Jerome Lester Horwitz (October 22, 1903 â€" January 18, 1952), known
professionally as Curly Howard, was an American vaudevillian actor and
comedian. He was best known as a member of the American comedy team
the Three Stooges, which also featured his elder brothers Moe and
Shemp Howard and actor Larry Fine. In early shorts, he was billed as
Curley. Curly Howard was generally considered the most popular and
recognizable of the Stooges. He was well known for his high-pitched
voice and vocal expressions ("nyuk-nyuk-nyuk!", "woob-woob-woob!",
"soitenly!" [certainly], and barking like a dog), as well as his
physical comedy (e.g., falling on the ground and pivoting on his
shoulder as he "walked" in circular motion), improvisations, and
athleticism. An untrained actor, Curly borrowed (and significantly
exaggerated) the "woob woob" from "nervous" and soft-spoken comedian
Hugh Herbert. Curly's unique version of "woob-woob-woob" was firmly
established by the time of the Stooges' second Columbia film, Punch
Drunks (1934).Howard was forced to leave the Three Stooges act in May
1946 when a massive stroke ended his show business career. He suffered
through serious health problems and several more strokes until his
death in 1952 at age 48.Curly Howard was born Jerome Lester Horwitz in
the Bensonhurst section of the Brooklyn borough of New York City, on
October 22, 1903. Of Lithuanian Jewish ancestry, he was the youngest
of the five sons of Jennie (Gorovitz) and Solomon Horwitz. Because he
was the youngest, his brothers called him "Babe" to tease him. The
name "Babe" stuck with him all his life, although when his elder
brother Shemp Howard married Gertrude Frank, who was also nicknamed
"Babe", the brothers called him "Curly" to avoid confusion. His full
formal Hebrew name was "Yehudah Leib bar Shlomo Natan HaLevi."
professionally as Curly Howard, was an American vaudevillian actor and
comedian. He was best known as a member of the American comedy team
the Three Stooges, which also featured his elder brothers Moe and
Shemp Howard and actor Larry Fine. In early shorts, he was billed as
Curley. Curly Howard was generally considered the most popular and
recognizable of the Stooges. He was well known for his high-pitched
voice and vocal expressions ("nyuk-nyuk-nyuk!", "woob-woob-woob!",
"soitenly!" [certainly], and barking like a dog), as well as his
physical comedy (e.g., falling on the ground and pivoting on his
shoulder as he "walked" in circular motion), improvisations, and
athleticism. An untrained actor, Curly borrowed (and significantly
exaggerated) the "woob woob" from "nervous" and soft-spoken comedian
Hugh Herbert. Curly's unique version of "woob-woob-woob" was firmly
established by the time of the Stooges' second Columbia film, Punch
Drunks (1934).Howard was forced to leave the Three Stooges act in May
1946 when a massive stroke ended his show business career. He suffered
through serious health problems and several more strokes until his
death in 1952 at age 48.Curly Howard was born Jerome Lester Horwitz in
the Bensonhurst section of the Brooklyn borough of New York City, on
October 22, 1903. Of Lithuanian Jewish ancestry, he was the youngest
of the five sons of Jennie (Gorovitz) and Solomon Horwitz. Because he
was the youngest, his brothers called him "Babe" to tease him. The
name "Babe" stuck with him all his life, although when his elder
brother Shemp Howard married Gertrude Frank, who was also nicknamed
"Babe", the brothers called him "Curly" to avoid confusion. His full
formal Hebrew name was "Yehudah Leib bar Shlomo Natan HaLevi."
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