp Howard was born Samuel Horwitz in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Shemp Howard (March 11, 1895 - November 22, 1955) was an American actor and comedian best known as a part of the Three Stooges comedy team. The Los Angeles County Coroner's death certificate states that Shemp Howard died on Tuesday, November 22, 1955, at 11:35 [PM] PST. What did Curly Howard died of? Joe Besser (August 12, 1907 - March 1, 1988) From Wikipedia. . Contemporary photos show a smiling Curly, happily puffing on his cigar (despite his weak health, Curly still did not give up his beloved cigars), posing around the house, and horsing around with his little daughter. And instead used a fake Shemp to fool the audience into thinking that the actor was still around. This, as well as a TV release of Stooge shorts, allowed Shemp Howard to remain a popular star for long after he died. In the post-stroke days, Curly loved playing gin rummy, watching the Hollywood Stars (a local baseball team), and going to the fights at the Hollywood Legion. But much of Moe's book was finished posthumously by his daughter and son-in-law, and some specific details were confused as a result. As it turns out, the term coined by director Sam Raimi on the set of his first film. According to Moe's autobiography, Shemp was involved in a driving accident as a teenager and thus never obtained a driver's license. And unlike Curly, who had many distinct mannerisms, Shemp's most notable characteristic as a Stooge was a high-pitched "bee-bee-bee-bee-bee-bee!" Being the youngest in his family, he was affectionately called "Babe" by his brothers. Shemp went on to pass away himself only a few years after returning to the troupe. The two fell in love and married on July 31, 1947. Though he didnt have Shemps facial features or mannerisms. He was working for Columbia in this capacity when his brother Curly was felled by a debilitating stroke on May 6, 1946. Larry Fine was not related to any of the other stooges. Flippo asked Parton about what the most outrageous thing shed [] More, Robert Urich was known throughout the world as a tough guy. Shemp Howard had a long and illustrious career as one-third of the Three Stooges. September 14, 2021, 5:02 am, by Always a sucker for a pretty face, Curly married Marion after only two weeks. Notoriously phobic, his fears included airplanes, automobiles, dogs, and water. Joe and Ernestine Besser had no children due to her ill health. Moe Howard and Fine died in 1975, and Joe Besser, another Stooge, died in 1988, leaving DeRita as the last surviving Stooge. When it was time to renew the Stooges' contract, Columbia hired comedian Joe Besser to replace Shemp. His temporary stint ended up lasting the rest of his life. For the first part of their career, they were billed as Ted Healey and His Stooges, according toBritannica. Burial. If you want a book that will make you smile, maybe laugh out loud, give you some insight into The Three Stooges never before published, then this is the book you most denitely have to have. How did the original Three Stooges died? Shemp had been replaced in the Stooges by youngest Horwitz brother Jerome Curly. This became a trademark of his performances. During the fourteen years between his times with the Stooges, he had a successful solo career as a film comedian, including a series of shorts by himself and with partners. Upon Shemps death in 1955, the Three Stooges had four shorts that had yet to completed. Info. Shemp was lighting a cigar after telling a joke when he suddenly slumped over on his friend Al Winston's lap. Moe Howard and Fine died in 1975, and Joe Besser, another Stooge, died in 1988, leaving DeRita as the last surviving Stooge. He co-starred in the first seven shorts, released in 19361937. He then replaced in the troupe by his and Moes other brother, Curly, who became an even more popular member than Shemp. He was taken to recover to the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital, his career as a Stooge now effectively over. They knew just who to turn to! . Shemp Howard's wife Babe firmly believed that Louis B. Mayer deployed his infamous fixers Eddie Mannix and . (A 1934 Gribbon-Howard short, Art Trouble, also featured the then unknown James Stewart in his first film role). ("I'm hideous," he explained to reporters.) Over time, the original Stooges were joined by Moe's brother, Shemp Howard, and then Larry Fine. Janie Howard. Lester used both body doubles and voice actors to Fake Shemp Hackman into the final cut of the film. [5] A different account is offered by his daughter-in-law Geri Greenbaum, wife of his son, who says Howard's death happened just as their taxi came over the rise on Barham Boulevard, heading to Howard's Toluca Lake home. Within a year, Curly had established himself as the comedy star of the act. Healy searched for another set of comics, and The Three Stooges faced a choice: go their separate ways, or seize an opportunity to go out on their own.