Dick Curtis

Career

Curtis was born Richard Dye in Newport, Kentucky. Standing at 6' 3", Curtis appeared in films stretching from Charles Starrett to The Three Stooges. In most of his films, he played villains or heavies. He made television appearances on The Lone Ranger and The Range Rider. He appeared in California Gold Rush, Spook Town, The Gene Autry Show, and many others.

Though his forte was in villainous roles, Curtis had a genuine comedic touch. As such, modern audiences will recognize Curtis for his roles in such Three Stooges films as Yes, We Have No Bonanza, You Nazty Spy! and The Three Troubledoers.

Pioneertown

With the help of his friend and actor Russell Hayden, Curtis helped develop Pioneertown, a western movie set location in Southern California that was used for many television and film westerns.

Death

Curtis died of lung cancer on January 3, 1952, fifteen days before Curly Howard, and two months before fellow Stooge character actor Eddie Laughton in March. His final appearance with the Stooges was as Shemp Howard's dental patient in The Tooth Will Out.

He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

Selected filmography

Counsel for Crime (1937)

The Gambling Terror (1937)

Penitentiary (1938)

Flat Foot Stooges (1938)

Adventure in Sahara (1938)

The Main Event (1938)

North of Shanghai (1939)

The Stranger from Texas (1939)

We Want Our Mummy (1939)

Yes, We Have No Bonanza (1939)

Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise (1939)

You Nazty Spy! (1940)

Rockin' Thru the Rockies (1940)

Across the Sierras (1941)

Two Yanks in Trinidad (1942)

Higher Than a Kite (1943)

The Phantom (serial) (1943)

Crash Goes the Hash (1944)

The Three Troubledoers (1946)

Wyoming (1947)

Three Arabian Nuts (1951)

Don't Throw That Knife (1951)

The Tooth Will Out (1951)