The Three Stooges

The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous Short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" or "Moe, Larry, and Shemp," among other lineups.

The act started as Ted Healy and his Southern Gentlemen, consisting of Moe Howard, his brother Shemp, and Larry Fine. This threesome did one feature film entitled Soup to Nuts before Shemp left to pursue a solo career. He was replaced by his brother Curly and the trio became The Three Stooges.

When Curly suffered a debilitating stroke in May 1946, Shemp returned, reinstating the original lineup until Shemp's death in November, 1955. Film actor Joe Palma was used as a temporary stand-in to complete four Shemp-era shorts before Joe Besser joined as the third Stooge. Joe DeRita ("Curly Joe") replaced Besser by 1958. The act regained momentum throughout the 1960s as popular kiddie fare until Larry Fine's paralyzing stroke in January 1970 doomed its resurgence.

Larry died from a series of strokes in January 1975. Moe tried one final time to revive the Stooges with longtime supporting actor Emil Sitka in Larry's role, but this attempt was cut short with Moe's passing in May 1975.

Comic books
Over the years, several Three Stooges comics were produced.
 * St. John Publications published the first Three Stooges comics in 1949 with 2 issues, then again in 1953–54 with 7 issues.
 * Dell Comics published a Three Stooges series first as one-shots in their Four Color Comics line for five issues, then gave them a numbered series for four more issues (#6–9). With #10, the title would be published by Gold Key Comics. Under Gold Key, the series lasted through issue #55 in 1972.
 * Gold Key Comics then published the Little Stooges series (7 issues, 1972–74) with story and art by Norman Maurer, Moe's son-in-law. This series featured the adventures of three fictional sons of the Three Stooges, as sort of modern-day teen-age versions of the characters.
 * Eclipse Comics published the Three-D Three Stooges series (3 issues, 1986–1987) which reprinted stories from the St. John Publications series.
 * Malibu Comics did a couple of one-shot comics, reprinting stories from the Gold Key Comics in 1989 and 1991.
 * Bluewater Comics issued a biographical comic in 2011 which followed the lives and careers of the group.