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Emil Sitka

May 05, 2023

Not to be confused with Emil Sitko.

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 and 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, 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).

Emil Sitka
Sitka, as he appeared in Brideless Groom (1947)
Born(1914-12-22)December 22, 1914
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJanuary 16, 1998(1998-01-16) (aged 83)
Camarillo, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1946–1992
Spouse(s)
Donna Driscoll
​
​
(m. 1942; div. 1969)​

Edith Weber
​
​
(m. 1971; died 1981)​
Children6[1]
Websiteemilsitka.com

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".

Early life

Sitka was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania 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 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 United States 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.

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. 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 later, he was cast in his first Three Stooges film – Half-Wits Holiday, where he played the role as Sappington, the first footman. At the time, this episode was also the final starring role of Curly Howard, 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 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).

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 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 Brideless Groom (1947), Shemp Howard 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 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 (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 in 1985, bringing along a drawing of silent film star Ben Turpin, which host Monty Hall 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 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."[2]

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ Thomas Jr., Robert McG (January 25, 1998). "Emil Sitka, Favorite Foil Of 3 Stooges, Dies at 83". The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  2. ^ Resting Places

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Emil Sitka.
  • Emil Sitka Official website
  • Emil Sitka at IMDb
  • Emil Sitka at threestooges.net
  • Emil Sitka at Find a Grave

May 05, 2023
emil, sitka, confused, with, emil, sitko, december, 1914, january, 1998, veteran, american, actor, appeared, hundreds, movies, short, films, television, shows, best, known, numerous, appearances, with, three, stooges, unofficial, last, stooge, since, tapped, m. Not to be confused with Emil Sitko 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 and 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 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 Emil SitkaSitka as he appeared in Brideless Groom 1947 Born 1914 12 22 December 22 1914Johnstown Pennsylvania U S DiedJanuary 16 1998 1998 01 16 aged 83 Camarillo California U S OccupationActorYears active1946 1992Spouse s Donna Driscoll m 1942 div 1969 wbr Edith Weber m 1971 died 1981 wbr Children6 1 Websiteemilsitka comSitka 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 Contents 1 Early life 2 Acting career 2 1 Early acting experience 2 2 In films 3 Hold hands you lovebirds 4 Later years 5 Personal life 6 Death 7 Selected filmography 8 References 9 External linksEarly life EditSitka was born in Johnstown Pennsylvania 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 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 United States 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 Acting career EditEarly acting experience Edit 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 Edit 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 later he was cast in his first Three Stooges film Half Wits Holiday where he played the role as Sappington the first footman At the time this episode was also the final starring role of Curly Howard 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 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 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 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 EditIn the Three Stooges short Brideless Groom 1947 Shemp Howard 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 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 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 EditSitka 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 in 1985 bringing along a drawing of silent film star Ben Turpin which host Monty Hall 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 EditSitka 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 EditWhile 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 2 Selected filmography EditOne Exciting Week 1946 as Councilman uncredited Half Wits Holiday 1947 Short as Sappington uncredited Hold That Lion 1947 Short as Attorney Brideless Groom 1947 Short as Justice of the Peace J M Benton uncredited All Gummed Up 1947 Short as Amos Flint Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad 1948 as Photographer Pardon My Clutch 1948 Short as Professor Otto Klink uncredited Blondie s Secret 1948 as Grocery Store Clerk uncredited Who Done It 1949 Short as Mr John Goodrich The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend 1949 as Hoodlum uncredited Fuelin Around 1949 Short as Prof Sneed Blondie Hits the Jackpot 1949 as Swedish Plaster Mixer uncredited Vagabond Loafers 1949 Short as Mr Walter Norfleet Feudin Rhythm 1949 as Comic Actor uncredited And Baby Makes Three 1949 as Baseball Fan uncredited Punchy Cowpunchers 1950 Short as Capt Daley Hugs and Mugs 1950 Short as Clerk uncredited The Good Humor Man 1950 as Street Cleaner uncredited Beware of Blondie 1950 as Trash Collector uncredited Rock Island Trail 1950 as Railroad Fireman in Bar uncredited Kill the Umpire 1950 as Irate Baseball Fan uncredited Texas Dynamo 1950 as Turkey Three Hams on Rye 1950 Short as B K Doaks The Fuller Brush Girl 1950 as Man Stomping on Hair Folicle uncredited Slaphappy Sleuths 1950 Short as Emil a Customer Emergency Wedding 1950 as Man in Department Store uncredited Gasoline Alley 1951 as Martini uncredited Bowery Battalion 1951 as Albert Officers Club Waiter uncredited Fighting Coast Guard 1951 as Chief Boatswain Mate uncredited Scrambled Brains 1951 Short as Doctor Geseundheit Let s Go Navy 1951 as Mailman uncredited A Millionaire for Christy 1951 as Moving Man uncredited Merry Mavericks 1951 Short as Mort uncredited Corky of Gasoline Alley 1951 as House Painter Irate Neighbor uncredited The Well 1951 as Lunch Counter Customer uncredited The Tooth Will Out 1951 Short as Italian Chef uncredited Hula La La 1951 Short as Mr Baines The Sea Hornet 1951 as Waiter Pest Man Wins 1951 Short as Meadows Harem Girl 1952 as Abdul s Servant uncredited Listen Judge 1952 Short as The Chef Gobs and Gals 1952 as Dressing Man uncredited Sound Off 1952 as Waiter uncredited Gents in a Jam 1952 Short as Uncle Phineas Bowman Tropical Heat Wave 1952 as Uniformed Police Officer uncredited All Ashore 1953 as Bartender uncredited Loose Loot 1953 Short as Atty Poole uncredited stock footage A Perilous Journey 1953 as Drunk uncredited Gun Belt 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 1954 as Boat Crewman uncredited Carolina Cannonball 1955 as Technician Timberjack 1955 as Jim uncredited Three for the Show 1955 as First Taxicab Driver uncredited Blackboard Jungle 1955 as Father uncredited Gypped in the Penthouse 1955 as Charlie Stone Age Romeos 1955 as B Bopper Jail Busters 1955 as Mug Shot Photographer uncredited My Sister Eileen 1955 as Bit Welder uncredited The Spoilers 1955 as Miner uncredited Husbands Beware 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 1956 as Man in Seat 87 uncredited Thunder Over Arizona 1956 as Man Hit by Pie uncredited Scheming Schemers 1956 as Mr Walter Norfleet The White Squaw 1956 as Texas Jim uncredited Commotion on the Ocean 1956 as Smitty Affair in Reno 1956 as Cashier uncredited The Phantom Stagecoach 1957 as Johnson uncredited The 27th Day 1957 as Newspaper Hawker uncredited Horsing Around 1957 as Circus Attendant Outer Space Jitters 1957 as Professor Jones Return to Warbow 1958 as Townsman uncredited Quiz Whizz 1958 as J J Figby Pies and Guys 1958 as Sappington Flying Saucer Daffy 1958 as Mr Barton President of Facts and Figures Magazine Who Was That Lady 1960 as Man with Flower Pot uncredited The Three Stooges Meet Hercules 1962 as Shepherd Refreshment Man The Three Stooges in Orbit 1962 as Professor Danforth 13 Frightened Girls 1963 as Ludwig uncredited The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze 1963 as Butler at Men s Club uncredited The Outlaws Is Coming 1965 as Mr Abernathy Witch doctor Cavalry colonel Who s Minding the Mint 1967 as Janitor uncredited The Mad Room 1969 as Workman uncredited Watermelon Man 1970 as Delivery Man Crimewave 1985 as Colonel Rodgers Intruder 1989 as Mr Abernathy The Nutt House 1992 as Geeves final film role Pulp Fiction 1994 as Hold Hands You Love Birds archive footage References Edit Thomas Jr Robert McG January 25 1998 Emil Sitka Favorite Foil Of 3 Stooges Dies at 83 The New York Times Retrieved July 2 2017 Resting PlacesExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Emil Sitka Emil Sitka Official website Emil Sitka at IMDb Emil Sitka at threestooges net Emil Sitka at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Emil Sitka amp oldid 1144435418, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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