Jerome Lester Horwitz, better known to the world as Curly Howard, was born in Brooklyn, New York. His older brothers, Moe and Shemp, were founding members of the Three Stooges (along with Larry Fine), but Curly would replace Shemp as the third Stooge from 1932 to 1946, and was generally the most well known and popular of the Stooges. During his tenure with them, the Stooges made more than 90 short films.
Sadly, his career was cut short by a massive stroke he suffered in 1946. His health never fully recovered, and after suffering several further strokes, he died in 1952, only 48 years old.
