I hadn't read any Stooge history until recently, when I discovered that of the Howard brothers, Curly was the youngest and Shemp was the oldest. Considering they use many of the same building blocks in their shticks, the fact that Shemp (in his run as a Stooge) was doing it after his baby brother died helps explain some of the melancholy I've always associated with him.

Tho truth be told, it's been a long time since I've watched any of their stuff.