Shemp Howard
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1895-03-11
Day of Death
1955-11-22 (60 years old)
Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Shemp Howard
Biography
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
Acting
(2024)
(2023)
(2012)
The Three Stooges in 3D
as Shemp
(2009)
(2008)
Shemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge
as Self (archive footage)
(2003)
Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special
as Shemp (archive footage)
(2001)
The Three Stooges Story
as Shemp
(2001)
(2000)
(1997)
The Three Stooges Greatest Hits!
as Self / Shemp (archive footage)
(1990)
The Lost Stooges
as Himself
(1964)
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
as Shemp
(1959)
Triple Crossed
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
(1956)
Flagpole Jitters
as Shemp
(1956)
Commotion on the Ocean
as Shemp (archive footage)
(1956)
Husbands Beware
as Prof. Shemp Howard
(1956)
For Crimin' Out Loud
as Shemp
(1956)
Scheming Schemers
as Shemp (archive footage)
(1956)
Rumpus in the Harem
as Shemp (archive footage)
(1956)
Creeps
as Shemp / Shemp's son
(1956)
Hot Stuff
as Shemp (archive footage)
(1956)
Columbia Laff Hour
as Shemp
(1955)
Of Cash and Hash
as Shemp
(1955)
Blunder Boys
as Various Days
(1955)
Stone Age Romeos
as Shemp
(1955)
Fling in the Ring
as Shemp
(1955)
Bedlam in Paradise
as Shemp
(1955)
Gypped in the Penthouse
as Shemp
(1955)
Wham-Bam-Slam!
as Shemp
(1955)
Hot Ice
as Shemp
(1954)
Musty Musketeers
as Shemp
(1954)
Knutzy Knights
as Shemp
(1954)
Shot in the Frontier
as Shemp
(1954)
Pals and Gals
as Shemp
(1954)
Income Tax Sappy
as Shemp
(1954)
Scotched in Scotland
as Shemp
(1953)
Booty and the Beast
as Shemp
(1953)
Loose Loot
as Shemp
(1953)
Up in Daisy's Penthouse
as Shemp / Shemp Howard Sr.
(1953)
Goof on the Roof
as Shemp
(1953)
Rip, Sew and Stitch
as Shemp
(1953)
Tricky Dicks
as Shemp
(1953)
Pardon My Backfire
as Shemp
(1953)
Spooks!
as Shemp
(1953)
Bubble Trouble
as Shemp
(1952)
He Cooked His Goose
as Shemp
(1952)
Corny Casanovas
as Shemp
(1952)
A Missed Fortune
as Shemp
(1952)
Gents in a Jam
as Shemp
(1952)
Three Dark Horses
as Shemp
(1952)
Listen Judge
as Shemp
(1952)
Cuckoo on a Choo Choo
as Shemp
(1951)
Merry Mavericks
as Shemp
(1951)
Scrambled Brains
as Shemp
(1951)
Baby Sitters Jitters
as Shemp
(1951)
Pest Man Wins
as Shemp
(1951)
Hula-La-La
as Shemp
(1951)
Gold Raiders
as Shemp
(1951)
The Tooth Will Out
as Shemp
(1951)
Three Arabian Nuts
as Shemp
(1951)
Don't Throw That Knife
as Shemp
(1950)
Hugs and Mugs
as Shemp
(1950)
Punchy Cowpunchers
as Shemp
(1950)
Slaphappy Sleuths
as Shemp
(1950)
Dopey Dicks
as Shemp
(1950)
Studio Stoops
as Shemp
(1950)
Love at First Bite
as Shemp
(1950)
Three Hams on Rye
as Shemp
(1950)
Self Made Maids
as Shemp / Shempetta
(1950)
A Snitch in Time
as Shemp
(1949)
Africa Screams
as Gunner
(1949)
Malice in the Palace
as Shemp
(1949)
Dunked in the Deep
as Shemp
(1949)
The Ghost Talks
as Shemp
(1949)
Vagabond Loafers
as Shemp
(1949)
Jerks of All Trades
as Shemp
(1949)
Who Done It?
as Shemp
(1949)
Fuelin' Around
as Shemp
(1949)
Hokus Pokus
as Shemp
(1948)
Crime on Their Hands
as Shemp
(1948)
The Hot Scots
as Shemp
(1948)
I'm a Monkey's Uncle
as Shemp
(1948)
Shivering Sherlocks
as Shemp
(1948)
Pardon My Clutch
as Shemp
(1948)
Squareheads of the Round Table
as Shemp
(1948)
Mummy's Dummies
as Shemp
(1948)
Fiddlers Three
as Shemp
(1948)
Heavenly Daze
as Shemp
(1947)
Brideless Groom
as Shemp
(1947)
Sing a Song of Six Pants
as Shemp
(1947)
Out West
as Shemp
(1947)
Fright Night
as Shemp
(1947)
Hold That Lion!
as Shemp
(1947)
Bride and Gloom
as Shemp
(1947)
(1947)
All Gummed Up
as Shemp
(1946)
Society Mugs
as Shemp
(1946)
Mr. Noisy
as Noisy
(1946)
Dangerous Business
as Monk
(1946)
Blondie Knows Best
as Jim Gray
(1946)
One Exciting Week
as Marvin Lewis
(1946)
Jiggers, My Wife
as Woodcock 'Woody' J. Strinker
(1946)
The Gentleman Misbehaves
as Marty
(1945)
Off Again, On Again
as Woodcock Q. Strinker
(1945)
A Hit with a Miss
as Rameses - Prizefighter
(1945)
Where the Pest Begins
as Shemp Howard
(1945)
Trouble Chasers
as Shemp Howard
(1944)
Strange Affair
as Laundry Truck Driver
(1944)
Pick a Peck of Plumbers
as Elmer Peabody
(1944)
Open Season for Saps
as Woodcock Q. Strinker
(1944)
Moonlight and Cactus
as Punchy Carter
(1944)
Crazy Knights
as Shemp
(1944)
Three of a Kind
as Shemp Howard
(1943)
It Ain't Hay
as Umbrella Sam
(1943)
Crazy House
as Mumbo
(1943)
Keep 'Em Slugging
as Binky
(1943)
How's About It
as Alf
(1942)
Pittsburgh
as Shorty (The Tailor)
(1942)
Arabian Nights
as Sinbad
(1942)
Private Buckaroo
as Sgt. 'Muggsy' Shavel
(1942)
Mississippi Gambler
as Milton Davis - Brooklyn Cab Driver
(1942)
The Strange Case of Doctor Rx
as Det. Sgt. Sweeney
(1942)
Butch Minds the Baby
as 'Squinty' Sweeny
(1942)
Strictly in the Groove
as Pops
(1941)
Hellzapoppin'
as Louie
(1941)
Buck Privates
as Chef
(1941)
Hold That Ghost
as Soda Jerk
(1941)
In the Navy
as Dizzy
(1941)
Too Many Blondes
as Hotel Manager Ambrose Tripp
(1941)
The Flame of New Orleans
as Oyster Bed Cafe Waiter (uncredited)
(1941)
Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga
as Gabby
(1941)
Road Show
as Moe Parker (uncredited)
(1941)
Hit the Road
as Dingbat
(1941)
Tight Shoes
as Okay
(1941)
San Antonio Rose
as Benny the Bounce
(1941)
Mr. Dynamite
as 'Abdullah'
(1941)
(1941)
Cracked Nuts
as Eddie / Ivan
(1941)
Meet the Chump
as Stinky Fink
(1940)
The Invisible Woman
as Frankie
(1940)
Murder Over New York
as Shorty McCoy alias Rashid the Fakir
(1940)
The Bank Dick
as Joe Guelpe
(1940)
The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
as Joe - a Pickpocket
(1940)
Money Squawks
as Shemp
(1940)
Millionaires in Prison
as Professor
(1940)
Give Us Wings
as Buzz Berger
(1940)
Boobs in the Woods
as Gus
(1940)
The Leather Pushers
as Sailor McNeill
(1940)
Pleased to Mitt You
as Pat Patrick
(1939)
Another Thin Man
as Wacky (uncredited)
(1939)
Glove Slingers
as Pat Patrick
(1938)
Home on the Rage
as Happy
(1938)
Not Guilty Enough
as Brother-in-Law
(1937)
Taking the Count
as Knobby Walsh
(1937)
Hollywood Round-Up
as Oscar Bush
(1937)
Headin' East
as Windy Wylie
(1937)
Kick Me Again
as Knobby Walsh
(1936)
Absorbing Junior
as Henry, the Husband
(1936)
The Blonde Bomber
as Knobby Walsh
(1936)
Here's Howe
as Knobby Walsh
(1936)
The Choke's on You
as Knobby Walsh
(1936)
For the Love of Pete
as Knobby Walsh
(1936)
While the Cat's Away
as Henry
(1936)
Punch and Beauty
as Knobby Walsh
(1935)
The Officer's Mess
as Gus Doakes
(1935)
Why Pay Rent?
as Henry
(1935)
Convention Girl
as Dan Higgins
(1935)
Serves You Right
as Johnny Spivens
(1935)
His First Flame
as Smokey Moe
(1935)
On the Wagon
as Henry
(1934)
Pure Feud
as Clem McCarthy
(1934)
So You Won't T-T-T-Talk
as Henry
(1934)
Art Trouble
as Short Painter
(1934)
Very Close Veins
as Sourdough
(1934)
Smoked Hams
as Henry Howard
(1934)
Daredevil O'Dare
as Butch
(1934)
Howd' Ya Like That?
as Sailor
(1934)
My Mummy's Arms
as Kenneth
(1934)
Pugs and Kisses
as Dopey Traynor
(1934)
The Knife of the Party
as Shemp Howard
(1934)
Dizzy & Daffy
as Lefty Howard
(1934)
I Scream
as Moran's Henchman
(1934)
Corn on the Cop
as Reginald / Reggie
(1934)
A Peach of a Pair
as Butler
(1934)
Mushrooms
as Thorndike
(1934)
Henry the Ache
as Artie - One of King Henry's Lackeys
(1934)
Rambling 'Round Radio Row #9
as Songwriters' Representative
(1934)
Everybody Likes Music
as Shemp Howard
(1934)
The Wrong, Wrong Trail
as Piano Mover
(1933)
Salt Water Daffy
as Wilbur the Kleptomaniac
(1933)
Close Relations
as One of the Moles
(1933)
Paul Revere, Jr.
as Attendant
(1933)
Here Comes Flossie!
as Ezry
(1933)
Gobs of Fun
as Club patron
(1933)
In the Dough
as Bugs
(1930)
Soup to Nuts
as Fireman
(1919)