The six men who comprised The Three Stooges made more than 200 movies in
a career that spanned four decades. Had they been born about twenty years
later, they would probably have starred in a TV sit-com ... and it would probably
be better than many of the ones on the air today. So, who was your favorite?
(A) Moe Howard
(B) Larry Fine
(C) Curly Howard
(D) Shemp Howard
(E) Joe Besser
(F) Curly-Joe DeRita

I liked 'em all, but I'd have to admit that my favorite was Curly Howard. He is
generally regarded as the most popular Stooge. He came up with some brilliant ad-libs and those marvelous sounds ("N-yuk! Yuk! Yuk!" and "Woo-Woo-Woo," etc.). My least favorite was Joe Besser. He was only a Stooge for a year or so and, although a funny comic, never really fit in with the boys because his style of comedy was so different. Besser had more
success as a solo, appearing with Abbott & Costello and, later on, as a
regular on Joey Bishop's sit-com. He also supplied voices for some Hanna-
Barbera cartoons, incl. JEANNIE (based on Barbara Eden's prime-time series)
and YOGI'S SPACE RACE. But, in my book, Curly Howard surpasses them all.
Sadly, he only lived to be 46 years old.

Moe

I'm not a huge fan but if I had to pick it would be Curly.

Moe
Moe would be my second choice. Even off-screen, Moe was the one in charge.
He negotiated all their contracts and personal appearances, etc.

I guess I'd also say Moe, with Curly being my 2nd choice.

Has any one seen the new three stooges? Its old cartoon of the three stooges. Its part of it is the real three stooges live and then its three stooges draw as a cartoon. I got two dvds. its really funny cartoon. I got one target for 1 and one at the Dollar tree.

Has any one seen the new three stooges? Its old cartoon of the three stooges. Its part of it is the real three stooges live and then its three stooges draw as a cartoon. I got two dvds. its really funny cartoon. I got one target for 1 and one at the Dollar tree.
I found one of those in a bargain bin at Wal-Mart. It was the first time that I
had seen the cartoon show, which was made by Heritage Productions and
Cambria Studios in 1965. Unlike the later Hanna-Barbera series THE ROBONIC STOOGES (currently being run occasionally on the Boomerang network), the Stooges themselves (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Joe DeRita) supplied their own voices as well as appearing in live-action wraparounds. Forty live-action
wraparounds were filmed, and 156 five-and-a-half minute color cartoons
were made. The budget was set at $1.5 million. David Detiege (of Warner
Bros.) was animation director, Norman Maurer produced the live-action
wraparounds (he also produced the 1960s feature films, had written the
1950s comic book series and married Moe Howard's daughter), and Edward
Bernds directed them. The films were syndicated by Heritage in October,
1965. Watching the cartoons today, they're at least as good as (or better
than) the other TV cartoons of the period. Curly-Joe DeRita pointed out
one problem though. Since there were only 40 live-action segments--and
156 cartoons--they had to recycle the same live footage with different
cartoons. This misled viewers who thought the show was a repeat when it
was actually a new cartoon! (Source: THE THREE STOOGES SCRAPBOOK,
by Jeff Lenburg, Joan Howard Maurer [Moe's daughter], and Greg Lenburg)

I don't have a favorite Stooge over all, but my favorite third Stooge is Curly, followed by Shemp and Joe (Besser).

And here are some Three Stooges quotations:

Curly: "Just a victim of circumstance." "Nyah-ah-ahh. Sabatoogies...Column Fives...spies!" "A tootsie-fruitsie!" "You're gettin' in my hair! Ruff!" (to Moe): "Vise? I have no vice; I'm as pure as the driven snow." Moe: "But you've drifted." (to moe): "A pickpocket. That's what you are, a pickpocket."

Stooge (tough to moe): "I'll do it when I'm ready." Moe (tougher): "Are you ready?" Stooge (meek; backing down): "Yeah I'm ready..." Moe (to Curly): "I'll get you later for this." Curly (giving Moe a sandwich): "Then you'd better take this now." Peeping Tom's ghost: "That shutter. That confounded shutter." Shemp: "I shutter to think about it. (laughs.)" Moe: "Shutter up."

Larry

Moe:D

Curly

I don't have a favorite Stooge over all, but my favorite third Stooge is Curly, followed by Shemp and Joe (Besser).

And here are some Three Stooges quotations:

Curly: "Just a victim of circumstance." "Nyah-ah-ahh. Sabatoogies...Column Fives...spies!" "A tootsie-fruitsie!" "You're gettin' in my hair! Ruff!" (to Moe): "Vise? I have no vice; I'm as pure as the driven snow." Moe: "But you've drifted." (to moe): "A pickpocket. That's what you are, a pickpocket."

Stooge (tough to moe): "I'll do it when I'm ready." Moe (tougher): "Are you ready?" Stooge (meek; backing down): "Yeah I'm ready..." Moe (to Curly): "I'll get you later for this." Curly (giving Moe a sandwich): "Then you'd better take this now." Peeping Tom's ghost: "That shutter. That confounded shutter." Shemp: "I shutter to think about it. (laughs.)" Moe: "Shutter up."
One of my favorite quotes is by Moe, from "No Census, No Feeling" ...
MOE (as census taker to man): "Are you married or happy?"

Moe

George W. Bush:wave:

I'm a Shemp fan.

In order:
1: Shemp Howard
2: Larry Fine
3: Curly Howard
4: Moe Howard
5: Curly-Joe DeRita
6: Joe Besser (I don't hate him as much as a lot of Stooge fans do, though)

Good choice. Shemp was my favorite stooge. I would put Larry behind
Moe & Curly on the list with Besser ahead of DeRita.

I'm a Shemp fan.

In order:
1: Shemp Howard
2: Larry Fine
3: Curly Howard
4: Moe Howard
5: Curly-Joe DeRita
6: Joe Besser (I don't hate him as much as a lot of Stooge fans do, though)
Shemp certainly had his moments. So did Larry. Both were underrated, I think.
Actually, all six comics were gifted, each in his own way. Even Moe, who was
perhaps the funniest "straight man" in the business. That's why the act lasted
so long, even through several cast changes. Did you know familiar character
actor Emil Sitka (who appeared in many Stooge shorts and even the feature
films) was almost a Stooge himself? When Larry had the stroke that disable him, Sitka had signed to replace him. Some publicity photos were made, with Sitka sporting Larry's frizzy hair-do. But shortly after that, Moe passed away. And that ended the longest-running comedy team in movie history.

curly

Moe Howard

Did you know familiar character actor Emil Sitka (who appeared in many Stooge shorts and even the feature films) was almost a Stooge himself? When Larry had the stroke that disable him, Sitka had signed to replace him. Some publicity photos were made, with Sitka sporting Larry's frizzy hair-do. But shortly after that, Moe passed away. And that ended the longest-running comedy team in movie history.

Yeah, that's too bad. I don't know how much I would have liked it, but he deserved to become a Stooge. I have Moe Howard's Autobiography as well as Three Stooges specials on DVD. Another bit of info on the guy, Emil Sitka's very first short with the Stooges was Curly's final one, short number 97 "Half-Wits' Holiday."

As a kid, Curly was my favorite. It wasn't until recent years that I've come to appreciate Shemp.

I'm also a fan of "The New Three Stooges". I have two volumes of the cartoon on DVD.

I remember when I was a kid, I'd wake up at six in the morning to watch the Stooges on TBS (at 6:05am). Back then, because Joe Besser shorts were so rare, I loved it whenever they'd show one of his.

Yeah, that's too bad. I don't know how much I would have liked it, but he deserved to become a Stooge. I have Moe Howard's Autobiography as well as Three Stooges specials on DVD. Another bit of info on the guy, Emil Sitka's very first short with the Stooges was Curly's final one, short number 97 "Half-Wits' Holiday."

As a kid, Curly was my favorite. It wasn't until recent years that I've come to appreciate Shemp.

I'm also a fan of "The New Three Stooges". I have two volumes of the cartoon on DVD.

I remember when I was a kid, I'd wake up at six in the morning to watch the Stooges on TBS (at 6:05am). Back then, because Joe Besser shorts were so rare, I loved it whenever they'd show one of his.
I was trying to remember just this morning if Emil Sitka had ever appeared in
one of Curly's shorts. I knew he had appeared with all the other Stooges.
Thanks for the info.

Moe's book is very interesting. I've also read THE THREE STOOGES SCRAPBOOK
and Michael Fleming's book (the one on which Mel Brooks based his TV-movie
biopic).

I liked some of Joe Besser's shorts. The first one I saw was the one in which
his sister was reincarnated as a horse ("Hoofs and Goofs"), which also happens to be Joe's first Stooges short. Offbeat premise, but interesting. I
also liked "Outer Space Jitters," mostly because Dan Blocker (later Hoss
Cartwright on BONANZA) played a zombie! (Ironically, the same year Michael
Landon starred in "I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF"!)

Lastly, here's some little-known trivia: although Shemp died in 1955, four
more shorts were released after Shemp's last short ("For Crimin' Out Loud,"
1956) ... before Joe Besser replaced him as the third Stooge (1957-1958). How is this possible? They used stock footage and a double, actor Joe Palma, filmed only from the back!

Wow, I'm surprised to see Moe's name as alot of your favorites. I have to agree with tv star collector, both Shemp & Larry had their moments. In the "Sing a Song of Sixpence" when they're trying to figure out what the initials TH mean inside a suit jacket. Shemp answers "Thomas Hedison" and Larry answers "Teddy Hoosevelt". I love that part!!

But I would have to pick Curly as my favorite. Pretty much always has been. One line I heard Curly say recently that I don't remember hearing before is this guy asks him 'What kind of fool do you take me for?' and Curly answers 'Why? Is there more than one kind?'.

Another one--
Judge:He's asking 'do you swear'?
Curly:No, but I know all the words!

Both hilarious!!

Wow, I'm surprised to see Moe's name as alot of your favorites. I have to agree with tv star collector, both Shemp & Larry had their moments. In the "Sing a Song of Sixpence" when they're trying to figure out what the initials TH mean inside a suit jacket. Shemp answers "Thomas Hedison" and Larry answers "Teddy Hoosevelt". I love that part!!

But I would have to pick Curly as my favorite. Pretty much always has been. One line I heard Curly say recently that I don't remember hearing before is this guy asks him 'What kind of fool do you take me for?' and Curly answers 'Why? Is there more than one kind?'.

Another one--
Judge:He's asking 'do you swear'?
Curly:No, but I know all the words!

Both hilarious!!
One of my favorite Larry moments was in the film where an alligator bites off the
end of his shoe, and he starts looking for it.

MOE: Never mind--a shoe's not important!
LARRY: This one is .. I think it had my toes in it!

Another one--
Judge:He's asking 'do you swear'?
Curly:No, but I know all the words!

As a kid, I didn't understand that joke. Then recently, I watched "Disorder on the Court" and I got it. Some of their jokes may be dated (I mean it was the 1930's thru 50's). But that's one that's still funny today.

Curly followed by Moe

Larry!

Moe: Are you scared?
Larry: Nah, but I'm apprehensive.
Moe: Apprehensive? What does that mean?
Larry: It means you're scared, but with a college education.

Or words to that effect....:)

Curly

Larry all the way.

Curly was my favorite. He had some great physical routines. Often I'll be watching the Stooges and lament how Curly never, ever got any sort of recognition for his career before his death.

Joe was my least favorite but I still think he was a much more effective and entertaining character than most Stooge fans give him credit for.

Curly

http://img2.bdbphotos.com/images/orig/l/x/lxhlne19gdm8dg8e.jpg?djet1p5k

Mine is Larry.

Shemp makes me laugh the most.

Jerome

More definitely. Loved the tough guy persona.

Curly Howard

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/72/e7/3c/72e73cb15bdf5980b2a331687d4ab9a8.jpg

Larry I suppose :)

Curly was the funniest stooge until he started having health problems.

I used to be a big stooges fan but now I'm more into the East Side Kids and Bowery Boys.