Larry Fine | The Middle Stooge | A Docu-Mini

[@dennisdeleo74]

Larry and I were pen pals while he was a resident at the Woodland Hills Home for retired show business people. Corresponding with his fans is what kept him going those last years, and I still treasure the letters that he wrote to me.

[@tolfan4438]

That is really nice for him and for you

[@jessicathethreestoogesfan2635]

Sorry, It was that I was autistic.

[@sophisticatedmm3632]

Awww What great memories. He was always my favorite. He seemed like the odd ball.

[@camdencoblentz3245]

That's awesome.

[@goldenphonautogram6141]

That’s awesome. You should post them somewhere

[@Dahnyulll]

like the saying goes: as a child you watched curly, as a teenager you watched moe, and as an adult you watched larry

[@AlfredFJones1776]

Moe is still my favorite.

[@piperalpha5514]

98% accurate except as an adult I got to appreciate Shemp a lot more also.

[@JanetStarChild]

I would say teenager and young adult for Moe. You gotta be an older adult to appreciate the nuance of Larry.

[@JanetStarChild]

@@piperalpha5514 Good point. It would go like this then... Curly, then Moe, then Shemp, then Larry. ...and _then_ Emil Sitka (the forgotten Stooge)!

[@TheRealMonkeyrogue]

As an adult I certainly learned to appreciate them all a whole lot more.

[@Iruparazzo]

Nobody goes to the barber and says "Gimme the Larry Fine." - George Costanza

[@surfsup5757]

But alot of us end up getting one anyway.

[@demonkingbadger6689]

A lot of us have it when we wake up in the morning.

[@AceripXF]

@@demonkingbadger6689 lol right

[@TotoDG]

@@AceripXF. Either you’re bald, or you take amazing care of your hair.

[@TotoDG]

@@demonkingbadger6689. Because we were on the topic of haircuts, I read your name as “Demon King Barber”.

[@wstine79]

Larry was the glue that held the Stooges together.

[@radicalross7700]

You may have something there. It was, after all, Larry's failing health, not the loss of Curly or Shemp, that was the straw that finally broke the Stooges' act.

[@Clarkbardoone]

Truly a perfect trio act

[@pantyosashu8137]

Like Stephen Merchant.

[@danalexander2149]

There was no stooges without Larry. The Stooges only work if you have a straight man. Moe was too angry to be the straight man, and Curly couldn’t play the straight man to save his life. Curly had to make laughing a part of his character because he broke so often.

[@jonnaking3054]

@@danalexander2149 Larry was the voice of reason of the trio. He's the middle ground between Moe's hot irrational temper and Curley's insanity... If anything happened to Moe, Larry would be the leader

[@beatle2064]

I can't pick a favorite Stooge. Moe, Larry, Curly and Shemp were pure perfection. They are icons.

[@heisensaul5538]

yeah of the orginial line up, that'd be like asking someone to pick their favorite child. You love them all :)

[@fefferryerr1818]

I notice you don't mention Joe.

[@punklover99]

@@fefferryerr1818 he's not worth the mention

[@Nikolaos0603]

I wholeheartedly agree

[@suhandatanker]

@@fefferryerr1818 tbh he's not that influential unlike the original cast

[@lionheartroar3104]

Larry was the perfect middleman ...watch his gestures and expressions ....priceless.

[@danalexander2149]

This is exactly why Larry is THE best Stooge. You need a straight man so you have permission (as a viewer) to laugh. Moe played a great straight man, too; but his character was too aggressive to drive the plot.

[@markrantz2629]

He was like the bass player in a band. Not the main instrument but can’t be without it.

[@arthurcorassini]

*Shemp mumbles* Moe: what'd he say? Larry: dibabadebdibabauuu Moe slaps Larry: Get outta here That gets me EVERY TIME

[@Nick-ty9us]

That scene with shamp with that bowl on his head actually happening again It happened to him earlier in 1940 in a movie called the invisible woman.

[@Jamestown-y9j]

Moe had the best arsenal of slaps especially his backhand in the business. Honorable Mention: James Arness's had the best bitch slap, Mr. Dillon didn't play.

[@joeylamuel5828]

One of their best moments!

[@HolgerRuneFan]

I visited Larry twice in 1973 when I was a little kid, this was at the Motion Picture Country Home. He invited me through one of his handwritten letters, always written on stationary which had a caricature of him on the paper. We corresponded for several years until his death. He was then confined to a wheelchair but was the sweetest man I could have imagined. I treasure the memory of those 2 meetings, he was everything I could have hoped for in meeting my idol. I was also going to visit Moe, but his lung cancer had advanced so much by 1975, his wife Helen wrote to me and said Moe was too under the weather for me to visit. I love these 2 men dearly.

[@Travelinmatt1976]

Ever since I was a kid Larry was always my favorite stooge. One thing I never noticed until years later was how Larry's coats were always way too big for him. Curly always had a coat that was too small, but I never got the joke that Larry's coat was too big and all they had to do was switch coats and they would fit them both.

[@monash4250]

Astute observation :)

[@sspaay]

Larry was always my favorite too. Maybe because I was the middle brother. Maybe because his humor was more subtle. Maybe because he was always trying to be the voice of reason. Maybe because of a combination of everything. Larry was a great Stooge.

[@erichwise9936]

@@sspaay As Leonard Maltin (a Stooge lover) once wrote Larry could be the voice of lucidity or lunacy depending on the situation.

[@radicalross7700]

​​@@erichwise9936 Lucid Larry: "Where's your dignity?" Loony Larry: "Let's pluck him and see if he's ripe." Yep. Leonard Maltin hit the nail on the head. As opposed to the Stooges who were likely to hit anything but (fingers, heads, feet).

[@Spitnchicklets]

My father worked at the home he lived at and I met Larry in 1972 when I was 11 years old, still have the picture of us. Lord that day!!!

[@andrewzur]

What about buying and renaming it “Larry’s Fine Dining”?

[@JanetStarChild]

Brilliant!

[@MsLeenite]

Or "Porcupine's"

[@HatsOffEntertainment]

Take my money.

[@kevinmiller6324]

@@MsLeenite Or Frizzle Tops?

[@Bopperann]

Can they play Stooges episodes on repeat? 🤣

[@AIRJORDAN2387]

“You don’t have to be dirty to be funny.” -Larry Fine

[@matthintz9468]

Larry and Shemp are not given appropriate levels of respect. They are two of my favorites! I loved every single one of the original four (the Brothers Howard, and Fine).

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

Couldn't stand Shemp as a kid. Now I see how brilliant he was.

[@jasonhebedead1710]

@@TheKitchenerLeslie This warms the hearts of Shemp fans such as myself, and yes, Larry was pretty awesome too

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

@@jasonhebedead1710 I wish I could do Larry's voice as well as Billy West... it's such a strange voice.

[@jasonhebedead1710]

@@TheKitchenerLeslie I've met West... he's such a warm and down to earth guy...I've tried Larry's voice....But I can't tell if it's good or bad....Or if I'm doing Fine or Stimpy with it, lol.

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

@@jasonhebedead1710 You have to have a special chamber in your sinuses to sound like Larry or James Gandolfini. I do not have that chamber.

[@DiabloSandwich59]

Someone singing the praises of Larry Fine? No one's ever done that...unless you're Billy West.

[@johnnyalucard9704]

The Charlie Chaplin imitator who makes shorts with Oliver Hardy?

[@williamdavidfrancavilla7388]

Or the Indigo girls

[@themysteriouscatperson9483]

@Greg Elchert You take away studio interference from that movie and you have the perfect modern iteration of the stooges

[@MichaelBoyce-tm2vw]

As Stimpy the Cat.

[@MichaelBoyce-tm2vw]

As Stimpy The Cat.

[@6omega2]

Moe: "Go take a bath!" Larry: "But it ain't spring yet!" LOLOL!

[@ArcadeHunters]

When I met Billy West he said the exact same thing, you get older and you can't keep your eyes off Larry because he brings the whole thing together. You really enjoy the shorts more grown up watching what Larry is going to do and how he's going to react to what's going on. "Be careful, Mo!"

[@sabinfigaro7334]

When I met Billy West...really?

[@sabinfigaro7334]

How where when?

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

Billy's impression of Larry is one of a kind. I still can't figure out how to do it, and I've been trying since the late 80s when I heard him doing Larry Fine at Woodstock.

[@ArcadeHunters]

@@sabinfigaro7334 I met him at a convention on Long Island called I-Con. He also told me a story about he met Larry Fine's daughter at a voice recording too.

[@johnnyalucard9704]

@@ArcadeHunters that's so funny, I thought you meant Billy West, the chaplain imitator who did shorts with Oliver Hardy!

[@PapaTaurean]

My two favorite Larry moments is him playing the straight man in the scene with the dog and the cat in the restaurant chasing them with a butcher's knife and when he kissed that one girl, looked at the camera and said "This I like... and I get paid to do it too." Larry did a 4th wall break. I love it.

[@williamdrum9899]

"When it comes to cookin', I'm the cat's meow!"

[@e1evene1even]

Larry is the glue of the stooges. It doesn't work without him.

[@erichwise9936]

Shemp left the team and the Stooges continued with Curly...The stooges left Ted Healy and the Stooges continued on their own...Curly had strokes and the Stooges continued with Shemp...Shemp died and the Stooges continued with Joe...Joe left the group and the Stooges continued with Curly Joe...Larry had a stroke...end of the Stooges!

[@wvu05]

When my parents and niece came to visit me and my daughter a couple years ago, my niece being a huge fan of the Stooges, we made the trip there to see the mural. The meter maid came just as we were done, so we sprinted back to my car. Fortunately, she respected the fandom and didn't write a ticket. Amazing thing to be able to see the birthplace of a comedy legend.

[@stillaboveground2470]

"The Stooges weren't worth a damn without Larry." - Ed Bernds, director

[@Nick-ty9us]

I agree with Edward Burns Larry, pretty much was like the jelly of the stooges

[@christinecollins6648]

Probably true

[@Nick-ty9us]

@@christinecollins6648 he was like will establish glue of the three stooges

[@MuncleMarkster]

"Let's plug him, and see if he's ripe!" *SLAP* Possibly my favorite Three Stooges line. Never fails to crack me up.

[@michaelb.42112]

There are so many good one liners. I always, "Mingle, or I'll mangle."

[@Nick-ty9us]

That’s actually really dark

[@allright]

Larry's Tarzan yell in Disorder in the Court, is one of the funniest moments Stooge history. I can't wait for your episode on CURLY, he's my favorite.

[@HatsOffEntertainment]

Gotta get the "Joe's" out of the way first!

[@allright]

@@HatsOffEntertainment Well I can't wait. BTW, you said that your true Stooge fan, if you say Larry is your favorite Stooge, so what does that mean if someone say's Joe Besser is their favorite Stooge.

[@HatsOffEntertainment]

@@allright I didn't mean to imply that one isn't a true fan if they favor the other Stooges. Moe is actually my favorite. I just meant that no one with a basic knowledge of the Stooge picks Larry as their favorite.

[@allright]

@@HatsOffEntertainment no harm just asking a question just for fun, because it's easy to say that Moe, Larry, Curly, or Shemp are your favorite Stooges, but if you're a big Joe besser fan than you must be a real major stooge fan.

[@johnnyalucard9704]

@@allright Joe besser is really at his most hilarious when he's playing stinky on the Abbott and Costello show

[@davidmeyer3795]

Larry was always my favorite. When I was 5 I tried imitating the “I can’t see, my eyes are closed” routine outside the blockbuster when we returned the Stooges tape. Yeah I ran into a pilar because well, my eyes were closed.

[@redkommie80]

True stooge fashion

[@sabinfigaro7334]

I think it still rides today but no one realizes they are emulating...

[@jasonblalock4429]

At least you probably got a laugh!

[@davidmeyer3795]

@@jasonblalock4429 actually I got a nice cut on my head and a scolding from my mother, but yeah we laugh about it now.

[@johnnyalucard9704]

@Aly H I'm a light sleeper and I've had two roommates who snore like a lion roaring... you can bet I've used that line before whether I got a laugh from it or not!

[@evilcaptainred]

How could anyone ignore Larry?! He has the best head of hair!✨

[@freeguy77]

You like him being called, Porcupine? (laughs sillily at hearing Moe say that to him)

[@darryl3422]

After his stroke he welcomed many fans who came to see him and I'm sure he was pleased he was loved and remembered

[@dantean]

What I liked best about Larry was his character always came across as a sweet person. There's a certain pathos with him the rest of the boys never went for, giving him a unique personality amidst the chaos. Thank you for this.

[@johnmeowzer8333]

very insightful

[@johnmeowzer8333]

Larry for me is kind of a speaking Harpo Marx.

[@mercedesplay_more_kof8488]

Has always been my favorite stooge, even as a kid. I liked his dry deliveries and that he was a musician. Larry is also responsible for my favorite punchline of all time. Larry: *shivering* Moe: What, are you scared? Larry: No, I'm apprehensive. Moe: . . . What does that mean? Larry: It means I'm scared with a college education.

[@freeguy77]

There was a Shemp short when Larry says a line with another "big vocabulary" word in it. Moe says something to him like, "I didn't know you were so smart." Larry: "I was all the time, you just didn't know it!" Another one where Larry says to Moe make a password so Larry will know it is him at the door. Moe: "Brilliant! What is it?" Larry: "Open the door!"

[@schweitzer-man6227]

My Dad is one of those fans who appreciated the genius of Larry Fine. I can remember two instances in particular where he was just overcome with laughter and I was a bit too young to really appreciate it. The first was in "Idiots Deluxe". Moe thinks that Larry & Curly have taken his food when it's a bear who happens to be doing the thievery. When he suspects Larry, Moe says, "Oh, another chiseler, eh?" before delivering a slap. But as Moe is confronting him, Larry just has this completely unsuspecting and bewildered look on his face like, "Oh what's wrong Moe" and it was literally making my Dad almost cry because of how funny he found Larry's face. The other scene is from "Disorder in the Court". When the gun accidentally goes off and they're trying to wrestle control of it from Curly the gun is momentarily pointed at Larry, prompting him to scream, "DON'T point that gun at me!" Over the years, I too have come to really pay attention to Larry and all he's doing even though he might not be the focus of the scene. Great video, I really enjoy your content.

[@BobMagana]

My father taught me at a young age how to appreciate Larry! Can’t wait to show him this video!

[@andrewcb9255]

Larry has always been my personal favorite, partially because he always felt like the overlooked one to me. He was truly the perfect middle man

[@mightyfilm]

While Curly will always be my favorite Stooge, there's no denying it. Larry is why "The Three Stooges" IS "The THREE Stooges" and not an Abbot and Costello or a Laurel and Hardy. A Moe and Shemp or Curly act would have been okay, but Larry's more reasonable and gentle persona is a perfect counterpoint to Moe's aggressiveness and Curly's wackiness or Shemp's goofiness. He even brings his own brand of comedy into the mix and sometimes even has the best dialogue. But by far, I really think what works best is that, low key, he's actually the smarter of the three most of the time. Even Moe seems to treat him with a little more respect than whichever one of his brothers in the short.

[@melissacooper4282]

When Curly had his stroke in 1946 Moe wanted to be a duet with Larry but Harry Cohn wouldn't allow it. That was why Curly was replaced with Shemp and later Joe Besser and Curly Joe DeRita.

[@mightyfilm]

Larry and Moe would have been a funny enough team, but they always needed to be a trio, not a duet. Though, the few Besser shorts I watched, it was more like a duo with another guy that was just there.

[@demonkingbadger6689]

I like that with your curly and shemp thing. Curly as wacky, and shemp being more just goofy. I will have to remember that.

[@mightyfilm]

Curly and Shemp have different comedic styles and I tend to think of Curly as a more cartoony, bolder personality that makes loud, funny noises when either really happy or really angry and annoyed, while Shemp is a little more subdued and more like a doofus.

[@freeguy77]

Smarter of the three? In "Grips, Grunts, and Groans" (1937) with Curly wrestling, taking the place of Bustoff, Moe tells Curly to "pin him down." Curly says, "I haven't got a pin!" Moe: [repeating that nonsense] "He hasn't got a pin!" Larry then chimes in with his response to the problem: "Get him one!" ROTFL!!! I never get tired of hearing Larry's line!

[@terrorsaur599]

Moe and Curly: the most famous. Larry and Shemp: the most underrated. Besser and Derita: the most flawed.

[@cigoLxeL]

Curly Joe wasn't irritating like Joe Besser, he was just kinda bland. It probably didn't help that by the time he joined up they were getting too old to smack each other around convincingly and also were looking to be more kid-friendly, so if he had the chops for slapstick, he didn't have much chance to show them off.

[@jeffreysnow2640]

I thought Joe Derita was ok

[@justinturley7071]

Besser enjoyed his time as a Stooge and stated that it was his greatest time as an actor in show business, Joe DeRita, while he liked working with both Moe and Larry, never liked the Stooges act in the first place and only did it for the money and nothing else and even in his later years, didn’t like to talk about his time in the act. When the Stooges were finally put on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Besser and Sitka were the only actors to appear to it. Not even DeRita appeared.

[@MLBlue30]

Emil: Never had a chance.

[@MLBlue30]

​@@justinturley7071 That's really weird. Joe didn't fit, yet had a great time despite not liking the physical abuse. DeRita was a better fit but didn't have a great time and just liked the money that fame brought. I never knew that. It's like watching your favorite band but not really knowing all the drama.

[@Alex_DC413]

Yes, Larry's contribution is seriously underappreciated. One short that made me realize his talents is "He Cooked His Goose" where Larry plays a villainous, sleazy character.

[@JanetStarChild]

Beautiful homage to the middle Stooge! I have a lot of love for the underdogs, and Larry is no exception.

[@MichaelC_22]

Having read "Larry the Stooge in the Middle" by his brother Morris "Moe" Feinberg three times, I would say this is right up my alley. Great content as always.

[@jessicathethreestoogesfan2635]

I called Larry, Lyla, and Morris the Feinberg Siblings because I didn’t know Larry had a sister.

[@scurvydavescrusade3845]

While Shemp is my personal favorite stooge, I love Larry as well! Another great video dude, keep up the excellent work!

[@tomfields3682]

From the Barney Miller show l Leavitt and Dietrich are discussing the 3 Stooges: Dietrich: I enjoy the Jacobian interplay between Moe and Curly. Leavitt: I like the ones with Shemp in 'em. Dietrich: We have nothing more to talk about.

[@Will_kid_cortez]

Larry always had that the world has defeated me look on his face. Especially after moe slapped the hell out of him lol

[@rogerrendzak8055]

I guess, I'm a true 'Stooges' fan then, (@03:13) as Larry was ALWAYS, my favorite. The 'cream' that held, the act together!! Larry was born in South Philly, just 100 miles south, of us here!!

[@rocknrollsounds1740]

The most underrated channel on KZbin

[@sabinfigaro7334]

Soo what are we going to do about it?

[@rocknrollsounds1740]

@@sabinfigaro7334 idk

[@HatsOffEntertainment]

@@sabinfigaro7334 Isn't it obvious? Clone yourselves.

[@nickstadler1906]

"Do you have petit de foie gras?" "I'll see if the band can play it." Reminds me of Groundhog Day: "Have you ever had deja vu?" "No, but I can check with the kitchen."

[@cryospiral]

I didn't get that joke until I went into culinary school! Larry is so criminally overlooked it's insane!

[@jamesbevan9939]

Easy to see why Larry is Billy West's favorite Stooge. Also, notice how between 9:12 and 9:14 Larry's mug changes from clear glass to opaque ceramic

[@Nick-ty9us]

I mean, it doesn’t really good impression of Larry. look at Ren & Stimpy. Stimpy’s voice was based on Larry.

[@histubeness]

That was a real glass mug at 9:12. Couldn't hit Larry over the head with that, hence the change.

[@notme191]

I feel like during the curly era , larry didn't do anything. They always had him in the background. When shemp came back , larry was on screen just as much Moe and Shemp.

[@sugreev2001]

That was done on purpose. Curly was a natural and Moe just let him to do his own thing.

[@MrMedictom]

I agree. It seems during the late '30 through the mid '40s, Larry role was reduced almost to the point of being a supporting actor. I believe much of this was Columbia's doing. They wanted to squeeze as many laughs as they could get out of every two-reeler and that meant putting the focus almost solely on the most popular team member (Curly). While this might have made sense financially for the studio, it backfired in the long run since it put more of the workload (and the stress that went with it) on Curly. As we all know, that didn't end well. Shemp's return brought more balance to the team as Larry started getting more screen time. I also have to admire Larry for his mental and emotional resilience. Imagine spending 40+ years getting slapped around, shoved into the background during the team's prime filmmaking years, and not getting any real recognition for your efforts until late in life. Fame and money aside, it had to be pretty rough for him from time to time.

[@melissacooper4282]

Also during when Joe Besser was the third Stooge Larry took more of the slaps and pokes since Joe had the No Hitting clause in his contract.

[@HisVirusness]

It wasn't until I got older that I fully appreciated Larry. I knew the trivia, but I really didn't get it growing up. Now, I watch all of The Three Stooges shorts differently. Especially after seeing what they looked like out of character.

[@AceLM92]

I think Larry is my second favorite Stooge to Shemp. I like how Larry could sometimes be the straight man in certain situations or the goof ball as in others. I especially liked him in the Shemp era, he seems to have been utilized much more effectively than in the Curly era. He was used well in the Curly era, but you can see it more in the Shemp era I think. Part of it is the subtlety in his facial expressions when he reacts.

[@mikecronis]

The stuff Larry would do in the background was priceless. He was like a living Easter Egg in the scenes.

[@SuperCosmicMutantSquid]

In the early shorts, you can get a sense of their characters by their head shots. Larry certainly looks like the one who's thinking to himself 'Oh GOD, what did I get into by agreeing with these two?!' XD

[@whatshisfacemcwhatnot9550]

"Here's a flower for your hat, madam." That one never fails to crack me up.

[@tooties545]

Larry was always my favorite.

[@denisematthews6215]

It’s amazing how Larry’s style flawlessly blended with the Howard brothers. Moe and Larry alone would have made a brilliant duo.

[@melissacooper4282]

Moe wanted it to be just him and Larry at first after Curly had his stroke but Harry Cohn wouldn't allow it. That was why Moe got Shemp to be the third Stooge. After Shemp's death they hired Joe Besser then Joe DeRita.

[@TheDragonman104]

The closest we got to Moe and Larry being The Two Stooges were the shorts where they reused Shemp’s footage after his death.

[@jonnaking3054]

@@TheDragonman104 I could see Moe and Larry together as the 2 Stooges with Moe as the leader... OR I could see Larry and Curley with Larry as the leader... I guess that's why Larry works as the "middle stooge"

[@erichwise9936]

@@melissacooper4282 The Two Stooges would have been too close to Abbott & Costello.

[@freeguy77]

​@@TheDragonman104 The infamous Joe Palma, as Shemp look-a-like, only seen from the rear.

[@stevenj9970]

I wonder/HOPE that the boys realize that even 50 years after the last Stooge died, they would STILL be a beloved as when they were alive.........Thanks for ALL the laughs guys, WE will never forget you, any of you.

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

"Did I just drink paint?" *takes another sip* That's hilarious!

[@itinerantpatriot1196]

Larry was all about non-verbal communication. His facial expressions were priceless. Richard Pryor had the same ability to make people laugh simply by changing his expression. Who knows, maybe he picked it up watching Larry. Calling Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard. The name just fits. RIP Larry, and thanks for the laughs.

[@billlonee9470]

It's always been clear to me that Larry and Moe had one of the world's greatest bromances. And, like you, it was when I was older that I started to notice Larry's brilliance and his frequent forays into surrealism. Terrific, and hilarious, doc. Thanks for making and sharing it with us!

[@BigBossCQCLegend]

Larry Fine was the Most Talented too since he was a Light Weight Boxer and a Great Musician Playing the Violin 🎻and the Piano 🎹

[@Moonbeam143]

Larry sure is a delight.

[@davidmitchell6873]

I remember Larry making stage announcements at Woodstock, you can hear him singing background on Crosby Stills and Nash, there is audio on KZbin.

[@josephblumenberg6574]

I always found Larry to be the most relatable of the group

[@paultreiber5597]

As a middle child I also know the plight of the middle stooge. Larry was the best.

[@jmen4ever257]

I think that When Larry passed away early in 1975, it finished Moe off. He went about 4 months later.

[@melissacooper4282]

I believe so too. Larry was like another brother to Moe. After losing Curly in 1952 and Shemp in 1955 Larry's death was one blow too many!

[@freeguy77]

Larry on Jan 24, 1975, at 72. Moe on May 4 at 77. Shemp on Nov. 22, 1955, only 60. Joe Besser on Mar. 1, 1988, at 80. Joe DeRita on July 3, 1993, at 83. Always have remembered those sad dates. Curly, the worst on Jan. 18, 1952, only 48.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

Yes, that's what happens. Very much like a marriage. (But Larry shouldn't have trusted Moe with the business decisions. He just wasn't very good at it. Few artists are which is why studios and record companies are notoriously evil for ripping them off and the stooges got totally ripped off by Columbia.)

[@freeguy77]

May 6 was Curly's worst day at that stage in his life in 1946, at only 42, with his stroke forcing him out of the act. He lived only another 5 2/3 yrs after more strokes, and the one or complications that killed him on Jan. 18,:1952, at 48.

[@rubytuesday4564]

Thank heaven medical knowledge has advanced dramatically. Stroke impact can be lessened, and the situation improved. The man died at 72, nowadays, very young. In the Home he was not otherwise alone. Dying of a broken heart is real and common. The emptiness is oppressive. Very old people comment that they lost all their friends. They're alone, bereft and directionless way too often.

[@beantinproductions]

A plumbing we will go is the perfect three stooges short. Each character does something that effects the other and Larry has a great bit digging for a pipe.

[@Jared_Wignall]

Larry Fine has always been my favorite Stooge. I have enjoyed Moe, Curly and Shemp, but I always found Larry to be the funniest. He was always fantastic. Thanks for this docu-mini Joe!

[@dunsparce4prez560]

Larry in the bathtub with the cigar and balloons is my single favorite stooge gag

[@dflf]

“ The gas gauge points half way. I can’t tell if it’s half empty or half full”

[@videolabguy]

You brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for a mighty "Fine" documentary.

[@jipjob1]

Thank you for the very interesting documentRy on Larry the glue that held the stooges together! May his sole Rest In Peace and thank you Larry for all the comedic valve you brought to the Stooges! Jon

[@MinecraftMartin]

When I was 5 or 6 years old in the 80s, I had access to these VHS tapes with recorded three stooges and little rascals episodes. I never got tired of watching them over and over. Huuuuuge part of my early childhood. I wish I had more exposure to Shemp's episodes. Most of what I had was the Curly years. I wish they could know that some of their biggest fans are still being born. The Mozart of slapstick comedy.

[@mresturk9336]

Larry was a trooper. Always quick to pick up extra weight when needed. I remember when most of the Stooges shorts had leaked to KZbin back in the 2000s. You could really tell Larry was picking up most of the slack during the Besser years while Joe tried to figure out his place in the act during his brief tenure.

[@kurtb8474]

Many times I've watched their shorts and consciously paid more attention to Larry. I also love his signature joke: "This place reminds me of the reform school."

[@sabinfigaro7334]

I'm down with that! Let's start a go fund me or something for Larry's it should be a historical landmark really! Dude deserves it!

[@bryantipton5573]

"Larry's, a Fine establishment." That's classic! Thank you for this.

[@katemaloney4296]

When you said that whenever someone tells you they are a Larry fan you know they are a true fan, I feel vindicated as a Stooges fan. P.s. I would LOVE to open a restaurant in Larry's honour.

[@mr.graves2867]

I live all the way in Texas, but I'd be very interested in buying Jon's and reopen it. That's a great piece of history that should be preserved. I'd even play the stooges on the tvs on a loop just to keep up the energy that the place would definitely deserve.

[@mrneilesq]

I really appreciate Larry's ability to seamlessly go from straightman to comic, to somewhere in between. Both skills are so difficult on their own, let alone Larry's mastering of both. He had such a unique style, and a type of comedy that perfectly complemented any arrangement of the three Howard brothers. I feel like the only reason Moe didn't make it a double act after Shemp's passing is because they had such a wealth of material that required three people to work. Larry and Moe definitely did the heavy lifting in the Joe and Curly Joe years, but it certainly would have been something to see for them to be forced to play solely off of one another. Moe often channeled Curly in the Shemp years, even doing the angry "HMMMM" noise and even a few "N'yuk N'yuks", and Larry out-and-out performs some of Shemp's material in the four posthumous "Fake Shemp" shorts. They definitely both demonstrate they could have jumped from role to role adapting a three person act down to two without losing what made their characters unique. I just wish they had made at least one 2 reeler as a duo!

[@KairuHakubi]

He really was a power-bottom of comedy wasn't he? Plenty of memorable funny lines, but even funnier because they weren't as wacky, just something a regular guy might try to say in that situation to be funny.

[@locnar1]

perfect timing with this post! I'm currently working my way through all the Columbia shorts in order.

[@CLM1987]

I see Larry as the "straight" man, as much as one could be in the Stooges. I often use the "I can't see" bit to annoy my wife who also is a Stooges fan

[@melaniemills4505]

I was at a novelty shop with my son when he was six years old and they had The Three Stooges dolls in a display case. I'm a big Stooge fan so my son had seen a lot of episodes. He pointed at the dolls and said, look mommy...there's Moe, Curly and Pumpkin Pie. I say, Pumpkin Pie? My son then says Moe calls him Pumpkin Pie...lol! 😆

[@Merylstreep1949]

Awesome video. Just like Candy and Belushi, with great comedy skill comes great personal and emotional pain

[@alholdway2003]

Larry's voice was distinctive and iconic. I liked that shemp had his own style his movements and gestures were funny. Curly was the real deal a alot of soul.

[@RKxCELL]

Love you cover the stooges man they were my childhood and agree with everything you've said from everything you've said starting off loving Curly growing up and really appreciating Shemp and now Larry have to say never knew Larry was from Philly and makes me appreciate him even more PA is a hard place to get away from but it can happen

[@michealfemino5079]

The absolute funniest Stooges moment is when Moe slams the radio on Larry's head when the weasel music stops - it's in the top 10 comedy moments of all time!

[@ColonelSandurz]

The famous voice actor Billy West said his voice for Stimpy was just an impression of Larry Fine.

[@johnnyalucard9704]

It's interesting that Billy West is the second famous Billy West and he's known as a great voice-over actor oh, because the first Billy West was in silent films and was a chaplain imitator who made a series of shorts was Oliver Hardy!

[@ricardocantoral7672]

It's Fine but he gives it a child like innocence.

[@darryl3422]

Larry was the perfect middle Stooge and a good comedian in his own right

[@trentreeve]

The photo at 4 minutes is of my friend Scott Reboul.

[@jlex1049]

Who is a damn legend in his own right. Scott's got some of the best stories about his Stooge fanhood ever.

[@RaymondCore]

As and eleven-year-old at a New Orleans Shrine Circus performance in the early 1960s, I sat fifty feet away from the Stooges. I remember the bass drum being banged every time Moe would hit one of the others.

[@jonathanstubbs8158]

As my favorite, This was a great video on Larry. That said, Cannot wait for the Moe video. Moe made incredible sacrifices and hard choices for his family, Larry’s family, and Curly’s.

[@roydodman3703]

Larry Fine is, and always will be, my favorite Stooge. Loved his acting, loved that voice, and loved it when he found a reason to play that violin.

[@dubbsreality5109]

It brings warmth to my heart to find out that larry was married for 41 years and also brings great sadness to find out that she passed before him either way it's heartbreaking i can't imagine how he felt each and every day without his soulmate until he passed I'd like to think they have reunited in heaven

[@soupbonep]

Just like the narrator said, there comes a time when our eyes wander, and we start to watch Larry. Happened to me and I just watched Larry for about a year and truly came to appreciate his genius.

[@irishgotee]

In my opinion there isn't anything bad you can say about this channel. It's is so well spoken, presented and most importantly respectful.

[@donrobertson4611]

How great to come across this paean to Larry. With his repertoire of reactions, he was the glue that held the Stooges together. I've really come to appreciate him. Thanks Joe.

[@movieedge7370]

Actually moe and Larry wanted Joe De Rita to replace shemp but De Rita was under contract on a off Broadway play and wasn’t available at the time . Thats why they went with Joe Besser to finish up there shorts contract at Columbia. Joe Besser was under contract at the time at Columbia working in B comedy’s movies and he also had his own series of shorts

[@tonycarroo7233]

These documentaries on the Stooges are so good that it makes you want to go back and watch their shorts over and over again, watching these documentaries made me appreciate all four of them more now than ever.

[@EAZY_CHEF]

You should really do a video on Emil Sitka he is always overlooked

[@mgkiryuu]

Larry was always my favorite. Even as a kid. I can't explain why I I liked him as a kid, but as an adult I grew to appreciate what he did on the screen. If you watch, he is always doing something in a scene...even when the other 2 stooges are the one the camera is suppose to be focused on. Three Little Pigskins has some of my favorite bits with Larry. His screaming in that is just beyond hilarious to me.

[@dibslin985]

Larry's my favorite Stooge as an adult. As a kid, I liked Moe, and I still do, but Larry I think has some of the funniest dialogue and is so underrated

[@davidnelson6874]

I always had a soft spot for Larry. He was an incredibly underrated talent.

[@Aidenkong523]

Larry was always my favorite, even as a child.

[@SomethingClevar]

When I was a kid I used to call The Three Stooges "The Larry Show". I also had a Larry doll that I treasured.

[@rustykilt]

It all goes to show just how much talent the boys had... Larry, Shemp, Curley and Moe, all could do well individually or together. Larry and Moe would have made a great team on their own, as you have intimated, and its a shame they did not go on as a duo.

[@tomgrohs4583]

Thank you for a well done piece. Larry has been my favorite for at least the last 35 years. I got friendly with his sister Lyla after seeing her every year at Stooges gatherings. She had so many wonderful memories and stories.