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 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.
Bio:
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.
Tivia:
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.He was the only non-Jewish member of The Three Stooges, he had English and French-Canadian ancestry.Following his death, he was interred at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, CA. His tombstone reads: "The Last Stooge".Their final film Kooks Tour has an odd history. Conceived in 1970 as a series of comedy travelogues showing the now retired Stooges hitting the road the production was halted by Larry having a stroke. The unfinished pilot was padded out to sixty minutes with beauty shots of Yellowstone Park then shelved for nearly 10 years. It was finally released for home use on Super 8 but few people were willing to spend $200 to see it.DeRita was called Curly-Joe because he resembled early Stooges member Curly Howard (fat and graceful) and because there had already been a Stooge named "Joe" (Joe Besser).When Joe Besser left The Three Stooges, Moe Howard made another attempt to bring Joe DeRita into the act. The timing could not have been better; Joe had only a week left on his contract with Minsky. Joe was able to become a member of The Three Stooges (as "Curly Joe") just before they began a series of feature films.In addition to his obvious talent, there was a physical reason why he was recruited into The Three Stooges. At 5'4" he was the same height as both Moe Howard and Larry Fine.When Shemp Howard died in 1955, Moe Howard wanted to recruit him into The Three Stooges. However, he could not join because he was under contract to Harold Minsky, where he was one of their top comics.His first wife, Esther M. Hartenstine, was a chorus girl from Reading, PA. She was known as Bonnie Brooks. They married in Cuyahoga County, OH.Last member of The Three Stooges team, of which, over time, there were six members altogether. He was called "Curly-Joe".Passed away on July 3, 1993, only nine days before what would have been his 84th birthday, on July 12.Jules White had signed him for four two-reel comedies at Columbia from 1946-48. There were rumors that he was being groomed to be the "third stooge".With their Columbia contract cancelled and Joe DeRita replacing Joe Besser this was a combination of live action and animation filmed in colour. It played as a featurette in cinemas for a short while then disappeared. Pieces of it were used in their feature The Three Stooges in Orbit. |
| Name: |
Joe DeRita |
Type: |
Actor,Soundtrack (IMDB) |
| Area: |
All World |
Platform: |
IMDB |
| Category: |
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Business scope: |
Actor,Soundtrack |
| Products for sale: |
Actor,Soundtrack |
| Last update: |
2024-07-01 07:19:57 |
| Height: |
5' 4' (1.63 m) |
| Biography: |
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. J |
| 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.He was the only non-Jewish member of The Three Stooges, he had English and French-Canadian ancestry.Following his death, he was interred at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, CA. His tombstone reads: "The Last Stooge".Their final film Kooks Tour has an odd history. Conceived in 1970 as a series of comedy travelogues showing the now retired Stooges hitting the road the production was halted by Larry having a stroke. The unfinished pilot was padded out to sixty minutes with beauty shots of Yellowstone Park then shelved for nearly 10 years. It was finally released for home use on Super 8 but few people were willing to spend $200 to see it.DeRita was called Curly-Joe because he resembled early Stooges member Curly Howard (fat and graceful) and because there had already been a Stooge named "Joe" (Joe Besser).When Joe Besser left The Three Stooges, Moe Howard made another attempt to bring Joe DeRita into the act. The timing could not have been better; Joe had only a week left on his contract with Minsky. Joe was able to become a member of The Three Stooges (as "Curly Joe") just before they began a series of feature films.In addition to his obvious talent, there was a physical reason why he was recruited into The Three Stooges. At 5'4" he was the same height as both Moe Howard and Larry Fine.When Shemp Howard died in 1955, Moe Howard wanted to recruit him into The Three Stooges. However, he could not join because he was under contract to Harold Minsky, where he was one of their top comics.His first wife, Esther M. Hartenstine, was a chorus girl from Reading, PA. She was known as Bonnie Brooks. They married in Cuyahoga County, OH.Last member of The Three Stooges team, of which, over time, there were six members altogether. He was called "Curly-Joe".Passed away on July 3, 1993, only nine days before what would have been his 84th birthday, on July 12.Jules White had signed him for four two-reel comedies at Columbia from 1946-48. There were rumors that he was being groomed to be the "third stooge".With their Columbia contract cancelled and Joe DeRita replacing Joe Besser this was a combination of live action and animation filmed in colour. It played as a featurette in cinemas for a short while then disappeared. Pieces of it were used in their feature The Three Stooges in Orbit. |
| 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.
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[on working with The Three Stooges] Moe and Larry were the best. We worked well together and enjoyed every moment of it. |
| Salaries: |
The Three Stooges in Orbit (1962) - $50,000 +50% of profits (split with Moe Howard and Larry Fine)
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Have Rocket -- Will Travel (1959) - $30,000 +25% of profits (split with Moe Howard and Larry Fine) |
| Job title: |
Actor,Soundtrack |
| Others works: |
(1950s/1960s) Albums: Recorded a number of comedy singles and albums with The Three Stooges.
(1968) Promotional short (PSA): U.S. Treasury Department, promoting Savings Bonds.
(1988 - 1989) TV commercials for Heinz homestyle gravy.
(1950s) TV commercia |
| Spouse: |
Jean Sullivan (December 28, 1966 - July 3, 1993) (his death)Esther M. Hartenstine (July 13, 1935 - September 6, 1965) (her death) |
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