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June 18, 2022

Almanac of Story Tellers: Moe Howard

Every day brings a new story.  And each day contributes to story telling -- in prose and in poetry, in art and in music, on the stage, on the screen, and, of course, in books

Today is the story of June 19th
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    It is the 170th day of the year, leaving 195 days remaining in 2022.
   
    On this date in 1897, the comedian Moe Howard was born.


    Howard, the leader of the comedy troupe the Three Stooges, told his stories through slapstick routines. Bullying, pulling hair, twisting noses, poking eyes, and a thousand other physical insults were all part of his schtick with the revolving group of actors, including two of his brothers.

    From 1930 to 1957, Howard starred in some 190 short movies and feature films with the Three Stooges, which at various times were Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Curly Howard, Joe Besser, and Curly Joe DeRita.

    Through it all, Moe was the mainstay of the act, the team leader, and the main character of the Stooges. He was also a shrewd businessman who negotiated residuals for himself and other actors in his troupe. He also persuaded the studios to pay royalties for Stooges' merchandise.

    In the 1950s, the movies and shorts were sold and played on television, introducing the Stooges to a new audience.

    Before his movie career, Howard in the 1920s became part of a vaudeville act with Ted Healy. That started after he dropped out of Erasmus High School in his native Brooklyn to start acting. 

    He got bit parts here and there. His break came while he was doing a show and saw his brother, Shemp in the audience. The two started harassing and heckling each other, much to the amusement of the audience. Healy responded by hiring Shemp and creating Ted Healy and his Stooges.

    When Healy left the act, Moe took it over.

    He died in 1975 in Los Angeles.

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