"Niagra" Falls? Slowly I turned ...

The wiki description of the routine is drier than yesterday's turkey, though.

 

Mr R,

Yup, saw them at the Ex, like every other elbow-spinning Curly addict (we're all now over 50), thousands of hearts broken that we got the lesser replacement, Curly Joe. Moe gave us the warning: "Kid what ever you do, don't poke your friends in the eye ... like this." And then gives it to Larry with 100-decibel doink sound effect echoing around the Grandstand. Ah, good times.

YHS, etc

 

Friend, I'm disappointed in you. You aren't making Three Stooges history here very clear, and there are young people who might be misled. )

Curly was replaced by Shemp, who was also Moe's brother. Shemp died a couple years later, and he was replaced by Joe Besser. After that, the Three Stooges did movies and Curley Joe (DeRita) joined Moe and Larry.

I live to educate people.

 

Mr Gold,

Indeed. Precisely. I was saying the lesser replacement ... Shemp was a level below Curly, Joe Besser and Joe DeRita were several levels below Shemp.

Moe had Moe power in his dotage though. If I had a son, he was going to be Moe Friendless. Sigh.

YHS, etc

 

My younger brother was at that "concert" if I remember correctly.

I'll check with him tonight.

 

Sirs, Madames,

The generations in a nutshell: My Hannah Montana was 65-year-old Moses Horwitz.

YHS, etc

 

Why, I outta .....

 

My dad's side of the family made sure me, my brothers and my cousins watched the Stooges. Despite my young age, it's one of my favorite shows. Malice in the Palace and 3 Little Beers are probably my favorite episodes.

 

Joe Besser was the worst, with his borderline-queen act.

Curly Joe was OK -- a pale imitation of the original.

 

Mr Starman,

I always thought that Besser channelled the Cowardly Lion a little for the quiver in his voice.

Curly Joe had the look but not much more -- Shemp did come in during a crisis and performed like a yeoman ... the under-rated Stooge in my books.

Is there a sporting equivalent to the Stooges where a team has two long-running components and a cycle of four complementary players of ever-diminishing value (from the great to the mundane knock-off):

Your entries:

Moe:
Larry:
Curley:
Shemp:
Joe Besser:
Curley Joe:

YHS, etc

 

C'mon Curly was way better than Larry.

You anti-bald or something, friendly?

 

Mr Ace,

Moe > Curley
Curley > Larry
Larry = Shemp
square root of Shemp > (Joe Besser + Curley Joe) X 100

YHS, etc