Customer Reviews

Curly: An Illustrated Biography of the Superstooge

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Joan Howard Maurer gives the reader a very in-depth look into the life of her famous uncle. Curly's brilliance as a comedian is evident in her well-written biography. She also does quite well at showing that Curly was a shy, private person when "off-camera". A great book for anyone who loves the Stooges!

I just read this book, and while it does give alot of good information about Curly, it is very sad about his life. Some of the people say some kind things about him, while others, including his ex wife and a couple of others, just bash him. He was a very shy, very to himself person and to some people that meant he was a mean person. I do recommend it to anyone who loves Curly as much as I do, but be warned, there are some pretty mean things said about him and some things you would of had no idea about his life. But all in all he was a brilliant genius in what he did no matter what anyone says about him.

Curly Bio : Factual, Wonderful Rare photos not seen elsewhere.

Despite Heinous, ill placed, "Illustrations" within, we are forced to buy this book
only because we love Curly.

Now I remember why i did not buy this volume new, at Kroch and Brentano in 1980...

Buy it because you love Jerome Horowitz, Moe and Shemp's baby brother.
The photos, again, are precious.

Buy it despite the less than amateur book design and illustrations.... which are
as distracting as Muddy Combat Boots on a new bride.

I could not put this book down after opening the first page and read it through from 6AM until 9:30 PM (EST) What I find amazing is that the author was able to re-connect with everyone involved with Curly in real life (x-wives, daughters, etc.) and that no one, not even his wife knew who he was. The point, I truly believe, is because he was Curly a character and he never was anything else! He lived the character Curly! He is basically put down and ridiculed by everyone who is contacted by Ms. Maurer and we find he never had a real friend except his dogs. That fact in itself shows what kind of person he was. The world scared him, people probably tried stealing his soul because of his genius and fame and he hid inside this persona of Curly. My advice is buy this book before it disappears because you will never find a better investigation into the life of the most amazing of all comedic talents the world ever knew - Jerome "Curly" Howard. Oh, he was special alright and I think this is the only sore point in the book, Ms. Maurer tries desperately to find some meaning about his adult life that would make him a "regular" guy and there isn't, so the book comes off like a let down of Jerome/Curly the man. For example, numerous times I hear the author ask her interviewees, "Did you ever see Curly read a book?" As if that would make him a smarter person (which I would think so too) but that stuff doesn't matter. He was a living legend who played by his own rules. In the final analysis, what does it matter and yeah, we want to know these facts and see behind the "star" but it is always disappointing to find out the truth about who "Legends" really are. Let us just celebrate their talents and love them for what they gave us, in this case, laughter! In a world as sick and cruel as ours, Curly should be given the highest award for taking us out of the mundane and bringing us into a world of fun and laughter! That my friends takes enormous talent. Curly did it at every second on film. EVERY SECOND!

One of my favorite "Show Busines" books! I found that it did not have alot more information than I could gather elsewhere but the layout and concept are quite engaging.

To me, the real selling point was in the chapter reminiscing about Curly's last few years in retirement (or semi-retirement) - considering he did two cameos, one used the other, not used. Relatives sensitively recall Curly's struggle, the ups and downs, the "new", shall we say, "domesticated" comedian - it surely seems he was *typecast*!

Another guaranteed "hook" is the many rare photos taken in that 1946 to approx. 1950 period (hard to determine the probable date for some of the shots). It's a bittersweet experience for the deep fan (like me) who wonders why the actor could not be part of more of the films, in cameos, or in limited spots as the "Fourth Stooge".

The book does not go into detail about that reported idea, "The Four Stooges", a presumptive plan to expand the act during a time in the late '40s, when Curly was doing okay. There's nothing about Columbia Pictures insistence that he continue despite ill health (1945-46). And finally, there is zero about that mysterious second cameo from which all we have is a lobby card with Curly in costume in "Malice In The Palace" and a totally fascinating script extract from The Stooges Journal, Number 6, which reveals a few lines right up his alley.

Introduction by Michael Jackson. Another guy with *original* Body English.

I'm sorry to anyone who actually is looking for a review because I haven't read the book--I'm actually trying to buy it, I just wanted to point out to 'stoogesfan' that the reason Michael Jackson was involved with the book is that he loves Curly just as much as you do, he thinks Curly is like the funniest person ever, and having the opportunity to do so, he decided to share that with the world. Everyone loves Curly so it's not hard to understand why he was involved.

What do the Three Stooges and Michael Jackson have in common? Nothing! God only knows why the infamous gloved-one was associated with this book! Pity, I love Curly, but loath Michael Jackson.