Columbia contract player Joe Besser joined as the third Stooge for two years (1956–1957), departing in 1958 to nurse his ill wife after Columbia terminated its shorts division. This procedure-disguising one actor as another, outside of stunt shots-became known as the ' fake Shemp'. Film actor Joe Palma stood in (shot from behind to obscure his face) to complete four Shemp-era shorts under contract.

Shemp returned, reconstituting the original lineup, until his death of a heart attack on November 22, 1955, three years and ten months after Curly's death of a cerebral hemorrhage on January 18, 1952. From 1934 to 1946, Moe, Larry, and Curly produced over 90 short films for Columbia, bringing them their peak popularity.Ĭurly suffered a debilitating stroke in May 1946.

Two years later, after appearing in several movies, the trio left Healy and signed on to appear in their own short-subject comedies for Columbia Pictures, now billed as 'The Three Stooges'. He was replaced by Moe and his younger brother, Jerome 'Curly' Howard, in 1932. The four appeared in one feature film, Soup to Nuts, before Shemp left to pursue a solo career. Over time, they were joined by Moe's brother, Shemp Howard, and then Larry Fine.

The act began in the early 1920s as part of a vaudeville comedy act billed as 'Ted Healy and His Stooges', consisting originally of Ted Healy and Moe Howard. Six Stooges appeared over the act's run (with only three active at any given time): Moe Howard (born Moses Horwitz) and Larry Fine (born Louis Feinberg) were mainstays throughout the ensemble's nearly 50-year run the pivotal 'third stooge' was played by (in order of appearance) Shemp Howard (born Samuel Horwitz), Curly Howard (born Jerome Horwitz), Shemp Howard again, Joe Besser, and 'Curly Joe' DeRita (born Joseph Wardell). Their hallmark styles were physical, farce, and slapstick. The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short-subject films by Columbia Pictures.

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