The term someone is credited with who appears in a film under heavy make-up, filmed from the back, or perhaps only showing an arm or a foot. The term is limited, but not exclusively so, to Sam Raimi movies. Sam Raimi Samuel Marshall Sam Raimi (born October 23, 1959) is an American film director, producer, and writer. ...

Origin

The term references the comedy trio TheThree Stooges. In 1955, Stooge Shemp Howard died of a heart attack. At the time, the Stooges still had 4 shorts left to deliver by the terms of their annual contract with Columbia Pictures. By this point in the trio's career, budget cuts at Columbia had forced them to make heavy use of stock footage from previously completed shorts anyway, so they were able to complete the films without Shemp. New footage was filmed of the other two Stooges (Moe Howard and Larry Fine) and edited together with stock footage. When continuity required Shemp appear in these new scenes, they used Shemp's stand-in Joe Palma to double for him, appearing only from behind or with an object obscuring his face. Hence, Palma became the first "Fake Shemp," although the term was not officially in use at the time. The Three Stooges were an American comedy act in the 20th century. ... Samuel Shemp Howard / (Horwitz) (March 17, 1895 – November 22, 1955) was part of the Three Stooges comedy team. ... The Columbia Pictures logo, used from 1993 to current. ... Stock footage, also termed archive footage, and file footage is a film either in the public domain or available for a set fee that can thus be put into any other film. ... Perhaps most famous for his black sugar-bowl haircut and prominent eyebags, Moe Howard (June 19, 1897 – May 4, 1975)--born Harry Moses Horwitz--was the leader of the Three Stooges. ... Larry Fine is the name of several people: Larry Fine, a US film comedian, and member of The Three Stooges. ...

First Usage

It was aspiring film maker Sam Raimi, a professed Stooges fan, and his rag-tag film team who first coined the term in the movie The Evil Dead. His first project, it was riddled with potholes and first-feature obstacles that only a dedicated director of Raimi’s stature could handle. And handle he did -- with Fake Shemps. When most of his crew and cast abandoned the unfinished project he was forced to use himself, his die-hard (deadites, to Raimi fans) friends Bruce Campbell, Rob Tappert, Josh Becker and assistant David Goodman, as well as his brother Ted Raimi as ‘shemps’. Sam Raimi Samuel Marshall Sam Raimi (born October 23, 1959) is an American film director, producer, and writer. ... The Evil Dead (other names: The Book Of The Dead, Sam Raimis The Evil Dead, or The Evil Dead, the Ultimate Experience in Grueling Terror) is a 1981 horror film directed and written by Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell. ... Bruce Campbell lectures on his life as a B Movie actor. ... Theodore Raimi (born December 14, 1965), better known as Ted Raimi is an actor and brother of director Sam Raimi. ...

The term stuck. To this day in all of Sam Raimi productions, both feature film as well as TV work, the term is used to refer to stand-ins or nameless characters. However, the term is not always used in the final credits. For example, in ‘Darkman’ Bruce Campbell’s quick cameo in the final scene is credited as ‘Final Shemp’. Sam Raimi Samuel Marshall Sam Raimi (born October 23, 1959) is an American film director, producer, and writer. ... Darkman Darkman is the title of a 1990 film directed by Sam Raimi, starring Liam Neeson as scientist Peyton Westlake. ... Bruce Campbell lectures on his life as a B Movie actor. ... 2002 Lincoln cent, Obverse, proof with cameo Cameo is a method of carving; or an item of jewelry made in this manner. ...

Classic Shemps

There have been many Fake Shemps over the years, but the most notable ones are Bruce Campbell and Ted Raimi, who basically have made a career out of ‘shemping.’ Both have had ‘shemp’ cameos in nearly all of Raimi’s movies, most notably in the Spiderman franchise. Campbell is also known to shemp in many Coen Brothers movies, who were involved in the editing process of The Evil Dead. Bruce Campbell lectures on his life as a B Movie actor. ... Theodore Raimi (born December 14, 1965), better known as Ted Raimi is an actor and brother of director Sam Raimi. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ... Joel and Ethan Coen, commonly called The Coen Brothers in the film business, are United States directors best known for their quirky comedies like Fargo and Raising Arizona; the brothers write their own scripts and alternate top billing for the screenplay. ... The Evil Dead (other names: The Book Of The Dead, Sam Raimis The Evil Dead, or The Evil Dead, the Ultimate Experience in Grueling Terror) is a 1981 horror film directed and written by Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell. ...