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Joe Besser‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1907-08-12

Popularity

star2.3

Joe Besser

Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

Joe Besser

Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1907-08-12

Popularity

star2.3

Biography

Joe Besser (born Jessel Besser, August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988) was an American actor, comedian, and musician, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters. He is best known for his brief stint as a member of The Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957–59. He is also remembered for his television roles: Stinky, the bratty man-child in The Abbott and Costello Show, and Jillson, the maintenance man in The Joey Bishop The zany comedy team of Olsen and Johnson, whose Broadway revues were fast-paced collections of songs and blackouts, hired Joe Besser. His noisy intrusions were perfect for their anything-can-happen format. Besser's work caught the attention of the Shubert brothers, who signed him to a theatrical contract. Columbia Pictures hired Besser away from the Shuberts, and Besser relocated to Hollywood in 1944, where he brought his unique comic character to feature-length musical comedies. Besser also starred in short-subject comedies for Columbia from 1949 to 1956. Besser had substituted for Lou Costello on radio, opposite Bud Abbott, and by the 1950s he was firmly established as one of the Abbott and Costello regulars. When the duo filmed The Abbott and Costello Show for television, they hired Joe Besser to play Oswald "Stinky" Davis, a bratty, loudmouthed child dressed in an oversized Little Lord Fauntleroy outfit, shorts, and a flat top hat with overhanging brim. He appeared during the first season of The Abbott and Costello Show. Besser was cast for the role of Yonkel, a chariot man in the low-budget biblical film Sins of Jezebel, which starred Paulette Goddard as the titular wicked queen. After Shemp Howard died of a heart attack, Moe suggested he and teammate Larry Fine continue working as "The Two Stooges". Studio chief Harry Cohen rejected the proposal. Although Moe had legal approval to allow new members into the act, Columbia executives had the final say about any actor who would appear in the studio's films, and insisted on a performer already under contract to Columbia, Joe Besser. At the time, Besser was one of a few comedians still making comedy shorts at the studio. Besser refrained from imitating Curly or Shemp. He continued to play the same whiny character he had developed over his long career. He had a clause in his contract prohibiting being hit excessively. Besser recalled, "I usually played the kind of character who would hit others back". The Stooges shorts with Besser were filmed from the spring of 1956 to the end of 1957. His Stooge tenure ended when Columbia shut down the two-reel-comedy department on December 20, 1957. Producer-director Jules White had shot enough film for 16 comedies, which were released a few months apart until June 1959, with Sappy Bull Fighters being the final release. Joe Besser was found dead in his home, aged 80, and determined to have died of heart failure.

Movie Credits

Africa Screams

Africa Screams‌
star5.7
calendar 1949

Let's Make Love

Let's Make Love‌
star6.4
calendar 1960

Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special

Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special‌
star10.0
calendar 2003

Hollywood Horror House

Hollywood Horror House‌
star5.4
calendar 1970

I, the Jury

I, the Jury‌
star5.7
calendar 1953

Woman in Hiding

Woman in Hiding‌
star6.2
calendar 1950

The Three Stooges Story

The Three Stooges Story‌
star0.0
calendar 2001

Outside the Wall

Outside the Wall‌
star6.0
calendar 1950

The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter

The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter‌
star0.0
calendar 2001

Hand of Death

Hand of Death‌
star4.1
calendar 1962

Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'

Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'‌
star6.5
calendar 1948

The Three Stooges Greatest Hits!

The Three Stooges Greatest Hits!‌
star0.0
calendar 1997

Hoofs and Goofs

Hoofs and Goofs‌
star4.0
calendar 1957

Muscle Up A Little Closer

Muscle Up A Little Closer‌
star5.0
calendar 1957

Guns A Poppin

Guns A Poppin‌
star4.0
calendar 1957

Horsing Around

Horsing Around‌
star3.0
calendar 1957

A Merry Mix-Up

A Merry Mix-Up‌
star5.0
calendar 1957

Space Ship Sappy

Space Ship Sappy‌
star6.0
calendar 1957

Fifi Blows Her Top

Fifi Blows Her Top‌
star4.0
calendar 1958

Rusty Romeos

Rusty Romeos‌
star4.7
calendar 1957

Outer Space Jitters

Outer Space Jitters‌
star5.0
calendar 1957

Pies and Guys

Pies and Guys‌
star5.7
calendar 1958

Sweet and Hot

Sweet and Hot‌
star3.5
calendar 1958

Quiz Whizz

Quiz Whizz‌
star4.0
calendar 1958

Flying Saucer Daffy

Flying Saucer Daffy‌
star4.7
calendar 1958

Oil's Well That Ends Well

Oil's Well That Ends Well‌
star5.2
calendar 1958

Triple Crossed

Triple Crossed‌
star4.3
calendar 1959

Sappy Bull Fighters

Sappy Bull Fighters‌
star3.5
calendar 1959

The Desert Hawk

The Desert Hawk‌
star5.1
calendar 1950

The Rookie

The Rookie‌
star0.0
calendar 1959

The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 8: 1955-1959

The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 8: 1955-1959‌
star0.0
calendar 2010

Sins of Jezebel

Sins of Jezebel‌
star4.5
calendar 1953

Mystery Reel

Mystery Reel‌
star0.0
calendar 2022

Headline Hunters

Headline Hunters‌
star4.0
calendar 1955

Talk About a Lady

Talk About a Lady‌
star3.0
calendar 1946

The Story on Page One

The Story on Page One‌
star5.1
calendar 1959

Which Way to the Front?

Which Way to the Front?‌
star4.8
calendar 1970

Fraidy Cat

Fraidy Cat‌
star0.0
calendar 1951

Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops

Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops‌
star6.1
calendar 1955

It's a Dog's Life

It's a Dog's Life‌
star3.0
calendar 1955

Aim, Fire, Scoot

Aim, Fire, Scoot‌
star0.0
calendar 1952

The Fire Chaser

The Fire Chaser‌
star0.0
calendar 1954

Hook a Crook

Hook a Crook‌
star0.0
calendar 1955

G.I. Dood It

G.I. Dood It‌
star0.0
calendar 1955

Waiting in the Lurch

Waiting in the Lurch‌
star0.0
calendar 1949

Army Daze

Army Daze‌
star0.0
calendar 1956

Dizzy Yardbird

Dizzy Yardbird‌
star0.0
calendar 1950

Caught on the Bounce

Caught on the Bounce‌
star0.0
calendar 1952

Spies and Guys

Spies and Guys‌
star0.0
calendar 1953

My Smurfy Valentine

My Smurfy Valentine‌
star7.3
calendar 1983

Shirley Temple’s Storybook: Babes in Toyland

Shirley Temple’s Storybook: Babes in Toyland‌
star0.0
calendar 1960

Hot Steel

Hot Steel‌
star0.0
calendar 1940

Columbia Laff Hour

Columbia Laff Hour‌
star7.0
calendar 1956

Say One for Me

Say One for Me‌
star4.8
calendar 1959

Two-Gun Lady

Two-Gun Lady‌
star4.2
calendar 1955

Plunderers of Painted Flats

Plunderers of Painted Flats‌
star5.0
calendar 1959

Eadie Was a Lady

Eadie Was a Lady‌
star4.0
calendar 1945

Hey, Rookie

Hey, Rookie‌
star0.0
calendar 1944

Phyllis Diller: Not Just Another Pretty Face

Phyllis Diller: Not Just Another Pretty Face‌
star8.0
calendar 2007

The Abbott and Costello Show: Who's On First?

The Abbott and Costello Show: Who's On First?‌
star8.0
calendar 2011

Mad at the World

Mad at the World‌
star5.7
calendar 1955

The Errand Boy

The Errand Boy‌
star6.1
calendar 1961

Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey

Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey‌
star4.0
calendar 1950

A Day in the Country

A Day in the Country‌
star0.0
calendar 1953

The Monk

The Monk‌
star7.5
calendar 1969

Tv Credits

My World and Welcome to It

My World and Welcome to It‌
star5.5
calendar 1969

December Bride

December Bride‌
star5.5
calendar 1954

The New Scooby-Doo Movies

The New Scooby-Doo Movies‌
star7.6
calendar 1972

Scooby's All-Stars

Scooby's All-Stars‌
star8.1
calendar 1977

The Alvin Show

The Alvin Show‌
star8.3
calendar 1961

Batman

Batman‌
star7.3
calendar 1966

That Girl

That Girl‌
star6.1
calendar 1966

The Joey Bishop Show

The Joey Bishop Show‌
star5.8
calendar 1961

Jeannie

Jeannie‌
star8.2
calendar 1973

The Millionaire

The Millionaire‌
star5.0
calendar 1955

The Hollywood Palace

The Hollywood Palace‌
star4.5
calendar 1964

Yogi's Space Race

Yogi's Space Race‌
star6.9
calendar 1978

The Gene Autry Show

The Gene Autry Show‌
star4.8
calendar 1950

Hour Glass

Hour Glass‌
star4.0
calendar 1946

The Houndcats

The Houndcats‌
star5.0
calendar 1972

The Oddball Couple

The Oddball Couple‌
star8.0
calendar 1975

That's Life

That's Life‌
star6.0
calendar 1968

The Abbott and Costello Show

The Abbott and Costello Show‌
star7.3
calendar 1952

Galaxy Goof-Ups

Galaxy Goof-Ups‌
star6.0
calendar 1978

The Three Stooges: Hey Moe! Hey Dad!

The Three Stooges: Hey Moe! Hey Dad!‌
star8.5
calendar 2015

Love, American Style

Love, American Style‌
star5.8
calendar 1969

The Mothers-in-Law

The Mothers-in-Law‌
star6.0
calendar 1967

The Mothers-in-Law

The Mothers-in-Law‌
star6.0
calendar 1967

The Mothers-in-Law

The Mothers-in-Law‌
star6.0
calendar 1967

General Electric Theater

General Electric Theater‌
star6.0
calendar 1953

Love, American Style

Love, American Style‌
star5.8
calendar 1969