Topic: What If Curly Returned?

[Stooge-Adam]

Let's say history was different. Curly still suffered his stroke in 1946 and Shemp still replaced him. Now let's say that Curly got better and in 1950 (after three years of Shemp shorts) Curly returned to the act. In this alternate world, Curly lives until sometime in the 1980s. Shemp is with the boys from "Fright Night" to "Dunked in the Deep." Curly returns with "Punchy Cowpunchers" and remains with the act for the remainder of the Stooges' career.

Three questions:

1. How would the Stooge's act have been different?

2. What would your feelings be on Shemp leaving and being replaced by Curly?

3. What would a world be like without Joe and Curly-Joe as later year Stooges?

[jka12002]

this is actually not a bad question. Ive always wondered what Malice in the Palace, Spook Louder and other non Curly shorts would have been like if he never died.

[Stooge-Adam]

I was thinking about how the plan was for Shemp to take over until Curly got better. In real life, Curly never got better and Shemp stayed until his death. So it had me wondering what it would have been like if things went according to plan.

[metaldams]

Let's say history was different. Curly still suffered his stroke in 1946 and Shemp still replaced him. Now let's say that Curly got better and in 1950 (after three years of Shemp shorts) Curly returned to the act. In this alternate world, Curly lives until sometime in the 1980s. Shemp is with the boys from "Fright Night" to "Dunked in the Deep." Curly returns with "Punchy Cowpunchers" and remains with the act for the remainder of the Stooges' career.

Three questions:

1. How would the Stooge's act have been different?

2. What would your feelings be on Shemp leaving and being replaced by Curly?

3. What would a world be like without Joe and Curly-Joe as later year Stooges?

1. I think they just would've consistently made the same level of quality Curly shorts for a couple of years until budgets went down, assuming Curly's back at 100% health.

2.  It would stink if Shemp left, but maybe he would've found a niche for himself in television.

3.  I think the world would find a way to survive. 

[stooge1029]

this is actually not a bad question. Ive always wondered what Malice in the Palace, Spook Louder and other non Curly shorts would have been like if he never died.

Uhh...Curly is in Spook Louder.

[12Medbe]

Wow, that's a great question, It would have been really interesting to see.

[TXShemp]

I'm thinking even if Curly never came back, and Shemp hadn't passed on suddenly, they would have probably made it into a TV series. There was a pilot for a sit-com with Shemp, with Symona Boniface and Emil Sitka. Shemp was an awesome Stooge, just not as recognized as Curly. Personally, I think Moe felt like he was running out of options but he and Larry had no choice but to continue, and out of desperation he brought in Joe Besser. Moe had his hands tied in that Columbia contract. Curly could have made 190 A+ shorts and they still would have gotten the short end of the stick. Its amazing how celebrities were treated like regular people in those days. Just some thoughts....

[Boid Brain]

I'm thinking even if Curly never came back, and Shemp hadn't passed on suddenly, they would have probably made it into a TV series. There was a pilot for a sit-com with Shemp, with Symona Boniface and Emil Sitka. Shemp was an awesome Stooge, just not as recognized as Curly. Personally, I think Moe felt like he was running out of options but he and Larry had no choice but to continue, and out of desperation he brought in Joe Besser. Moe had his hands tied in that Columbia contract. Curly could have made 190 A+ shorts and they still would have gotten the short end of the stick. Its amazing how celebrities were treated like regular people in those days. Just some thoughts....

That pilot was putrid. (it's on You Tube) No reason to think it would have been better with Curly. Nope, the only way they would have made it on TV would be to be hired by a local station for one market.

[TXShemp]

I was just thinking outloud. When I was a kid, of course Curly was my favorite. As I got older, I enjoyed watching Shemp, after I discovered he was funny without Moe and Larry as well.

[Frank Rizzo]

I'm thinking if Curly came back, Shemp *maybe* would have gone back to working with Abbott and Costello? (He was in quite a few of their movies if I recall correctly).

[TXShemp]

No doubt in my mind Shemp would have made it on his own. He worked with many big stars, so not only was he talented I'm sure he had connections. I think the best person to answer this question may have been Moe. He would have made the decision.

[BeAStooge]

I'm thinking if Curly came back, Shemp *maybe* would have gone back to working with Abbott and Costello? (He was in quite a few of their movies if I recall correctly).

Shemp's solo career is always incorrectly "defined" as working with A&C and W. C. Fields. That only scratches the surface. From 1933 to 1949 Shemp appeared in 103 films on his own, both shorts and features.

Shemp's work with A&C was due to his being under contract to Universal during 1940 - 1943. When Shemp's contract was not renewed, his Universal Studios work with A&C ceased, IT AIN'T HAY (1943) being the last; he only appeared in 4 A&C features (plus 1 PSA newsreel cameo). The exception was AFRICA SCREAMS (1949), an independent film Bud & Lou made at Eagle/Lion Studios, and released thru United Artists; Shemp (and Joe Besser) costarred in that film by A&C's choice.

Prior to Universal, Shemp did 30+ shorts at Vitaphone from 1933 - 1937, many which will be released thru the Warner Archive in 2011. He had a short tenure at Columbia 1938 - 1940 as support for Andy Clyde and Buck Jones; and a loan out to MGM for ANOTHER THIN MAN.

Shemp worked busily at Universal during 1940 - 1943, not just A&C and Fields support. He costarred in the TechniColor Hall/Montez ARABIAN NIGHTS (1942), and numerous "B" comedies, dramas, and musicals with the Andrews Sisters, The Dead End Kids / Little Tough Guys, Lon Chaney Jr., Broderick Crawford, Olsen & Johnson, John Wayne & Randolph Scott, more...

He returned to Columbia in 1944, starring in his own short subjects, and support in the occasional feature film. He also had access to other studios, like Monogram where he made 3 features with Billy Gilbert and Maxie Rosenbloom, and a feature at Republic with Pinky Lee.


Bottom line, Shemp had a long, impressive resume. If Curly had returned to The Three Stooges, Shemp would have resumed his solo Columbia shorts series. Anything beyond that is pure supposition/conjecture, but at the very least, Shemp's credentials probably would have given him plenty of future work in film and television.

[TXShemp]

BeAStooge: Thanks for backing up my post. I never knew that much detail of Shemp's career. I knew he was a very talented and hilarious comedian with or without Moe and Larry. Shemp never got the credit he deserved.

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

I think the basic history of the Stooges' shorts would have still happened: Decline in quality, with decreased budgets and increased footage recycling, through the '50s, ending in the sudden termination around 1958.

And far fewer people would have ever heard of Joe Besser or Joe DeRita!

[TXShemp]

I am not a Stooge expert but I know a good bit about their life and career. What I could never understand is why did Columbia not try to cash in more on their potential. Instead Cohn confined them to shorts and a restrictive contract. I think their brand of comedy worked well in short subjects. But why the budget cuts?

[LoU fRoM pRiSoN]

Being a Shemp fan, I would love to see this question turned around the other way:

What if Curly had never joined the Stooges?

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

I just found this thread and didn't realize I'd already replied several months ago. Anyway, wanted to add a thought:

If Curly came back and the Shemp era ended in 1950, I would have wished there could have been more Shemp shorts!

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

Being a Shemp fan, I would love to see this question turned around the other way:

What if Curly had never joined the Stooges?

They still would have been great, but probably not quite so popular.

[xraffle]

They still would have been great, but probably not quite so popular.

I doubt it. I think the main reason some people (especially casual viewers) don't like Shemp is because they got used to Curly's style of humor. Then, when they watch a Shemp short and see that his style of comedy is completely different, they automatically say he's not as funny as Curly and continue life with this "I hate Shemp" attitude. I bet if Curly had never joined, the stooges would still be just as popular. I have no doubt in my mind about that. As a matter of fact, it would've been that way if Shemp didn't quit during the Healy years.

[Desmond Of The Outer Sanctorum]

I think the main reason some people (especially casual viewers) don't like Shemp is because they got used to Curly's style of humor.

Good point.

[Jamison]

If Shemp had remained a Stooge, and there had been no Curly, who's to say the group's career would have followed the same path? The internal dynamics would've been different.

[horwitz-halfwits]

I doubt it. I think the main reason some people (especially casual viewers) don't like Shemp is because they got used to Curly's style of humor. Then, when they watch a Shemp short and see that his style of comedy is completely different, they automatically say he's not as funny as Curly and continue life with this "I hate Shemp" attitude. I bet if Curly had never joined, the stooges would still be just as popular. I have no doubt in my mind about that. As a matter of fact, it would've been that way if Shemp didn't quit during the Healy years.

I totally agree w/ you xraffle! Most viewers don't see eye to eye w/ Shemp because of how different his style is than Curly's. Plus, he's known to stick up for himself in front of Moe in the shorts instead of in the way how Curly gets used as the almost helpless guinea pig. In a way, I'm kind of glad Shemp replaced him. But still, as a Curly fanatic, I will forever miss him. The fact that he never really took care of himself nor wanted to change his habits in real life has really taken its toll. But still, you gotta give Curly credit for giving the stooges their all-time popularity and personas that show the world just what its like having lovable idiots running amuck in the world of careers. Also Curly had his own trademark, just like Moe and Larry, that would set him apart from the others, which tells viewers that husky bald men w/ no brains and a child-like moxie are riots. Besides, Moe did most of his part in later Shemp shorts by paying homage to his baby brother, either by barking at an object, squealing w/ anger, or sounding high-pitched and singing. You would always see three stooges. Not two or four, but three, because it was just enough to set the different kinds of idiots apart: the bossy "ring leader" w/ a short temper, the almost intelligent middleman, and the foil.