Actor · Acting

Shemp Howard

Born 1895-03-11

Died 1955-11-22

📍 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.

Filmography 194

Three Stooges Comedy Collection

Stooge O-Rama: The Men Behind the Mayhem - And Even More Mayhem!

The Three Stooges: Hey Moe! Hey Dad!

The Three Stooges in 3D

The Three Stooges: Five of Their Greatest Shorts

Shemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge

as Self (archive footage)

Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special

as Shemp (archive footage)

The Three Stooges Story

The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter

The Three Stooges Greatest Hits!

as Self / Shemp (archive footage)

The Lost Stooges

Classic Comedy Teams

as Shemp (archive footage)

as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)

Commotion on the Ocean

as Shemp (archive footage)

Scheming Schemers

as Shemp (archive footage)

as Shemp (archive footage)

Rumpus in the Harem

as Shemp (archive footage)

For Crimin' Out Loud

Flagpole Jitters

as Shemp / Shemp's son

Husbands Beware

as Prof. Shemp Howard

Columbia Laff Hour

as Various Days

Stone Age Romeos

Gypped in the Penthouse

Bedlam in Paradise

Of Cash and Hash

Fling in the Ring

Scotched in Scotland

Shot in the Frontier

Musty Musketeers

Income Tax Sappy

Goof on the Roof

Rip, Sew and Stitch

Pardon My Backfire

Booty and the Beast

Up in Daisy's Penthouse

as Shemp / Shemp Howard Sr.

Cuckoo on a Choo Choo

Three Dark Horses

He Cooked His Goose

Corny Casanovas

A Missed Fortune

The Tooth Will Out

Merry Mavericks

Scrambled Brains

Don't Throw That Knife

Baby Sitters Jitters

Three Arabian Nuts

A Snitch in Time

Slaphappy Sleuths

The Colgate Comedy Hour

Three Hams on Rye

Self Made Maids

as Shemp / Shempetta

Love at First Bite

Punchy Cowpunchers

Jerks of All Trades

Dunked in the Deep

Vagabond Loafers

Malice in the Palace

The Ghost Talks

Crime on Their Hands

Mummy's Dummies

I'm a Monkey's Uncle

Squareheads of the Round Table

Pardon My Clutch

Shivering Sherlocks

Sing a Song of Six Pants

Brideless Groom

Hold That Lion!

Bride and Gloom

Blondie Knows Best

Dangerous Business

One Exciting Week

as Marvin Lewis

Jiggers, My Wife

as Woodcock 'Woody' J. Strinker

The Gentleman Misbehaves

A Hit with a Miss

as Rameses - Prizefighter

Where the Pest Begins

as Shemp Howard

Trouble Chasers

as Shemp Howard

Off Again, On Again

as Woodcock Q. Strinker

Open Season for Saps

as Woodcock Q. Strinker

as Laundry Truck Driver

Moonlight and Cactus

as Punchy Carter

Pick a Peck of Plumbers

as Elmer Peabody

Three of a Kind

as Shemp Howard

Keep 'Em Slugging

as Umbrella Sam

as Shorty (The Tailor)

Strictly in the Groove

Private Buckaroo

as Sgt. 'Muggsy' Shavel

Mississippi Gambler

as Milton Davis - Brooklyn Cab Driver

The Strange Case of Doctor Rx

as Det. Sgt. Sweeney

Butch Minds the Baby

as 'Squinty' Sweeny

The Three Stooges: Live and Hilarious

Hold That Ghost

The Flame of New Orleans

as Oyster Bed Cafe Waiter (uncredited)

as Eddie / Ivan

San Antonio Rose

as Benny the Bounce

as Moe Parker (uncredited)

Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga

The Invisible Woman

Murder Over New York

as Shorty McCoy alias Rashid the Fakir

The Leather Pushers

as Sailor McNeill

Pleased to Mitt You

Millionaires in Prison

Boobs in the Woods

The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady

as Joe - a Pickpocket

Another Thin Man

as Wacky (uncredited)

Home on the Rage

Hollywood Round-Up

Taking the Count

as Knobby Walsh

as Knobby Walsh

The Blonde Bomber

as Knobby Walsh

The Choke's on You

as Knobby Walsh

Punch and Beauty

as Knobby Walsh

as Knobby Walsh

Absorbing Junior

as Henry, the Husband

For the Love of Pete

as Knobby Walsh

While the Cat's Away

The Officer's Mess

Convention Girl

Serves You Right

as Johnny Spivens

His First Flame

A Peach of a Pair

as Lefty Howard

So You Won't T-T-T-Talk

as Henry Howard

Daredevil O'Dare

My Mummy's Arms

as Short Painter

as Moran's Henchman

Rambling 'Round Radio Row #9

as Songwriters' Representative

Corn on the Cop

as Reginald / Reggie

as Clem McCarthy

Very Close Veins

Everybody Likes Music

as Shemp Howard

Pugs and Kisses

as Dopey Traynor

The Knife of the Party

as Shemp Howard

The Wrong, Wrong Trail

as Artie - One of King Henry's Lackeys

Howd' Ya Like That?

Here Comes Flossie!

Paul Revere, Jr.

Close Relations

as One of the Moles

Salt Water Daffy

as Wilbur the Kleptomaniac