Photos

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.

  • Known ForActing
  • Born11 March 1895 (age 130)
  • Place of BirthBrooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Shemp Howard

Photos
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 ForActing
  • Born11 March 1895 (age 130)
  • Place of BirthBrooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
KNOWN FOR
PHOTOS
CREDITS
Poster
Three Stooges Comedy Collection
star
-
2024
Poster
Stooge O-Rama: The Men Behind the Mayhem - And Even More Mayhem!
star
-
2023
Poster
The Three Stooges in 3D
star
2.2
2012
Poster
The Three Stooges: Five of Their Greatest Shorts
star
-
2009
Poster
Shemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge
star
-
2008
Poster
Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special
star
10.0
2003
Poster
The Three Stooges Story
star
-
2001
Poster
The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter
star
-
2001
Poster
The Three Stooges - Simply Hilarious
star
6.0
2000
Poster
The Three Stooges Greatest Hits!
star
-
1997
Poster
The Lost Stooges
star
-
1990
Poster
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
star
9.0
1964
Poster
Triple Crossed
star
4.3
1959
Poster
Flagpole Jitters
star
5.5
1956
Poster
Husbands Beware
star
6.2
1956
Poster
Creeps
star
5.8
1956
Poster
For Crimin' Out Loud
star
6.2
1956
Poster
Rumpus in the Harem
star
4.8
1956
Poster
Commotion on the Ocean
star
4.0
1956
Poster
Scheming Schemers
star
6.5
1956
Poster
Hot Stuff
star
5.5
1956
Poster
Columbia Laff Hour
star
7.0
1956
Poster
Bedlam in Paradise
star
6.5
1955
Poster
Hot Ice
star
6.2
1955
Poster
Fling in the Ring
star
5.8
1955
Poster
Stone Age Romeos
star
6.5
1955
Poster
Gypped in the Penthouse
star
7.1
1955
Poster
Wham-Bam-Slam!
star
6.7
1955
Poster
Of Cash and Hash
star
6.2
1955
Poster
Blunder Boys
star
8.0
1955
Poster
Knutzy Knights
star
6.5
1954
Poster
Musty Musketeers
star
5.5
1954
Poster
Pals and Gals
star
5.5
1954
Poster
Shot in the Frontier
star
6.0
1954
Poster
Scotched in Scotland
star
5.0
1954
Poster
Income Tax Sappy
star
7.8
1954
Poster
Pardon My Backfire
star
5.6
1953
Poster
Booty and the Beast
star
6.8
1953
Poster
Up in Daisy's Penthouse
star
5.8
1953
Poster
Loose Loot
star
6.7
1953
Poster
Tricky Dicks
star
6.0
1953
Poster
Goof on the Roof
star
7.8
1953
Poster
Bubble Trouble
star
6.7
1953
Poster
Spooks!
star
6.1
1953
Poster
Rip, Sew and Stitch
star
6.8
1953
Poster
A Missed Fortune
star
7.2
1952
Poster
Gents in a Jam
star
7.0
1952
Poster
Corny Casanovas
star
6.8
1952
Poster
He Cooked His Goose
star
5.5
1952
Poster
Listen Judge
star
6.8
1952
Poster
Three Dark Horses
star
6.8
1952
Poster
Cuckoo on a Choo Choo
star
4.7
1952
Poster
Pest Man Wins
star
4.5
1951
Poster
The Tooth Will Out
star
5.7
1951
Poster
Baby Sitters Jitters
star
5.2
1951
Poster
Scrambled Brains
star
7.3
1951
Poster
Hula-La-La
star
4.7
1951
Poster
Three Arabian Nuts
star
7.5
1951
Poster
Don't Throw That Knife
star
5.0
1951
Poster
Merry Mavericks
star
5.0
1951
Poster
Gold Raiders
star
5.5
1951
Poster
Love at First Bite
star
5.0
1950
Poster
Self Made Maids
star
5.5
1950
Poster
Dopey Dicks
star
6.5
1950
Poster
Punchy Cowpunchers
star
5.3
1950
Poster
Hugs and Mugs
star
5.3
1950
Poster
Three Hams on Rye
star
6.2
1950
Poster
Slaphappy Sleuths
star
7.7
1950
Poster
Studio Stoops
star
7.3
1950
Poster
A Snitch in Time
star
4.8
1950
Poster
Africa Screams
star
5.7
1949
Poster
Malice in the Palace
star
5.6
1949
Poster
Fuelin' Around
star
7.0
1949
Poster
Hokus Pokus
star
6.2
1949
Poster
Vagabond Loafers
star
7.5
1949
Poster
Who Done It?
star
7.3
1949
Poster
The Ghost Talks
star
6.6
1949
Poster
Dunked in the Deep
star
5.3
1949
Poster
Jerks of All Trades
star
6.7
1949
Poster
Shivering Sherlocks
star
5.8
1948
Poster
Pardon My Clutch
star
5.8
1948
Poster
Fiddlers Three
star
6.4
1948
Poster
Squareheads of the Round Table
star
6.7
1948
Poster
The Hot Scots
star
6.0
1948
Poster
Heavenly Daze
star
6.8
1948
Poster
Mummy's Dummies
star
6.8
1948
Poster
Crime on Their Hands
star
6.7
1948
Poster
I'm a Monkey's Uncle
star
5.0
1948
Poster
Brideless Groom
star
5.9
1947
Poster
Sing a Song of Six Pants
star
5.9
1947
Poster
Out West
star
7.0
1947
Poster
All Gummed Up
star
6.8
1947
Poster
Hold That Lion!
star
7.0
1947
Poster
Fright Night
star
6.3
1947
Poster
Bride and Gloom
star
-
1947
Poster
The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Edition: Tales from the Three Stooges Vol. 1
star
7.5
1947
Poster
Blondie Knows Best
star
6.4
1946
Poster
Dangerous Business
star
-
1946
Poster
Jiggers, My Wife
star
-
1946
Poster
Mr. Noisy
star
-
1946
Poster
Society Mugs
star
-
1946
Poster
One Exciting Week
star
6.0
1946
Poster
The Gentleman Misbehaves
star
-
1946
Poster
Off Again, On Again
star
-
1945
Poster
A Hit with a Miss
star
-
1945
Poster
Where the Pest Begins
star
-
1945
Poster
Trouble Chasers
star
-
1945
Poster
Pick a Peck of Plumbers
star
-
1944
Poster
Open Season for Saps
star
-
1944
Poster
Crazy Knights
star
4.583
1944
Poster
Three of a Kind
star
-
1944
Poster
Moonlight and Cactus
star
4.0
1944
Poster
Strange Affair
star
6.2
1944
Poster
Crazy House
star
5.0
1943
Poster
It Ain't Hay
star
6.4
1943
Poster
How's About It
star
3.5
1943
Poster
Keep 'Em Slugging
star
5.5
1943
Poster
Arabian Nights
star
5.9
1942
Poster
Pittsburgh
star
6.2
1942
Poster
The Strange Case of Doctor Rx
star
5.1
1942
Poster
Butch Minds the Baby
star
-
1942
Poster
Private Buckaroo
star
4.9
1942
Poster
Mississippi Gambler
star
6.0
1942
Poster
Strictly in the Groove
star
-
1942
Poster
In the Navy
star
6.3
1941
Poster
Buck Privates
star
6.6
1941
Poster
Hold That Ghost
star
6.7
1941
Poster
Hellzapoppin'
star
7.1
1941
Poster
Mr. Dynamite
star
-
1941
Poster
San Antonio Rose
star
7.0
1941
Poster
Road Show
star
5.8
1941
Poster
Cracked Nuts
star
-
1941
Poster
Hit the Road
star
-
1941
Poster
Meet the Chump
star
-
1941
Poster
Too Many Blondes
star
-
1941
Poster
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
star
5.0
1941
Poster
Tight Shoes
star
-
1941
Poster
The Three Stooges: Live and Hilarious
star
-
1941
Poster
The Flame of New Orleans
star
6.2
1941
Poster
The Bank Dick
star
6.5
1940
Poster
The Invisible Woman
star
5.7
1940
Poster
Millionaires in Prison
star
6.0
1940
Poster
Boobs in the Woods
star
-
1940
Poster
Money Squawks
star
-
1940
Poster
Pleased to Mitt You
star
-
1940
Poster
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
star
6.3
1940
Poster
Murder Over New York
star
6.1
1940
Poster
The Leather Pushers
star
-
1940
Poster
Give Us Wings
star
6.0
1940
Poster
Another Thin Man
star
7.133
1939
Poster
Glove Slingers
star
-
1939
Poster
Not Guilty Enough
star
-
1938
Poster
Home on the Rage
star
-
1938
Poster
Hollywood Round-Up
star
4.4
1937
Poster
Headin' East
star
-
1937
Poster
Kick Me Again
star
-
1937
Poster
Taking the Count
star
-
1937
Poster
While the Cat's Away
star
-
1936
Poster
Absorbing Junior
star
-
1936
Poster
Here's Howe
star
-
1936
Poster
Punch and Beauty
star
-
1936
Poster
For the Love of Pete
star
-
1936
Poster
The Choke's on You
star
-
1936
Poster
The Blonde Bomber
star
-
1936
Poster
His First Flame
star
-
1935
Poster
Convention Girl
star
6.0
1935
Poster
On the Wagon
star
-
1935
Poster
The Officer's Mess
star
-
1935
Poster
Serves You Right
star
-
1935
Poster
Why Pay Rent?
star
-
1935
Poster
Everybody Likes Music
star
-
1934
Poster
Henry the Ache
star
1.0
1934
Poster
Corn on the Cop
star
6.0
1934
Poster
The Knife of the Party
star
4.5
1934
Poster
Smoked Hams
star
-
1934
Poster
Dizzy & Daffy
star
-
1934
Poster
The Wrong, Wrong Trail
star
-
1934
Poster
Art Trouble
star
6.5
1934
Poster
A Peach of a Pair
star
-
1934
Poster
My Mummy's Arms
star
-
1934
Poster
Daredevil O'Dare
star
-
1934
Poster
I Scream
star
-
1934
Poster
Howd' Ya Like That?
star
-
1934
Poster
Rambling 'Round Radio Row #9
star
1.0
1934
Poster
Very Close Veins
star
-
1934
Poster
Pugs and Kisses
star
-
1934
Poster
Mushrooms
star
-
1934
Poster
Pure Feud
star
-
1934
Poster
So You Won't T-T-T-Talk
star
3.5
1934
Poster
Salt Water Daffy
star
5.7
1933
Poster
Here Comes Flossie!
star
-
1933
Poster
In the Dough
star
6.5
1933
Poster
Gobs of Fun
star
5.0
1933
Poster
Close Relations
star
-
1933
Poster
Paul Revere, Jr.
star
-
1933
Poster
Soup to Nuts
star
5.8
1930
Poster
Spring Fever
star
-
1919