Emil's penchant for physical humor served him well right from his first Stooge
role, that of 'Sappington the Butler' in "Half-Wits Holiday." Not only
is there an elaborate formal dining pantomime episode with Emil
elegantly serving invisible food, he also gets trampled and his face
stepped on, and before it's over he takes some serious pie in the face.
And this was just his first role with the boys!
Of course, that was the beginning of a long association between
Emil Sitka and The Three Stooges. Over the next twenty years, he would
go on to work with The Three Stooges dozens of times, sometimes playing
two or even three different roles in one movie. Emil fit in perfectly with their comedy. His experience working in so many stage plays allowed him to execute a diverse array of roles such as butlers, lawyers, professors and ministers in a very convincing manner that played well against the antics of the Stooges. And he obviously had the right sense of humor for Stooge comedy.
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