To me,
He was the more famous of the two celebrities. (Acceptable)
He was the most famous of the three celebrities. (Acceptable)
He was the more clever of the two. (Acceptable; the cleverer of the two is also possible)
He was the most clever of the three. (Acceptable; the cleverest is also possible)
He was the most clever of (in) the group. (the cleverest is also possible)