Shemp Howard

Shemp Howard (born Samuel Horwitz; March 11, 1895 – November 22, 1955) was an American comedian and actor best known for his role as the third Stooge in the slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges, where he portrayed a laid-back, dimwitted character alongside his brothers Moe Howard and Curly Howard, as well as Larry Fine. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family, Howard was the oldest of the performing Howard brothers and adopted his stage name early in his career, with "Shemp" derived from his mother's pronunciation of "Sam." He began performing in vaudeville acts in the early 1920s, initially teaming with his brother Moe and comedian Ted Healy, and contributed to the formation of the Stooges' signature chaotic humor style.

Howard's tenure with the Three Stooges spanned two periods: from 1925 to 1932 as part of Ted Healy and His Stooges, during which the group appeared in their first feature film, Soup to Nuts (1930), and again from 1946 to 1955 after rejoining following Curly Howard's debilitating stroke. In his second stint, he starred in 77 Columbia short subjects and the feature film Gold Raiders (1951), helping sustain the team's popularity through the post-World War II era with his distinctive raspy voice, wild hair, and improvisational ad-libs. Between Stooges periods, Howard pursued a prolific solo career, appearing in over 100 films across genres, including Vitaphone two-reel comedies (1931–1933) as part of the Joe Palooka series, and supporting roles in Universal Pictures productions like Buck Privates (1941) with Abbott and Costello, The Bank Dick (1940) with W.C. Fields, and Hellzapoppin' (1941). He also worked at studios such as RKO, MGM, and Monogram, showcasing his versatility in comedies, westerns, and musicals.

Howard married Gertrude "Babe" Frank in 1925, and they had a son, Morton, born in 1927; he maintained a low-profile personal life amid his Hollywood demands. His career highlighted the enduring appeal of the Stooges' anarchic comedy, influencing generations of performers, though he remains somewhat overshadowed by Moe and Curly in popular memory. Howard died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage—often reported as a heart attack—while riding in a taxi in Hollywood, California, at age 60, shortly after attending a boxing match. He is buried at Home of Peace Memorial Park in Los Angeles.