Sheldon "Shelly" Finkelstein is one of the main characters of Friday the 13th - Part III. An overweight prankster with a "Jewish Afro" hairstyle, Shelly was self-conscious about his looks. He pulled pranks on his friends so that he would feel acknowledged by them. He was portrayed by Larry Zerner.
Biography[]
In 1984, Shelly joined his college roommate Andy Beltrami, his girlfriend Debbie Klein and their mutual friends Chuck Garth and Chili on a trip to Higgins Haven, a small resort located near Crystal Lake. On the way, they picked up Vera Sanchez as Shelly's supposed "blind date", though Vera wasn't impressed with Shelly's appearance or his over-the-top practical jokes.
During their time at the resort, Shelly accompanied Vera to the convenience store where they ran afoul of a trio of motorcyclists. After being harassed out of the store, the two left but Shelly accidentally reversed his Volkswagen Beetle into the gang's bikes. In retaliation, Ali smashed the car's windows. Shelly refused to let that stand and then intentionally ran over the gang's bikes again on his way back to Higgins.
That night, Shelly attempted to impress Vera with his juggling skills and even attempted to talk her into sleeping with him. Vera shirked this attempt, further wounding Shelly's self-esteem. A short while later, Shelly would pull his final prank, going into the lake wearing a wetsuit and hockey mask while carrying a spear gun. He then emerged from the lake while Vera was sitting on the dock and grabbed her leg, startling her. After being frightened by Shelly, an enraged Vera tells Shelly that she would like him more if he did not act like a "jerk," which Shelly responds by saying that "being a jerk is better than being a nothing", but Vera says that he is not "a nothing".
Death[]
After being spurned by Vera, Shelly walked off towards the barn. Off-screen, he approaches the barn and notices someone lurking around. It turns out to be the murderous Jason Voorhees who attacks Shelly by slitting the youth's throat with his trademark machete before taking his spear gun and his hockey mask (which becomes Jason's signature apparel from that point on).
Quickly bleeding to death, Shelly staggers toward the main lodge to get help. He collapses in front of Chili at the front door, but Chili initially dismisses this as another of Shelly's pranks and ignores him. She soon realises that Shelly is really dead after the lights flicker and she looks around the lodge for the others, but finding herself completely alone.