Shemp Howard
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Samuel (born Shmuel) Horwitz (March 11, 1895 – November 22, 1955), known professionally as Shemp Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He is best known today for his role as the third stooge in the Three Stooges, a role he first portrayed at the beginning of the act in the early 1920s (1923–1932) while the act was still associated with Ted Healy and known as "Ted Healy and his Stooges", and again from 1946 until his death in 1955. Between his times with the Stooges, Shemp had a successful film career as a solo comedian. He was born in Manhattan, New York and raised in Brooklyn, the third-born of five Horwitz brothers, sons of Lithuanian Jewish parents. Moses - professionally known as Moe Howard - and Jerome - professionally known as Curly Howard - were his younger brothers. Throughout his career Shemp seldom stuck to the script and would liven up scenes with ad-libbed incidental dialogue or wisecracks. This became a trademark of his performances. His most notable characteristic as a Stooge was a high-pitched "bee-bee-bee-bee-bee-bee!" sound, a sort of soft screech done by inhaling. It became his signature sound. He used his somewhat homely appearance for comic effect, often mugging grotesquely or allowing his hair to fall in disarray. Shemp was married to the former Gertrude Frank, whom he wed in September 1925. The couple had one child, Morton (1926–1972). On November 22, 1955, while returning home in a taxicab following attending a boxing match with friends, Shemp, age 60, died of a sudden massive heart attack. The Three Stooges have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street.
Known for
Credits
Hokus Pokus (1949)
as Shemp
Another Thin Man (1939)
as Wacky (uncredited)
Buck Privates (1941)
as Chef
Hellzapoppin' (1941)
as Louie
Arabian Nights (1942)
as Sinbad
Fuelin' Around (1949)
as Shemp
Hold That Ghost (1941)
as Soda Jerk
The Invisible Woman (1940)
as Frankie
Out West (1947)
as Shemp
Africa Screams (1949)
as Gunner
The Bank Dick (1940)
as Joe Guelpe
It Ain't Hay (1943)
as Umbrella Sam
In the Navy (1941)
as Dizzy
The Flame of New Orleans (1941)
as Oyster Bed Cafe Waiter (uncredited)
The Three Stooges Story (2001)
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
Mummy's Dummies (1948)
as Shemp
Murder Over New York (1940)
as Shorty McCoy alias Rashid the Fakir
He Cooked His Goose (1952)
as Shemp
Salt Water Daffy (1933)
as Wilbur the Kleptomaniac
Crazy House (1943)
as Mumbo
I Scream (1934)
as Moran's Henchman
Bubble Trouble (1953)
as Shemp
Butch Minds the Baby (1942)
as 'Squinty' Sweeny
Tight Shoes (1941)
as Okay
Fright Night (1947)
as Shemp
Headin' East (1937)
as Windy Wylie
Musty Musketeers (1954)
as Shemp
Brideless Groom (1947)
as Shemp
Pittsburgh (1942)
as Shorty (The Tailor)
Blondie Knows Best (1946)
as Jim Gray
Mr. Dynamite (1941)
as 'Abdullah'
Hot Stuff (1956)
as Shemp (archive footage)
Gold Raiders (1951)
as Shemp
Soup to Nuts (1930)
as Fireman
Society Mugs (1946)
as Shemp
I'm a Monkey's Uncle (1948)
as Shemp
Stone Age Romeos (1955)
as Shemp
Hot Ice (1955)
as Shemp
Pure Feud (1934)
as Clem McCarthy
Give Us Wings (1940)
as Buzz Berger
Malice in the Palace (1949)
as Shemp
Mississippi Gambler (1942)
as Milton Davis - Brooklyn Cab Driver
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady (1940)
as Joe - a Pickpocket
The Hot Scots (1948)
as Shemp
The Three Stooges Greatest Hits! (1997)
as Self / Shemp (archive footage)
Art Trouble (1934)
as Short Painter
Husbands Beware (1956)
as Prof. Shemp Howard
Knutzy Knights (1954)
as Shemp
The Strange Case of Doctor Rx (1942)
as Det. Sgt. Sweeney
Cracked Nuts (1941)
as Eddie / Ivan
Scrambled Brains (1951)
as Shemp
Triple Crossed (1959)
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
Millionaires in Prison (1940)
as Professor
Loose Loot (1953)
as Shemp
Rumpus in the Harem (1956)
as Shemp (archive footage)
Creeps (1956)
as Shemp / Shemp's son
Scotched in Scotland (1954)
as Shemp
Three Stooges Comedy Collection (2024)
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Spooks! (1953)
as Shemp
Hugs and Mugs (1950)
as Shemp
Corn on the Cop (1934)
as Reginald / Reggie
Boobs in the Woods (1940)
as Gus
Slaphappy Sleuths (1950)
as Shemp
Three of a Kind (1944)
as Shemp Howard
One Exciting Week (1946)
as Marvin Lewis
Private Buckaroo (1942)
as Sgt. 'Muggsy' Shavel
Rambling 'Round Radio Row #9 (1934)
as Songwriters' Representative
Strange Affair (1944)
as Laundry Truck Driver
Road Show (1941)
as Moe Parker (uncredited)
Smoked Hams (1934)
as Henry Howard
Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special (2003)
as Shemp (archive footage)
Sing a Song of Six Pants (1947)
as Shemp
The Leather Pushers (1940)
as Sailor McNeill
Income Tax Sappy (1954)
as Shemp
A Missed Fortune (1952)
as Shemp
Hit the Road (1941)
as Dingbat
Punchy Cowpunchers (1950)
as Shemp
A Peach of a Pair (1934)
as Butler
Keep 'Em Slugging (1943)
as Binky
Cuckoo on a Choo Choo (1952)
as Shemp
Tricky Dicks (1953)
as Shemp
Pardon My Backfire (1953)
as Shemp
Meet the Chump (1941)
as Stinky Fink
Classic Comedy Teams (1986)
as Shemp (archive footage)
Jerks of All Trades (1949)
as Shemp
Pick a Peck of Plumbers (1944)
as Elmer Peabody
Gobs of Fun (1933)
as Club patron
Moonlight and Cactus (1944)
as Punchy Carter
Love at First Bite (1950)
as Shemp
Bedlam in Paradise (1955)
as Shemp
Gypped in the Penthouse (1955)
as Shemp
Scheming Schemers (1956)
as Shemp (archive footage)
The Tooth Will Out (1951)
as Shemp
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga (1941)
as Gabby
The Knife of the Party (1934)
as Shemp Howard
Pals and Gals (1954)
as Shemp
Trouble Chasers (1945)
as Shemp Howard
Fling in the Ring (1955)
as Shemp
Where the Pest Begins (1945)
as Shemp Howard
Hollywood Round-Up (1937)
as Oscar Bush
Shot in the Frontier (1954)
as Shemp
Goof on the Roof (1953)
as Shemp
Pardon My Clutch (1948)
as Shemp
The Officer's Mess (1935)
as Gus Doakes
Booty and the Beast (1953)
as Shemp
Dunked in the Deep (1949)
as Shemp
Spring Fever (1919)
Actor
Hula-La-La (1951)
as Shemp
Heavenly Daze (1948)
as Shemp
How's About It (1943)
as Alf
Hold That Lion! (1947)
as Shemp
For Crimin' Out Loud (1956)
as Shemp
San Antonio Rose (1941)
as Benny the Bounce
Dangerous Business (1946)
as Monk
Merry Mavericks (1951)
as Shemp
Columbia Laff Hour (1956)
as Shemp
Gents in a Jam (1952)
as Shemp
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines (1964)
as Shemp
Off Again, On Again (1945)
as Woodcock Q. Strinker
My Mummy's Arms (1934)
as Kenneth
The Gentleman Misbehaves (1946)
as Marty
Strictly in the Groove (1942)
as Pops
Home on the Rage (1938)
as Happy
Not Guilty Enough (1938)
as Brother-in-Law
A Snitch in Time (1950)
as Shemp
Crazy Knights (1944)
as Shemp
Fiddlers Three (1948)
as Shemp
Mr. Noisy (1946)
as Noisy
While the Cat's Away (1936)
as Henry
Dopey Dicks (1950)
as Shemp
The Choke's on You (1936)
as Knobby Walsh
On the Wagon (1935)
as Henry
Paul Revere, Jr. (1933)
as Attendant
Wham-Bam-Slam! (1955)
as Shemp
The Lost Stooges (1990)
as (archive footage)
A Hit with a Miss (1945)
as Rameses - Prizefighter
Of Cash and Hash (1955)
as Shemp
Crime on Their Hands (1948)
as Shemp
Too Many Blondes (1941)
as Hotel Manager Ambrose Tripp
Self Made Maids (1950)
as Shemp / Shempetta
Vagabond Loafers (1949)
as Shemp
Baby Sitters Jitters (1951)
as Shemp
Stooge O-Rama: The Men Behind the Mayhem - And Even More Mayhem! (2023)
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Who Done It? (1949)
as Shemp
Three Hams on Rye (1950)
as Shemp
Three Arabian Nuts (1951)
as Shemp
Howd' Ya Like That? (1934)
as Sailor
Bride and Gloom (1947)
as Shemp
In the Dough (1933)
as Bugs
Shemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge (2008)
as Self (archive footage)
Listen Judge (1952)
as Shemp
Mushrooms (1934)
as Thorndike
The Ghost Talks (1949)
as Shemp
The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter (2001)
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
Henry the Ache (1934)
as Artie - One of King Henry's Lackeys
Pest Man Wins (1951)
as Shemp
Serves You Right (1935)
as Johnny Spivens
Up in Daisy's Penthouse (1953)
as Shemp / Shemp Howard Sr.
Rip, Sew and Stitch (1953)
as Shemp
Pugs and Kisses (1934)
as Dopey Traynor
For the Love of Pete (1936)
as Knobby Walsh
Pleased to Mitt You (1940)
as Pat Patrick
All Gummed Up (1947)
as Shemp
Blunder Boys (1955)
as Various Days
Daredevil O'Dare (1934)
as Butch
Dizzy & Daffy (1934)
as Lefty Howard
Don't Throw That Knife (1951)
as Shemp
His First Flame (1935)
as Smokey Moe
Glove Slingers (1939)
as Pat Patrick
Commotion on the Ocean (1956)
as Shemp (archive footage)
The Three Stooges: Five of Their Greatest Shorts (2009)
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Convention Girl (1935)
as Dan Higgins
The Three Stooges in 3D (2012)
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Three Stooges - Simply Hilarious (2000)
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Blonde Bomber (1936)
as Knobby Walsh
Three Dark Horses (1952)
as Shemp
The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Edition: Tales from the Three Stooges Vol. 1 (1947)
as Himself
Open Season for Saps (1944)
as Woodcock Q. Strinker
Squareheads of the Round Table (1948)
as Shemp
Everybody Likes Music (1934)
as Shemp Howard
Why Pay Rent? (1935)
as Henry
Studio Stoops (1950)
as Shemp
The Wrong, Wrong Trail (1934)
as Piano Mover
Here Comes Flossie! (1933)
as Ezry
Money Squawks (1940)
as Shemp
Punch and Beauty (1936)
as Knobby Walsh
Taking the Count (1937)
as Knobby Walsh
Flagpole Jitters (1956)
as Shemp
Close Relations (1933)
as One of the Moles
So You Won't T-T-T-Talk (1934)
as Henry
The Three Stooges: Live and Hilarious (1941)
as Shemp
Shivering Sherlocks (1948)
as Shemp
Very Close Veins (1934)
as Sourdough
Absorbing Junior (1936)
as Henry, the Husband
Jiggers, My Wife (1946)
as Woodcock 'Woody' J. Strinker
Corny Casanovas (1952)
as Shemp
Kick Me Again (1937)
as Knobby Walsh
Here's Howe (1936)
as Knobby Walsh