Paul Howard Dead: What Moe Howard’s Son Preserved

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Paul Howard Dead: What Moe Howard’s Son Preserved.

Paul Howard died earlier this week in Manhattan, according to Variety. The Hollywood Reporter also confirms that Moe Howard’s son died at age 91. According to C3 Entertainment, the owner of The Three Stooges license and brand, Paul Howard last lived on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

With his death, the life of the last surviving son of the original comedy team has ended. The team consisted of Moe, his brothers Curly and Shemp, and Larry Fine. Paul Howard was not himself part of the classic stage lineup, but he became one of the most important personal contacts for people seeking to learn more about Moe Howard and the Three Stooges’ original era.

A Family Legacy Carried by Personal Stories

Paul Howard preserved his father’s legacy from 1975 onward

Moe Howard died in 1975 at age 77. Paul Howard carried on his memory. Over several decades, he met generations of Three Stooges fans at conventions and events, sharing personal stories, family memories and insights into the lives of Moe, Shemp and Curly.

These meetings were more than a routine tribute. Paul Howard could give people a personal perspective on the man behind the iconic hairstyle and slapstick comedy. The Hollywood Reporter highlights that he also shared anecdotes from his father’s life and his uncles’ lives. What had been part of the Three Stooges’ public film legacy thus became a story Paul Howard knew from firsthand experience.

His role was also closely tied to the family legacy. Paul Howard was the only son of Moe Howard and Helen Schonberger, a cousin of the famous escape artist Harry Houdini. His sister Joan Howard Maurer recalled the birth of her son in an excerpt from her book, “Growing Up Stooge.” The contrast between family history and life onstage makes Paul Howard’s accounts understandable: they connected Moe Howard both as a father and as a publicly known comedian.

“Hey Moe, Hey Dad!” Tells the Three Stooges Story in Nine Parts

The documentary brought family knowledge into a documentary format

In 2015, Paul Howard hosted the nine-part docuseries “Hey Moe, Hey Dad!” It examined the legacy of The Three Stooges, combining rare archival material with personal family accounts. Members of the Howard, Fine and DeRita families were interviewed.

The production spread this legacy across generations. It explored the original lineup and its later development rather than focusing on a single anecdote. Fans featured in the series included Whoopi Goldberg and Leonard Maltin. The Hollywood Reporter also names actor and voice actor Billy West, who was likewise involved in the project’s reporting.

The documentary is now available through the The Three Stooges+ YouTube channel. For future generations, it makes visible what Paul Howard had conveyed at conventions for many years before: that the memory of Moe Howard consisted not only of the familiar films, but also of private stories, family knowledge and the perspective of a son who knew the star personally.

Paul Howard was born in 1935. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he lived in Rifton, New York, for more than 40 years before moving to Manhattan. His wife was Joanne, and his daughter was Jennifer. His survivors also include his nephew Jeffrey and his cousin Janie Howard Hanky, Curly’s daughter.

A Personal Connection Ends with Paul Howard

The death affects the living memory of the original Three Stooges

Paul Howard’s death does not mean that one of the well-known Three Stooges figures has disappeared from the stage. His brothers Curly and Shemp, as well as Larry Fine, had died long before him. Paul Howard was the last surviving son of the original team and thus a living connection to that first lineup.

Reports from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter tell the same story from different perspectives. Variety places Paul Howard at the center as a keeper of his father’s legacy and a conversation partner for fans. The Hollywood Reporter emphasizes his role as a narrator in the documentary and his personal closeness to Moe Howard.

Both reports make clear what Paul Howard preserved: not just his father’s name, but firsthand memories. His stories at conventions and the nine episodes of “Hey Moe, Hey Dad!” made Moe Howard visible to audiences familiar with the Three Stooges through films, comedy history and oral tradition.