Hollywood has a new movie in the works about The Three Stooges. It is still unclear if the movie is based on their lives or is meant to be a comedy movie in the style of other Three Stooges movies. Jim Carrey has been asked to play Curly and you won’t catch him indulging in the best weight loss pills anytime soon: he has to gain 50 pounds for the role.

Curly Howard was not one of the original Three Stooges which consisted of Moe Howard, Shemp Howard and Larry Fine. Shemp quit the act in 1932 due to managerial problems and Jerome Lester “Jerry” Horwitz (Moe and Shemp’s brother) was asked to join the group. Jerry appeared with red hair and a mustache and Manager Ted Healy reported said he did not look funny. Jerry went to next room and shaved his head bald “Boy, do I look girly.” Healy thought he heard “Curly,” and that is how he got his name.

Curly’s insecurities about his weight and looks caused him to drink and gain weight. In 1947 he suffered a stroke and was replaced by Shemp. He had a second massive stroke in 1948 and was confined to a wheelchair by 1950. He was admitted to a nursing home but his mental condition deteriorated and he was moved to a different facility. On January 18, 1952, Curly died of a massive cerebral hemmorage. He was only 48 years old.