Emil Sitka ~

The Fourth Stooge

        "The most important actor in most Stooges films, besides the Stooges themselves, was the sharp-nosed, wide-eyed Emil Sitka... His presence was such a mainstay of the operation that many thought of him as an undeclared 'fourth Stooge.'"

                                       -Moe Feinberg, Larry Fine's brother

                                         Larry The Stooge In the Middle


 

EMIL SITKA FAN CLUB MISSION STATEMENT:

To communicate with friends and fans of Emil Sitka, share information about his life and career, preserve the cultural heritage of the Hollywood productions in which he participated, and promote his legacy as The Fourth Stooge.


EmilSitka.com is an on-line informational resource serving the mission of the Emil Sitka Fan Club.

EmilSitka.com - Biography


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A drawing by Emil Sitka of his brother and himself "riding the rails" across America as young hobos in 1933.
Emil drew this map of his 1933 hobo trip. Click the map for enlarged details.
Factory worker Emil Sitka smiles for the camera on March 6, 1936, eleven days before the factory was submerged under water.
          At the age of seventeen, Emil's room at the church was needed for other purposes. At the same time, his younger brother Rudolf turned sixteen and was no longer eligible for foster care. A large group of makeshift huts had formed across the street from Old St. Patrick's Church. It was called Father Cox's Shantytown. Emil and his brother gathered junk materials and built a shanty of their own.
          They had a roof over their head but could not find work of any kind. Emil sold his illustrations but couldn't support the two of them. They soon exhausted the few relief programs available to them as well as Emil's meager saving account.
          In desperation, they began a journey across Depression-era America. Having no money, they traveled by hopping trains, riding the rails and living the hobo life. Emil was deeply impressed by his travels and experiences and the people he met. From notes he made during the trip, Emil drew the map shown at left that depicts his route from coast to coast.
          Of course, as he crossed the nation, Emil encountered the same hard conditions everywhere. After a year the brothers found their way back to their hometown. Emil got a job in a factory and remained in Pittsburgh for several years until the city was submerged under water by the St. Patrick's Day Flood of 1936. Emil then decided to seek his destiny in Los Angeles, California.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the day after the St. Patrick's Day Flood of 1936.

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