News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page 86

2F NEWS-PRESS, SUNDAY AUGUST 13. 1989 JX Student learns lesson hard way Moe Howard's kids recall funny father By JEFF WILLIAMS Gannett News Service in show business, both children said their father never really socialized with show-biz types, except for Larry Fine, former "Bowery Boy" Huntz Hall and comedy writer Henry Taylor. The Howards would call on friends in the toy and garment business to donate their wares to the Spastic Children's House, a home for children with cerebral palsy. "It was a side of him that he preferred to keep low-key," Paul Howard said. Moe insisted that his children go to public schools and try to lead a quiet life.

If someone had looked in the Howards' backyard, Paul Howard said, he would have seen a typical American family whose idea of a wild Saturday night was a weekly gin rummy game. Sometimes the family did As children, Paul and Joan Howard sometimes hesitated to tell their friends their father's occupation. That's because many referred to him as a stooge. And they were right. Moe Howard was the notorious "bedpan haircut" leader of the famed comedy team The Three Stooges.

As adults, Joan Howard Maurer and her younger brother, Paul Howard, have come to realize that their father's eye-poking, forehead-slapping career wasn't as awkward for them as it seemed years ago. Now, the two regularly appear as guest speakers at conventions and symposiums honoring their father, uncles Curly and Shemp, and DEAR ABBY: I can't believe I'm Writing this, but I'm really upset and need your help. When we had finals at school, I did one of the dumbest things ever: I gave a lot of the answers to a friend I'll call Lisa. She knew how uncomfortable I felt doing this, but she kept pressuring me until gave in. That wasn't the first time she pushed me into doing something I really didn't want to do.

Well, the next day, our teacher called us both in and told us that he Knew what we had done, so he was giving us both Fs, which brought my liard-earned A down to a He then asked Lisa if she had flressured me into giving her the answers, and she lied, saying, "No, I just asked for a little help, and she gave me some." Abby, before this happened, all my grades were mostly As and a few Bs. This is really going to bring down my grade-point average. Also, the man who teaches this class is my favorite teacher, and he said I really let him down. How can I earn back his respect? Sorry, sorry, sorry DEAR SORRY: You can try to earn back his respect by consistently behaving in an honorable manner. You merit congratulations for your excellent scholastic record, but until you learn how to prevent people from using you, your education will be incomplete.

And may I share an old truism les to mind: "It's no disgrace Am na uriloco irnn our that rnrties to fall from grace 'I was in the William Morris agency office to do some research on the Stooges. I told the secretary of the head of the legal department who I was. The next thing I see is this secretary, who is in her early 30s, start doing woo-woo-woo's and waving her fingers underneath her chin like Joan Howard Maurer erupt into Stooge-like antics, some of which were captured on home movies that will be featured at the convention. Included are scenes of Curly, who loved to swim, belly-flopping and "emptying half the pool," Howard said. "Like most families, our family would 'ham it up when a camera would pop up." Howard said his uncle Shemp was naturally funny.

He recalled that Shemp loved boxing. "He would come over and watch the fights on television. It was more fun to watch him than the fights, because he would duck, bob and weave as if he were the fighter." The show-biz bug did not pass on to the next generation. "I remember going on the sets to visit my father, but it wasn't such a big deal," Maurer said. Paul Howard is a partner in an advertising business in Manhattan.

He said it's hard for any child to compete with a parent's reputation. "But imagine what it's like to someone whose father is so successful and known worldwide like my father," he said. fellow stooge Larry Fine. "There were times that I would tell my friends that my father was a meter reader," Paul Howard said. "It seemed more normal than telling them who he really was.

It wasn't that I was embarrassed about his career as much as I wondered if they came toseemeormydad." Maurer, 62, said she never knew how people would react to her father's career. "Sometimes it was embarrassing because some people, particularly women of that era, would turn up their noses," she said. But Maurer believes today's baby boomers are more receptive to the trio's antics. She cites a recent incident: "I was in the William Morris agency office to do some research on the Stooges. I told the secretary of the head of the legal department who I was.

The next thing I see is this secretary, who is in her early 30s, start doing woo-woo-woo's and waving her fingers underneath her chin like Curly." Although the Stooges' screen Gregory: This perfect guy is a doll Maurer has written several books on the Stooges. She was also secretary and assistant to her late husband, Norman, who was director, producer and writer for many of the Stooges' full-length feature films, animated series and comic books. Since their father's death in 1 975, Maurer and her brother feel they have inherited their family's fans. "I feel that I have a responsibility to answer anybody who takes the time to write," Maurer said. Added Howard, "I feel like a catalyst between my father and the fans.

I really don't remember a lot of the people who came to my father's funeral, but going to these conventions is great. I tell them stories about my father. Some are funny, some are sad. It's like therapy for me." antics have been judged by fans and critics as everything from brilliant slapstick to just plain silly and even offensive, Maurer and Howard say Moe the father was nothing like Moe the Stooge. Her father was a generous, thoughtful person, said Maurer.

Said Howard, "He was kind of pensive. If you asked him a question he would think about it for a while before he'd answer. He wore his hair differently, too. It was combed back, and after the Stooges folded, he let the gray show." But his father was like the character in some ways, said Howard, 54. "Even though he had only an eighth-grade education, he was a very wise businessman.

He would always look after Curly, who was kind of a wild guy who loved women, dogs and drinking. Dad was concerned for him." Moe Howard also invested in real estate and in a Burbank, furniture business. Although the Howards lived in California and were I'm just really tempted to buy one of those plastic, life-sized mannequins that people send for as a crime deterrent. It's not that I'm paranoid about driving in a car alone or being seen through the windows of my home unprotected. Frankly, I'd like the company.

The man I saw in a catalog was about 6 feet tall, bald and built from fiberglass and high-impact plastic. In the ad, he was sitting between two people who were obviously at a party. All three had wine glasses in their hands. I didn't think the mannequin would be a designated driver, but I couldn't figure out why they gave him a drink in the first place. All that aside, he looked pretty realistic.

The description said you could bolt on his head and upper legs with wing nuts (included), and dress him in anything you wanted to. I've saved the best part until last: HIS EYES ARE OPEN ALL THE TIME. because she wanted it for sentimental reasons. The moral of this story is that we all need to plan for our deaths, as morbid and unpleasant as it may seem. Troublesome things might happen when we fail to make those plans.

Abby, please tell your readers to write their wills, keep them updated, and be sure to consider life insurance. It will fulfill their financial obligations when they cannot and a spouse, children and mortgages are heavy obligations. San Diego estate planner DEAR ESTATE PLANNER: Your letter makes sense, and I thank you for it. DEAR ABBY: When "Four Girls in Charleston, W.Va." asked, "Can a girl get pregnant when she does it with a guy for the first time?" you replied, "Yes." Abby, you should have put the "Yes" in capital letters. I was a 14-year-old virgin when a guy told me that I couldn't get pregnant when I "did it" with a guy the first time.

I believed him, and now at 16, 1 am the single mother of a 2-year-old son. You can sign Stupid in Buffalo Abigail Van Buren is a syndicated columnist. Send questions to Dear Abby, P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, Calif. 90069.

For a personal reply, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. had it for lunch. If Gregory was watching a baseball game and I flipped the channel to watch "Murphy Brown," he wouldn't threaten to destroy my pets if I ever did that again. He would be wonderful to buy clothes for. I wouldn't know how to act if someone kept every gift I bought instead of saying, "I don't need this.

I already have a shirt." Think about it. Here's a man who doesn't sweat, give you ring-around-the-collar, leave toothpaste in the sink or snore. The ad said he is used by police departments in more than 20 states, so he can get steady work. And he never whines about benefits or changes his day off. On second thought, it might be boring to have someone just sit and stare straight ahead.

Besides, for $500 1 don't need another man in the house to dust. the major news in the lives of people you profess to care about, voice encouragement when things are uncertain, and echo their pleasure when things go well. Every family used to have at least one elderly aunt who expressed confidence rather than offering advice, and lit up with joy when told about something good happening. Everyone adored her. DEAR MISS MANNERS: We remodeled our guest bathroom, and I see now that a painting currently hanging in our living room would look nicer in the new bathroom.

However, I'm worried that the artist, my sister-in-law, will be offended if I make such a transfer. As it stands now, the painting gets lost among the other artworks in the living room, whereas in the bathroom it would catch the eye immediately. I do intend this move as a compliment, but I don't know if my sister-in-law will take it as such. GENTLE READER: Nice try. You almost have Miss Manners convinced that this move is intended as a compliment, so perhaps you can convince the artist.

However, doing so would be an amazing piece of diplomacy, and you ought to do it hesitatingly, perhaps in the guise of asking your sister-in-law's advice, while being prepared to retreat if it doesn't seem to be working. For reasons Miss Manners does not care to go too deeply into, bathrooms are not considered to be places of honor for the exhibition of art. The, ah, circumstances associated with visits to this room are not thought to lend themselves to producing the attention necessary for the serious contemplation of art. Judith Martin is a syndicated columnist. Address questions to Miss Manners, in care of the News-Press, P.O.

Box 91428, Cleveland, Ohio 44101-3428. years, and Renee Chenault, a former anchor in Albany, N.Y. Among upcoming high-tech stories is a gem about a TV which can be programmed to record shows according to its owner's taste while deleting ads. ms jn a casseroe in jront or trma jjombeck is a syndicatt It would take some getting used to him, and he wouldn't inform me he columnist. Listening can be a rewarding art For anyone interested in becom- I 1 I people's pleasure is comparative ing wildly popular and widely be- easy.

You need only keep track of tl pig's lips in a casserole in front of Erma Bombeck is a syndicated people's pleasure is comparatively easy. You need only keep track of 1. MEDICALLY SUPERVISED BY DOCTORS AND NURSES. 2. EAT REGULAR GROCERY STORE BOUGHT FOOD.

3. NO PRE-PACKAGED BLAND FOOD. 4. NO EXERCISE, SHOTS OR PILLS. 5.

OUR PATIENTS LOSE FROM 3 TO 7 LBS. PER WEEK. WE GUARANTEE IT! DEAR ABBY ABIGAIL VAN BUREN 'Somebody pushed DEAR ABBY: "Connie's Mother" wrote that her daughter's fiance, "Matthew," had died, and Connie asked his mother if she could have the $1,200 Rolex watch she had given him (it had both their names engraved on it). Matthew's mother said she could have it for $600. Your comment: "I'm glad you didn't ask me what I thought of Matthew's mother because it would have been unprintable." Abby, please consider that Matthew's mother is probably the executrix of her son's estate, which requires that she pay all his debts, medical bills and last expenses.

These costs are unexpected and can be tremendous. That Rolex watch might be one of his only assets. The executor of an estate is required under most state laws to pay those debts with whatever assets are available, so Matthew's mother could be held liable if she simply gave the watch to Connie EIU.1A DOMDECK to look over and see a man in a chair after 9 in the evening with his eyes open. As I looked at Gregory (that's his order name), it occurred to me there were other advantages to this mailorder crime fighter. I could confess to him that I drove to the store and back with the emergency brake engaged, and he wouldn't bite his necktie in half.

For dinner, I could put braised MISS MANNERS JUDITH MARTIN one. Hearty congratulations are easier to produce than acceptable expressions of sympathy, which have to be more delicate and individualized. Yet vicarious pleasure is apparently harder to come by than vicarious misery. Naturally, the fortunate person is careful to minimize his happiness in front of strangers and acquaintances, for fear of seeming to brag. But ask yourself how many people just among your relatives and close friends you can call up and tell, excitedly, "Guess what I'm in love!" or "We're expecting a baby" or "I got promoted" or "My daughter got into her first-choice college" with the confidence that the answer will be an enthusiastic "That's terrific." The conventional responses seem to have become more along the lines of "I'm going to be the only single person left" and "Did you do it on purpose?" and "How are you going to manage without neglecting your family?" and "Wait till she gets there you'll never hear from her except when she needs money." One has to admire all that creative effort being summoned just to attempt to undermine somebody's simple joy.

To use the opportunity to draw the fortunate one's attention to those less fortunate (starting with oneself), to suggest that the happiness must be an accident, to plant the idea that it will create problems, to insinuate that satisfactory relationships are bound to deteriorate eventually that takes work. The job of cheerleading other investigative reporter most recently a local anchor in Washington, D.C., and still hosting PBS' "Science Journal," joins returning correspondent Randy Meier. Also new: Barry Nolan, Boston co-host of "Evening Magazine" for nine MY DREAM CAME TRUE. My dream was to reach my long lost goal of being alim and trim and to be able to pick out smaller size clothes that would actually fit me. I wanted a new me.

I wanted to be able to look at myBelf with pride knowing that my dream came true. With the Beverly Hills program, I went to the grocery store and bought regular food. I had NO HUNGER PAIN, NO CRAVING FOR SWEETS OR SALT, and NO NERVOUSNESS. This, to me, was a blessing. Thanks Beverly Hills for helping me change my life.

YOU CAN KEEP THE 66 LBS I LEFT YOU. BRENDA 1 III DONT WEIGHT Call now for a Free consultation. Our professional staff will be there to help you every inch of the way. 482-2221 481-8813 ISLAND PARK COLLEGE PLAZA loved, Miss Manners has a social role to suggest. You can begin at any age, with the assurance that the older you get, the more you will be valued.

No financial outlay is required, and very little effort. Be the person who is unreservedly delighted to hear other people's good news. It is a peculiar commentary on our times that such a role is generally vacant. Traditionally, happiness was something that could be proudly shared, but burdens had to be carried alone. Now there are all kinds of ready outlets for bad news.

It is conceded that a person whose marriage is breaking up has unlimited nighttime telephone-call privileges to those friends who forgot to turn on their answering machines. People who don't get along with their children meet with tremendous reserves of sympathy, as do children, whose parents didn't live up to their expectations. Victims, as well as perpetrators, of crime are encouraged to talk about their experiences. For every affliction, there is a support group. Fpr every support group, there is a spot on a television talk show.

Miss Manners is gratified to observe this increase in the expression of compassion. If she still believes that formal introductions should precede the announcement of personal troubles and the request for sympathy, put it down to old-fashioned reticence and the desire to read books in airplanes instead of listening to the marital disappointments of strangers. But why a lively interest in the difficulties of others should crowd out an interest in others' good fortune, Miss Manners does not understand. Compassionate people would surely rather hear that others are being made happy than that they are being made sad. A fortunate person requires less listening time than an unfortunate 3fTTn t.CI aril CaPe uinkle, ha and Heart 1 BIB rnas rilU' I I I I -nfl 1 Lv kn vou ca" fnr the chole' are requ" Fox is sending new reporters 'Beyond Tomorrow' Gannett News Service Fox's low-rated "Beyond Tomorrow" series adds three new reporters when the second season premieres Aug.

26. Dave Marash, an Emmy-winning.