I was born in in Brooklyn NY in 1897.

I died in Los Angeles CA in 1975 (at the age of 77).

I developed an interest in show business at an early age, playing "hooky" from school to attend theatrical performances (and I ended up dropping out of high school).

James Cagney

Not Jimmy.

I was part of a long-lived comedy troupe that started in vaudeville before blossoming into a film and TV career that endured (with just a small handful of personnel changes) for four decades.

Two of my brothers were, at different times, part of the act/team (one brother succeeded/replaced the other).

Our theatrical film run essentially came to an end in 1958 when our movie studio abruptly dropped us, but subsequent reruns of our work on TV revitalized and relaunched our popularity among a new generation of fans.

Groucho Marx?

Not Groucho, but good guess -- in the ballpark.

My comedy team was a trio.

For most of its history, two of us who were in it were always brothers (myself and a non-brother were there for the entire run, while the third position was filled first by one of my brothers, then by another, before eventually being replaced by another non-brother).

We worked for most of our careers making theatrical "shorts" (brief comedies shown along with cartoons, newsreels, and other "short subjects" prior to the main event of the feature film being shown).

Morris (Moe) Howard

Bingo! But team leader Moe was Moses (not Morris) Horwitz (changed to Howard for show biz).

Stooge #2, Larry Fine (originally Louis Feinberg), was a non-brother.

Stooge #3 was at first brother Shemp Howard (Samuel Horwitz) during their early vaudeville days. When their short-film Hollywood career began, that slot was first filled by younger brother Curly Howard (Jerome Horwitz); after a debilitating stroke, Shemp returned to replace Curly. When Shemp died of a sudden heart attack, he was replaced by Joe Besser for the brief remainder of their short-film career.

When TV revived the Three Stooges' popularity, the boys began making lots of public appearances and a few feature-length comedies. Stooge #3 for this final phase was Curly Joe DeRita (Joseph Wardell).

Cliff, you're up again! (Nyuk-nyuk-nyuk!)

I have always wanted to start one of these by saying, "I was born a pauper to a pawn on a Christmas day." but I've never been able to think of anyone who would fit the criteria. So we leave that alone for a while.

Here is our next mystery guest.....

1. I was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1924.
2. My dad was a furniture upholsterer, and mom also worked in the garment industry.
3. In high school I played football and was active in Drama.

4. In my youth, I suffered from Bell's Palsy. It left me with a minor slur in my speech for the rest of my life.

5. During high school I spent some time in the Catskills trying to do audience warm-up, stand-up comedy. I don't think I got one laugh.

6. I served my country after high school by enlisting in the U.S. Army. In world War II I operated an anti aircraft gun.

7. Discharged from the service, I began to do stand up at a local club in Brooklyn. This time it went better, and some key people took notice.

Henny Youngman?

Not Henny...

8. By 1950 I had been spotted working a small part in a Broadway show and was soon given small movie roles.

9. As my movie and stage careers were taking off, in the 50s and 60s I was all over TV talk shows and Game shows.
10. Later it would be suggested that I was the most common guest on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show."

Most common Carson guest was probably Charo, but I don't know who the most frequent was

Charles Nelson Reilly?

Not Charles...

11. I married my wife in 1955. We stayed married and were only parted by my death. We had three children.

Rickles? Hmm..no, I think he married late. Dangerfield was married a bunch of times.

Jerry Stiller?

Dick Martin?

Not Jerry, Not Dick.

12. With my career in full swing, There was a rumor circulated about me, that I had auditioned as a replacement for the recently departed "Stooge" Curley (Jerome) Howard. Apparently, I was offered the role and turned it down as it did not fit the style of comedy I was working for. There is neither evidence nor truth to this rumor. At the time (the mid-50s) it seemed to make sense.