Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
200
Gender
Male
Birthday
March 11, 1895 ( 60 years old )
Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Also Known As
Samuel Horwitz
Shemp
Shemp Howard and His Stooges
The Three Stooges
Shmuel Horwitz
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 For
The Bank Dick
1940-11-29Blondie Knows Best
1946-10-17Africa Screams
1949-05-04In the Navy
1941-05-30Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special
2003-04-29The Invisible Woman
1940-12-28Buck Privates
1941-01-31Crazy House
1943-10-08Hold That Ghost
1941-08-08Arabian Nights
1942-12-25