Shemp Howard
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.
201 acting credits
Acting · 201
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
The Three Stooges: Hey Moe! Hey Dad!
2015
The Invisible Woman
1940
Another Thin Man
1939
Arabian Nights
1942
Hellzapoppin'
1941
Africa Screams
1949
Murder Over New York
1940
The Flame of New Orleans
1941
Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special
2003
Buck Privates
1941
Brideless Groom
1947
Road Show
1941
Mr. Dynamite
1941
Crazy House
1943
Pittsburgh
1942
Tight Shoes
1941
Private Buckaroo
1942
Keep 'Em Slugging
1943
Hold That Ghost
1941
Strange Affair
1944
The Bank Dick
1940
The Three Stooges Greatest Hits!
1997
In the Navy
1941
Too Many Blondes
1941
Dangerous Business
1946
Hokus Pokus
1949
How's About It
1943
It Ain't Hay
1943
Blunder Boys
1955
Close Relations
1933
Love at First Bite
1950
Hollywood Round-Up
1937
Soup to Nuts
1930
Millionaires in Prison
1940
Merry Mavericks
1951
Crazy Knights
1944
Cracked Nuts
1941
One Exciting Week
1946
Scheming Schemers
1956
Society Mugs
1946
Shemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge
2008
Classic Comedy Teams
1986
The Leather Pushers
1940
Blondie Knows Best
1946
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
1941
Columbia Laff Hour
1956
Butch Minds the Baby
1942
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
1940
Spooks!
1953
Trouble Chasers
1945
Hold That Lion!
1947
Musty Musketeers
1954
For Crimin' Out Loud
1956
The Strange Case of Doctor Rx
1942
Boobs in the Woods
1940
Rumpus in the Harem
1956
Malice in the Palace
1949
Shot in the Frontier
1954
Knutzy Knights
1954
All Gummed Up
1947
San Antonio Rose
1941
Baby Sitters Jitters
1951
Serves You Right
1935
Corny Casanovas
1952
Fling in the Ring
1955
Hit the Road
1941
Fiddlers Three
1948
Strictly in the Groove
1942
Not Guilty Enough
1938
A Snitch in Time
1950
Bubble Trouble
1953
Income Tax Sappy
1954
Pick a Peck of Plumbers
1944
Sing a Song of Six Pants
1947
Hot Ice
1955
Headin' East
1937
Flagpole Jitters
1956
Fright Night
1947
Three Hams on Rye
1950
Out West
1947
Who Done It?
1949
Commotion on the Ocean
1956
Scrambled Brains
1951
Convention Girl
1935
Heavenly Daze
1948
Shivering Sherlocks
1948
Pugs and Kisses
1934
Art Trouble
1934
Pure Feud
1934
Give Us Wings
1940
My Mummy's Arms
1934
Triple Crossed
1959
Glove Slingers
1939
Squareheads of the Round Table
1948
Three Dark Horses
1952
Mississippi Gambler
1942
Dunked in the Deep
1949
Gold Raiders
1951
Self Made Maids
1950
Loose Loot
1953
Fuelin' Around
1949
Salt Water Daffy
1933
Tricky Dicks
1953
Husbands Beware
1956
Cuckoo on a Choo Choo
1952
Mummy's Dummies
1948
Creeps
1956
Three Stooges Comedy Collection
2024
The Gentleman Misbehaves
1946
Goof on the Roof
1953
On the Wagon
1935
Everybody Likes Music
1934
Pals and Gals
1954
Scotched in Scotland
1954
A Peach of a Pair
1934
Mr. Noisy
1946
Punchy Cowpunchers
1950
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
1964
Open Season for Saps
1944
Where the Pest Begins
1945
He Cooked His Goose
1952
The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter
2001
The Hot Scots
1948
Bedlam in Paradise
1955
Slaphappy Sleuths
1950
Listen Judge
1952
While the Cat's Away
1936
Vagabond Loafers
1949
A Hit with a Miss
1945
Pardon My Backfire
1953
Three Arabian Nuts
1951
The Three Stooges Story
2001
Hugs and Mugs
1950
Wham-Bam-Slam!
1955
Meet the Chump
1941
His First Flame
1935
The Officer's Mess
1935
Gobs of Fun
1933
Dopey Dicks
1950
Pardon My Clutch
1948
Booty and the Beast
1953
So You Won't T-T-T-Talk
1934
The Three Stooges + Comedy Gold Standard
—
Don't Throw That Knife
1951
Money Squawks
1940
I'm a Monkey's Uncle
1948
Howd' Ya Like That?
1934
Pest Man Wins
1951
Stone Age Romeos
1955
Hula-La-La
1951
A Missed Fortune
1952
Moonlight and Cactus
1944
Up in Daisy's Penthouse
1953
Crime on Their Hands
1948
Gypped in the Penthouse
1955
Paul Revere, Jr.
1933
Absorbing Junior
1936
Corn on the Cop
1934
Taking the Count
1937
Henry the Ache
1934
The Ghost Talks
1949
The Three Stooges in 3D
2012
Gents in a Jam
1952
Rip, Sew and Stitch
1953
Punch and Beauty
1936
The Blonde Bomber
1936
The Three Stooges - Simply Hilarious
2000
Jiggers, My Wife
1946
Studio Stoops
1950
Very Close Veins
1934
Hot Stuff
1956
Off Again, On Again
1945
Of Cash and Hash
1955
The Three Stooges: Five of Their Greatest Shorts
2009
I Scream
1934
Why Pay Rent?
1935
The Tooth Will Out
1951
The Three Stooges: Live and Hilarious
1941
Kick Me Again
1937
Home on the Rage
1938
The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Edition: Tales from the Three Stooges Vol. 1
1947
Here's Howe
1936
The Lost Stooges
1990
Smoked Hams
1934
Bride and Gloom
1947
Here Comes Flossie!
1933
Three of a Kind
1944
The Wrong, Wrong Trail
1934
The Knife of the Party
1934
Jerks of All Trades
1949
Stooge O-Rama: The Men Behind the Mayhem - And Even More Mayhem!
2023
The Choke's on You
1936
Rambling 'Round Radio Row #9
1934
In the Dough
1933
Mushrooms
1934
Dizzy & Daffy
1934
Pleased to Mitt You
1940
For the Love of Pete
1936
Daredevil O'Dare
1934
Spring Fever
1919