Rating: 
Summary: Great potential disappointingly sensationalized
Review: A lot of great photos and wonderful quotes from celebrities whose careers crossed the 6 members of the Three Stooges, and Ted Healy. It is interesting to identify Healy's many other stooges, but claiming them as unknown integral members of the Three Stooges stretches the imagination too far. 3rd party recollections and rumors are relied to report medical histories and homicide conspiracies. Too much of this book reads like an expanded issue of the National Enquirer.The authors obviously have a vast collection of material that could easily make up a coffee table type book. But they decided to go with cheap sensationalizing. Too bad for them, the readers, and the Three Stooges.
Rating: 
Summary: Stooge Fan Freak-Out
Review: A lot of Stooge fans may be freaked out over the content of this book, which discloses a lot of facts contrary to what has been published in the past. But the documentation is there, and it backs up the "tragedies" as much as it does the "triumphs." The story of the Three Stooges has much laughter and much tears, and both laughter and the tears are examined in this extremely well-assembled book. Any Stooge fan who doesn't like it or can't take it is simply living in denial.
Rating:
Summary: By Far The Best Three Stooges Biography Ever Published
Review: As a rule I am not fond of biographical histories, but this incredible book is very well-written and presented in a very entertaining and informative fashion. The photos are fantastic and the stories are mind-boggling and impartial. This is by far the best Three Stooges biography ever published, superior even to "Moe Howard & The Three Stooges."
Rating:
Summary: Eat, Drink and Beat Larry!
Review: I am not a particularly devoted fan of the Three Stooges, but I am a big collector of Hollywood histories and Broadway biographies in general. I recently received this book as a gift, and admittedly was somewhat underwhelmed. But once I started reading it, I literally could not put this book down! Surprisingly, The Three Stooges: The Triumphs and Tragedies of The Most Popular Comedy Team of All Time (Donaldson Books) is one of the best entertainment biographies I have ever read. In their fifth and latest release about what could be this country's all-time favorite comedy team, the Forrester brothers have successfully integrated their in-depth research skills, captivating photographic image collection and "just-the-facts-ma'am" journalistic writing style into a topnotch expose on Curly, Moe and Larry -- as well as the 15 other men who made up the Three Stooges. The birth and the death of a comedy team (and everything else in between) is carefully outlined and
painstakingly detailed by the authors in this fact-filled, fun and intimate look at the rather complicated story of all 18 men who became a Stooge for the act's creator, and long-forgotten funnyman, Ted Healy. The Three Stooges are the only classic comedians who have successfully moved from the early days of vaudeville to virtual reality and beyond while becoming more popular with each passing year. Undoubtedly the Three Stooges were comedic geniuses and are finally being recognized as America's Sultans of Slapstick, and this book documents every step of their triumphant, and sometimes tragic, rise to superstardom. Beside being a compelling read, the huge collection of hundreds of vintage visuals and candid Stooge photos included throughout the text makes this book well worth the purchase price. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys entertainment and to everyone who could use a good laugh or even a good cry. Stooge fan or not you'd have to be some kind of Knucklehead to pass up your chance to read this great new book!
Rating:
Summary: Eat, Drink and Beat Larry!
Review: I am not a particularly devoted fan of the Three Stooges, but I am a big collector of Hollywood histories and Broadway biographies in general. I recently received this book as a gift, and admittedly was somewhat underwhelmed. But once I started reading it, I literally could not put this book down! Surprisingly, The Three Stooges: The Triumphs and Tragedies of The Most Popular Comedy Team of All Time (Donaldson Books) is one of the best entertainment biographies I have ever read. In their fifth and latest release about what could be this country's all-time favorite comedy team, the Forrester brothers have successfully integrated their in-depth research skills, captivating photographic image collection and "just-the-facts-ma'am" journalistic writing style into a topnotch expose on Curly, Moe and Larry -- as well as the 15 other men who made up the Three Stooges. The birth and the death of a comedy team (and everything else in between) is carefully outlined and
painstakingly detailed by the authors in this fact-filled, fun and intimate look at the rather complicated story of all 18 men who became a Stooge for the act's creator, and long-forgotten funnyman, Ted Healy. The Three Stooges are the only classic comedians who have successfully moved from the early days of vaudeville to virtual reality and beyond while becoming more popular with each passing year. Undoubtedly the Three Stooges were comedic geniuses and are finally being recognized as America's Sultans of Slapstick, and this book documents every step of their triumphant, and sometimes tragic, rise to superstardom. Beside being a compelling read, the huge collection of hundreds of vintage visuals and candid Stooge photos included throughout the text makes this book well worth the purchase price. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys entertainment and to everyone who could use a good laugh or even a good cry. Stooge fan or not you'd have to be some kind of Knucklehead to pass up your chance to read this great new book!
Rating:
Summary: Not Just Another Worthless Coffee Table Book
Review: I couldn't disagree more with the other review stating this was just another worthless coffee table book. Sure, there are lots of great pics, and if that were all, it might be just another coffee table book. But the pictures only enhance the tremendous amount of new information on The Stooges provided by the Forresters. The amount of research and documentation that went into writing this book is obvious. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and no true Stooge fan should be without it. And by the way, if you want to see more great pics, check out their website at Stoogebook.com.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book Ever Written About The Three Stooges
Review: I have read every book available about The Three Stooges, and this is by far the best ever written on the subject. Fascinating, captivating, sometimes-shocking, and extremely well-researched text describes not only what it was like to be in on the inception of the team with Ted Healy in vaudeville, but also addresses Healy's untimely death/murder, the team's rocky road to solo success in radio and film, and eventual meteoric rise to super stardom in television and contemporary home entertainment. I was also amazed to discover that there were 18 different men to play the role of one of the "Three" Stooges throughout the team's lengthy career in showbusiness (most fans think there were only 6). This is also the most lavishly illustrated Stooge book ever, jammed-packed with rare photos of the Stooges both in and out of character, as well as posters, programs and newspaper clippings from throughout the team's entire career. I ordered my copy at stoogebook.com, where the book comes autographed by the authors (Stooge historians Jeff Forrester and Tom Forrester), editor Joe Wallison, and 92-year-old surviving vaudeville Stooge, Mousie Garner. If you're a Stooge fan, you can also visit the stoogebook.com website and get your name printed in the book's Fandom Honor Roll section like I did. This is the fifth Stooge book by the Forrester Brothers, and it is by far the best in the series. I strongly recommend this book to any Stooge fan, as well as anyone interested in Hollywood history and comedy in general.
Rating: 
Summary: Did I miss something?
Review: I like the book cover with all the Stooges on it. Only three stars.... yes and here is why - The books format was screwed-up. The writer tried to give a biography of each Stooge, and then later on tell the story about the Stooges, with infomation being choppy and repeated. Also what is this with Mousie Garner..... Last of the Stooge wanna-be's. Lots of pictures of about 16 Stooge wanna-be's, but not much information on them, as the only connection is that they were Ted Healy's foil. Too much homeage is paid to Healy, and I know that will make some Stooge fans blood boil, by me even saying this. He started the act, but the act was Moe, Shimp, Larry, and later Curly ( and Besser and CurlyJoe) To give Healy so much credit, is to take away from the six true Stooges. He was the straight man, but in the few films I have seen him in, Emil Sitka was a much better straight man to play off of. Also the write up reviews acted like this book would be a tell all about Healy's death...... However only a suggestion of his death is mentiond in one paragraph. What bugged me the most was all the Moe Howard bashing. Like it was his fault the other stooges died of strokes.... being hit was part of the game..... if they didn't like it, as in Joe Bessers case, they can move on. I will say that the book did a good job in telling the story of transitions between Stooges, and good information about Besser and CurlyJoe who are normally left out of the picture. It was interesting that Besser hated being a Stooge, until he was no longer a Stooge, and when he started seeing all the money coming in, do to the Stooge shorts being played on TV, and all the fans, I think he realized he had made a mistake. To be honest he didn't, as his Stooge character didn't go over well - the "gay" Stooge, which he wasn't. CurlyJoe was no Curly, and he knew that and did his own style of humor.... He is not given the credit he deserves. I think the Stooges would have ended in 1959 if it wasn't for him, and it did end when he died in 1993.
Rating: 
Summary: Content is 5*, but presentation is 3*
Review: THE GOOD
This is the definitive Stooge book. We don't just read the Stooges history, we see it as well. Not only do we get new glimpses into the lives of the 3 Stooges, but we also learn more about Ted Healy and the various other Stooges throughout the years. Have you ever heard of Mousie, Frank, or Sam? Neither had I, until I read this book. If you like the stooges, you will love this book. THE BAD (or at least not quite so good)
I was not too thrilled with the physical qualities of the book. The binding in my copy was a little weak and the paper seems of a lower quality. I, myself, prefer glossy pages to such books, but the paper in this book does not have this quality. Simple thinks like a lack of Chapter titles and dull B/W fonts also made the book less visually appealing. I guess some of this might have been a cost cutting measure. I guess when the only complaint I have about a book is a matter of format, you know you have something great. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.
Rating:
Summary: A Fun Fest for any Stooge Fan
Review: This turns out to be the most accurate story of the 3 Stooges saga ever printed. A behind the scenes biography of the greatest comedy team of all time. Of particular interest is the fascinating story of how the Stooges were created by the great Ted Healy. For years other books have dismissed Healy as a footnote in Stooge history but here we find the real story of how Healy invented Stooge comedy and gave Moe, Larry, Curly and Shemp their big break in show business. Without Ted Healy there would be no Stooges. Just as fascinating is how the Stooges were developed at Columbia Pictures, by the likes of Jules White, Del Lord, Charley Chase and Edward Bernds, into Comedy Legends. The 3 Stooges are the only old time comedians that keep getting more popular as time goes on.
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