Illness
By early 1946 Curly's voice had become even more coarse than before, and it was increasingly difficult for him to remember even the simplest dialogue. He had lost a considerable amount of weight, and lines had creased his face.
Half-Wits Holiday would be Curly's final appearance as an official member of the Stooges. The film was a remake of the comedy Hoi Polloi. During filming on May 6, 1946, Curly suffered a severe stroke while sitting in director Jules White's chair, waiting to film the last scene of the day. When Curly was called by the assistant director to take the stage, he did not answer. Moe went looking for his brother: he found Curly with his head dropped to his chest. Moe later recalled that his mouth was distorted and he was unable to speak, but only cry. Moe quietly alerted White of all this, leading the latter to rework the scene quickly, dividing the action between Moe and Larry. Curly was then rushed to the hospital, where Moe joined him after the filming. After his discharge, Curly went to live at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.
He had to leave the team to recuperate. Shemp returned to the trio, replacing him in the Columbia shorts; an extant copy of the Stooges' 1947 Columbia Pictures contract was signed by all four Stooges and stipulated that Shemp's joining "in place and stead of Jerry Howard" would be only temporary until Curly recovered sufficiently to return to work full-time.
During the last two years of Curly's career Shemp had been recruited occasionally to substitute for him during live performances, but now the replacement became permanent.
Curly, now with his hair fully regrown, made a brief cameo appearance (doing his barking-dog routine) in the third film after brother Shemp's return, Hold That Lion!. It was the only film that featured Larry Fine and all three Howard brothers, Moe, Shemp and Curly, simultaneously; director White later said he spontaneously staged the bit during Curly's impromptu visit to the soundstage:
| “ | It was a spur-of-the-moment idea. Curly was visiting the set; this was sometime after his stroke. Apparently he came in on his own, since I didn't see a nurse with him. He was sitting around, reading a newspaper. As I walked in, the newspaper he had in front of his face came down and he waved hello to me. I thought it would be funny to have him do a bit in the picture and he was happy to do it. | ” |
Curly filmed a second cameo as an irate chef two years later for the short Malice in the Palace, but his illness eventually caused his scenes to be cut. A lobby card for the short shows him with the other Stooges, although he never appeared in the final product.
Read more about this topic: Curly Howard
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