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Sam Rami used himself and his friends as body doubles to finish the filming of The Evil Dead without the majority of the actors and actresses that he had hired on for the project. Of course, the Stooges were trying to replace Shemp in an era long before CGI could digitally insert him into shots or put his face on a body double. Jerome Lester Horwitz: Death And Legacy (GC718FK) was created by pfeifdom on 2/26/2017. The Real Reason Shemp Howard Left The Three Stooges. Shemp was cast as "Knobby Walsh," and though only a supporting character, he became the comic focus of the series, with Johnnie Berkes and Lee Weber as his foils. Rumpus in the Harem borrows from Malice in the Palace, Hot Stuff from Fuelin' Around, and Commotion on the Ocean from Dunked in the Deep (all originals released 1949; all re-edits released 1956). He made repeated attempts to break in as an actor, and then took to vaudeville in a comedy duo with his older brother, Samuel. He was the second choice to replace Shemp. On stage, Healy would sing and tell jokes while his three noisy stooges would get in his way. Valerie was to bear Curly a daughter, Janie, the following year. This fake Shemp ended up being so convincing that it caused Crispin to sue the films production. Missing his pal, the collie "Lady," Curly asked Moe if he could bring the dog to stay with him at the hospital. Out West. Facts Verse In 1934, the team signed with Columbia Pictures and began churning out the series of comedy slapstick shorts that brought hilarity to the world. Surprisingly, this was more than . Shortly after they caught another vaudeville performer, "in high silk hat and tails, playing the violin and doing a Russian dance." Mort Howard was born in 1927 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Given that they're regarded as comedy legends who, whether directly or indirectly, influenced every generation of comedians who came after them, the Three Stooges dealt with their fair of tragedy. When Shemp Howard died suddenly of a heart attack on November 22, 1955, the Three Stooges were still making short comedies for Columbia Pictures. Also, subscribe to the channel if youd like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way! He also played a few serious parts, such as his supporting role in Pittsburgh (1942) starring Marlene Dietrich and John Wayne. By the end, Curly could only communicate with Moe by squeezing his hand, sometimes just by blinking his eyes. Shemp was replaced by his younger brother Jerome (Curly) and recalled in 1946 when Jerome had a stroke. A Gribbon-Howard short, Art Trouble (1934), also features then-unknown James Stewart in his first film role. Largely seen . And that the term is meant to pay tribute to a phenomenon that occurred on the set of a few shorts made by beloved slapstick comedy troupe the Three Stooges back in the mid-1950s? How The Death Of The Three Stooges' Shemp Howard Led To A Popular Film Technique. The fact that stock footage already used in shorts made by the Three Stooges by the time of Shemps death. And previous member Shemp Howard had to brought back in to replace him. What is Shemp Howard's real name? Shemp's son. His temporary stint ended up lasting the rest of his life. For those who have never heard the term fake Shemp. Because of his established solo career, he was also given opportunities in the films to do some of his own comic routines. 1080. [citation needed], Shemp seldom stuck to the script. The two fell in love and married on July 31, 1947. He is best known as the third Stooge in the Three Stooges, a role he played when the act began in the early 1920s (19231932), while it was still associated with Ted Healy and known as "Ted Healy and his Stooges"; and again from 1946 until his death in 1955. It was a multipurpose effect: He emitted this sound when scared, sleeping (done as a form of snoring), overtly happy, or dazed. Learn about Larry Fine on Apple TV. Shemp rejoined the Stooges and they continued to produce successful films. After Shemp Howard died in 1955, Joe DeRita took over the role of Curly and continued to perform with the group until its dissolution in 1970. Who Was The Shortest Of The 3 Stooges? With the founding member of the Three Stooges passing away in 1955. Curly loved the good lifedrinking, hanging out at clubs, seeing and dating as many beautiful women as possible. Curly spotted a young girl in a wheelchair and told Tom to pull over. However, as established, the term fake Shemp wouldnt coined until around three decades later. On November 22, 1955, while returning home by taxicab from attending a boxing match (one of Shemp's favorite pastimes), Shemp died of a massive heart attack. Mort's widow Geri lives in CA, as do Shemp's granddaughters Sandie and Jill, and their families. (Curly had always loved swimming.) .". Facts Verse And instead used a fake Shemp to fool the audience into thinking that the actor was still around. ", 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. For his part, Shemp had an offer to appear in films for Vitaphone, in California, and decided to take the offer and leave The Three Stooges, for the first time. In the terrible divorce proceedings, Marion said of Curly: "He used filthy, vile language, kept two vicious dogs, he shouted at waiters in cafes, struck and kicked me, put out cigars in the sink." Shemp's son Mort died in the early 1970s. Death. The Howard brothers were the original Stooges; Larry Fine joined them in 1928. Shemp had one of the founding members of the Three Stooges, alongside brother Moe Howard and friend Larry Fine. Facts Verse One day Moe spotted his brother Shemp in the audience, and yelled at him from the stage. Moe Howard passed away on May 4, 1975 at 77 years old from lung cancer. ("I'm hideous," he explained to reporters.) On November 22, 1955, Shemp went out with associates Al Winston and Bobby Silverman to a boxing match (one of Shemp's favorite pastimes) at the Hollywood Legion Stadium at North El Centro and Selma Avenues, one block above the Hollywood Palladium. He followed his brothers' lead, moved to the west coast in 1937, and picked up supporting actor roles at several studios, predominantly at Columbia Pictures and Universal Studios. September 14, 2021, 5:02 am, by Some theorists even [] More, Are you a fan of sitcom My Three Sons? When did Shemp replace Curly on the Three Stooges? The term has come to used in many situations. Being the youngest in his family, he was affectionately called "Babe" by his brothers. Morton Howard died on January 13. AFter Shemp's death, Hollywood heavyweight, Joe Besser took on the role of # 3 stooge. The team's personal life was rocked in 1952 when Curly died; three years later Shemp followed him: dead from a heart attack at 60. And while Williams sadly is no longer with us, Pam Dawber is still alive and well. Shemp Howard was not fond of Ted Healy. Curly had already suffered a series of strokes prior to the filming of If a Body Meets a Body (1945), and in January 1945 Shemp filled in for Curly at a week-long appearance at the St. Charles Theatre in New Orleans. . Shemp appeared with Moe and Larry in 73 short subjects (77 when counting four that were made after Shemp's death by incorporating stock footage). Mork, of course, played by the late Robin Williams. They contractually required to finish the shorts. Shemp Howard was interred in a crypt in the Indoor Mausoleum at the Home of Peace Cemetery in East Los Angeles. He then replaced in the troupe by his and Moes other brother, Curly, who became an even more popular member than Shemp. However, Curly tragically passed away in 1952. Originally playing bit roles in Vitaphone's Roscoe Arbuckle comedies, showing off his comical appearance, he was given speaking roles and supporting parts almost immediately. To fulfill the contract, producer Jules White manufactured four more shorts by reusing old footage of Howard and filming new connecting scenes with a double, longtime Stooge supporting actor, Joe Palma, who is seen mostly from the back. Fact; 1: His great-granddaughter Caroline has a small role in The Three Stooges (2012). Of which he had one of the founding members. In the immediate wake of the passing of original member Shemp Howard. Later, director Sam Raimi and his childhood friend actor Bruce Campbell referred to anyone playing body doubles or stand-ins in other films as "Shemp" or "a Fake Shemp", in reference to these postmortem Stooge scenes. Shemp was 60 years old when he left The Three Stooges for the last time. Facts Verse Curly's appearance grew worse until finally, while filming his 97th Three Stooges short, "Half Wit's Holiday," on May 6, 1946, the straw finally broke the camel's back. Included is also short stories about my perception of how Shemp came to replace Curly. Curly finally got a happy break in 1947, when he met an attractive brunette named Valerie Newman. Moe adamantly refused. Following this, the two remaining members of the Three Stooges extended an invitation to Shemp to return. James Arness. Quick-witted Shemp yelled right back, and walked up onto the stage. Joe Besser (August 12, 1907 - March 1, 1988) From Wikipedia. Curly, always a free spender, had spent a fortune buying gifts for Marion, and the divorce really shook him up. The four appeared in one feature film, . He was replaced in 1946 by Shemp Howard, who was with the Stooges until 1955, when he Shemp had a successful solo run as comic relief and character actor in films, and occasionally was cast in straight or even villainous roles, and was featured in his own two-reel comedy shorts, similar to what The Three Stooges cranked out for Columbia, per Britannica. . Facts Verse He also played a few dramatic parts, such as his supporting role in Pittsburgh (1942) starring Marlene Dietrich and John Wayne. While a good deal of stock footage certainly used to cover up Shemps death. Facts Verse 22 1955 . / . Palma came to be known by Stooge fans as the "Fake Shemp". He worked extensively for Universal Studios, including supporting parts for W.C. Fields and The Andrews Sisters, and in series like The Thin Man. Sams brother Ted, as well as star Bruce Campbell. March 17, 1895, New York, New York, U.S.d. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for THE THREE STOOGES COLLECTION - Volume 8 - 1955-1959 DVD at the best online prices at eBay! "Ted is not the wonderful guy you think he is," he told Moe. Let's see well, big news, we wrapped filming on the second season of DARK WINDS a few days ago, with several days of shooting in Monument Valley. Some fans, however, contend that in these later cheapies, Shemp looks weak, pale, and even disoriented, similar to many of Curly's later appearances. 2011-09-09 15:19:40. He even played along with a publicity stunt that named him "The Ugliest Man in Hollywood." This the first time that the term had ever used in an official capacity. Curly's great vigor and boyish vitality, his comedy trademarks, sank lower and lower. Shemp was the tallest of all the stooges, at 5'6", and dying at the age of 60, he is also the second shortest living stooge after his younger brother Curly who died at the age of 48, making them the only stooges who did not live up to the age of 70. July 2, 2021, 6:38 am, by After 16 films, Columbia replaced Joe by (in a sense) bringing back Shemp: Columbia kept the series going into the 1960s by reissuing Shemp's Stooge comedies. He liked to wear a sea captain's hat (he had black and white captain hats) and, like any new father, he loved playing with and doting on his newborn daughter. Dear Shemp, his mangy puss suspended in time on grainy Columbia stock, scowling out from beneath klieg light sweat and dripping Brylcreem. It said to have been director Jules White who first recommended the actor Joe Palma. Facts Verse Out West 1947 Stream Deutsch. The Los Angeles county coroner's death certificate states that Shemp Howard died on Tuesday, November 22, 1955, at 11:35 [PM] PST; confirming that, Shemp's obituary appeared in the November 23 afternoon editions . Larry and Moe discussed options: stop, or re-cast? He had his first stroke soon thereafter, in early 1946. Stooges Among Us is a record of these unique relationships told in the words of the fans themselves. Columbia discontinued filming new Stooge short subject comedies in December 1957, releasing the last new short in June 1959, but kept the series going into the 1960s by reissuing Shemp's Stooge shorts to theaters. One visitor during these last years recalls Curly crying because he couldn't communicate during one visit. : 3: At the time their mother, Jennie Horwitz, died in 1936, he and brother Shemp Howard had been keeping secret from her that her son, Irving Horwitz, whom she doted on the most, had died three weeks . uncles Moe Howard and Benjamin Jacob Howard. Mort Howard died at West Valley Community Hospital, Encino, Los Angeles, California. He was called "Shemp" because "Sam" came out that way in his mother's thick Litvak accent. Mr. Fine was not related to the other longtime members of the slapstick team, the brothers Moe and Curly Howard. "Here I go with another load." ( Ted Healy ) "He's got five dollars!!! In the new millennium, Jan has turned her interests [] More, Each year over 1.5 million patients become victims of medical malpractice in the US alone. For the first part of their career, they were billed as Ted Healey and His Stooges, according toBritannica. However, Shemp died with only four shorts in the can. Roughly a quarter million of these unlucky souls sustain injuries so severe that they end up dying. Sadly, these final Curly shorts show him looking very old and worn, his previously starring roles greatly reduced, and, indeed, they put a bit of a black mark on his body of otherwise amazing comedy performances. (Prior to replacing Curly on film, Shemp had substituted for his brother in some personal appearances in the early 1940s.). Irving (18911939) and Benjamin (Jack) (18931976) were his older brothers; Moses (Moe) (18971975) and Jerome (Curly) (19031952) were his younger brothers. Healy would retaliate with physical and verbal abuse. In most of these, his improvisational skills are highlighted. Some other famous examples of fake Shemps in films include the body double used for Paul Walker in the Fast & Furious franchise. His "woo-woo"s and "n'yuk nyuk"s, as well as his incredible gift for physical, inventive, surreal comedy, made Curly Howard everyone's favorite Stooge. Crazy about dogs, he enjoyed playing with his beloved pets, a collie named "Lady" and two other canines named "Salty" and "Shorty." Moe's autobiography states that Shemp died on November 23, 1955, and most subsequent accounts point to that date due to Moe's book. In September 1925, Shemp married Gertrude Frank (19051982), a fellow New Yorker. Shemp Howard, died in 1955. Flippo asked Parton about what the most outrageous thing shed [] More, Robert Urich was known throughout the world as a tough guy. While Robert Urich was famous for doing battle with tough foes on the screen. He and Valerie had a swimming pool built in their home, hoping Curly could use it for physical therapy. He was replaced in 1946 by Shemp Howard, who was with the Stooges until 1955, when he died. Gertrude Frank Howard outlived her husband and son, and was living when her first cousin Barney Frank (born 1940, the son of her father's brother) became a US Congressman. Curly Howard died in 1952 and was replaced by a Curly look . Of course, losing Shemp was a blow to the Stooges. Shemp agreed to remain with the group permanently. Shemp Howard had a long and illustrious career as one-third of the Three Stooges. Family (1) Spouse Geraldyn "Geri" Mankoff (18 February 1951 - 13 January 1972) (his death) Trivia (4) Son of Shemp Howard. Popular, by During these final years, Curly let his thick, wavy hair grow back, instead of the world-famous shaved dome he had sported as a Stooge. Having starred in such television programs as VEGA$ and Spenser: For Hire. He was also the brother of fellow stooges Moe Howard and Curly Howard. The Three Stooges earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street on August 30, 1983.[6]. He was briefly teamed with comedians Billy Gilbert and Maxie Rosenbloom for three B-comedy features in 194445. ("Babe" was Curly's nickname among his close friends.) As well as the body double used for Bela Lugosi on the set of Plan 9 from Outer Space. By the 1920s he was part of a roughhouse act with vaudeville star Ted Healy. He was hospitalized and, except for a couple of cameos, never performed again. It was there, on January 18, 1952, that the great Jerome "Curly" Howard passed away. (At left, a photo of all four in "Hold That Lion!"). Moe and Shemp eventually tried their hands as minstrel-show-style "blackface" comedians with an act they called "Howard and Howard A Study in Black". Howard was born Samuel Horwitz in Bensonhurst in Brooklyn, NY on March 17,[1] 1895, and raised in Brooklyn. Larry Fine was not related to any of the other stooges. After Shemp Howard died of a heart attack on November 22, 1955 at age 60, his brother Moe suggested that he and teammate Larry Fine continue working as "The Two Stooges". He was just 48 years old. He was put on a strict diet of boiled apples and rice. The original members were the brothers Moe and Shemp Howard and Fine. In 1934, the group was put under contract with Columbia Pictures. Shemp went on to pass away himself only a few years after returning to the troupe. He livened up scenes with ad-libbed dialogue and wisecracks, which became his trademark. On November 23, 1955, Shemp Howard had just left a boxing match in Los Angeles. Though Crispin wanted more money than the budget allowed. Apparently, they arent subscribers to the old adage that too much of a good thing can actually be a bad thing. !" ( Curly ) "I heard you tell that girl you were gonna put her name up in electric lights." "Is that what I said? While returning house in a taxi that night, Howard died of a substantial cardiac arrest, at the age of 60. On November 23, Shemp spent the evening with friends. He was replaced after his death in 1955 by Joe Besser, then by DeRita in 1959. Unique pictures help to illustrate the message conveyed. (Curly liked sleeping with the dog when he was at home.) He and a friend hailed a taxicab and hopped in for the ride to Howard's North Hollywood home, as the Three Stooges writes. He was featured with Vitaphone comics Jack Haley, Ben Blue, and Gus Shy, then co-starred with Harry Gribbon, Daphne Pollard, and Johnnie Berkes, and finally starred in his own two-reel comedies. Moses Horwitz was the one who got the acting bug in a big (or bad) way. He was survived by his mother Gertrude Frank Howard. It became his trademark sound as the "nyuk nyuk" sound had become Curly's. The director was well aware of how the slapstick comedy troupe had handled the death of Shemp Howard. This is the Navajo detective series we're doing for AMC, based on the fantastic Joe Leaphorn . It was later discovered that Shemp had been secretly taking Nitroglycerin pills for chest pains in the months leading up to his death. Mort was a brilliant entrepreneur who graduated high school at 15, and went on to . Moe's brother Shemp, a member of the original Three Stooges from 1920 to 1932, passed away unexpectedly in November 1955 after attending a boxing match with associates Al Winston and Bobby Silverman. Though he didnt have Shemps facial features or mannerisms. And the creation of the term fake Shemp during the production of his debut film The Evil Dead is just one way that the director has paid tribute to the beloved slapstick comedy troupe over the course of his career. Shemp Howard played the same scared and ignorant types as a stooge as did many other comedians. 1 Year-Later She Realizes Her Huge Mistake, Bebe Buell Reveals Everything About Her Rock Star Romances, The Real Reason Peter Lawford Got Kicked Out of the Rat Pack, Pam Dawber is Unrecognizable Today (Try Not to Gasp), Why Jan Smithers DISAPPEARED After WKRP in Cincinnati, Celebrities Who Died Due to Medical Malpractice, slapstick comedy troupe the Three Stooges, The ONE Time Dolly Parton Got Naked in Public, Rare Photos of Lynda Carter Not Suitable for All Ages, The Tragic Death of Robert Urich & His Wife, The Tragic Life and Demise of Angie Dickinson, How Each Gilligans Island Cast Member Died. Contemporary photos show a smiling Curly, happily puffing on his cigar (despite his weak health, Curly still did not give up his beloved cigars), posing around the house, and horsing around with his little daughter. Of course, these then went on to become the four Three Stooges shorts featuring fake Shemps. cousins Joan Howard . The Stooges, whose roots . "ThreeStooges.net:: The Three Stooges Journal Issue No. From 1939 onwards, Shemp appeared frequently in Columbia's two-reel comedies, co-starring with Columbia regulars Andy Clyde, The Glove Slingers, El Brendel, and Tom Kennedy. The Stooges moved to rejoin him, but Shemp put his foot down. Facts Verse Moe and Larry also came to the conclusion that they could simply use a fake Shemp, and the rest is history! November 23, 1955, Los Angeles, California), Moe Howard (original name Moses . The trio had renewed popularity in . And it deemed that using fake Shemps to replace actors that were still alive wasnt morally sound. They premiered at Los Angeles's Paramount Theatre on August 28, 1930. DeRita died from pneumonia at the age of 83. [citation needed]. The Los Angeles county coroner death certificate states that Shemp Howard died on Tuesday November 22, 1955 at 11:35 PST; confirming that, Shemp's obituary appeared in the November 23 afternoon editions of L.A. newspapers, establishing the night of November 22 as the date of death. Facts Verse Shemp Howard. Shemp Howard was very much unavailable, so the studio used a technique that became known as a Fake Shemp. With his Aztec profile, his receding forehead and long, wavy . In the early 1920s they teamed up with a vaudeville comedian named Ted Healy and a few years later they were joined by Larry Fine and the Three Stooges were born. He co-starred in the first seven shorts, released in 19361937. What more could you ask for? In the television biopic film The Three Stooges (2000), Shemp Howard was portrayed by John Kassir, who donned a floppy, straight-haired wig. Away from Vitaphone he attempted, unsuccessfully, to lead his own group of "stooges" in the Van Beuren musical comedy short The Knife of the Party. He died on January 13, 1972 in Toluca Lake, California, USA. With their classic lineup of Moe, Larry, and Curly in place, the Three Stooges went on to make a series of films for Columbia Pictures while Shemp went off and had his own career. The test results proved shocking: Curly was suffering from high blood pressure, hypertension, a retinal hemorrhage, and obesity. (A 1934 Gribbon-Howard short, Art Trouble, also featured the then unknown James Stewart in his first film role). When did Shemp Howard pass away? This reduced popularity caused Columbia Pictures to decrease the budget allotted for Three Stooges shorts. Healy was always the main attraction of the act, and his stooges were in constant disagreement with him over billing, money, and management. He was coming bock from a boxing match. These four films were spliced together from previous shorts, with Palma filmed from the rear playing Shemp's role. He is best known as the third Stooge in the Three Stooges, a role he played when the act began in the early 1920s (1923-1932), while it was still associated with Ted . Curly Howard was born as Jerome Lester Horwitz on October 22, 1903 in New York City, to Jennie Gorovitz and Solomon Horwitz. Finally, after a long and frustrating period of guessing, they realized poor Curly just wanted a bowl of ice cream. Mrs Gertrude "Babe" Frank Howard. He was the older brother of both Moe Howard and Jerome "Curly" Howard as well as the "third stooge" in the early years of the act. Shemp was the first and oldest member stooge of group. He skipped school repeatedly to spend the day at the theater, watching plays and other performances over and over again, enraptured by the idea of show business. Curly Howard net worth: Curly Howard was an American comedian and vaudevillian actor who had a net worth of $10 million. The act was broken up when Shemp was drafted for service in World War I, but he was discharged after a few months "he was a bedwetter," wrote Moe. Net Worth: $10 Million. There four shorts that they had been working on that had yet to be completed. Curly Howard was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York in . As a consequence of his strokes, it became harder and harder for Curly to talk and communicate. Though fans of the Three Stooges likely knew exactly what Sam Rami was trying to say. Shemp, like his brothers Moe and Curly, was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn. They had one child, Morton (19271972). From 1934 to 1944, Curly Howard and the other Stooges made 80-odd of the funniest shorts in the history of movie comedy, but by 1945 something was obviously wrong with the brilliant Curly. Shemp decided that he was willing to come back and be there for his brother, and the original lineup of the Three Stooges was reborn. He was taken to recover to the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital, his career as a Stooge now effectively over. When did Moe Howard die? But she ended up spilling the beans on one of the most embarrassing chapters of her life instead. A cast member's death isn't the only reason a production might need to employ a Fake Shemp. Shemp was succeeded by Joe Besser in 1956; both Shemp Howard and Joe Besser had starred in their own separate short subjects. If youre enjoying this video so far, be sure to hit the like button to show your support! Al thought Shemp was clowning around, but soon realized that Shemp was actually dead. By the mid-1950s, the beloved slapstick comedy troupe the Three Stooges had suffered the loss of iconic member Curly Howard. They knew just who to turn to! It was a rare failure in an otherwise successful solo career. Facts Verse Broadway led to a film for Fox Studios (later 20th Century-Fox), Soup to Nuts, written by Rube Goldberg (yes, that Rube Goldberg). However, stock footage not going enough to get the job done completely. Shemp's role as the third Stooge was much different from Curly's. Return with The Three Stooges: from 1946 until his death 1955. In 1931 they added "Three Lost Soles" to the act's name, and took on Jack Walsh as their straight man. During the fourteen years between his times with the Stooges, he had a successful solo career as a film comedian, including a series of shorts by himself and with partners. Upon Shemps death in 1955, the Three Stooges had four shorts that had yet to completed. Of which he had one of the founding members. Shemp's replacement was his brother Jerome "Jerry" Howard, who went on to take the stage name Curly. Ben Kweller is a singer and one of the most talented . He worked exclusively at Universal from August 1940 to August 1943, performing with such comics as W. C. Fields (playing Fields' bartender in the film The Bank Dick, 1940); and with comedy duos Abbott and Costello and Olsen and Johnson. Emil Sitka died on January 16, 1998, making him the last "Stooge" to die (though Sitka never performed on film as a member of the trio, but did appear in a few publicity shots). The production of The Evil Dead was notoriously difficult as a result of the films miniscule budget. Curly's stay at his home lasted through the late 1940s, but his health deteriorated again, and on August 29, 1950, Curly was returned to the Motion Picture Home. The Three Stooges most iconic shorts feature Curly in the role of the third member instead of Shemp or any of Shemps later replacement. In 1937 he followed his brothers' lead, moved to the West Coast, and landed supporting-actor roles at several studios, predominantly Columbia Pictures and Universal. Dorian Zev Kweller was the son of Ben Kweller, a famous singer and songwriter. He was working for Columbia in this capacity when his brother Curly was felled by a debilitating stroke on May 6, 1946. Janie Howard. He suffered through serious health problems and several more strokes until his death in 1952 at age 48. Rock stars are infamous for their insatiable appetites for all things in excess. Howard died Moe would bring in his younger brother Jerome, later rechristened Curly, to replace Shemp in the group. Did you know that the term "fake Shemp" was coined by director Sam Rami and that the term is meant to pay tribute to a phenomenon that occurred on the set of. Shemp was cast as "Knobby Walsh" and although he was only a supporting character, Shemp became the comic focus of the series, with Johnny Berkes and Lee Weber as his foils. Mount Sinai Memorial Park. In a 2000 TV-movie, Shemp was portrayed by John Kassir, who donned a floppy, straight-haired wig to portray the comic. Jules White, a great director of Curly in many Three Stooges shorts, recalls one of his final visits to Curly during Curly's waning days. Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox!