Moe

Moe Howard's real name was Moses Harry Horwitz. His weird "bowl" hairstyle originated from him being fed up with being teased about his long curly hair at school. With the help of a friend and a bowl, he cut his hair but was then afraid that his mother would be angry with him about it. He hid from her for several hours. His mother worried so much about his disappearance that when he did reappear, she was so glad to see him that she barely even mentioned his hair. In school he was a good student and loved to read Horatio Alger's books. He studied to become an electrician but his interest in acting would start to affect his studies. His memory helped him in becoming an actor.

His acting career started with American comedian Ted Healy alongside his brother Shemp Howard and fellow actor Larry Fine. The first film they made was Soup To Nuts. After this film, Shemp Howard left the group to pursue a solo career. Healy hired Curly Howard to continue the show. After leaving Ted Healy, they created the famous comedy trio The Three Stooges. They signed a contract with Colombia Pictures. Although Moe was a good businessman, this contract saw the producer hold onto all the rights and royalties. The original lineup consisted of Moe as the leader, his brother Curly Howard and Larry Fine. In 1934, they released their first film Woman Haters which included American actress Marjorie White. They went on to make 190 films together. The lineup would change over the years, including Shemp Howard returning to replace an ill Curly.

He married a cousin of Harry Houdini. They would stay married until his death 50 years later. Despite his aggressive personality in the movies, he was a quiet, loving and generous person in real life. When Larry Fine died, he asked his friend and actor Emil Sitka to replace Larry but that never happened. In May 1975, Moe Howard died of lung cancer at age 77, while working on his autobiography.