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Emil Sitka

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Years active
  
1946–1992

Spouse
  
Edith Weber (m. ?–1981)

Role
  
Actor


Name
  
Emil Sitka

Website
  
emilsitka.com

Emil Sitka wwwemilsitkacomimages260Pubpicsuavecroppedjpg

Born
  
December 22, 1914 (
1914-12-22
)
Johnstown, PennsylvaniaUnited States

Died
  
Children
  
Little-Star Sitka, Saxon Sitka, Storm Sitka, Eelonka Sitka, Darrow Sitka, Rudigor Sitka

Movies and TV shows
  
Brideless Groom, The Three Stooges in Orbit, The New Three Stooges, Half‑Wits Holiday, The Outlaws Is Coming

Similar People
  

Music group
  
The Three Stooges (1975)


Let's Make a Deal -- Emil Sitka


Emil Sitka (December 22, 1914 – January 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. He is one of only two actors to have worked with all six Stooges (Shemp Howard, Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Joe Besser, 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).

Contents

Emil Sitka Emil Sitka Three Stooges actor aka The Fourth Stooge

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

Emil Sitka Emil Sitka Wikipedia

Early life

Emil Sitka Emil Sitka Three Stooges actor aka The Fourth Stooge Bio3

Sitka was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1914. He was the oldest of five children, born of Slovak immigrant parents. His father, Emil Sitka, a coal miner, died of black lung disease 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 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 U.S.A., riding the rails hobo-style, 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, after which he departed to pursue his dream of acting in Hollywood, California.

Early acting experience

Emil Sitka A video tribute to actor Emil Sitka Popular Three Stooges

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

Emil Sitka SILLY BILLY 1948 starring Billie Burke with Emil Sitka

In 1946, Sitka was leading his own acting troupe when he was spotted by a talent scout for Columbia Pictures. He was told to contact Jules White, 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 as her character "Vera Vague." Hiss and Yell was nominated for an Academy Award. Several months and many films later, he was cast in his first Three Stooges film — Half-Wits Holiday. At the time, Sitka did not know who the Three Stooges were.

Sitka's first Three Stooges film—and Curly Howard's last

Emil Sitka Emil Sitka Bio Facts Family Famous Birthdays

Sitka's first Three Stooges' film was Half-Wits Holiday. It was a reworking of their earlier Hoi Polloi. Both films were adaptations of George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion (1913). The Three Stooges' films dealt with the idea that two professors bet on the outcome of turning the Three Stooges into gentlemen—with predictable results. Sitka played Sappington, the upper-crust butler, who was an excellent foil for the Three Stooges—and the target of several pies as well. Sitka's most famous scene was when he approached a woman with a cocktail and stated, "Your drink madam," and was plastered with a pie. Without changing expression he says, "Pardon me madam" and walks off. However, during the filming on May 6, 1946, Jerome "Curly" Howard suffered a devastating stroke, another after a series just before Beer Barrel Polecats was filmed. Curly, who was never able to return to a regular performing role, died 6 years later.

Emil Sitka Emil Sitka Three Stooges actor aka The Fourth Stooge Bio11

Despite this bittersweet beginning, 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 1965 cartoon series. He worked in both short films and feature films with others as well, including Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Red Skelton, Tony Curtis, Alan Hale, Walter Brennan, Dan Blocker, Joey Bishop, Bob Denver, 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 (one of the four Three Stooges shorts that lapsed into the public domain and thus was distributed freely and widely).

Almost a Middle Stooge

In January 1970, Larry Fine suffered a stroke during the filming of Kook's Tour. Plans were in the works for Sitka to replace him as the Middle Stooge in late 1970 and again in '75, but nothing other than a few promotional pictures were ever made. Sitka was to play Larry's brother, Harry. He later described him as being "conscientious to the point of ridiculousness." Two feature film offers for the Stooges had been considered, but this proposed version of the group would never transpire, due to Moe falling ill and dying shortly after its conception. One of the film offers was Blazing Stewardesses, which would go on to feature the surviving members of the Ritz Brothers.

"Hold hands, you lovebirds"

In the 1947 Three Stooges short Brideless Groom, Shemp Howard must be married before 6:00 p.m. in order to inherit $500,000.00. 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" a bit weaker.

Because of the widespread distribution of this short (it is one of four Three Stooges shorts that slipped into public domain and was broadcast countless times on local television stations as a result—one station in Richmond, Virginia ran it almost every Sunday afternoon for years in the 1980s), this scene is the one that Sitka has become best known for.

Notably, a clip of this short is featured in Pulp Fiction, for which Sitka's name even appears in the credits as "Hold Hands You Lovebirds". He continued his association with the Stooges for the next 25 years, and in 1975, was offered the chance to finally join the trio.

Later years

Sitka continued with the acting career, more out of love for acting than the need for money (including a cameo as a supermarket customer in the 1989 horror film Intruder, in which he said his signature line), 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!"

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 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, 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."

Filmography

Actor
1992
The Nutt House as
Geeves
1989
Intruder as
Mr. Abernathy
1985
Crimewave as
Colonel Rodgers
1975
Blazing Stewardesses as
Harry (rehearsed only) (as The Three Stooges)
1970
Watermelon Man as
Delivery Man
1969
The Mad Room as
Workman (uncredited)
1969
Pendulum as
Gas station attendant (uncredited)
1967
Who's Minding the Mint? as
Janitor (uncredited)
1966
Hazel (TV Series) as
Mr. Miller
- Please Don't Shout (1966) - Mr. Miller
1965
The New 3 Stooges (TV Series) as
Mr. Hasenpfeffer / Motorist / Newsreader / ...
- Tee for Three (1965) - Mr. Hasenpfeffer (uncredited)
- No News Is Good News (1965) - Newsreader (uncredited)
- Thimk or Thwim (1965) - Motorist (uncredited)
- The Noisy Silent Movie (1965) - Customer (uncredited)
- Dinopoodi (1965) - Truck Driver (uncredited)
- Dentist the Menace (1965) - Mr. Hasenpfeffer (uncredited)
- Weighing In - Man With Busted Suitcase (uncredited)
- Waiters - Diner (uncredited)
- Turkey Stuffers - Pickup Truck Driver (uncredited)
- Sunbathers - Lifeguard (uncredited)
- Shipmates - Mr. Guffey (uncredited)
- Seasick Joe - Captain (uncredited)
- Prospectors - Prospector (uncredited)
- Pilots - Scooter Customer (uncredited)
- Inheritance - Headless Great-Grandfather (uncredited)
- High Voltage - TV Announcer (uncredited)
- Golfers - Greenskeeper (uncredited)
- Flat Tire - Motorist (uncredited)
- Doctors - 1st Patient / 2nd Patient (uncredited)
- Barbers - Union Rep (uncredited)
- Bakers - Mr. Hasenpfeffer (uncredited)
- Artists - Art Patron (uncredited)
1965
Valentine's Day (TV Series) as
Delivery Man
- Farrow's Fling (1965) - Delivery Man
1965
The Farmer's Daughter (TV Series)
- A Plague on Both Their Houses (1965)
1965
The Rogues (TV Series) as
Man
- Gambit by the Golden Gate (1965) - Man
1964
The Outlaws Is Coming as
Mr. Abernathy / Witch Doctor / Cavalry Colonel
1963
My Favorite Martian (TV Series) as
Workman-1
- The Atom Misers (1963) - Workman-1
1963
The Three Stooges Scrapbook (Short) as
Prof. Dolottle
1963
The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze as
Butler at Men's Club (uncredited)
1963
The Third Man (TV Series) as
Customs Man
- Hamburg Shakedown (1963) - Customs Man
1963
13 Frightened Girls as
Ludwig (uncredited)
1963
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (TV Series) as
Marcello Ventoni
- Grand Ol' Opry (1963) - Marcello Ventoni
1962
The Three Stooges in Orbit as
Professor Danforth
1962
The Three Stooges Meet Hercules as
Shepherd / Refreshment Man
1961
The Bob Cummings Show (TV Series) as
Elevator operator
- Vive La Credit Card (1961) - Elevator operator
1961
The Case of the Dangerous Robin (TV Series)
- Policy of Murder (1961)
1960
Who Was That Lady? as
Man with Flower Pot (uncredited)
1959
Behind Closed Doors (TV Series) as
Brin
- Assignment Prague (1959) - Brin
1958
Flying Saucer Daffy (Short) as
Mr. Barton - President of 'Facts and Figures' Magazine
1958
Pies and Guys (Short) as
Sappington
1958
Quiz Whizz (Short) as
J.J. Figby
1958
Return to Warbow as
Townsman (uncredited)
1957
Outer Space Jitters (Short) as
Professor Jones
1957
Horsing Around (Short) as
Circus Attendant
1957
The 27th Day as
Newspaper Hawker (uncredited)
1957
Circus Boy (TV Series) as
Postal Clerk Smith
- The Tumbling Clown (1957) - Postal Clerk Smith
1957
Space Ship Sappy (Short) as
Liar Club's MC
1957
The Phantom Stagecoach as
Johnson (uncredited)
1957
Affair in Reno as
Cashier (uncredited)
1956
The Man Called X (TV Series)
- Voice on Tape (1956)
1956
Commotion on the Ocean (Short) as
Smitty
1956
The White Squaw as
Texas Jim (uncredited)
1956
Scheming Schemers (Short) as
Mr. Walter Norfleet
1956
Father Knows Best (TV Series) as
Earl
- Never the Twain (1956) - Earl (uncredited)
1956
Thunder Over Arizona as
Man Hit by Pie (uncredited)
1956
Crashing Las Vegas as
Man in Seat 87 (uncredited)
1956
Fury at Gunsight Pass as
Window Glass Installer (uncredited)
1956
Schlitz Playhouse (TV Series)
- Dealer's Choice (1956)
1956
Husbands Beware (Short) as
J.M. Benton - Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
1956
Highway Patrol (TV Series) as
Hood
- Escort (1956) - Hood
1955
The Spoilers as
Miner (uncredited)
1955
The Adventures of Spin and Marty (TV Series) as
Joe's Father
- The 'Triple R' (1955) - Joe's Father
1955
Blunder Boys (Short)(uncredited)
1955
My Sister Eileen as
Bit Welder (uncredited)
1955
Jail Busters as
Mug Shot Photographer (uncredited)
1955
Stone Age Romeos (Short) as
B. Bopper
1955
Blackboard Jungle as
Father (uncredited)
1955
Gypped in the Penthouse (Short) as
Charlie
1955
Three for the Show as
First Taxicab Driver (uncredited)
1955
Timberjack as
Jim (uncredited)
1955
Carolina Cannonball as
Technician
1954
Kids Will Be Kids (Short) as
Dog Show Judge (uncredited)
1954
Captain Midnight (TV Series) as
Guard at gate
- Operation Failure (1954) - Guard at gate (uncredited)
1954
Shot in the Frontier (Short) as
Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
1954
Jungle Gents as
Boat Crewman (uncredited)
1954
My Little Margie (TV Series)
- Sleepwalking (1954)
1954
Waterfront (TV Series) as
Vince
- Shipper, Beware - Vince
1953
The Range Rider (TV Series) as
Barber Shop Customer
- The Black Terror (1953) - Barber Shop Customer
1953
Geraldine as
Engineer (uncredited)
1953
Private Eyes as
Patient in Wheelchair (uncredited)
1953
Down the Hatch (Short) as
Doctor (uncredited)
1953
Bubble Trouble (Short) as
Amos Flint / Gorilla
1953
Gun Belt as
Townsman (uncredited)
1953
A Perilous Journey as
Drunk (uncredited)
1953
Spies and Guys (Short) as
Enemy Commander (uncredited)
1953
Loose Loot (Short) as
Atty. Poole (uncredited)
1953
Pardon My Wrench (Short) as
Bogus Plumbing Inspector
1953
All Ashore as
Bartender (uncredited)
1953
Fresh Painter (Short) as
Hypnotist (uncredited)
1952
Strop, Look and Listen (Short) as
Mike - Drunk Party Guest
1952
Tropical Heat Wave as
Uniformed Police Officer (uncredited)
1952
Gents in a Jam (Short) as
Uncle Phineas Bowman
1952
Sound Off as
Waiter (uncredited)
1952
Gobs and Gals as
Dressing Man (uncredited)
1952
Heebie Gee-Gees (Short) as
Tout
1952
Listen, Judge (Short) as
The Chef
1952
Harem Girl as
Abdul's Servant (uncredited)
1952
A Fool and His Honey (Short) as
Girl's Father (uncredited)
1951
Pest Man Wins (Short) as
Meadows
1951
The Champs Step Out (Short) as
Professor Bentley
1951
The Sea Hornet as
Waiter
1951
Hula-La-La (Short) as
Mr. Baines
1951
The Tooth Will Out (Short) as
Italian Chef (uncredited)
1951
The Well as
Lunch Counter Customer (uncredited)
1951
Corky of Gasoline Alley as
Painter (uncredited)
1951
Merry Mavericks (Short) as
Mort (uncredited)
1951
Pleasure Treasure (Short)
1951
A Millionaire for Christy as
Moving Man (uncredited)
1951
Newlyweds Take a Chance (Short) as
Dr. Wagner
1951
Space Patrol (TV Series) as
Pete
- The Dangerous Discovery (1951) - Pete
1951
Let's Go Navy! as
Mailman (uncredited)
1951
Scrambled Brains (Short) as
Dr. Gesundheit
1951
Fighting Coast Guard as
Chief Boatswain Mate (uncredited)
1951
Punchy Pancho (Short)
1951
Blonde Atom Bomb (Short)
1951
Wedding Yells (Short)
1951
Bowery Battalion as
Albert - Officers Club Waiter (uncredited)
1951
Gasoline Alley as
Martini (uncredited)
1950
Emergency Wedding as
Man in Department Store (uncredited)
1950
Slaphappy Sleuths (Short) as
Emil, a Customer
1950
The Fuller Brush Girl as
Man Stomping on Hair Folicle (uncredited)
1950
Three Hams on Rye (Short) as
B.K. Doaks
1950
Two Roaming Champs (Short) as
Horace Dwiggins / Elmer Dwiggins (uncredited)
1950
Photo Phonies (Short)
1950
Texas Dynamo as
Turkey
1950
Kill the Umpire as
Irate Baseball Fan (uncredited)
1950
Rock Island Trail as
Fireman (uncredited)
1950
Beware of Blondie as
Trash Collector (uncredited)
1950
The Good Humor Man as
Street Cleaner (uncredited)
1950
Put Some Money in the Pot (Short) as
Carl (uncredited)
1950
Dizzy Yardbird (Short) as
Private
1950
Hugs and Mugs (Short) as
Clerk (uncredited)
1950
His Baiting Beauty (Short) as
Harry's Boss
1950
Punchy Cowpunchers (Short) as
Capt. Daley
1949
French Fried Frolic (Short) as
Uncle Pierre
1949
And Baby Makes Three as
Baseball Fan (uncredited)
1949
Feudin' Rhythm as
Comic Actor (uncredited)
1949
Jerks of All Trades (TV Short) as
Mr. Pennyfeather
1949
Vagabond Loafers (Short) as
Mr. Walter Norfleet
1949
Blondie Hits the Jackpot as
Swedish Plaster Mixer (uncredited)
1949
Fuelin' Around (Short) as
Prof. Sneed
1949
Microspook (Short) as
George, Gorilla's Keeper
1949
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend as
Hoodlum (uncredited)
1949
The Lost Tribe as
Gorilla (uncredited)
1949
Who Done It? (Short) as
Mr. John Goodrich
1949
Radio Riot (Short)
1949
He's in Again (Short) as
Waiter (uncredited)
1948
Blondie's Secret as
Grocery Store Clerk (uncredited)
1948
A Pinch in Time (Short) as
Bartender (uncredited)
1948
Billie Gets Her Man (Short) as
Wilbur Nixon
1948
The Sheepish Wolf (Short) as
George (uncredited)
1948
Jitter Bughouse (Short) as
Mr. Lark
1948
Pardon My Clutch (Short) as
Professor Otto Klink (uncredited)
1948
Two Nuts in a Rut (Short) as
Chiropodist (uncredited)
1948
Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad as
Photographer
1948
Silly Billy (Short)
1947
Radio Romeo (Short) as
Swenson the Janitor (uncredited)
1947
All Gummed Up (Short) as
Amos Flint
1947
Wife to Spare (Short) as
Lawyer Pratt (uncredited)
1947
Brideless Groom (Short) as
Justice of the Peace J.M. Benton (uncredited)
1947
Rolling Down to Reno (Short) as
Angry Passenger (uncredited)
1947
Hold That Lion! (Short) as
Attorney
1947
Bride and Gloom (Short) as
Cab Driver (uncredited)
1947
The Good Bad Egg (Short) as
Joe's Friend (uncredited)
1947
Hot Heir (Short) as
Hugh's Uncle
1947
Meet Mr. Mischief (Short) as
Jason Perkins
1947
Half-Wits Holiday (Short) as
Sappington (uncredited)
1946
Andy Plays Hookey (Short) as
Second Policeman (uncredited)
1946
Moron Than Off (Short) as
Sweepstakes Official (uncredited)
1946
Reno-Vated (Short) as
Witness, (uncredited)
1946
Honeymoon Blues (Short) as
Janitor (uncredited)
1946
So's Your Antenna (Short) as
Louie (uncredited)
1946
Pardon My Terror (Short) as
Mr. Dugan (uncredited)
1946
Mr. Wright Goes Wrong (Short)
1946
One Exciting Week as
Councilman (uncredited)
1946
Ain't Love Cuckoo? (Short) as
2nd Bellhop (uncredited)
1946
Hiss and Yell (Short) as
Drunken Gardener (uncredited)
Stunts
1963
The Three Stooges Scrapbook (Short) (stunt double: Nick, the butler)
Self
1994
Biography (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Stooges: The Men Behind the Mayhem (1994) - Self
1990
Disorder in the Court: A 60th Anniversary Tribute to the Stooges (TV Special) as
Self - Disguised Janitor
1984
In Search of the Three Stooges (TV Short documentary) as
Self (voice)
Archive Footage
2015
Hey Moe, Hey Dad! (TV Series documentary) as
Self & various characters
- A Son Also Rises (2015) - Self & various characters
- Bum's Rush (2015) - Self & various characters
- Curtain Call (2015) - Self & various characters
- Déjà Vu All Over Again (2015) - Self & various characters
- Good Night & Good Nyuck! (2015) - Self & various characters
- Eureka! (2015) - Self & various characters
- Slap Happy (2015) - Self & various characters
1998
The Three Stooges Family Album (TV Movie documentary)
1994
Pulp Fiction as
'Hold Hands You Love Birds'
1985
Stoogemania as
Bit Part (uncredited)
1984
The Making of The Stooges (TV Movie documentary) as
Self - Interviewee
1970
Kook's Tour as
Butler
1960
Stop! Look! and Laugh! as
Sapington the Butler (uncredited)
1956
Hot Stuff (Short) as
Professor Sneed
1956
For Crimin' Out Loud (Short) as
Councilman John Goodrich
1955
G.I. Dood It (Short) as
Private (uncredited)

References

Emil Sitka Wikipedia


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