Curly Howard

Curly Howard (October 22, 1903 – January 18, 1952) was an American comedian and actor best known for his role as the energetic, bald-headed stooge in the slapstick comedy trio The Three Stooges, performing alongside his brother Moe Howard and Larry Fine in over 97 short films produced by Columbia Pictures from 1934 to 1946.

Born Jerome Lester Horwitz in Bath Beach, Brooklyn, New York, as the youngest of five sons to Lithuanian Jewish immigrants Jenny and Solomon Horwitz, Curly developed an early interest in show business by observing his brothers Shemp and Moe's performances in vaudeville. After briefly working as a bookkeeper and an umpire for the American Association, he entered the entertainment industry in the early 1930s by joining comedian Ted Healy's act as a replacement for Shemp, adopting the stage name "Curly" after shaving his head to distinguish himself from his curly-haired brother. When Healy's group splintered in 1934, Curly, Moe, and Larry signed with Columbia Pictures, launching The Three Stooges series with the short Woman Haters, where Curly's high-pitched voice, physical comedy, and catchphrases and vocalizations such as "Nyuk-nyuk-nyuk!" and his signature "whoop whoop whoop" (often transcribed as "woob woob woob" or "woo woo woo") quickly established him as the team's most beloved and chaotic performer.

Curly's tenure with the Stooges peaked in the late 1930s and early 1940s, with standout films such as Punch Drunks (1934) and A Plumbing We Will Go (1940), which showcased his ad-libbed antics and improvisational talent that defined the group's anarchic humor. He appeared in 97 two-reel comedies, contributing to the Stooges' enduring popularity through their blend of eye-poking, head-slapping, and pie-throwing routines that entertained audiences during the Great Depression and World War II eras. Personally, Curly married four times and fathered two daughters, Marilyn in 1938 with his second wife Elaine Ackerman and Janie with his fourth wife Valerie Newman; however, his off-screen life was marked by struggles with obesity, heavy drinking, and high blood pressure.

His career abruptly declined after suffering a severe stroke on May 6, 1946, while filming Half-Wits Holiday, which forced his retirement from performing and led to a series of additional strokes that left him partially paralyzed and hospitalized by 1949. Curly passed away on January 18, 1952, at the age of 48 from a cerebral hemorrhage, and was buried at Home of Peace Cemetery in East Los Angeles, California. Despite his shortened career, Curly's manic energy and visual gags have cemented his legacy as the quintessential Stooge, influencing generations of comedians and maintaining The Three Stooges' status as icons of American slapstick comedy.