Jerome Horwitz, famous for playing CURLY in “THE THREE STOOGES”, was known to all as a protector of dogs.
Curly’s contract with Columbia Pictures included a clause that allowed his dogs to accompany him on the studio lot. Columbia limited it to no more than two dogs at a time, this due to the puppies’ unplanned on-camera appearances from time to time. You can still see those surprise dog-on-set invasions in the first few short films.
Typically surrounded by various dogs, Curly was known to come home with a stray dog and foster it until he could find it a permanent home. When the Stooges were out on the road, Curly took it upon himself to find a new home for at least one stray dog in every town they visited.
Curly is estimated to have saved and rescued more than 5,000 dogs in his lifetime. This makes him a man ahead of his time, with a very admirable concern for man’s best friend.
Too bad he didn’t take better care of himself.