Samuel Horwitz, professionally known as Shemp Howard, was an American actor and comedian born on March 11, 1895, in Manhattan, New York, to Lithuanian Jewish parents. He was the third-born of five Horwitz brothers, with younger brothers Moses, professionally known as Moe Howard, and Jerome, professionally known as Curly Howard.
Shemp's early career began in the early 1920s as the third stooge in the Three Stooges, alongside Ted Healy, while the act was still associated with Healy and known as "Ted Healy and his Stooges". He reprised his role as the third stooge from 1946 until his death in 1955.
Between his times with the Stooges, Shemp had a successful film career as a solo comedian, often incorporating his trademark of ad-libbed incidental dialogue or wisecracks into his performances. His most notable characteristic as a Stooge was his high-pitched "bee-bee-bee-bee-bee-bee!" sound, a soft screech done by inhaling, which became his signature sound.
Shemp's somewhat homely appearance was also used for comic effect, often mugging grotesquely or allowing his hair to fall in disarray. He was married to Gertrude Frank in September 1925 and had one child, Morton, born in 1926.
Tragically, Shemp's life was cut short when he died of a sudden massive heart attack on November 22, 1955, at the age of 60, while returning home from a boxing match with friends in a taxicab.
