The Three Stooges - Larry

[Ken]

The team's middleman, Larry Fine, was born Louis Feinberg on October 5, 1902, in the south side of Philadelphia.

"Larry wasn't so fortunate the next time he got into trouble. It happened when his dad was testing metals by using a powerful acid that when applied to base metals would turn them green or burn a hole in them. One day, a thirsty Larry stood unnoticed as he reached for the bottle of acid to raise it to his mouth and drink, Dad saw him out of the corner of his eye and smacked the bottle from his hand, splashing acid on his left arm and burning it badly."

Larry required immediate medical attention and a skin graft was done on his arm. After the surgery, doctors recommended that he be given violin lessons as a form of therapy. It was believed that the action of drawing the bow over the strings would strengthen his damaged arm muscles. Little did Larry realize that the violin would become an important tool in his career.

Larry was a natural- born performer and could play any instrument he got his hands on - piano, clarinet, saxophone and brass. He even constructed a violin out of a cigar box and a broom handle. He played its single string like a cello, holding it between his knees.

Larry's screen personality was as laid back as his real life one, and thus his character was never forced. Prior to the filming of a scene he'd come up with a gag idea that he'd toss at the director; he would always shrug it off when his ideas were ignored. He was said to be a bit of a whiner, sometimes complaining about the smallest things. If he stubbed his toe on a chair during a scene, he'd carry on until the propman cushioned the chair leg with a sponge pad to protect him from injuring the toe again.

Fine was also known for his tardiness. He rarely got to the set on time, or to any other engagement. Several times during his career, Moe had to cover for him until he showed up. Tardiness was definitely one of his foibles, which even the cast's call-sheets bear out. In fact, one time while performing in Atlantic City, a newspaper photographer had arranged a photo session with the Stooges in advance of their engagement. When Larry forgot the appointment, Moe had to ask the theater manager to take his place.

It was believed that Larry's talent as an actor and comedian were commonly overlooked in Stooges comedies. As he put it: "Larry was the best actor of the three. I used to argue with Moe about giving him more lines because Larry was good, but Moe was against it."

Fine's favorite hobbies included teaching serious music, preferably jazz, the kind Andre Previn, Percy Faith, Morton Gould and Andre Kostelanetz popularized. His favorite Stooge: Curly. As he once commented, "Personally, I thought Curly was the greatest because he was a natural comedian who had no formal training.

Larry's final resting place image from www.findagrave.com

Ken.