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