One Fine Stooge: Larry Fine's Frizzy Life In Pictures

Steve Cox and Jim Terry
Cumberland House Publishing (2006)
ISBN 9781581823639
Reviewed by Richard R Blake for Reader Views (8/06)

Steve Cox has collaborated with Jim Terry in this biography of Larry Fine - the stooge in the middle. The book is a tribute to Larry and includes personal family insights into the careers of The Three Stooges.  “One Fine Stooge” is a kaleidoscope of over fifty years of behind the scenes glimpses into the entertainment industry as seen through the eyes of Larry Fine.

From the scrapbooks, clippings, posters, and personal recollections of Larry Fine, the authors have skillfully put together a timeline of his life, and of the long careers of The Three Stooges.  An amazing collection of photographs and illustrations make this an important book for every fan of the stooges.

Growing up in the era of Saturday afternoon matinees at the local theatre, and later the prime time TV specials, I enjoyed this nostalgic trip down memory lane.  I perused the many photos of the stooges posing with celebrities I recognized and had enjoyed through the years. Personal tragedies, and hardships experienced by Larry, add to my appreciation of the stature of this self-giving comic. 

Larry and Moe were faithful in responding to fan mail with personal greetings.  Twenty-four year old fan Walter Mitchell met Moe and Larry for an interview in Larry’s Hollywood apartment. In the interview he asked Moe and Larry were asked the question, “What is the secret of your longevity?”  Moe responded, “…a happy home has something to do with it.” 

Larry added, “I believe it all stems back to our youth.  We were both happily married men.  And you know when teams get together, they’re single, they fight about girls, jealous of each other, and that tends to break ’em up mostly.  But Moe and I … we respected each other as married men and so that’s why I think we got along.”

Definitive in its scope and scrupulous in its detail, this monumental work should be in the library of every student of the theatre.  It is an excellent gift book for anyone who has loved and admired The Stooges.

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