Joseph Wardell (July 12, 1909 – July 3, 1993), known professionally as Joe DeRita, was an American actor and comedian, who is best known for his stint as a member of The Three Stooges in the persona of Curly Joe DeRita.
Early life
DeRita was born into a show-business family in Philadelphia, the son of Florenz (née DeRita) and Frank Wardell, and of French-Canadian and English ancestry. DeRita himself debunked the rumor, saying that it "added a romance to the story".
In the early 1970s, with Moe's approval, DeRita attempted to form a "new" Three Stooges. He recruited burlesque and vaudeville veterans Mousie Garner and Frank Mitchell to replace Moe and Larry for nightclub engagements. Their act was poorly received, quickly ending the group.
Personal life
DeRita was married twice. His first marriage was to a chorus girl named Bonnie Brooks, born Esther M. Hartenstine. They were married from July 13, 1935, until her death on September 6, 1965; they had no children. DeRita married his second wife, Jean Sullivan, the following year on December 28. DeRita is interred in a grave at the Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, California. His tombstone reads "The Last Stooge".
Legacy
thumb|right|Curly Joe DeRita with Moe Howard and Larry Fine in 1959
Although DeRita enjoyed working with Moe and Larry and made a living doing it, he was not a fan of the Stooges' humor. He once told an interviewer:
On April 24, 2000, ABC aired a television movie about the Stooges, with actor Peter Callan playing DeRita.
Filmography
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1943
| Thank Your Lucky Stars
| Meek Man
| Uncredited
|-
| 1944
| The Doughgirls
| The Stranger
| Uncredited
|-
| 1945
| The Sailor Takes a Wife
| Waiter
| Uncredited
|-
| rowspan="4"|1946
| People Are Funny
| Mr. Hinkley
| Uncredited
|-
| The French Key
| Detective Fox
|
|-
| High School Hero
| Tiny
|
|-
| Slappily Married
| Joe Bates
| Short film, Joe DeRita series
|-
| rowspan="2"|1947
| The Good Bad Egg
| Mr. Priggle
| Short film, Joe DeRita series
|-
| Wedlock Deadlock
| Eddie
| Short film, Joe DeRita series
|-
| rowspan="2"|1948
| Jitter Bughouse
| Joe
| Short film, Joe DeRita series
|-
| Coroner Creek
| Jack, Bartender
| Uncredited
|-
| 1953
| The War of the Worlds
| MP in jeep
| Uncredited
|-
| 1958
| The Bravados
| Mr. Simms
| Uncredited
|-
| 1959
| Have Rocket, Will Travel
| rowspan="6"|Curly Joe
|
|-
| 1961
| Snow White and the Three Stooges
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1962
| The Three Stooges Meet Hercules
|
|-
| The Three Stooges in Orbit
|
|-
| rowspan="4"|1963
| The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze
|
|-
| The Three Stooges Scrapbook
| Short, unsold TV pilot never released
|-
| It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
| Fireman Curly Joe
| Cameo, credited as part of 'The Three Stooges'
|-
| 4 for Texas
| rowspan="4"|Curly Joe
| Uncredited
|-
| rowspan="3"|1965
| The Outlaws Is Coming
|
|-
| The New Three Stooges
| TV series
|-
| Danny Thomas Meets the Comics
| TV movie
|-
| 1966
| The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet
| Man with Lollipop
| TV series, Uncredited
|-
| 1967
| Off to See the Wizard
| "Three Men in a Tub"
| TV series
|-
| 1968
| Star Spangled Salesman
| rowspan="2"|Curly Joe
| Short film
|-
| 1970
| Kook's Tour
| Unsold TV series pilot (final film role)
|}