I was born Samuel Horwitz in Brooklyn, New York on March 17, 1895. I acquired the name "Shemp" when my mother, with her broad European accent, would call him "Sam," which sounded like "Shemp." I graduated from P.S. 163 in Brooklyn. I enrolled along with Moe at the Baron De Hirsch Trade School in New York where I took up plumbing and Moe studied to be an electrician.
I, like my brother Moe , had ambitions to be an entertainer. I worked with my brother Moe in various amateur and vaudeville acts until 1922 when a former school mate and vaudeville comedian, Ted Healy, was playing at the Brooklyn prospect theater and needed a replacement in his current act. Moe and I joined the act. In 1925 I married Gertrude "Babe" Frank. She gave birth to my son, Morton, in 1927.
In that same year Larry joined Moe and I with Ted Healy. In 1930, I went with Healy and Moe and Larry to co-star in "Soup to Nuts." A short time later, Healy left the JJ Shubert Broadway review, taking Moe and Larry with him. I decided to stay with the show. On my own, I went on to star in countless comedies for Vitaphone in 1932, and I later played the role of Knobby Walsh in the Joe Palooka series. I did feature film roles at RKO, MGM, and Monogram.
In the 1940's I was given numerous roles in such Universal films as "Buck Privates," "The Bank Dick," and "Hellzapoppin!" After Curly had to leave the act because of his illness, I again became one of The Three Stooges. I not only made 77 Stooge shorts, but also a feature film, "Gold Raiders" (1951). I also appeared in the TV pilot "Jerks of All Trades."
On November 23, 1955, I went out with his friends to a boxing match at the Hollywood Legion Stadium. After the fights were over, I hailed a taxicab to take me to my North Hollywood home with friend Al Winston. I set back and lit up my cigar. Suddenly I slumped over into Winston's lap. I had a heart attack and was dead at the age of 60.
I want to give a great thanks to the creators of the Internet (whoever they are) and Tom, the creator of MySpace. Without them I would never be able to keep in touch with all my fans, and my brothers.
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