Person
Shemp Howard
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…
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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
Movies and shows, newest first
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2024
Three Stooges Comedy Collection
Movie (archive footage) (uncredited)
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2023
Stooge O-Rama: The Men Behind the Mayhem - And Even More Mayhem!
Movie (archive footage) (uncredited)
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2015
The Three Stooges: Hey Moe! Hey Dad!
TV show Shemp (archive footage)
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2012
The Three Stooges in 3D
Movie Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
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2009
The Three Stooges: Five of Their Greatest Shorts
Movie (archive footage) (uncredited)
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2008
Shemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2003
Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special
Movie Shemp (archive footage)
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2001
The Three Stooges Story
Movie Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
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2001
The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter
Movie Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
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2000
The Three Stooges - Simply Hilarious
Movie Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
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1997
The Three Stooges Greatest Hits!
Movie Self / Shemp (archive footage)
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1990
The Lost Stooges
Movie (archive footage)
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1986
Classic Comedy Teams
Movie Shemp (archive footage)
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1964
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
Movie Shemp
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1959
Triple Crossed
Movie Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
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1956
Commotion on the Ocean
Movie Shemp (archive footage)
More credits
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1956
Scheming Schemers
Movie Shemp (archive footage)
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1956
Hot Stuff
Movie Shemp (archive footage)
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1956
Rumpus in the Harem
Movie Shemp (archive footage)
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1956
For Crimin' Out Loud
Movie Shemp
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1956
Flagpole Jitters
Movie Shemp
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1956
Creeps
Movie Shemp / Shemp's son
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1956
Husbands Beware
Movie Prof. Shemp Howard
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1956
Columbia Laff Hour
Movie Shemp
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1955
Blunder Boys
Movie Various Days
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1955
Hot Ice
Movie Shemp
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1955
Wham-Bam-Slam!
Movie Shemp
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1955
Stone Age Romeos
Movie Shemp
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1955
Gypped in the Penthouse
Movie Shemp
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1955
Bedlam in Paradise
Movie Shemp
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1955
Of Cash and Hash
Movie Shemp
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1955
Fling in the Ring
Movie Shemp
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1954
Scotched in Scotland
Movie Shemp
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1954
Shot in the Frontier
Movie Shemp
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1954
Knutzy Knights
Movie Shemp
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1954
Pals and Gals
Movie Shemp
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1954
Musty Musketeers
Movie Shemp
-
1954
Income Tax Sappy
Movie Shemp
-
1953
Goof on the Roof
Movie Shemp
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1953
Bubble Trouble
Movie Shemp
