Shemp Howard
Photoplayd Industry Rating
Not enough rated films yet to compute a weighted score.
Roles are weighted by involvement: director 1.0, screenwriter 0.7, lead 0.8, supporting 0.4, crew 0.1.
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
Arabian Nights (1942)
as Sinbad
Hold That Ghost (1941)
as Soda Jerk
Another Thin Man (1939)
as Wacky (uncredited)
The Invisible Woman (1940)
as Frankie
It Ain't Hay (1943)
as Umbrella Sam
Three Hams on Rye (1950)
as Shemp
Buck Privates (1941)
as Chef
Hellzapoppin' (1941)
as Louie
The Bank Dick (1940)
as Joe Guelpe
The Flame of New Orleans (1941)
as Oyster Bed Cafe Waiter (uncredited)
Mississippi Gambler (1942)
as Milton Davis - Brooklyn Cab Driver
Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special (2003)
as Shemp (archive footage)
How's About It (1943)
as Alf
Murder Over New York (1940)
as Shorty McCoy alias Rashid the Fakir
Fling in the Ring (1955)
as Shemp
Tricky Dicks (1953)
as Shemp
The Three Stooges Greatest Hits! (1997)
as Self / Shemp (archive footage)
Headin' East (1937)
as Windy Wylie
Butch Minds the Baby (1942)
as 'Squinty' Sweeny
Africa Screams (1949)
as Gunner
In the Navy (1941)
as Dizzy
Of Cash and Hash (1955)
as Shemp
Boobs in the Woods (1940)
as Gus
Goof on the Roof (1953)
as Shemp
Knutzy Knights (1954)
as Shemp
Three of a Kind (1944)
as Shemp Howard
Where the Pest Begins (1945)
as Shemp Howard
Squareheads of the Round Table (1948)
as Shemp
Husbands Beware (1956)
as Prof. Shemp Howard
The Strange Case of Doctor Rx (1942)
as Det. Sgt. Sweeney
Booty and the Beast (1953)
as Shemp
So You Won't T-T-T-Talk (1934)
as Henry
Jerks of All Trades (1949)
as Shemp
A Snitch in Time (1950)
as Shemp
Tight Shoes (1941)
as Okay
Cuckoo on a Choo Choo (1952)
as Shemp
Gents in a Jam (1952)
as Shemp
I'm a Monkey's Uncle (1948)
as Shemp
Soup to Nuts (1930)
as Fireman
Malice in the Palace (1949)
as Shemp
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga (1941)
as Gabby
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady (1940)
as Joe - a Pickpocket
Shemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge (2008)
as Self (archive footage)
Strange Affair (1944)
as Laundry Truck Driver
Open Season for Saps (1944)
as Woodcock Q. Strinker
One Exciting Week (1946)
as Marvin Lewis
Hokus Pokus (1949)
as Shemp
The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter (2001)
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
A Hit with a Miss (1945)
as Rameses - Prizefighter
Bubble Trouble (1953)
as Shemp
Paul Revere, Jr. (1933)
as Attendant
I Scream (1934)
as Moran's Henchman
Don't Throw That Knife (1951)
as Shemp
Rip, Sew and Stitch (1953)
as Shemp
The Three Stooges Story (2001)
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
Slaphappy Sleuths (1950)
as Shemp
A Missed Fortune (1952)
as Shemp
Sing a Song of Six Pants (1947)
as Shemp
Private Buckaroo (1942)
as Sgt. 'Muggsy' Shavel
Out West (1947)
as Shemp
Shot in the Frontier (1954)
as Shemp
Rumpus in the Harem (1956)
as Shemp (archive footage)
A Peach of a Pair (1934)
as Butler
Brideless Groom (1947)
as Shemp
He Cooked His Goose (1952)
as Shemp
Classic Comedy Teams (1986)
as Shemp (archive footage)
Trouble Chasers (1945)
as Shemp Howard
Give Us Wings (1940)
as Buzz Berger
Off Again, On Again (1945)
as Woodcock Q. Strinker
Blondie Knows Best (1946)
as Jim Gray
The Officer's Mess (1935)
as Gus Doakes
Hot Ice (1955)
as Shemp
Love at First Bite (1950)
as Shemp
Dunked in the Deep (1949)
as Shemp
Millionaires in Prison (1940)
as Professor
In the Dough (1933)
as Bugs
Pittsburgh (1942)
as Shorty (The Tailor)
Creeps (1956)
as Shemp / Shemp's son
For Crimin' Out Loud (1956)
as Shemp
Crazy House (1943)
as Mumbo
Home on the Rage (1938)
as Happy
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines (1964)
as Shemp
The Tooth Will Out (1951)
as Shemp
Gold Raiders (1951)
as Shemp
Three Stooges Comedy Collection (2024)
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Three Stooges: Live and Hilarious (1941)
as Shemp
While the Cat's Away (1936)
as Henry
Strictly in the Groove (1942)
as Pops
Loose Loot (1953)
as Shemp
Howd' Ya Like That? (1934)
as Sailor
Commotion on the Ocean (1956)
as Shemp (archive footage)
Too Many Blondes (1941)
as Hotel Manager Ambrose Tripp
Spooks! (1953)
as Shemp
Pardon My Clutch (1948)
as Shemp
Musty Musketeers (1954)
as Shemp
Stone Age Romeos (1955)
as Shemp
Fright Night (1947)
as Shemp
My Mummy's Arms (1934)
as Kenneth
Rambling 'Round Radio Row #9 (1934)
as Songwriters' Representative
Up in Daisy's Penthouse (1953)
as Shemp / Shemp Howard Sr.
Scrambled Brains (1951)
as Shemp
Bedlam in Paradise (1955)
as Shemp
Pleased to Mitt You (1940)
as Pat Patrick
Pals and Gals (1954)
as Shemp
Spring Fever (1919)
Actor
Pick a Peck of Plumbers (1944)
as Elmer Peabody
The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Edition: Tales from the Three Stooges Vol. 1 (1947)
as Himself
Gypped in the Penthouse (1955)
as Shemp
Moonlight and Cactus (1944)
as Punchy Carter
Merry Mavericks (1951)
as Shemp
Hold That Lion! (1947)
as Shemp
Wham-Bam-Slam! (1955)
as Shemp
Society Mugs (1946)
as Shemp
Corn on the Cop (1934)
as Reginald / Reggie
On the Wagon (1935)
as Henry
Pardon My Backfire (1953)
as Shemp
Dopey Dicks (1950)
as Shemp
Crime on Their Hands (1948)
as Shemp
Hugs and Mugs (1950)
as Shemp
The Three Stooges in 3D (2012)
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood Round-Up (1937)
as Oscar Bush
Keep 'Em Slugging (1943)
as Binky
Stooge O-Rama: The Men Behind the Mayhem - And Even More Mayhem! (2023)
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Scotched in Scotland (1954)
as Shemp
Why Pay Rent? (1935)
as Henry
Baby Sitters Jitters (1951)
as Shemp
The Wrong, Wrong Trail (1934)
as Piano Mover
Listen Judge (1952)
as Shemp
The Three Stooges - Simply Hilarious (2000)
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Hot Scots (1948)
as Shemp
Art Trouble (1934)
as Short Painter
For the Love of Pete (1936)
as Knobby Walsh
Road Show (1941)
as Moe Parker (uncredited)
Three Arabian Nuts (1951)
as Shemp
The Knife of the Party (1934)
as Shemp Howard
Mr. Dynamite (1941)
as 'Abdullah'
The Ghost Talks (1949)
as Shemp
The Three Stooges: Five of Their Greatest Shorts (2009)
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hula-La-La (1951)
as Shemp
Pest Man Wins (1951)
as Shemp
Self Made Maids (1950)
as Shemp / Shempetta
Hit the Road (1941)
as Dingbat
The Leather Pushers (1940)
as Sailor McNeill
San Antonio Rose (1941)
as Benny the Bounce
Three Dark Horses (1952)
as Shemp
The Choke's on You (1936)
as Knobby Walsh
The Blonde Bomber (1936)
as Knobby Walsh
Cracked Nuts (1941)
as Eddie / Ivan
The Gentleman Misbehaves (1946)
as Marty
The Lost Stooges (1990)
as (archive footage)
Jiggers, My Wife (1946)
as Woodcock 'Woody' J. Strinker
Scheming Schemers (1956)
as Shemp (archive footage)
Shivering Sherlocks (1948)
as Shemp
Income Tax Sappy (1954)
as Shemp
Blunder Boys (1955)
as Various Days
Crazy Knights (1944)
as Shemp
Hot Stuff (1956)
as Shemp (archive footage)
Punchy Cowpunchers (1950)
as Shemp
Close Relations (1933)
as One of the Moles
Fuelin' Around (1949)
as Shemp
Columbia Laff Hour (1956)
as Shemp
Smoked Hams (1934)
as Henry Howard
Heavenly Daze (1948)
as Shemp
Glove Slingers (1939)
as Pat Patrick
Dizzy & Daffy (1934)
as Lefty Howard
Henry the Ache (1934)
as Artie - One of King Henry's Lackeys
Meet the Chump (1941)
as Stinky Fink
Bride and Gloom (1947)
as Shemp
Dangerous Business (1946)
as Monk
Mr. Noisy (1946)
as Noisy
Flagpole Jitters (1956)
as Shemp
Who Done It? (1949)
as Shemp
Gobs of Fun (1933)
as Club patron
Triple Crossed (1959)
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
All Gummed Up (1947)
as Shemp
Not Guilty Enough (1938)
as Brother-in-Law
Pugs and Kisses (1934)
as Dopey Traynor
Vagabond Loafers (1949)
as Shemp
Studio Stoops (1950)
as Shemp
Punch and Beauty (1936)
as Knobby Walsh
Mummy's Dummies (1948)
as Shemp
Very Close Veins (1934)
as Sourdough
Everybody Likes Music (1934)
as Shemp Howard
Pure Feud (1934)
as Clem McCarthy
Mushrooms (1934)
as Thorndike
Convention Girl (1935)
as Dan Higgins
His First Flame (1935)
as Smokey Moe
Salt Water Daffy (1933)
as Wilbur the Kleptomaniac
Fiddlers Three (1948)
as Shemp
Money Squawks (1940)
as Shemp
Here Comes Flossie! (1933)
as Ezry
Kick Me Again (1937)
as Knobby Walsh
Daredevil O'Dare (1934)
as Butch
Corny Casanovas (1952)
as Shemp
Taking the Count (1937)
as Knobby Walsh
Serves You Right (1935)
as Johnny Spivens
Here's Howe (1936)
as Knobby Walsh
Absorbing Junior (1936)
as Henry, the Husband