Incredible vintage original 8 x 12.25 pearl-finish photo of Ted Healy and his wife Betty playfully posing with Moe Howard, Curly Howard, and Larry Fine, as taken by DeBarron Studios of New York, with reverse bearing the studio's credit stamp. Reverse is also stamp-dated November 7, 1932. In very good to fine condition, with some light creases and surface impressions.
The presence of Curly's mustache dates this photo to a particularly early and formative period in the careers of the Three Stooges. When Shemp Howard (Samuel Horwitz) left the troupe after a dispute with Healy, his younger brother Jerry was brought in as a replacement. With long chestnut-red hair and a handlebar mustache, Curly's appearance was deemed not funny enough and 'too handsome' by Healy. Jerry left the room and returned moments later with his head shaved and his mustache trimmed, a sight that prompted Healy to remark, 'Boy, don't you look girlie?' Moe misheard the quip as 'curly,' and all in attendance agreed that the nickname was a perfect fit—with Curly's miniature mustache shaved off shortly thereafter.
