Emil Sitka: Stooge Foil and, Later, Just Stooge

Today a celebration of comical character actor Emil Sitka (1914-1998). Sitka had been an amateur actor for years when he was hired by Columbia for their shorts division in 1946. He is primarily associated with the Three Stooges, appearing in 40 of their films over the years as a foil, antagonist and victim.

Interestingly (for someone so closely identified with the trio) his association with the team doesn’t truly begin until the Shemp years, though it extended all the way through the New Three Stooges cartoon in 1965, and beyond (he was often spoken of as a likely replacement stooge when new incarnations were being discussed in the early 1970s). Sitka and Curly overlap in only one picture, Half Wits Holiday, Sitka’s first and Curly’s last. Check it out, there’s a whole Emil Sitka web site, emilsitka.com.

“Hold hands, you two lovebirds!”

For more on classic comedy, including the Three Stooges, please check out my book: Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube — now also available on audiobook!