Actors - Curly Joe DeRita

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	Actors - Curly Joe DeRita

"Curly-Joe" DeRita (July 12, 1909 - July 3, 1993), born Joseph Wardell, was an American comedian who is best known as the "sixth" and last of the Three Stooges. He was born into a show business family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Wardell's father was a stage technician, and his mother, a professional stage dancer; the three often acted on stage together from his early childhood. Taking his mother's maiden name, DeRita, the actor joined the Burlesque circuit during the 1920s, gaining fame as a comedian. During World War II, DeRita joined the USO, performing through Britain and France with such celebrities as Bing Crosby and Randolph Scott. He was married briefly sometime in the 40s to an unknown co-worker.

Career in the Three Stooges

After Shemp Howard died in 1955, Moe Howard and Larry Fine tried to complete the "Three Stooges" act with Joe Besser, who left shortly thereafter over creative differences. Familiar with DeRita's work, Howard asked him to join the act, which he readily accepted. Noticing his physical resemblance to predecessors Besser and especially Curly Howard, DeRita was renamed "Curly-Joe," and became the third Stooge in 1958.

DeRita's arrival coincided with changes to the formula. With the advent of longer theatrical films, Columbia Pictures' short films studio shut down, leaving the Stooges to seek their own full-length features. The team created a number of theatrical Three Stooges films, including Have Rocket, Will Travel
and Snow White Meets the Three Stooges. Aimed at children these films rarely reached the same comedic heights their shorts (notably not children’s films) even recently had with Joe Besser. This was not totally Curly-Joe's fault. While the least distinctive member of the group, television shows that survive from that era, as well as the films "The Three Stooges Go Around The World In A Daze"(1963) and "Kook's Tour" (1970), show that when classic bits or deviations from the youth market were attempted, the results were far better.

DeRita's Burlesque uncensored LP from the 50s, as well as several interviews over the years prove that he was funniest when a little racy. Had Moe not died in 1975, The Stooges (with Emil Sitka taking on the role as the middle stooge) would have done an R-rated flick called "The Jet Set". Perhaps this would have been a better showcase for Curly-Joe than the unpopular "Snow White".

Through the 1960s, DeRita became remained member of the team, participating in animated series and television series such as The New 3 Stooges. However, Larry Fine suffered a stroke in 1970, permanently disbanding the Stooges. In later years, DeRita attempted to form "The New 3 Stooges," featuring actors but the act failed and DeRita retired.

Curly-Joe DeRita died in Los Angeles on July 3, 1993. Being the final living member of the original Three Stooges act, his epitaph reads, "The Last Stooge."

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Actors - Curly Joe DeRita

Career in the Three Stooges

Further reading

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