
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