Three of the Six Three Stooges Were Actually Brothers

Here's something that might make you do a double-take: while we call them "The Three Stooges," there were actually six different performers who played stooges over the group's five-decade run. And half of them—Moe, Shemp, and Curly—were literal brothers from Brooklyn.

The Howard brothers (born with the surname Horwitz) didn't just work together; they were the creative core of America's most enduring slapstick comedy team. Moe was the bossy ringleader, Curly was the bumbling man-child, and Shemp... well, Shemp was there first, then came back later. It's complicated.

The Brotherhood Timeline

Shemp Howard (born Samuel, 1895) was actually the original third stooge when the act formed in 1930. But in 1932, he left to pursue a solo career in Hollywood. That's when baby brother Jerome shaved his head, adopted the name Curly, and became the most beloved stooge of all time.

When Curly suffered a debilitating stroke in 1946, guess who came back? Shemp returned to fill in for his ailing brother, performing until his own sudden death in 1955. The 1947 film Hold That Lion! captured all three Howard brothers on screen together—the only time that ever happened.

The Other Three Stooges

Larry Fine was the constant—the frizzy-haired middle stooge who appeared in nearly every lineup from 1930 to 1970. Unlike the Howards, Larry wasn't related by blood, but after four decades of getting slapped around together, he might as well have been family.

After Shemp's death, Joe Besser joined as the "fifth stooge" from 1956-1958, bringing a softer, more childish character to the chaos. When he left to care for his ailing wife, Joe DeRita became "Curly Joe" and rounded out the team's final era through 1970.

A Family Business Built on Violence

The Howard brothers grew up in a Jewish family in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, where their mother Jennie ran a boarding house. Moe was drawn to performing from childhood, and he eventually pulled both brothers into show business. Their parents probably didn't envision their sons becoming famous for poking each other in the eyes and bonking each other with mallets, but that's showbiz.

What makes the brother dynamic so fascinating is how their real-life hierarchy mirrored their on-screen roles. Moe, the middle brother, became the de facto leader both in character and behind the scenes. Shemp was older but less ambitious. Curly was the baby who became the breakout star. The family chemistry was real—and so were the occasional tensions.

So yes, the fact is true: six stooges, three brothers, one legendary comedy empire. The Three Stooges weren't just a comedy act—they were a family business that happened to involve an extraordinary amount of face-slapping.