Larry Fine (actor)

Larry Fine (born October 5, 1902; died January 24, 1975) was an American comedian and actor, who is best-known as a member of the comedy act The Three Stooges.

Related Topics:
October 5 - 1902 - January 24 - 1975 - American - Comedian - Actor - The Three Stooges

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He was born Louis Feinberg to a Jewish family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the corner of 3rd and South Streets. The building there is now a restaurant, and it houses a small Stooge museum. His father was a jeweler. When Louis was a child, he burned his arm with some of his father's acid, which was used to test whether or not jewelry was real, mistaking it for a cool drink. He received violin training to help strengthen his damaged muscles. This talent would be observed in many of the Stooges' films; in fact, when all three are seen playing fiddles onscreen, only Larry is actually playing his instrument, while the others are faking it.

Related Topics:
Jewish - Philadelphia - Pennsylvania - Jewelry - Violin - Faking it

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As Larry Fine, he first performed as a violinist in vaudeville at an early age. In 1925, he met Moe Howard and Ted Healy. Howard and his brother, Shemp, had been working as audience stooges for Healy. Shemp left soon after to attempt a solo career and was in turn replaced by another brother, Curly. Larry's trademark bushy hair came out, according to legend, from his first meeting with Healy, in which he'd just wet his hair in a basin, and as they talked, it dried oddly. Healy told him, according to the story, to keep the zany hairstyle and lose the violin.

Related Topics:
Violinist - Vaudeville - 1925 - Moe Howard - Ted Healy - Shemp - Curly - Basin

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Fine and Mabel Haney were married in 1927. Their daughter is Phyllis Fine.

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Beginning in 1933, The Three Stooges made more than 200 short films, and several features, with their most prolific period featuring the characters of Larry, Moe and Curly. Their career with Healy was marked by disputes over pay, film contracts, and Healy's drinking. They left Healy for good in 1934. Fine consistently played the straight man, providing the voice of reason between the extreme characterizations of Moe and Curly. In one short, the Stooges played pawnbrokers, and since it was during the time Curly was feeling ill, he and Moe were absent for much of the film. Larry atttempted to carry much of the film himself, including performing the physical comedy. Many fans rank this as one of the Stooges poorest pre-Besser outings. It was also said that Larry had developed a callus on one side of his face from being slapped innumerable times by Moe over the years.

Related Topics:
1933 - 1934 - Straight man - Besser - Callus

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They became a big hit in the 1950s on television, which brought them to a new audience and revitalized their careers. However, Larry, a compulsive gambler, was frequently broke, and often relied on Moe to help him manage and invest his finances.

Related Topics:
1950s - Television - Gambler

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Fine's wife, Mabel, died in 1967. He lived at the Knickerbocker Hotel in Hollywood until 1970, then moved to the Motion Picture House, an industry retirement community in Woodland Hills.

Related Topics:
1967 - Knickerbocker Hotel - Hollywood - 1970 - Motion Picture House - Woodland Hills

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Larry Fine died there at age seventy-two of a cerebral hemorrhage. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, in the Freedom Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Liberation.

Related Topics:
Cerebral hemorrhage - Forest Lawn Cemetery - Glendale

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He is sometimes erroneously listed as the father of sportscaster Warner Wolf, who is in fact the son of Jack Wolf, one of several other "stooges" who played in Ted Healy's vaudeville act at one time or another.

Related Topics:
Warner Wolf - Ted Healy - Vaudeville

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The Three Stooges have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their contributions to Motion Pictures, at 1560 Vine Street in Hollywood.

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In a 2000 TV movie, Fine was played by Evan Handler.

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