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Moe Howard handwritten page from the draft of his autobiography, ''Moe Howard & the 3 Stooges''. In this manuscript, Howard writes about his early film roles with Vitagraph Studios, including Howard's very first film role as a reformed bully in ''We Must Do Our Best'', co-starring child actor Kenneth Casey. After this role, Howard reflects on how he was typecast as an ''urchin and ragamuffin'' or else a wealthy bully. Moe writes in part:
''...in the film [Kenneth Casey] showed me the harm I was doing and the trouble I was causing after which I became his pal and bosom friend. Between us we set everything right at the orphanage and as the film progressed Kenneth fell in love with and married the sweet orphan girl. Kenneth and his wife Dorothy became the heads of the orphanage and I got the job of keeping order amongst the rough element at the orphanage. I was known as and addressed as Sergeant Harry. The film ended with me coaching a football team at the orphanage and Kenneth, Dorothy and their little girl Jennifer in the back yard of their home, propelling Jennifer high in the air on her swing as we fade out.
In due time I ran errands and met and talked with and appeared in films with, John Bunny, Flora Finch, Erle Williams, Lillian Walker, Maurice Costello, Herbert Rawlinson and Walter Johnstone. The studios weren't troubled with [?] stages, or closed sets used mostly sunlight and those dangerous Klieg lights which if you looked at straight into them for any length of time you could damage your eyes. I appeared mostly as a street urchin and ragamuffin and on some occassions [sic] a genteel lad from a very wealthy family a sort of a hateful showoff and braggard [sic] and in general a very sly troublemaker. I played the parts well altho I didn't enjoy the rolls [sic]. I think I must have been the earliest type casted individual. There must have been something sinister about my looks. I must evidently have been [?] the parts I was playing. My brothers Irving, Jack and Shemp thought I was going nuts.''
Single page manuscript on lined yellow legal paper measures 8'' x 12.5''. Light creasing, toning and soiling, overall very good condition. From the Moe Howard estate.
Moe Howard's Handwritten Manuscript Page When Writing His Autobiography -- Moe Describes His First Film Role as a Bully in ''We Must Do Our Best'' & Then Being Typecast as an ''urchin and ragamuffin''
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