From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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
The Invisible Woman
(1940)
Frankie
Buck Privates
(1941)
Chef
Hellzapoppin'
(1941)
Louie
Hold That Ghost
(1941)
Soda Jerk
Arabian Nights
(1942)
Sinbad
Africa Screams
(1949)
Gunner
Another Thin Man
(1939)
Wacky (uncredited)
The Bank Dick
(1940)
Joe Guelpe
Full Filmography
Acting
Spring Fever
(1919)
Soup to Nuts
(1930)
Fireman
Salt Water Daffy
(1933)
Wilbur the Kleptomaniac
Here Comes Flossie!
(1933)
Ezry
In the Dough
(1933)
Bugs
Gobs of Fun
(1933)
Club patron
Close Relations
(1933)
One of the Moles
Paul Revere, Jr.
(1933)
Attendant
Corn on the Cop
(1934)
Reginald / Reggie
Henry the Ache
(1934)
Artie - One of King Henry's Lackeys
The Knife of the Party
(1934)
Shemp Howard
Smoked Hams
(1934)
Henry Howard
Dizzy & Daffy
(1934)
Lefty Howard
The Wrong, Wrong Trail
(1934)
Piano Mover
Art Trouble
(1934)
Short Painter
A Peach of a Pair
(1934)
Butler
My Mummy's Arms
(1934)
Kenneth
Daredevil O'Dare
(1934)
Butch
Howd' Ya Like That?
(1934)
Sailor
I Scream
(1934)
Moran's Henchman
Pugs and Kisses
(1934)
Dopey Traynor
Mushrooms
(1934)
Thorndike
Pure Feud
(1934)
Clem McCarthy
Rambling 'Round Radio Row #9
(1934)
Songwriters' Representative
Very Close Veins
(1934)
Sourdough
So You Won't T-T-T-Talk
(1934)
Henry
Everybody Likes Music
(1934)
Shemp Howard
His First Flame
(1935)
Smokey Moe
Convention Girl
(1935)
Dan Higgins
The Officer's Mess
(1935)
Gus Doakes
On the Wagon
(1935)
Henry
Serves You Right
(1935)
Johnny Spivens
Why Pay Rent?
(1935)
Henry
The Blonde Bomber
(1936)
Knobby Walsh
While the Cat's Away
(1936)
Henry
Absorbing Junior
(1936)
Henry, the Husband
For the Love of Pete
(1936)
Knobby Walsh
Here's Howe
(1936)
Knobby Walsh
Punch and Beauty
(1936)
Knobby Walsh
The Choke's on You
(1936)
Knobby Walsh
Hollywood Round-Up
(1937)
Oscar Bush
Headin' East
(1937)
Windy Wylie
Kick Me Again
(1937)
Knobby Walsh
Taking the Count
(1937)
Knobby Walsh
Home on the Rage
(1938)
Happy
Not Guilty Enough
(1938)
Brother-in-Law
Another Thin Man
(1939)
Wacky (uncredited)
Glove Slingers
(1939)
Pat Patrick
The Bank Dick
(1940)
Joe Guelpe
The Invisible Woman
(1940)
Frankie
Millionaires in Prison
(1940)
Professor
Boobs in the Woods
(1940)
Gus
Money Squawks
(1940)
Shemp
Pleased to Mitt You
(1940)
Pat Patrick
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
(1940)
Joe - a Pickpocket
Murder Over New York
(1940)
Shorty McCoy alias Rashid the Fakir
The Leather Pushers
(1940)
Sailor McNeill
Give Us Wings
(1940)
Buzz Berger
In the Navy
(1941)
Dizzy
Buck Privates
(1941)
Chef
Hold That Ghost
(1941)
Soda Jerk
Hellzapoppin'
(1941)
Louie
Mr. Dynamite
(1941)
'Abdullah'
San Antonio Rose
(1941)
Benny the Bounce
Road Show
(1941)
Moe Parker (uncredited)
Cracked Nuts
(1941)
Eddie / Ivan
Hit the Road
(1941)
Dingbat
Meet the Chump
(1941)
Stinky Fink
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
(1941)
Gabby
Too Many Blondes
(1941)
Hotel Manager Ambrose Tripp
Tight Shoes
(1941)
Okay
The Three Stooges: Live and Hilarious
(1941)
Shemp
Arabian Nights
(1942)
Sinbad
Pittsburgh
(1942)
Shorty (The Tailor)
The Strange Case of Doctor Rx
(1942)
Det. Sgt. Sweeney
Butch Minds the Baby
(1942)
'Squinty' Sweeny
Private Buckaroo
(1942)
Sgt. 'Muggsy' Shavel
Mississippi Gambler
(1942)
Milton Davis - Brooklyn Cab Driver
Strictly in the Groove
(1942)
Pops
Crazy House
(1943)
Mumbo
It Ain't Hay
(1943)
Umbrella Sam
How's About It
(1943)
Alf
Keep 'Em Slugging
(1943)
Binky
Open Season for Saps
(1944)
Woodcock Q. Strinker
Pick a Peck of Plumbers
(1944)
Elmer Peabody
Three of a Kind
(1944)
Shemp Howard
Crazy Knights
(1944)
Shemp
Moonlight and Cactus
(1944)
Punchy Carter
Strange Affair
(1944)
Laundry Truck Driver
A Hit with a Miss
(1945)
Rameses - Prizefighter
Off Again, On Again
(1945)
Woodcock Q. Strinker
Where the Pest Begins
(1945)
Shemp Howard
Trouble Chasers
(1945)
Shemp Howard
Blondie Knows Best
(1946)
Jim Gray
Jiggers, My Wife
(1946)
Woodcock 'Woody' J. Strinker
Mr. Noisy
(1946)
Noisy
Society Mugs
(1946)
Shemp
One Exciting Week
(1946)
Marvin Lewis
The Gentleman Misbehaves
(1946)
Marty
Dangerous Business
(1946)
Monk
Sing a Song of Six Pants
(1947)
Shemp
Brideless Groom
(1947)
Shemp
Out West
(1947)
Shemp
Hold That Lion!
(1947)
Shemp
Fright Night
(1947)
Shemp
All Gummed Up
(1947)
Shemp
Bride and Gloom
(1947)
Shemp
The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Edition: Tales from the Three Stooges Vol. 1
(1947)
Himself
Shivering Sherlocks
(1948)
Shemp
Pardon My Clutch
(1948)
Shemp
Squareheads of the Round Table
(1948)
Shemp
Fiddlers Three
(1948)
Shemp
The Hot Scots
(1948)
Shemp
Heavenly Daze
(1948)
Shemp
I'm a Monkey's Uncle
(1948)
Shemp
Mummy's Dummies
(1948)
Shemp
Crime on Their Hands
(1948)
Shemp
Africa Screams
(1949)
Gunner
Malice in the Palace
(1949)
Shemp
The Ghost Talks
(1949)
Shemp
Who Done It?
(1949)
Shemp
Hokus Pokus
(1949)
Shemp
Fuelin' Around
(1949)
Shemp
Vagabond Loafers
(1949)
Shemp
Dunked in the Deep
(1949)
Shemp
Jerks of All Trades
(1949)
Shemp
Punchy Cowpunchers
(1950)
Shemp
Hugs and Mugs
(1950)
Shemp
Dopey Dicks
(1950)
Shemp
Love at First Bite
(1950)
Shemp
Self Made Maids
(1950)
Shemp / Shempetta
Three Hams on Rye
(1950)
Shemp
Studio Stoops
(1950)
Shemp
Slaphappy Sleuths
(1950)
Shemp
A Snitch in Time
(1950)
Shemp
Three Arabian Nuts
(1951)
Shemp
Baby Sitters Jitters
(1951)
Shemp
Don't Throw That Knife
(1951)
Shemp
Scrambled Brains
(1951)
Shemp
Merry Mavericks
(1951)
Shemp
The Tooth Will Out
(1951)
Shemp
Hula-La-La
(1951)
Shemp
Pest Man Wins
(1951)
Shemp
Gold Raiders
(1951)
Shemp
A Missed Fortune
(1952)
Shemp
Listen Judge
(1952)
Shemp
Corny Casanovas
(1952)
Shemp
He Cooked His Goose
(1952)
Shemp
Gents in a Jam
(1952)
Shemp
Three Dark Horses
(1952)
Shemp
Cuckoo on a Choo Choo
(1952)
Shemp
Pardon My Backfire
(1953)
Shemp
Booty And The Beast
(1953)
Shemp
Up in Daisy's Penthouse
(1953)
Shemp / Shemp Howard Sr.
Loose Loot
(1953)
Shemp
Tricky Dicks
(1953)
Shemp
Spooks!
(1953)
Shemp
Goof on the Roof
(1953)
Shemp
Rip, Sew and Stitch
(1953)
Shemp
Bubble Trouble
(1953)
Shemp
Income Tax Sappy
(1954)
Shemp
Musty Musketeers
(1954)
Shemp
Pals and Gals
(1954)
Shemp
Knutzy Knights
(1954)
Shemp
Shot in the Frontier
(1954)
Shemp
Scotched in Scotland
(1954)
Shemp
Bedlam in Paradise
(1955)
Shemp
Fling in the Ring
(1955)
Shemp
Of Cash and Hash
(1955)
Shemp
Gypped in the Penthouse
(1955)
Shemp
Stone Age Romeos
(1955)
Shemp
Wham-Bam-Slam!
(1955)
Shemp
Hot Ice
(1955)
Shemp
Blunder Boys
(1955)
Various Days
Husbands Beware
(1956)
Prof. Shemp Howard
Creeps
(1956)
Shemp / Shemp's son
Flagpole Jitters
(1956)
Shemp
For Crimin' Out Loud
(1956)
Shemp
Rumpus in the Harem
(1956)
Shemp (archive footage)
Scheming Schemers
(1956)
Shemp (archive footage)
Commotion On The Ocean
(1956)
Shemp (archive footage)
Hot Stuff
(1956)
Shemp (archive footage)
Columbia Laff Hour
(1956)
Shemp
Triple Crossed
(1959)
Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
(1964)
Shemp
The Lost Stooges
(1990)
Himself
The Three Stooges Greatest Hits!
(1997)
Self / Shemp (archive footage)
The Three Stooges - Simply Hilarious
(2000)
Shemp
The Three Stooges Story
(2001)
Shemp
The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter
(2001)
Shemp
Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special
(2003)
Shemp (archive footage)
Shemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge
(2008)
Himself (archive footage)
The Three Stooges: Five of Their Greatest Shorts
(2009)
The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 7: 1952-1954
(2009)
The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 6: 1949-1951
(2009)
The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 8: 1955-1959
(2010)
The Three Stooges in 3D
(2012)
Shemp
Stooge O-Rama: The Men Behind the Mayhem - And Even More Mayhem!
(2023)
Three Stooges Comedy Collection
(2024)