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The son of a Stooge will share tales
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
WARREN
It took Paul Howard years to come to terms with growing up with a famous father.
He was the son of Moe Howard, the ringleader of the Three Stooges, whose slaphappy shtick has become an icon of comedy.
But as a child, with the Stooges all the rage, it was cause for worry.
“When I was 5 or so, I was insecure about having a world-famous father,” said Howard in a phone interview. “I didn’t know if my friends were coming over to see me or my father.”
He was reluctant to tell people what his father did for a living. “I would say my father is a meter reader ...,” said Howard, who grew up in Los Angeles. Howard will be the guest at the Warren Rotary Club’s Wednesday luncheon meeting at Enzo’s Restaurant, 2918 Elm Road NE. Admission is free and the public is welcome. A buffet luncheon will be available for $8. For information, contact Nick Verina at nick@berkpaper.com.
Howard will share stories of his life with Moe in an hourlong presentation that will include photos and home movies.
He stressed that he will not talk about the career of the Three Stooges. “There are many books out there on that,” he said.
Instead, he will focus on what it was like growing up at the center of the Stooges universe, which included his uncles Shemp and Curly, and family friend Larry Fine. “I will share stories that describe the hilarious highs and lamentable lows,” he said.
His earliest show-business memory was sitting on his mother’s lap in a movie theater watching his dad smack around his uncles. A few years later, he realized his father was world-famous.
As a young adult in the early ’60s, Howard moved to New York where he became an art director for an advertising agency.
Eventually, he would embrace being the Son of Moe, and developed a passion for promoting the Stooges.
“I love to see the joy on people’s faces,” he said. “I know I’m not famous, but I have touched someone famous.”
Appreciation for the Three Stooges seems to be growing, he noted.
“In recent years, more women have begun showing love and appreciation,” he said. “After one show, a woman told me ‘When I was young my mother told me the Three Stooges were low-brow bums and violent, and to just ignore them, but you converted me.’”
In addition to his speaking engagements, Howard has been working on a documentary film about the Three Stooges for the past seven years.
“It’s about 90 percent complete and it’s fantastic,” he said. “I am the narrator. It’s through my eyes, and it’s incredible, with wonderful interviews.”
Howard could not say when the made-for-TV documentary will premiere or on what channel, but he predicted it could be before the end of this year.