Shemp Howard
Acting
Born March 11, 1895 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
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.
Films (198)
Three Stooges Comedy Collection
2024
Stooge O-Rama: The Men Behind the Mayhem - And Even More Mayhem!
2023
The Three Stooges in 3D
2012
The Three Stooges: Five of Their Greatest Shorts
2009
Shemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge
2008
Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special
2003
The Three Stooges Story
2001
The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter
2001
The Three Stooges - Simply Hilarious
2000
The Three Stooges Greatest Hits!
1997
The Lost Stooges
1990
Classic Comedy Teams
1986
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
1964
Triple Crossed
1959
Commotion on the Ocean
1956
Scheming Schemers
1956
Hot Stuff
1956
Rumpus in the Harem
1956
For Crimin' Out Loud
1956
Flagpole Jitters
1956
Creeps
1956
Husbands Beware
1956
Columbia Laff Hour
1956
Blunder Boys
1955
Hot Ice
1955
Wham-Bam-Slam!
1955
Stone Age Romeos
1955
Gypped in the Penthouse
1955
Bedlam in Paradise
1955
Of Cash and Hash
1955
Fling in the Ring
1955
Scotched in Scotland
1954
Shot in the Frontier
1954
Knutzy Knights
1954
Pals and Gals
1954
Musty Musketeers
1954
Income Tax Sappy
1954
Goof on the Roof
1953
Bubble Trouble
1953
Rip, Sew and Stitch
1953
Pardon My Backfire
1953
Spooks!
1953
Tricky Dicks
1953
Loose Loot
1953
Booty and the Beast
1953
Up in Daisy's Penthouse
1953
Cuckoo on a Choo Choo
1952
Three Dark Horses
1952
Gents in a Jam
1952
He Cooked His Goose
1952
Listen Judge
1952
Corny Casanovas
1952
A Missed Fortune
1952
Pest Man Wins
1951
Hula-La-La
1951
The Tooth Will Out
1951
Gold Raiders
1951
Merry Mavericks
1951
Scrambled Brains
1951
Don't Throw That Knife
1951
Baby Sitters Jitters
1951
Three Arabian Nuts
1951
A Snitch in Time
1950
Slaphappy Sleuths
1950
Studio Stoops
1950
Three Hams on Rye
1950
Self Made Maids
1950
Love at First Bite
1950
Dopey Dicks
1950
Hugs and Mugs
1950
Punchy Cowpunchers
1950
Jerks of All Trades
1949
Dunked in the Deep
1949
Vagabond Loafers
1949
Malice in the Palace
1949
Hokus Pokus
1949
Africa Screams
1949
Fuelin' Around
1949
Who Done It?
1949
The Ghost Talks
1949
Crime on Their Hands
1948
Mummy's Dummies
1948
I'm a Monkey's Uncle
1948
Heavenly Daze
1948
The Hot Scots
1948
Fiddlers Three
1948
Squareheads of the Round Table
1948
Pardon My Clutch
1948
Shivering Sherlocks
1948
All Gummed Up
1947
Sing a Song of Six Pants
1947
Brideless Groom
1947
Hold That Lion!
1947
Out West
1947
Bride and Gloom
1947
Fright Night
1947
The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Edition: Tales from the Three Stooges Vol. 1
1947
Blondie Knows Best
1946
Society Mugs
1946
Dangerous Business
1946
One Exciting Week
1946
Jiggers, My Wife
1946
Mr. Noisy
1946
The Gentleman Misbehaves
1946
A Hit with a Miss
1945
Where the Pest Begins
1945
Trouble Chasers
1945
Off Again, On Again
1945
Crazy Knights
1944
Open Season for Saps
1944
Strange Affair
1944
Moonlight and Cactus
1944
Pick a Peck of Plumbers
1944
Three of a Kind
1944
Crazy House
1943
Keep 'Em Slugging
1943
It Ain't Hay
1943
How's About It
1943
Arabian Nights
1942
Pittsburgh
1942
Strictly in the Groove
1942
Private Buckaroo
1942
Mississippi Gambler
1942
The Strange Case of Doctor Rx
1942
Butch Minds the Baby
1942
Hellzapoppin'
1941
The Three Stooges: Live and Hilarious
1941
Hold That Ghost
1941
Too Many Blondes
1941
The Flame of New Orleans
1941
Cracked Nuts
1941
Hit the Road
1941
San Antonio Rose
1941
Tight Shoes
1941
In the Navy
1941
Mr. Dynamite
1941
Road Show
1941
Meet the Chump
1941
Buck Privates
1941
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
1941
The Invisible Woman
1940
Give Us Wings
1940
Murder Over New York
1940
The Bank Dick
1940
The Leather Pushers
1940
Pleased to Mitt You
1940
Millionaires in Prison
1940
Boobs in the Woods
1940
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
1940
Money Squawks
1940
Glove Slingers
1939
Another Thin Man
1939
Home on the Rage
1938
Not Guilty Enough
1938
Headin' East
1937
Hollywood Round-Up
1937
Taking the Count
1937
Kick Me Again
1937
The Blonde Bomber
1936
The Choke's on You
1936
Punch and Beauty
1936
Here's Howe
1936
Absorbing Junior
1936
For the Love of Pete
1936
While the Cat's Away
1936
The Officer's Mess
1935
Convention Girl
1935
On the Wagon
1935
Serves You Right
1935
Why Pay Rent?
1935
His First Flame
1935
A Peach of a Pair
1934
Dizzy & Daffy
1934
So You Won't T-T-T-Talk
1934
Smoked Hams
1934
Daredevil O'Dare
1934
My Mummy's Arms
1934
Art Trouble
1934
I Scream
1934
Rambling 'Round Radio Row #9
1934
Corn on the Cop
1934
Pure Feud
1934
Very Close Veins
1934
Everybody Likes Music
1934
Pugs and Kisses
1934
The Knife of the Party
1934
Mushrooms
1934
The Wrong, Wrong Trail
1934
Henry the Ache
1934
Howd' Ya Like That?
1934
Here Comes Flossie!
1933
In the Dough
1933
Gobs of Fun
1933
Paul Revere, Jr.
1933
Close Relations
1933
Salt Water Daffy
1933
Soup to Nuts
1930
Spring Fever
1919