Topic: Is Fattty Arbuckle, Curly's only predecessor?

[Shemoeley Fine]

Apart from the obvious physical resemblance, in the few films, all silent of Fatty Arbuckle that I've seen, I must admit that there are certain mannerisms of Fatty that Curley mimicked and then took it to the next level e.g the pointing of his index finger to the object causing him frustrations while grimacing, Fatty did that first. Some of the nimble feet gags used by Curley also have their equivalent in Fatty. it is only logical that Curley would have seen Fatty at the movie houses he surely went to growing up in Bklyn as his older brothers Shemp and Moe did too. Perhaps in the movie houses where Curley with his long, flowing hair did his comedic band leader routines while Shemp and Moe were with Ted Healy.

Any other members have insight into this scenario?  Any opinions on my specualtion of Fatty influencing Curley?

Shemoely El Fino Fine

[Pilsner Panther]

Fatty certainly wasn't the first "jolly fat man" comedian— that's a tradtion that probably goes back to the beginnings of comedy itself. However, he was the first one to become a film star, and I'd say that there's a little of Fatty in many of the portly comics who came after him: not only Curly, but Lou Costello and especially Jackie Gleason, who had that Arbuckle quality of being a large man who was surprisingly graceful and light on his feet.

The only direct Arbuckle-Stooges connection that I know of is Shemp's appearances in some of the Vitaphone sound shorts that Fatty made in the early 30's. Sad to say, the two that I've seen aren't very funny... one reason being that you can't watch them without thinking of the horrible ordeal the poor man had been through in his personal life.