Emil Sitka

From Johnstown, Pennsylvania, USA • 1914 - 1998

Emil Sitka (December 22, 1914 – January 16, 1998) was an American actor who appeared in hundreds of movies, short films, and television shows, and who is best known for his numerous appearances with The Three Stooges. He was the unofficial "last Stooge", since he was tapped to be the new middle Stooge when Larry Fine suffered a stroke in 1970. He is one of only two actors to have worked with all six Stooges (Shemp Howard, Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Joe Besser, and Joe DeRita) on film in the various incarnations of the group (Harold Brauer, a recurring villain who appeared in three 1940s shorts, was the other). Sitka served the role of a literal "stooge," or straight man, to the Three Stooges throughout nearly 40 of their short films, most of which were filmed during Shemp's run as the third stooge. In addition to one single appearance during Curly's run with the trio, and a limited number of appearances during Besser's, Sitka returned as a near-regular character when the trio returned to film and television with DeRita. His frequent appearances with the trio, and his role as stooge to the stooges, earned him the informal title of being the "fourth stooge". After Fine had a stroke in 1970, Sitka was initially considered to replace him which would've had him perform alongside Moe and DeRita as "The Middle Stooge". However, despite being announced as a Stooge, he never performed beyond posing for a few publicity photographs in character as Moe died from a heart attack. (Via Wikipedia)