Acting · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA · Born March 11, 1895
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.
Three Stooges Comedy Collection
2024
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieStooge O-Rama: The Men Behind the Mayhem - And Even More Mayhem!
2023
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
TVThe Three Stooges: Hey Moe! Hey Dad!
2015
as Shemp (archive footage)
MovieThe Three Stooges in 3D
2012
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieThe Three Stooges: Five of Their Greatest Shorts
2009
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieShemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge
2008
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThree Stooges 75th Anniversary Special
2003
as Shemp (archive footage)
MovieThe Three Stooges Story
2001
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieThe Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter
2001
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Three Stooges - Simply Hilarious
2000
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieThe Three Stooges Greatest Hits!
1997
as Self / Shemp (archive footage)
The Lost Stooges
1990
as (archive footage)
MovieClassic Comedy Teams
1986
as Shemp (archive footage)
Three Stooges: Greatest Routines
1964
as Shemp
MovieTriple Crossed
1959
as Shemp (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieCommotion on the Ocean
1956
as Shemp (archive footage)
MovieScheming Schemers
1956
as Shemp (archive footage)
MovieHot Stuff
1956
as Shemp (archive footage)
MovieRumpus in the Harem
1956
as Shemp (archive footage)
MovieFor Crimin' Out Loud
1956
as Shemp
MovieFlagpole Jitters
1956
as Shemp
MovieCreeps
1956
as Shemp / Shemp's son
MovieHusbands Beware
1956
as Prof. Shemp Howard
MovieColumbia Laff Hour
1956
as Shemp
MovieBlunder Boys
1955
as Various Days
MovieHot Ice
1955
as Shemp
MovieWham-Bam-Slam!
1955
as Shemp
MovieStone Age Romeos
1955
as Shemp
MovieGypped in the Penthouse
1955
as Shemp
MovieBedlam in Paradise
1955
as Shemp
MovieOf Cash and Hash
1955
as Shemp
MovieFling in the Ring
1955
as Shemp
MovieScotched in Scotland
1954
as Shemp
MovieShot in the Frontier
1954
as Shemp
MovieKnutzy Knights
1954
as Shemp
MoviePals and Gals
1954
as Shemp
MovieMusty Musketeers
1954
as Shemp
MovieIncome Tax Sappy
1954
as Shemp
MovieGoof on the Roof
1953
as Shemp
MovieBubble Trouble
1953
as Shemp
MovieRip, Sew and Stitch
1953
as Shemp
MoviePardon My Backfire
1953
as Shemp
MovieSpooks!
1953
as Shemp
MovieTricky Dicks
1953
as Shemp
MovieLoose Loot
1953
as Shemp
MovieBooty and the Beast
1953
as Shemp
MovieUp in Daisy's Penthouse
1953
as Shemp / Shemp Howard Sr.
MovieCuckoo on a Choo Choo
1952
as Shemp
MovieThree Dark Horses
1952
as Shemp
MovieGents in a Jam
1952
as Shemp
MovieHe Cooked His Goose
1952
as Shemp
MovieListen Judge
1952
as Shemp
MovieCorny Casanovas
1952
as Shemp
MovieA Missed Fortune
1952
as Shemp
MoviePest Man Wins
1951
as Shemp
MovieHula-La-La
1951
as Shemp
MovieThe Tooth Will Out
1951
as Shemp
MovieGold Raiders
1951
as Shemp
MovieMerry Mavericks
1951
as Shemp
MovieScrambled Brains
1951
as Shemp
MovieDon't Throw That Knife
1951
as Shemp
MovieBaby Sitters Jitters
1951
as Shemp
MovieThree Arabian Nuts
1951
as Shemp
MovieA Snitch in Time
1950
as Shemp
MovieSlaphappy Sleuths
1950
as Shemp
MovieStudio Stoops
1950
as Shemp
TVThe Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
as Self
MovieThree Hams on Rye
1950
as Shemp
MovieSelf Made Maids
1950
as Shemp / Shempetta
MovieLove at First Bite
1950
as Shemp
MovieDopey Dicks
1950
as Shemp
MovieHugs and Mugs
1950
as Shemp
MoviePunchy Cowpunchers
1950
as Shemp
MovieJerks of All Trades
1949
as Shemp
MovieDunked in the Deep
1949
as Shemp
MovieVagabond Loafers
1949
as Shemp
MovieMalice in the Palace
1949
as Shemp
MovieHokus Pokus
1949
as Shemp
MovieAfrica Screams
1949
as Gunner
MovieFuelin' Around
1949
as Shemp
MovieWho Done It?
1949
as Shemp
MovieThe Ghost Talks
1949
as Shemp
MovieCrime on Their Hands
1948
as Shemp
MovieMummy's Dummies
1948
as Shemp
MovieI'm a Monkey's Uncle
1948
as Shemp
MovieHeavenly Daze
1948
as Shemp
MovieThe Hot Scots
1948
as Shemp
MovieFiddlers Three
1948
as Shemp
MovieSquareheads of the Round Table
1948
as Shemp
MoviePardon My Clutch
1948
as Shemp
MovieShivering Sherlocks
1948
as Shemp
MovieAll Gummed Up
1947
as Shemp
MovieSing a Song of Six Pants
1947
as Shemp
MovieBrideless Groom
1947
as Shemp
MovieHold That Lion!
1947
as Shemp
MovieOut West
1947
as Shemp
MovieBride and Gloom
1947
as Shemp
MovieFright Night
1947
as Shemp
The Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Edition: Tales from the Three Stooges Vol. 1
1947
as Himself
MovieBlondie Knows Best
1946
as Jim Gray
MovieSociety Mugs
1946
as Shemp
MovieDangerous Business
1946
as Monk
MovieOne Exciting Week
1946
as Marvin Lewis
MovieJiggers, My Wife
1946
as Woodcock 'Woody' J. Strinker
MovieMr. Noisy
1946
as Noisy
MovieThe Gentleman Misbehaves
1946
as Marty
MovieA Hit with a Miss
1945
as Rameses - Prizefighter
MovieWhere the Pest Begins
1945
as Shemp Howard
MovieTrouble Chasers
1945
as Shemp Howard
MovieOff Again, On Again
1945
as Woodcock Q. Strinker
MovieCrazy Knights
1944
as Shemp
MovieOpen Season for Saps
1944
as Woodcock Q. Strinker
MovieStrange Affair
1944
as Laundry Truck Driver
MovieMoonlight and Cactus
1944
as Punchy Carter
MoviePick a Peck of Plumbers
1944
as Elmer Peabody
MovieThree of a Kind
1944
as Shemp Howard
MovieCrazy House
1943
as Mumbo
MovieKeep 'Em Slugging
1943
as Binky
MovieIt Ain't Hay
1943
as Umbrella Sam
MovieHow's About It
1943
as Alf
MovieArabian Nights
1942
as Sinbad
MoviePittsburgh
1942
as Shorty (The Tailor)
MovieStrictly in the Groove
1942
as Pops
MoviePrivate Buckaroo
1942
as Sgt. 'Muggsy' Shavel
MovieMississippi Gambler
1942
as Milton Davis - Brooklyn Cab Driver
MovieThe Strange Case of Doctor Rx
1942
as Det. Sgt. Sweeney
MovieButch Minds the Baby
1942
as 'Squinty' Sweeny
MovieHellzapoppin'
1941
as Louie
MovieThe Three Stooges: Live and Hilarious
1941
as Shemp
MovieHold That Ghost
1941
as Soda Jerk
Too Many Blondes
1941
as Hotel Manager Ambrose Tripp
MovieThe Flame of New Orleans
1941
as Oyster Bed Cafe Waiter (uncredited)
MovieCracked Nuts
1941
as Eddie / Ivan
MovieHit the Road
1941
as Dingbat
MovieSan Antonio Rose
1941
as Benny the Bounce
MovieTight Shoes
1941
as Okay
MovieIn the Navy
1941
as Dizzy
MovieMr. Dynamite
1941
as 'Abdullah'
MovieRoad Show
1941
as Moe Parker (uncredited)
Meet the Chump
1941
as Stinky Fink
MovieBuck Privates
1941
as Chef
MovieSix Lessons From Madame La Zonga
1941
as Gabby
MovieThe Invisible Woman
1940
as Frankie
MovieGive Us Wings
1940
as Buzz Berger
MovieMurder Over New York
1940
as Shorty McCoy alias Rashid the Fakir
MovieThe Bank Dick
1940
as Joe Guelpe
MovieThe Leather Pushers
1940
as Sailor McNeill
MoviePleased to Mitt You
1940
as Pat Patrick
MovieMillionaires in Prison
1940
as Professor
MovieBoobs in the Woods
1940
as Gus
MovieThe Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
1940
as Joe - a Pickpocket
MovieMoney Squawks
1940
as Shemp
MovieGlove Slingers
1939
as Pat Patrick
MovieAnother Thin Man
1939
as Wacky (uncredited)
MovieHome on the Rage
1938
as Happy
Not Guilty Enough
1938
as Brother-in-Law
MovieHeadin' East
1937
as Windy Wylie
MovieHollywood Round-Up
1937
as Oscar Bush
MovieTaking the Count
1937
as Knobby Walsh
MovieKick Me Again
1937
as Knobby Walsh
MovieThe Blonde Bomber
1936
as Knobby Walsh
MovieThe Choke's on You
1936
as Knobby Walsh
MoviePunch and Beauty
1936
as Knobby Walsh
MovieHere's Howe
1936
as Knobby Walsh
MovieAbsorbing Junior
1936
as Henry, the Husband
MovieFor the Love of Pete
1936
as Knobby Walsh
MovieWhile the Cat's Away
1936
as Henry
MovieThe Officer's Mess
1935
as Gus Doakes
MovieConvention Girl
1935
as Dan Higgins
MovieOn the Wagon
1935
as Henry
MovieServes You Right
1935
as Johnny Spivens
MovieWhy Pay Rent?
1935
as Henry
MovieHis First Flame
1935
as Smokey Moe
MovieA Peach of a Pair
1934
as Butler
MovieDizzy & Daffy
1934
as Lefty Howard
MovieSo You Won't T-T-T-Talk
1934
as Henry
MovieSmoked Hams
1934
as Henry Howard
MovieDaredevil O'Dare
1934
as Butch
MovieMy Mummy's Arms
1934
as Kenneth
MovieArt Trouble
1934
as Short Painter
MovieI Scream
1934
as Moran's Henchman
MovieRambling 'Round Radio Row #9
1934
as Songwriters' Representative
TVThe Three Stooges
1934
as Shemp
MovieCorn on the Cop
1934
as Reginald / Reggie
MoviePure Feud
1934
as Clem McCarthy
MovieVery Close Veins
1934
as Sourdough
MovieEverybody Likes Music
1934
as Shemp Howard
MoviePugs and Kisses
1934
as Dopey Traynor
MovieThe Knife of the Party
1934
as Shemp Howard
MovieMushrooms
1934
as Thorndike
MovieThe Wrong, Wrong Trail
1934
as Piano Mover
MovieHenry the Ache
1934
as Artie - One of King Henry's Lackeys
MovieHowd' Ya Like That?
1934
as Sailor
MovieHere Comes Flossie!
1933
as Ezry
MovieIn the Dough
1933
as Bugs
MovieGobs of Fun
1933
as Club patron
MoviePaul Revere, Jr.
1933
as Attendant
MovieClose Relations
1933
as One of the Moles
MovieSalt Water Daffy
1933
as Wilbur the Kleptomaniac
MovieSoup to Nuts
1930
as Fireman
MovieSpring Fever
1919
TVThe Three Stooges + Comedy Gold Standard
as Shemp
