October 2- 8, 2003

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Larry Fine’s 101th Birthday Celebration

by Howard Altman

Philadelphia's most beloved funnyman was born on Oct. 5, 1902, to a jeweler named Joseph Fineberg and his wife Fanny Lieberman, who lived at 606 S. Third St.

Little Louis first became known for playing the violin. He also had a stint as a boxer. But his real renown came three decades after his birth.

He dropped the "berg," joined a couple of guys originally named Horowitz and became Larry Fine, the bushy haired Stooge, wisecracking target of Moe's murderous wrath.

Larry Fine went on to make nearly 200 Three Stooges pictures, the vast majority of which were two-reelers. (A great filmography can be found in The Three Stooges: An Illustrated History.)

His first house eventually became Jon's Bar & Grille and, starting Friday, Oct. 3, the bar will throw a weekend-long celebration of Fine's 101st birthday.

There'll be balloons, a Larry Fine look-alike contest and "Stooge" burgers and pizzas, says Donna Derhagopian, Jon's owner/manager.

Stooge burgers? Stooge pizza?

"The Three Stooges burger is just a name," says Derhagopian. "It has smoked mozzarella, mushrooms and bacon."

The "Larry Fine" pizza has pepperoni.

Derhagopian says she has received calls from as far away from California expressing interest.

One guy who will definitely be there is Philadelphia Police spokesman Cpl. Jim Pauley, a dedicated Stooge fan.

"We go there, have dinner with a bunch of members of fan clubs and show videos on the television screen," says Pauley. "It's chance to see guys who come from pretty far away, New York, Baltimore and Canada."

Larry Fine’s 101th Birthday Celebration, Jon’s Bar & Grille, Fri.-Sun., Oct. 3-5, free, Jon’s Bar & Grille, 606 S. Third St., 215-592-1390.