The pillar of The Three Stooges, Curly Howard, was an experienced carouser whose late evening eating and drinking began taking its toll. In the July 1945 release of "Idiots Deluxe," Curly, 42, was clearly showing signs of slowing down from his usual high energy on-screen antics. His voice, purposely forced higher while filming on the set to separate himself from Moe and Larry's lower tonalities, was beginning to lose its falsetto pitch. And his movements weren't as physically adept as in the past. This all was evident shortly before he experienced a series of strokes.
As par for the course, Columbia Pictures didn't release its Stooges' short films until six or more months after they finished filming. In "Idiots Deluxe's" case, its production took place in early October 1944, three months before Curly's first minor stroke. The Jules White-directed movie opens with Moe's nerves shot, prompting Larry and Curly to take him out into the wild countryside for a well-needed rest. Once situated in their rustic rented cabin, a bear lurks nearby, disrupting their intended peaceful vacation. Largely a remake of the Del Lord-directed 1935 Academy Award nominated comedy short 'Oh, My Nerves" starring comedian Monte Collins, "Idiots Deluxe" is famous for the scene showing the vast amount of condiments Larry and Curly slather on their bread while making their sandwiches. Concentrating on preparing their lunch, the two don't notice the bear gulping down the cooked eggs Moe had placed on the table next to an open window. After Moe smacks the heck out of both of them thinking they ate all the eggs, he forces them to cook the breakfast while he prepares his own sandwich. As he pours a ton of honey on the bread saturated in ketchup, Moe gushes, "If there's anything I like better than honey and ketchup, it's bologna and whipped cream-and we haven't got any!"
"Idiots Deluxe" is also known for the first time the title of the Stooges film shown over the ancient Greek comic mask of the goddess Thalia, the mythical muse of comedy and poetry. This opening format would remain in the front credits throughout the rest of the Stooges' Columbia series.
