Biography
Shemp Howard — stooge with roots in the Russian Empire
Shemp Howard (born Samuel Horwitz) was the third of five Horwitz brothers and a member of the Three Stooges from 1923 to 1932, before a solo film career. He rejoined after his brother Curly's stroke in 1946 and appeared with Moe and Larry in 77 short subjects.
Russian Connection
Tracing the roots — Kaunas (Lithuania)
Born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn on 11 March 1895 to Solomon Horwitz and Jennie Horwitz (née Gorovitz), Lithuanian Jews from Kaunas (Kovno), then the capital of the Kovno Governorate of the Russian Empire. The parents, second cousins, spoke the Litvak dialect of Yiddish and emigrated to New York around 1890.
Family Tree
Subject
Shemp Howard🇺🇸 USA
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Parents
Solomon Horwitz
Jennie Horwitz (née Gorovitz)
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Origin
Kaunas (Lithuania)🇷🇺 Russian Empire
Historical context
Russian Empire · c. 1721–1917
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Kaunas (Lithuania). At the time, this region lay within the Russian Empire, which spanned from Poland to the Pacific.
Map: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
Key Achievements
A career defined by ambition
01
Member of the Three Stooges, 1923–1932
02
Solo film career in shorts and features
03
Rejoined the Stooges in 1946 — 77 short subjects with Moe and Larry
04
Brother of Moe Howard and Curly Howard
Sources