Joe DeRita(1909-1993)

Actor
Soundtrack

Play trailer2:48

The Outlaws Is Coming (1965)

Born into a show business family, DeRita began performing at the age of 7. He played the Burlesque circuit until 1942 when he went to headline in California stage shows. He toured with Randolph Scott and Bing Crosby for the USO during World War II. Joe made his film debut in "The Doughgirls" (1944) and continued to perform in films, radio, and television before joining the Three Stooges in 1958. When Moe Howard's death ended the comedy team in 1975, DeRita retired.

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Photos19

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe DeRita, and The Three Stooges in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe DeRita, and The Three Stooges in The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze (1963)

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe DeRita, Jay Sheffield, and The Three Stooges in The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze (1963)

Joe DeRita and Art Linkletter in People Are Funny (1946)

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe DeRita, and The Three Stooges in Have Rocket -- Will Travel (1959)

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe DeRita in Have Rocket -- Will Travel (1959)

Three Stooges (Joseph Wardell, Moses Horwitz and Louis Feinberg - aka Curly Joe DeRita, Moe Howard and Larry Fine) in "Have Rocket Will Travel" 1959 Columbia

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe DeRita, Ed Sullivan, and The Three Stooges in Toast of the Town (1948)

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe DeRita in The Three Stooges Funniest Moments: Volume I (2001)

Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe Besser, Joe DeRita, Curly Howard, and Shemp Howard in Stooges: The Men Behind the Mayhem (1994)

Known for:

The Three Stooges Meet Hercules

6.1

Curly Joe

1962

Snow White and the Three Stooges

5.2

Curly-Joe(as The Three Stooges)

1961

The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze

6.2

Curly-Joe(as The Three Stooges)

1963

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

7.5

Fireman(as The Three Stooges)

1963

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

Blazing Stewardesses
- Curly Joe (rehearsed only) (as The Three Stooges)
- 1975
Kook's Tour
- Curly-Joe (as The Three Stooges)
- 1970
Star Spangled Salesman
- Curly Joe (as The Three Stooges)
- Short
- 1968
Off to See the Wizard
- Three Men in a Tub
- TV Series
- 1967
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
- Man with Lollipop (uncredited)
- TV Series
- 1966
The New 3 Stooges
- Curly Joe
- Tinker Joe
- Curly-Joe ...
- TV Series
- 1965
Danny Thomas Meets the Comics
- Curly-Joe
- TV Movie
- 1965
The Outlaws Is Coming
- Curly-Joe (as The Three Stooges)
- 1965
4 for Texas
- Curly-Joe (uncredited)
- 1963
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
- Fireman (as The Three Stooges)
- 1963
The Three Stooges Scrapbook
- Curly Joe
- Short
- 1963
The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze
- Curly-Joe (as The Three Stooges)
- 1963
The Three Stooges in Orbit
- Curly-Joe (as The Three Stooges)
- 1962
The Three Stooges Meet Hercules
- Curly Joe
- 1962
Snow White and the Three Stooges
- Curly-Joe (as The Three Stooges)
- 1961

Soundtrack

Videos3

The Outlaws Is Coming

Personal details

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Alternative names
- The 3 Stooges
Height
- 5′ 4″ (1.63 m)
Born
- July 12, 1909
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Died
- July 3, 1993
- Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA(pneumonia)
Spouses
Other works
(1950s/1960s) Albums: Recorded a number of comedy singles and albums with The Three Stooges.
Publicity listings
- 1 Portrayal

Did you know

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Trivia
According to Emil Sitka, when DeRita was brought on board the Stooges, he was more or less an employee, not a full partner. Larry Fine threatened to quit the act unless Moe made him a full partner.

Quotes
I don't think [The Three Stooges] were funny. I'm not putting you on, I'm telling the truth--they were physical, but they just didn't have any humor about them. Take, for instance, [Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy]. I can watch their films and I still laugh at them and maybe I've seen them four or five times before. But when I see that pie or seltzer bottle, I know that it's not just lying around for no reason. It's going to be used for something. I was with the Stooges for 12 years and it was a very pleasant association, but I just don't think they were funny.