“Growing up, first you watched Curly, then Moe, and then your eyes got to Larry. He’s the reactor, the most vulnerable. Five to fourteen, Curly; fourteen to twenty-one, Moe. Anyone out of college, if you’re not looking at Larry you don’t have a good brain.” - Peter Farrelly
With his craftsman precision and anchoring longevity, he could easily be seen as perhaps the most important cog in the Stooges wheel, funny that -- since --
1. Larry almost never became a Stooge.
He at first turned down Ted Healy's offer to join the Stooges, then billed as “Ted Healy and his Three Southern Gentlemen." He quickly changed his mind when Mr. Mann, the club owner who hosted Larry's violin and two gal song and dance gig, committed suicide following being shut down due to serving up a prohibition era drink to an undercover cop.
His reason to being hesitant? Shemp was too funny.
Healy offered $90 a week plus an additional $10 if he grew his hair out "all frizzy*."
2. Larry was a professional violinist.
A Vaudevillian song and dance man, really. As a youth in his father's jewelry store, he accidentally almost drank the acid from a gold test kit. His father caught him in time to slap it out of his hand, but it splashed his left arm, severely injuring it. Here, we see the famously easy-going Mr. Fine allow life to take the lead. The violin was a good way to fine tune his injured wing.
3. Larry was a prize fighter.
Another excellent form of exercise is pugilism. Under the nom de ring of Kid Roth, Larry fought (and won) one professional lightweight bout. His father, opposed to Larry's fisticuff antics, put an end to them quite quickly. As far as public displays, at least.
Moe Howard signed on with Ted Healy three years after Larry. It was Moe who completed the soon to be famous trio -- not who began it.
5. Larry never appeared in a film without Moe.
Unlike Shemp, Larry never sought a solo limelight. There are two examples (Three Loan Wolves to name one) that show, with no disrespect intended, that he was no lead. If one were then relegated to follow -- I'd imagine there is no need to look elsewhere.
6. Larry took it like a champ.
"It" being abuse. According to his brother, Larry developed a callus on one side of his face from being slapped by Moe lo, those many years.
Too, he took a fountain pen into his skull and, in "Three Little Sew and Sews" (1939), hung the highest of the three by piano wire whilst portraying angels.
7."I'm a victim of circumstance"
Too, he took a fountain pen into his skull and, in "Three Little Sew and Sews" (1939), hung the highest of the three by piano wire whilst portraying angels.
(which was used by Curly on occasion as well). More reacting than acting, sure and soitenly. A career he allowed to guide itself, yes. Most importantly, and as displayed in this famous line of his, is his uncanny ability to find depth in apparently shallow lines. Curly, a time or two, had borrowed this line -- note the difference there for yourself.
He had the ability to turn "Yeah." into a belly laugh guffaw of a punchline. Please see: Who Done It? for that particular and hilarious framed pictures to craniums instance.
8. Larry was a flake ... erm ... a colorful character.
He had the ability to turn "Yeah." into a belly laugh guffaw of a punchline. Please see: Who Done It? for that particular and hilarious framed pictures to craniums instance.
8. Larry was a flake ... erm ... a colorful character.
Larry's let fate decide, easiest of easy-going character exhibited itself beyond his stage and screen career. He had the business sense and frugality of a drunken sailor. Sadly, he was also a barely in control gambler (ponies and gin rummy). Too, a soft touch -- he often gave money to fellow actors and friends who were hard up, never asking to be repaid.
Moe actually acted as Larry's de facto accountant, as he did too with Curly. Saving both from the brinks of bankruptcy a time or two.
Director Charles Lamont recalled, "Larry was a nut. He was the kind of guy who always said anything. He was a yapper."
9. Larry is a piece of art.
Literally... well, more literally than you might imagine. A large mural of the famed middle man appears on a wall at intersection of Third and South Streets, currently housing Jon’s Bar and Grill, near Larry's birthplace. At the suggestion of Philadelphia Weekly and its fine readership, the site was dedicated on October 26th 1999. Artist David McShane’s mural originally showcased Larry with his trademarked dazed appearance. Some six years later, McShane repainted a less dazed yet too infinitely less hinged Fine playing a violin.
10. Larry met a very similar fate to Curly.
In 1965, the Three Stooges launched a new show, aptly titled, "The New Three Stooges." The show was a blend of live and cartoon short segments. The boys saw their ages catch up with them, however, and filming took more of a toll than was comfortable. Larry soon displayed early signs of a stroke (several smaller strokes) that would soon enough end his life. In particular, he exhibited often troubles with the proper delivery of lines -- something long his forte.
Director Charles Lamont recalled, "Larry was a nut. He was the kind of guy who always said anything. He was a yapper."
9. Larry is a piece of art.
Literally... well, more literally than you might imagine. A large mural of the famed middle man appears on a wall at intersection of Third and South Streets, currently housing Jon’s Bar and Grill, near Larry's birthplace. At the suggestion of Philadelphia Weekly and its fine readership, the site was dedicated on October 26th 1999. Artist David McShane’s mural originally showcased Larry with his trademarked dazed appearance. Some six years later, McShane repainted a less dazed yet too infinitely less hinged Fine playing a violin.
10. Larry met a very similar fate to Curly.
In 1965, the Three Stooges launched a new show, aptly titled, "The New Three Stooges." The show was a blend of live and cartoon short segments. The boys saw their ages catch up with them, however, and filming took more of a toll than was comfortable. Larry soon displayed early signs of a stroke (several smaller strokes) that would soon enough end his life. In particular, he exhibited often troubles with the proper delivery of lines -- something long his forte.
He, along with Moe and Curly Joe were at work on a new television series, "Kook's Tour" in January of 1970 when Larry suffered a massive and debilitating stroke, which paralyzed the left side of his body. He was moved to the entertainment industry retirement community of Motion Picture Country House in Woodland Hills, LA, where he resided his five remaining years, confined to a wheelchair.
His partially paralyzed state aside, Fine was known to entertain the other patients and also was able to complete his autobiography "Stroke of Luck." Moe visited his Porcupine regularly, and closely succeeded him in death, mere months later. Mr. Fine shuffled off to cosmic Buffalo aged 72, on January 24th 1975.
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* There is another take on this story wherein Larry was offered the additional ten to 'throw away his fiddle.' This is questionable for two reasons:
1. It is according to Moe (Larry tells the 'frizzy' tale) during a 1973 TV interview on The Mike Douglas Show. At this time, Moe seems to be a bit unpredictable and apologetic with his information. He also told many reporters watered down versions of the violence on set. He would pretend-twist Curly Joe's ear to display how no one was ever hurt, which flies in the face of what we now know. This was a period in time when viewers were becoming sensitive to the violence portrayed by the trio. Moe was playing Moe -- protecting and steering the Stooges careers.
2. Larry didn't throw away his fiddle, as he appeared several times with it -- he also cashed the extra saw buck. Nuff.
1. It is according to Moe (Larry tells the 'frizzy' tale) during a 1973 TV interview on The Mike Douglas Show. At this time, Moe seems to be a bit unpredictable and apologetic with his information. He also told many reporters watered down versions of the violence on set. He would pretend-twist Curly Joe's ear to display how no one was ever hurt, which flies in the face of what we now know. This was a period in time when viewers were becoming sensitive to the violence portrayed by the trio. Moe was playing Moe -- protecting and steering the Stooges careers.
2. Larry didn't throw away his fiddle, as he appeared several times with it -- he also cashed the extra saw buck. Nuff.