Joe DeRita was born in 1909 as Joseph Wardell and was the only Stooge to come from a show business family; his father, Frank Wardell, was a stage technician and his mother, Florenze Wardell, was a dancer. As a young boy, Joe performed onstage with his mother and sister in a dancing act called "DeRita Sisters and Junior." In 1921, he struck out on his own as a comedian. He was involved in the New York burlesque circuit for many years and then moved to California, where he made his film debut in "The Doughgirls," a Warner Brothers feature. Between 1944 and 1958, Joe appeared in five movies. 

Joe became one of the biggest stars in the postwar years of burlesque.¹² During World War II, Joe toured with the USO and entertained the troops with Bing Crosby. When he returned home, he joined Harold Monsky's burlesque group and was soon the top comic for them. While touring with Minsky, Joe was noticed by the Three Stooges. Joe Besser had left the act to care for his wife, who had suffered a heart attack. After offering Joe DeRita a tryout, the Stooges hired him as the Third Stooge in 1958. 

Joe DeRita, also known as "Curly Joe," was featured in six films and made cameo appearances in two others: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Four for Texas, both in 1963.¹³ Joe DeRita continued his role as Curly Joe until 1969; when Larry Fine suffered a stroke in 1970, The Three Stooges were forced into retirement.

Joe was a quiet, reserved man; he was married to his wife, Jean Sullivan in 1966 and lived a quiet, non-Hollywood life with her until his death from pneumonia in 1993.