Difference between revisions of "The Three Stooges"

Latest revision as of 20:50, December 29, 2025

For the show in The Simpsons, see The Three Stooges (TV show).

The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act consisting of Moe Howard, Curly Howard and Larry Fine, as well as Shemp Howard, Joe Besser, and Curly Joe DeRita. Between the 1930s and early 1960s they made numerous slapstick movies, which also proved popular in reruns on U.S. television. Numerous references to them have been made on The Simpsons.

References to The Three Stooges in The Simpsons[edit]

Episodes[edit]

Picture Season Episode number Episode name Reference 2 21 "Bart the Daredevil" Dr. Hibbert says "I won't even subject you to the horrors of our Three Stooges ward." meaning that the Hospital has an entire ward for children injured while imitating the slapstick injuries of The Three Stooges. 4 62 "Homer the Heretic" Homer watches The Three Stooges on TV, while staying home from church. He then giggles: "Moe is their leader." 75 "Duffless" Bart tries to touch cupcakes to which Lisa attached electric shocks. As he keeps trying to touch it he says: "eeeh, certainly...nyak nyak nyak" (like Curly) and "...a wise guy eh...." (like Moe). 76 "Last Exit to Springfield" Homer celebrates a fine deal with Mr. Burns by going "whoop whoop whoop..." while rolling around on the floor. This was Curly's catchphrase. 5 86 "Treehouse of Horror IV" As vampires advance on Bart and Lisa in Mr. Burns's basement, Bart tries to warn Lisa. However, he is too frightened to speak and makes noises which Lisa incorrectly interprets as impressions of Shemp and Curly Bart has demonstrated before. 96 "Deep Space Homer" After Bart writes "Insert Brain Here" on the back of Homer's head, Homer tries to read it by turning his body before eventually falling to the floor and rolling around, like the Three Stooges. 6 117 "Bart's Comet" As Principal Skinner looks at the starry night he tells Bart he sees the Three Wise Men constellation, which Bart interprets as the Three Stooges. 128 "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)" Bart unsuccessfully suggests spending the income made by drilling oil in school on a way to resurrect The Three Stooges. 7 146 "The Day the Violence Died" In the Amendment To Be song the bill with the bomb yells: "whoop whoop whoop" in the style of Curly. 152 "Bart the Fink" Troy McClure mentions that he once appeared in a film called "Shemp Howard: Today We Mourn a Stooge". 8 178 "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson" Abraham Simpson says ":...takes me back to 1934. Admiral Byrd had just reached the pole, only hours ahead of the Three Stooges..." 9 196 "This Little Wiggy" Robby the Automaton asks the kids if they've ever wondered which Stooge had the heaviest brain? Nelson imagines himself as a scientist weighing their three brains and deduces Larry's is the heaviest. 10 215 "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday" Homer, Wally and Chief Wiggum run out of the skybox in Three Stooges fashion, making similar noises. 11 238 "The Mansion Family" The Mayo Clinic diagnoses Mr. Burns with "Three Stooges Syndrome", meaning that he has a multitude of medical conditions, but because they all cancel each other out, they can't harm him. The doctor likens the situation to The Three Stooges all trying to go through a doorway at the same time. 12 267 "I'm Goin' to Praiseland" Skinner inhales some gas that causes hallucinations and says, "Oh, it was incredible! I saw Heaven! But it wasn't clouds and angels playing harps, like at the end of so many Three Stooges shorts". 14 295 "Large Marge" Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush Sr. and Jimmy Carter build a Habitat for Humanity home. As they bumble around their actions and sounds are strongly reminiscent of the Three Stooges. 305 "Mr. Spritz Goes to Washington" Homer and Bart were watching a very late episode of The Three Stooges entitled "Brittle Boneheads", in which the actors were very old. This is a reference to the very final episodes of the franchise, when the trio tried to continue, despite getting too old for it , and despite the death of one of the main actors, who was replaced by another actor. 15 321 "Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens and Gays" When Maggie grabs Homer by the nose with a pair of long-handled pliers, Homer rolls over and screams like Curly. 17 365 "Simpsons Christmas Stories" To get baby Jesus to stop crying, the Three Wise Man act like the Three Stooges, making a pun on "Wise man, eh?" instead of "Wise guy, eh?". 20 422 "Lost Verizon" During the flashback scene at Machu Picchu, the city's soldiers flee in panic from the conquistadores. The last one to flee whoops like Curly as he runs away. 21 449 "Thursdays with Abie" In the Springfield Shopper the headline on August 1, 1933 supposedly read: "Curly to Shemp: You're Out!" 453 "Boy Meets Curl" The National Curly Trials are seen with everyone practicing to be Curly Howard. Moe Szyslak then says "wise guys, eh?" and slaps a long line of Curlies. 23 494 "The Ten-Per-Cent Solution" In the Museum of TV and Television, there is a display of the Three Stooges' skeletons, with Curly's bones in a box. 25 538 "White Christmas Blues" The Three Scrooges is a parody of The Three Stooges. 27 591 "The Burns Cage" Smithers refers to Homer, Lenny and Carl as Larry, Moe and Curly, and then the three start acting like them. 29 621 "Whistler's Father" Three babies parody The Three Stooges in the auditions. 37 802 "¡The Fall Guy-Yi-Yi!" Bumblebee Man mentions thinking he was invincible like Curly. However, he realized that he was just a mortal Shemp.

Comics[edit]

Picture Comic issue Story name Reference Bart Simpson #4 ...Who Wants to Win a Pocketful of Quarters? On the ...Who Wants to Win a Pocketful of Quarters? game show, Lisa and Martin are asked the question "Which of these actors was not one of the Three Stooges?" a) Moe Howard b) Larry Fine c) Leslie Howard d) Curly Howard e) Shemp Howard Martin incorrectly guesses Larry Fine, while Lisa correctly guesses Leslie Howard.

Books[edit]

Picture Book Reference Bart Simpson's Guide to Life In the diagram of what dads think of, one section of the brain is labelled "Larry, Curly 'n' Moe".

External links[edit]

• The Three Stooges at Wikipedia