Shemp Howard: Underappreciated Stooge

I watched The Three Stooges Story last night, and gained a new appreciation for Shemp. I had always been in the camp that viewed him as a poor substitute for Curly--a pretender. Curly may be everybody’s favorite stooge, but we shouldn’t let that detract from Shemp’s place in the stooge spotlight.

Shemp, older brother to Moe and Curly, was actually one of the original three stooges. Before the Stooges gained Hollywood fame, he left for greener pastures, leading Moe to bring in brother Curly. Shemp became a comic star in his own right, working with such stars as W.C. Fields and Abbott and Costello. When Curly’s health failed in 1946, Shemp rejoined the group until his own death in 1955.

According to those who knew him, he had a great sense of humor on and off screen. Directors and fellow actors admired his excellent improvisational skills and his original shtick. He had his own brand of humor. He never tried to “do Curly.”

By all accounts he was a prince of a man. Curly’s daughter praised him as a charming, loving uncle who gave her a silver dollar every time she visited his house. He died in 1955 while riding home with friends from a prize fight.

3 Stooges Links

Short Bio

http://www.3-stooges.com/text/shemp.html

http://www.threestooges.com/