Emil Sitka (December 22, 1914January 16, 1998) was a veteran American actor, who appeared in hundreds of movies, short films, and television shows, and is best known for his numerous appearances with

The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...

. He is one of only two actors to have worked with all six Stooges (

Shemp Howard Samuel Horwitz (March 11, 1895 – November 22, 1955), known professionally as Shemp Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He was called "Shemp" because "Sam" came out that way in his mother's thick Lithuanian Yiddish, Litvak accent. He is ...

Moe Howard Moses Harry Horwitz (June 19, 1897 – May 4, 1975), known professionally as Moe Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He is best known as the leader of The Three Stooges, the farce comedy team who starred in motion pictures and television ...

Larry Fine Louis Feinberg (October 5, 1902 – January 24, 1975), known professionally as Larry Fine, was an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is best known as a member of the comedy act the Three Stooges. Early life Fine was born to a Russian Je ...

Curly Howard Jerome Lester Horwitz (; October 22, 1903 – January 18, 1952), known professionally as Curly Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He was best known as a member of the American comedy team the Three Stooges, which also featured his elder ...

Joe Besser Joe Besser (August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988) was an American actor, comedian and musician, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters. He is best known for his brief stint as a member of The Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957� ...

Joe DeRita Joseph Wardell (July 12, 1909 – July 3, 1993), known professionally as Joe DeRita, was an American actor and comedian, who is best known for his stint as a member of The Three Stooges in the persona of Curly Joe DeRita. Early life DeRita wa ...

) on film in the various incarnations of the group (

Harold Brauer Tiny Brauer (born Harold J. Brauer; June 26, 1909 – March 19, 1990) was an American film actor. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Brauer appeared in over 20 films between 1946 and 1966. Career Brauer is best known for his role as the "heavy" in s ...

, a recurring villain who appeared in three 1940s shorts, was the other). Sitka served the role of a literal "stooge," or

straight man The straight man is a stock character in a comedy performance, especially a double act, sketch comedy, or farce. When a comedy partner behaves eccentrically, the straight man is expected to maintain composure. The direct contribution to the ...

, 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, have earned him the informal title of being the "fourth stooge".

Early life

Sitka was born in

Johnstown, Pennsylvania Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, Johnstown is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropol ...

in 1914. He was the oldest of five children, born of Slovak immigrant parents. His father, Emil Sitka Sr., a coal miner, died of

black lung disease Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), also known as black lung disease or black lung, is an occupational type of pneumoconiosis caused by long-term exposure to coal dust. It is common in coal miners and others who work with coal. It is similar to b ...

when Sitka was 12 years old, and his mother, Helena Matula Sitka, was hospitalized, unable to take care of the children. His siblings were placed in foster homes, but Sitka went to live in a church in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

with a Catholic priest for the next few years. At this time, he became an altar boy and made plans to enter the priesthood, and had his first acting opportunity in the church's annual Passion Play. At the age of 16, he and one of his brothers traveled across the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

looking for work. After a year, they returned to Pittsburgh, where Sitka found a job working in a factory. He stayed there until the great St. Patrick's Day

Pittsburgh Flood of 1936 On March 17 and 18, 1936, the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, witnessed the worst flood in its history when flood levels peaked at . This flood became known as The Great St. Patrick’s Day flood, and also affected other areas of the Mid-Atla ...

, after which he departed to pursue his dream of acting in

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...

Acting career

Early acting experience

Sitka found inexpensive lodging in a small acting theater, doing handiwork to pay his rent, and gradually acting in small parts in the theater. With time and experience, the parts became larger, and eventually Sitka was directing plays as well. Since the theater did not pay, Emil always kept a job as a civil engineer to pay the bills as well as his acting career at night. By 1946, he had played dozens, if not hundreds of roles; this breadth of experience would help him in his later film career, playing everything from butler to lawyer to businessman to construction worker.

In films

In 1946, Sitka was leading his own acting troupe when he was spotted by a talent scout for

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

. He was told to contact

Jules White Jules White (born Julius Weiss; hu, Weisz Gyula; 17 September 190030 April 1985) was a Hungarian-American film director and producer best known for his short-subject comedies starring The Three Stooges Early years White began working in mo ...

, head of Columbia Pictures' short film department, and was cast in a short film that White was directing – ''Hiss and Yell'', starring

Barbara Jo Allen Barbara Jo Allen (born Marian Barbara Henshall; September 2, 1906 – September 14, 1974) was an American actress. She was also known as Vera Vague, the spinster character she created and portrayed on radio and in films during the 1940s and 19 ...

as her character "Vera Vague." ''Hiss and Yell'' was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. Several months later, he was cast in his first Three Stooges film – ''

Half-Wits Holiday ''Half-Wits Holiday'' is a 1947 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard in his final starring role). It is the 97th entry in the series released by C ...

'', where he played the role as Sappington, the first

footman A footman is a male domestic worker employed mainly to wait at table or attend a coach or carriage. Etymology Originally in the 14th century a footman denoted a soldier or any pedestrian, later it indicated a foot servant. A running footman deli ...

. At the time, this episode was also the final starring role of

, who suffered a stroke off screen and it marked the end of his career, thus making it one of only two shorts where Emil and Curly appeared together. The other short was Hold that Lion. Nevertheless, Sitka went on to appear in dozens of Three Stooges short films, as well as most of their feature films and the live action segments for ''

The New Three Stooges ''The New 3 Stooges'' is an American animated television series that ran during the 1965–66 television season starring the Three Stooges. The show follows the trio's antics both in live-action and animated segments. The cast consisted of Moe H ...

'' 1965 cartoon series. He worked in both short films and feature films with others as well, including

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golden ...

Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and tel ...

Red Skelton Richard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelton Show''. He has stars ...

Tony Curtis Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor whose career spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s (Kansas Raiders, 1950) and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 f ...

, Alan Hale,

Walter Brennan Walter Andrew Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was an American actor and singer. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in '' Come and Get It'' (1936), ''Kentucky'' (1938), and '' The Westerner ...

Dan Blocker Bobby Dan Davis Blocker (December 10, 1928 – May 13, 1972) was an American television actor and Korean War veteran, who played Hoss Cartwright in the long-running NBC Western television series ''Bonanza''. Biography Early life Blocker was born ...

Joey Bishop Joseph Abraham Gottlieb (February 3, 1918 – October 17, 2007), known professionally as Joey Bishop, was an American entertainer who appeared on television as early as 1948 and eventually starred in his own weekly comedy series playing a talk/ ...

Bob Denver Robert Osbourne Denver (January 9, 1935 – September 2, 2005) was an American comedic actor who portrayed Gilligan on the 1964–1967 television series ''Gilligan's Island'', and beatnik Maynard G. Krebs on the 1959–1963 series ''The Ma ...

, and many others. However, Sitka is best remembered for his association with the Three Stooges, and with one line in particular which he repeated several times: "Hold hands, you lovebirds!" from ''

Brideless Groom ''Brideless Groom'' is a 1947 short film, short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 101st entry in the series released by Columbia Picture ...

'' (one of the four ''Three Stooges'' shorts that lapsed into the public domain and thus was distributed freely and widely). In January 1970,

suffered a stroke during the filming of ''

Kook's Tour ''Kook's Tour'' is an American comedy film produced in late 1969 and early 1970. It was the final film to star the Three Stooges and was originally intended as the pilot for a television series. However, on January 9, 1970, before filming was co ...

''. Plans were in the works for Sitka to replace him as the Middle Stooge in early 1970 when Moe's grandson was working on a movie that called for having the Three Stooges in it. The project was called off after financing fell through, with Mr. Sitka resuming his previous activities. When Moe got a movie offer for the Stooges in 1974, he called Mr. Sitka and Joe DeRita together for accepting the offer, and commencing a full fledged revival of the Three Stooges as a current act. But nothing other than a few promotional pictures were ever made. This proposed version of the group would never transpire, due to Moe falling ill and dying shortly after its conception.

"Hold hands, you lovebirds"

In the Three Stooges short ''

'' (1947),

must be married before 6:00 p.m. in order to inherit $500,000. After striking out, Shemp finally finds a girl willing to marry him, and they rush off to a justice of the peace (Sitka). As he starts the ceremony, initially telling the couple to "hold hands, you lovebirds", the other girls that turned down Shemp's proposal burst in, having heard of the inheritance. A free-for-all then ensues, with poor Sitka being struck again and again, attempting to start the ceremony, each time more disheveled and his "hold hands, you lovebirds" rather weaker. Because of the widespread distribution of this short (it is one of four Three Stooges shorts that slipped into the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work A creative work is a manifestation of creative effort including fine artwork (sculpture, paintings, drawing, sketching, performance art), dance, writing (literature), filmmaking, ...

and was broadcast countless times on local television stations as a result), this scene is the one that Sitka has become best known for. Notably, a clip of this short is featured in ''

Pulp Fiction ''Pulp Fiction'' is a 1994 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, who conceived it with Roger Avary.See, e.g., King (2002), pp. 185–7; ; Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhame ...

'' (1994), for which Sitka's name even appears in the credits as "Hold Hands You Lovebirds." Emil also utters the phrase in his cameo as a supermarket customer in the horror film '' Intruder'' (1989).

Later years

Sitka continued with his acting career, more out of love for acting than the need for money, appearing in films as late as 1992. He was in demand at various Three Stooges conventions, and had numerous requests from Three Stooges fans to appear at their wedding to say "Hold hands, you lovebirds!" Additionally, Sitka appeared as a contestant on ''

Let's Make a Deal ''Let's Make a Deal'' (also known as ''LMAD'') is an American television musical comedy variety-game show that originated in the United States in 1963 and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The program was created an ...

'' in 1985, bringing along a drawing of silent film star

Ben Turpin Bernard "Ben" Turpin (September 19, 1869 – July 1, 1940) was an American comedian and actor, best remembered for his work in silent films. His trademarks were his cross-eyed appearance and adeptness at vigorous physical comedy. Turpin wo ...

, which host

Monty Hall Monty Hall (born Monte Halparin; August 25, 1921 – September 30, 2017) was a Canadian radio and television show host who moved to the United States in 1955 to pursue a career in broadcasting. After working as a radio newsreader and sport ...

remarked on when choosing him. After being given $500 by Hall and offered the chance to trade it for an unknown item, Sitka opted to keep the money and avoided a "zonk" prize of his-and-hers garbage cans.

Personal life

Sitka and first wife Donna Driscoll married in the 1940s and divorced in the 1960s. He married longtime girlfriend Edith Weber in the 1970s; they were married until her death in 1981. Sitka had seven children: daughters Elonka and Little-Star; and sons Rudigor, Storm, Tao, Darrow, and Saxon. All children are from the first marriage. Saxon carries on his father's legacy by appearing at Stooge conventions as often as possible.

Death

While hosting several Stooge fans in his home in June 1997, Sitka suffered a massive

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

and never regained consciousness (one fan was a certified EMT and was able to keep Sitka alive until paramedics arrived). He died on January 16, 1998, in

Camarillo, California Camarillo ( ) is a city in Ventura County in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 70,741, an increase of 5,540 from the 65,201 counted in the 2010 Census. Camarillo is named for brothers Juan an ...

, less than a month after his 83rd birthday. He is interred next to his wife Edith at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park in Camarillo. As a tribute to his tenure with the Stooges, Sitka's gravestone reads "Hold hands, you lovebirds!", as well as "He danced all the way."''Resting Places''
/ref>

Selected filmography

* ''

One Exciting Week ''One Exciting Week'' is a 1946 American comedy film directed by William Beaudine and written by Jack Townley and John K. Butler. The film stars Al Pearce, Pinky Lee, Jerome Cowan, Shemp Howard, Arlene Harris and Mary Treen. It was released on Ju ...

'' (1946) as Councilman (uncredited) * ''

'' (1947, Short) as Sappington (uncredited) * '' Hold That Lion!'' (1947, Short) as Attorney * ''

'' (1947, Short) as Justice of the Peace J.M. Benton (uncredited) * ''

All Gummed Up ''All Gummed Up'' is a 1947 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 103rd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the c ...

'' (1947, Short) as Amos Flint * ''

Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad ''Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad'' is a 1948 American comedy film directed by Reginald Le Borg and starring Leon Errol, Joe Kirkwood, Jr. and Elyse Knox. It was part of the ''Joe Palooka'' series, produced and distributed by Monogram Pictures.Drew p ...

'' (1948) as Photographer * ''

Pardon My Clutch ''Pardon My Clutch'' is a 1948 short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 105th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring ...

'' (1948, Short) as Professor Otto Klink (uncredited) * ''

Blondie's Secret ''Blondie's Secret'' is a 1948 American comedy film directed by Edward Bernds and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, and Marjorie Ann Mutchie. It is the twenty-fourth of the 28 Blondie films. Plot Cast * Penny Singleton as Bl ...

'' (1948) as Grocery Store Clerk (uncredited) * '' Who Done It?'' (1949, Short) as Mr. John Goodrich * ''

The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend ''The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend'' is a 1949 romantic comedy Western film starring Betty Grable and featuring Cesar Romero and Rudy Vallee. It was directed by Preston Sturges and written by him based on a story by Earl Felton. The film ...

'' (1949) as Hoodlum (uncredited) * ''

Fuelin' Around ''Fuelin' Around'' is a 1949 short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 116th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring t ...

'' (1949, Short) as Prof. Sneed * ''

Blondie Hits the Jackpot ''Blondie Hits the Jackpot'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Edward Bernds and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, and Marjorie Ann Mutchie. It is the 26th of the 28 Blondie films. Plot Dagwood is hired on a construc ...

'' (1949) as Swedish Plaster Mixer (uncredited) * ''

Vagabond Loafers ''Vagabond Loafers'' is a 1949 short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges ( Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 118th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures sta ...

'' (1949, Short) as Mr. Walter Norfleet * ''

Feudin' Rhythm ''Feudin' Rhythm'' is a 1949 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Edward Bernds and written by Barry Shipman. The film stars Eddy Arnold, Gloria Henry, Kirby Grant, Isabel Randolph, Tommy Ivo, Fuzzy Knight and Carolina Cotton. The ...

'' (1949) as Comic Actor (uncredited) * ''

And Baby Makes Three ''And Baby Makes Three'' is a 1949 American romantic comedy film directed by Henry Levin (film director), Henry Levin and starring Robert Young (actor), Robert Young and Barbara Hale. Plot Jackie Walsh, recently divorced from Vernon Walsh, is t ...

'' (1949) as Baseball Fan (uncredited) * ''

Punchy Cowpunchers ''Punchy Cowpunchers'' is a 1950 short film, short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 120th entry in the series released by Columbia Pi ...

'' (1950, Short) as Capt. Daley * ''

Hugs and Mugs ''Hugs and Mugs'' is a 1950 short film, short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 121st entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures st ...

'' (1950, Short) as Clerk (uncredited) * '' The Good Humor Man'' (1950) as Street Cleaner (uncredited) * ''

Beware of Blondie ''Beware of Blondie'' is a 1950 American black and white comedy film and is the last of Columbia's 28 Blondie (film series), Blondie films in 12 years. Plot summary Mr. Dithers goes on vacation, and leaves Dagwood in charge of the office. He arr ...

'' (1950) as Trash Collector (uncredited) * '' Rock Island Trail'' (1950) as Railroad Fireman in Bar (uncredited) * ''

Kill the Umpire ''Kill the Umpire'' is a 1950 baseball comedy film starring William Bendix and Una Merkel, directed by Lloyd Bacon and written by Frank Tashlin. Bendix two years earlier had portrayed baseball player Babe Ruth in the biographical film ''The B ...

'' (1950) as Irate Baseball Fan (uncredited) * ''

Texas Dynamo ''Texas Dynamo'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and written by Barry Shipman. The film stars Charles Starrett, Smiley Burnette, Lois Hall, Jock Mahoney, Slim Duncan and John Dehner. The film was released on June 1, 195 ...

'' (1950) as Turkey * ''

Three Hams on Rye ''Three Hams on Rye'' is a 1950 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 125th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring t ...

'' (1950, Short) as B.K. Doaks * ''

The Fuller Brush Girl ''The Fuller Brush Girl'' is a 1950 slapstick comedy starring Lucille Ball and directed by Lloyd Bacon. Animator Frank Tashlin wrote the script. Ball plays a quirky door-to-door cosmetics saleswoman for the Fuller Brush Company. The film also st ...

'' (1950) as Man Stomping on Hair Folicle (uncredited) * '' Slaphappy Sleuths'' (1950, Short) as Emil, a Customer * ''

Emergency Wedding ''Emergency Wedding'' (titled ''Jealousy'' in the UK) is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring Larry Parks, Barbara Hale and Willard Parker. It is a remake of '' You Belong to Me'', a film in which Parks appeared in ...

'' (1950) as Man in Department Store (uncredited) * ''Gasoline Alley'' (1951) as Martini (uncredited) * ''

Bowery Battalion ''Bowery Battalion'' is a 1951 comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on January 24, 1951, by Monogram Pictures and is the twenty-first film in the series. Plot The military is performing a pr ...

'' (1951) as Albert - Officers Club Waiter (uncredited) * ''

Fighting Coast Guard ''Fighting Coast Guard'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by Joseph Kane and written by Kenneth Gamet. The film stars Brian Donlevy, Forrest Tucker, Ella Raines, John Russell, Richard Jaeckel, William Murphy and Martin Milner. The fil ...

'' (1951) as Chief Boatswain Mate (uncredited) * '' Scrambled Brains'' (1951, Short) as Doctor Geseundheit * ''

Let's Go Navy! ''Let's Go Navy!'' is a 1951 comedy film starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on July 29, 1951 by Monogram Pictures and is the twenty-third film in the series. Plot A local charity has raised sixteen hundred dollars and entrusted the ...

'' (1951) as Mailman (uncredited) * ''

A Millionaire for Christy ''A Millionaire for Christy'' is a 1951 American comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Fred MacMurray, Eleanor Parker and Richard Carlson. The film is a screwball comedy, in which Christy Sloane (Parker) is a legal secretary from ...

'' (1951) as Moving Man (uncredited) * ''

Merry Mavericks ''Merry Mavericks'' is a 1951 short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 133rd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures Col ...

'' (1951, Short) as Mort (uncredited) * ''Corky of Gasoline Alley'' (1951) as House Painter / Irate Neighbor (uncredited) * ''

The Well The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, normally shortened to The WELL, was launched in 1985. It is one of the oldest continuously operating virtual communities. By 1993 it had 7,000 members, a staff of 12, and gross annual income of $2 million. ...

'' (1951) as Lunch Counter Customer (uncredited) * '' The Tooth Will Out'' (1951, Short) as Italian Chef (uncredited) * ''

Hula-La-La ''Hula-La-La'' is a 1951 short subject directed by Hugh McCollum starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 135th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the co ...

'' (1951, Short) as Mr. Baines * ''

The Sea Hornet ''The Sea Hornet'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by Joseph Kane and written by Gerald Drayson Adams. The film stars Rod Cameron, Adele Mara, Lorna Gray, Chill Wills, Jim Davis and Richard Jaeckel. The film was released on November ...

'' (1951) as Waiter * ''

Pest Man Wins ''Pest Man Wins'' is a 1951 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 136th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring th ...

'' (1951, Short) as Meadows * ''Harem Girl'' (1952) as Abdul's Servant (uncredited) * '' Listen, Judge'' (1952, Short) as The Chef * ''

Gobs and Gals ''Gobs and Gals'' is a 1952 American comedy film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Arthur T. Horman. The film stars George Bernard, Bert Bernard, Robert Hutton, Cathy Downs, Gordon Jones and Florence Marly. The film was released o ...

'' (1952) as Dressing Man (uncredited) * '' Sound Off'' (1952) as Waiter (uncredited) * '' Gents in a Jam'' (1952, Short) as Uncle Phineas Bowman * ''

Tropical Heat Wave ''Tropical Heat Wave'' is a 1952 American musical film directed by R. G. Springsteen and starring Estelita Rodriguez, Robert Hutton and Grant Withers.Quinlan p.282 Plot Cast * Estelita Rodriguez as Estelita * Robert Hutton as Stratford E. Ca ...

'' (1952) as Uniformed Police Officer (uncredited) * ''

All Ashore ''All Ashore'' is a 1953 American comedy musical film directed by Richard Quine and starring Mickey Rooney, Dick Haymes, Peggy Ryan and Ray McDonald. In the tradition of MGM's ''Anchors Aweigh'' and '' On the Town'', the film tells the stories o ...

'' (1953) as Bartender (uncredited) * ''

Loose Loot ''Loose Loot'' is a 1953 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 146th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the c ...

'' (1953, Short) as Atty. Poole (uncredited) (stock footage) * ''

A Perilous Journey ''A Perilous Journey'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Richard Wormser. The film stars Vera Ralston, David Brian, Scott Brady, Charles Winninger, Hope Emerson, Eileen Christy and Leif Erickson. Th ...

'' (1953) as Drunk (uncredited) * ''

Gun Belt A police duty belt (sometimes referred to as a gun belt, "duty rig" and/or kit belt) is a belt, typically constructed of nylon or leather used by police, prison and security officers to carry equipment easily in a series of pouches attached t ...

'' (1953) as Townsman (uncredited) * '' Bubble Trouble'' (1953, Short) as Amos Flint / Gorilla * '' Private Eyes'' (1953) as Patient in Wheelchair (uncredited) * '' Geraldine'' (1953) as Engineer (uncredited) * ''

Jungle Gents ''Jungle Gents'' is a 1954 American comedy film directed by Edward Bernds and starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on September 5, 1954 by Allied Artists and is the thirty-fifth film in the series and the film debut of Clint Walker in ...

'' (1954) as Boat Crewman (uncredited) * '' Carolina Cannonball'' (1955) as Technician * ''

Timberjack Timberjack is a manufacturer of forestry machinery for both cut-to-length and whole tree logging, and was a subsidiary of John Deere from 2000 to 2006. History Timberjack was founded in Woodstock, Ontario in the 1950s by Wesley Maggill and ...

'' (1955) as Jim (uncredited) * ''

Three for the Show ''Three for the Show'' is a 1955 Technicolor and in CinemaScope musical comedy remake of '' Too Many Husbands''. It stars actress Betty Grable, in her last musical, opposite Jack Lemmon, Gower Champion and Marge Champion. It is based on the 1 ...

'' (1955) as First Taxicab Driver (uncredited) * ''

Blackboard Jungle ''Blackboard Jungle'' is a 1955 American social drama film about an English teacher in an interracial inner-city school, based on the 1954 novel ''The Blackboard Jungle'' by Evan Hunter and adapted for the screen and directed by Richard Brooks. I ...

'' (1955) as Father (uncredited) * ''

Gypped in the Penthouse ''Gypped in the Penthouse'' is a 1955 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 161st entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures star ...

'' (1955) as Charlie * '' Stone Age Romeos'' (1955) as B. Bopper * ''

Jail Busters ''Jail Busters'' is a 1955 film starring the comedy team of The Bowery Boys. The film was released on September 18, 1955 by Allied Artists and is the thirty-ninth film in the series. Plot Chuck gets a job working for a newspaper. When promoted, h ...

'' (1955) as Mug Shot Photographer (uncredited) * ''

My Sister Eileen ''My Sister Eileen'' is a series of autobiographical short stories by Ruth McKenney, originally published in ''The New Yorker'', which eventually inspired many other works: her 1938 book ''My Sister Eileen'', a play, a musical, a radio play (a ...

'' (1955) as Bit Welder (uncredited) * '' The Spoilers'' (1955) as Miner (uncredited) * ''

Husbands Beware ''Husbands Beware'' is a 1956 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 167th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring ...

'' (1956) as J.M. Benton - Justice of the Peace (uncredited) * '' For Crimin' Out Loud'' (1956) as Councilman John Goodrich (archive footage) * '' Hot Stuff'' (1956) as Professor Sneed (archive footage) * ''

Crashing Las Vegas ''Crashing Las Vegas'' is a 1956 American comedy film directed by Jean Yarbrough and starring the comedy team The Bowery Boys. The film was released on April 22, 1956 by Allied Artists and is the 41st film in the series. It was the last of the s ...

'' (1956) as Man in Seat 87 (uncredited) * ''

Thunder Over Arizona ''Thunder Over Arizona'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane, written by Sloan Nibley, and starring Skip Homeier, Kristine Miller, George Macready, Wallace Ford, Nacho Galindo and Gregory Walcott. It was released on Augus ...

'' (1956) as Man Hit by Pie (uncredited) * ''

Scheming Schemers ''Scheming Schemers'' is a 1956 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 173rd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starrin ...

'' (1956) as Mr. Walter Norfleet * ''

The White Squaw ''The White Squaw'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring David Brian, May Wynn and William Bishop. Plot A Swedish settler ( David Brian) starts a war when he tries to drive Dakotas off their Wyoming reservation ...

'' (1956) as Texas Jim (uncredited) * ''

Commotion on the Ocean ''Commotion on the Ocean'' is a 1956 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard in his final starring role). It is the 174th entry in the series release ...

'' (1956) as Smitty * ''

Affair in Reno ''Affair in Reno'' is a 1957 American comedic crime adventure film directed by R. G. Springsteen from a screenplay by John K. Butler. The film stars John Lund, Doris Singleton, John Archer, Angela Greene and Alan Hale. The film was released on ...

'' (1956) as Cashier (uncredited) * ''

The Phantom Stagecoach ''The Phantom Stagecoach'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring William Bishop, Kathleen Crowley, Richard Webb, Hugh Sanders, John Doucette, and Frank Ferguson. The film was released by Columbia Pictures on Ap ...

'' (1957) as Johnson (uncredited) * ''

The 27th Day ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1957) as Newspaper Hawker (uncredited) * '' Horsing Around'' (1957) as Circus Attendant * ''

Outer Space Jitters ''Outer Space Jitters'' is a 1957 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Joe Besser). It is the 182nd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring t ...

'' (1957) as Professor Jones * ''

Return to Warbow ''Return to Warbow'' is a 1958 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring Philip Carey. The film is based on the novel ''Return to Warbow'' by Les Savage, Jr. (New York, 1955). Plot Philip Carey plays Clay Hollister, an escaped ...

'' (1958) as Townsman (uncredited) * ''

Quiz Whizz ''Quiz Whizz'' is a 1958 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Joe Besser). It is the 183rd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedi ...

'' (1958) as J.J. Figby * ''

Pies and Guys ''Pies and Guys'' is a 1958 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Joe Besser). It is the 185th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the ...

'' (1958) as Sappington * ''

Flying Saucer Daffy ''Flying Saucer Daffy'' is a 1958 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Joe Besser). It is the 187th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring t ...

'' (1958) as Mr. Barton—President of 'Facts and Figures' Magazine * ''

Who Was That Lady? ''Who Was That Lady?'' is a 1960 black and white American comedy film directed by George Sidney and starring Tony Curtis, Dean Martin, and Janet Leigh. The movie was made by Ansark-Sidney, distributed by Columbia Pictures and produced by Norman ...

'' (1960) as Man with Flower Pot (uncredited) * ''

The Three Stooges Meet Hercules ''The Three Stooges Meet Hercules'' is a 1962 American comedy fantasy film directed by Edward Bernds. It is the third feature film to star the Three Stooges after their 1959 resurgence in popularity. By this time, the trio consisted of Moe Howard ...

'' (1962) as Shepherd / Refreshment Man * ''

The Three Stooges in Orbit ''The Three Stooges In Orbit'' is a 1962 American comedy science fiction film directed by Edward Bernds. It is the fourth feature film to star the Three Stooges after their 1959 resurgence in popularity. By this time, the trio consisted of Moe Ho ...

'' (1962) as Professor Danforth * '' 13 Frightened Girls'' (1963) as Ludwig (uncredited) * ''

The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze ''The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze'' is the fifth feature film made by The Three Stooges after their 1959 resurgence in popularity. By this time, the trio consisted of Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe DeRita (dubbed "Curly Joe"). Dir ...

'' (1963) as Butler at Men's Club (uncredited) * ''

The Outlaws Is Coming ''The Outlaws Is Coming'' (stylized as ''The Outlaws IS Coming!'') is the sixth and final theatrical comedy starring The Three Stooges after their 1959 resurgence in popularity. By this time, the trio consisted of Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Jo ...

'' (1965) as Mr. Abernathy / Witch doctor / Cavalry colonel * ''

Who's Minding the Mint? ''Who's Minding the Mint?'' is a 1967 American crime comedy film directed by Howard Morris and starring Jim Hutton, Dorothy Provine, Walter Brennan and Milton Berle. The screenplay, concerning a group of individuals who break into a United State ...

'' (1967) as Janitor (uncredited) * ''The Mad Room'' (1969) as Workman (uncredited) * '' Watermelon Man'' (1970) as Delivery Man * ''

Crimewave ''Crimewave'' is a 1985 American comedy film directed by Sam Raimi, from a screenplay he co-wrote with the Coen brothers. It stars Reed Birney, Sheree J. Wilson, Paul L. Smith, Brion James, Louise Lasser and Bruce Campbell, with the latter a ...

'' (1985) as Colonel Rodgers * '' Intruder'' (1989) as Mr. Abernathy * ''

The Nutt House ''The Nutt House'' is an American sitcom television series that aired for five episodes on NBC from September 20 to October 25, 1989. Overview ''The Nutt House'' was the creation of executive producers Mel Brooks and Alan Spencer and was a broad ...

'' (1992) as Geeves (final film role) * ''

'' (1994) as 'Hold Hands You Love Birds' (archive footage)

References

External links

Emil Sitka Official website
*
Emil Sitka
at threestooges.net * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sitka, Emil 1914 births 1998 deaths Male actors from Pittsburgh American male film actors American male television actors American male comedians 20th-century American comedians American people of Slovak descent People from Johnstown, Pennsylvania 20th-century American male actors