Personal Life
In September 1925, Shemp (at 30) married Gertrude Frank (at 28), a fellow New Yorker. They had one child, Morton (1926–1972). U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) is the son of Gertrude's cousin Sam Frank.
Shemp used his somewhat homely appearance for comic effect, often mugging grotesquely or allowing his hair to fall in disarray. He even played along with a publicity stunt that named him "The Ugliest Man in Hollywood". ("I'm hideous," he explained to reporters.) Notoriously phobic, his fears included airplanes, automobiles, dogs and water.
According to Moe's autobiography, Shemp was involved in a driving accident as a teenager and never obtained a driver's license.
Read more about this topic: Shemp Howard
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