Joe DeRita American actor-comedian Date of Birth: 12.07.1909 Country: USA

Biography of Joe DeRita

Joe DeRita, born Joseph Wardell in 1909 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, was an American actor and comedian. Coming from a family with a show business background, DeRita began performing at a young age of four. During World War II, he became a well-known burlesque performer and joined the United Service Organizations (USO) to boost the morale of the army alongside celebrities such as Bing Crosby and Randolph Scott.

Debut in Film and The Three Stooges
DeRita made his film debut in 1943 in the comedy musical film "Thank Your Lucky Stars" and in 1944, he appeared in "The Doughgirls." However, his biggest success came with his involvement in "The Three Stooges" project. In 1958, DeRita became part of the popular comedy trio, playing the character Curly-Joe. He appeared in several series, including "Have Rocket -- Will Travel" (1959), "Snow White and the Three Stooges" (1961), "The Three Stooges Meet Hercules" and "Three Stooges in Orbit" (both 1962). These films became the highlight of his acting career, and he continued to work on the project until the late 1960s.

Later Years and Retirement
In 1970, Larry Fine suffered a stroke, and in 1975, Moe Howard passed away, leaving DeRita as the sole remaining member of the trio. He attempted to revive "The Three Stooges" with an updated version but was unsuccessful. Afterward, DeRita retired in the 1970s, with his acting career consisting primarily of the "Three Stooges" series. He was forever associated with the comedic character Curly-Joe, which endeared him to audiences.

Joe DeRita passed away on July 3, 1993, due to pneumonia. He was buried at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, and his gravestone bears the inscription, "Joe Curly DeRita. The Last Stooge." He was married twice, first to Bonnie Brooks in 1935, and then to Jean Sullivan in 1967, whom he remained with until his death.

Despite spending 12 years in "The Three Stooges" project, DeRita admitted that he personally did not find the comedy characters funny. While recognizing the success and the fortunate turn of events in his acting career, he sincerely did not understand why audiences found the "Stooges" amusing.

Legacy
In the spring of 2000, the ABC channel launched a project about "The Three Stooges," with the role of Curly-Joe being played by actor Peter Callan.