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.
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.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0078798
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q705400
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Filmography (Movies)
Mystery Reel
Character:
Release Date:19/08/2022
The Abbott and Costello Show: Who's On First?
Character:Stinky (archive footage)
Release Date:01/02/2011
Phyllis Diller: Not Just Another Pretty Face
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:30/01/2007
Three Stooges 75th Anniversary Special
Character:Curly-Joe (archive footage)
Release Date:29/04/2003
The Three Stooges Story
Character:Joe
Release Date:02/05/2001
The Three Stooges: Kings Of Laughter
Character:
Release Date:02/05/2001
The Three Stooges Greatest Hits!
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:15/05/1997
Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:24/11/1994
Classic Comedy Teams
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1986
My Smurfy Valentine
Character:Cupid (voice)
Release Date:13/02/1983
Which Way to the Front?
Character:Dock Master
Release Date:03/09/1970
Savage Intruder
Character:Bus Driver
Release Date:01/01/1970
The Monk
Character:Herbie
Release Date:21/10/1969
Hand of Death
Character:Service station attendant
Release Date:01/03/1962
The Errand Boy
Character:Man Watching Rushes
Release Date:28/11/1961
Let's Make Love
Character:Charlie Lamont
Release Date:08/09/1960
The Rookie
Character:Soldier
Release Date:01/12/1959
The Story on Page One
Character:Gallagher (uncredited)
Release Date:01/12/1959
Say One for Me
Character:Joe Greb
Release Date:19/06/1959
Sappy Bull Fighters
Character:Joe
Release Date:04/06/1959
Triple Crossed
Character:Joe
Release Date:02/02/1959
Plunderers of Painted Flats
Character:Andy Heather
Release Date:23/01/1959
Oil's Well That Ends Well
Character:Joe
Release Date:04/12/1958
Flying Saucer Daffy
Character:Joe
Release Date:09/10/1958
Sweet and Hot
Character:Joe
Release Date:04/09/1958
Pies and Guys
Character:Joe
Release Date:12/06/1958
Fifi Blows Her Top
Character:Joe Besser
Release Date:10/04/1958
Quiz Whizz
Character:Himself
Release Date:13/02/1958
Outer Space Jitters
Character:Joe / Joe's Son
Release Date:05/12/1957
Rusty Romeos
Character:Joe
Release Date:17/10/1957
The Helen Morgan Story
Character:Bartender (uncredited)
Release Date:02/10/1957
Horsing Around
Character:Joe
Release Date:12/09/1957
Guns a Poppin!
Character:Joe
Release Date:13/06/1957
Space Ship Sappy
Character:Joe
Release Date:18/04/1957
A Merry Mix-Up
Character:Joe / Jack / Jeff
Release Date:28/03/1957
Muscle Up a Little Closer
Character:Joe
Release Date:28/02/1957
Hoofs and Goofs
Character:Joe
Release Date:31/01/1957
Army Daze
Character:Pvt. Joe Besser
Release Date:22/03/1956
Columbia Laff Hour
Character:Joe (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1956
It's a Dog's Life
Character:Dog Catcher (uncredited)
Release Date:23/12/1955
Hook a Crook
Character:Joe Besser
Release Date:24/11/1955
Two-Gun Lady
Character:Doc McGinnis
Release Date:15/10/1955
Headline Hunters
Character:Coroner
Release Date:15/09/1955
Mad at the World
Character:Gas Station Attendant
Release Date:13/05/1955
G.I. Dood It
Character:Pvt. Joe Marblehead / Homer the Dog (voice)
Release Date:17/02/1955
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops
Character:Hunter (uncredited)
Release Date:02/02/1955
The Fire Chaser
Character:Eric Loudermilk Potts
Release Date:30/09/1954
Sins of Jezebel
Character:Yonkel
Release Date:04/09/1953
I, the Jury
Character:Pete, Elevator Operator
Release Date:14/08/1953
Spies and Guys
Character:Pvt. Joe Besser
Release Date:04/04/1953
A Day in the Country
Character:Narrator (voice)
Release Date:13/03/1953
Caught on the Bounce
Character:Joe
Release Date:09/10/1952
Aim, Fire, Scoot
Character:Pvt. Joe Besser
Release Date:13/03/1952
Fraidy Cat
Character:Joe Besser
Release Date:13/12/1951
The Desert Hawk
Character:Prince Sinbad
Release Date:05/08/1950
Dizzy Yardbird
Character:Pvt. Rodney Marblehead
Release Date:09/03/1950
Outside the Wall
Character:The Cook (uncredited)
Release Date:08/02/1950
Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey
Character:Carlton
Release Date:05/02/1950
Woman in Hiding
Character:Salesman with Drum
Release Date:06/01/1950
Waiting in the Lurch
Character:Eric Loudermilk Potts
Release Date:08/09/1949
Africa Screams
Character:Harry
Release Date:04/05/1949
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
Character:Sharkey Dolan
Release Date:01/06/1948
Talk About a Lady
Character:Roly Q. Entwhistle
Release Date:28/03/1946
Eadie Was a Lady
Character:Professor Diogenes Dingle
Release Date:24/01/1945
Hey, Rookie
Character:Pendleton "Pudge" Pfeiffer
Release Date:06/04/1944
Hot Steel
Character:Siggie Landers
Release Date:24/05/1940
Television Appearances
The Three Stooges: Hey Moe! Hey Dad!
Character:Joe
Yogi's Space Race
Character:
Galaxy Goof-Ups
Character:Scare Bear (voice)
Scooby's Laff-A Lympics
Character:
The Oddball Couple
Character:
Jeannie
Character:
The New Scooby-Doo Movies
Character:Babu (voice)
The Houndcats
Character:
Love, American Style
Character:Tony
Love, American Style
Character:Neighbor
My World and Welcome to It
Character:
That's Life
Character:
The Danny Thomas Hour
Character:Hermes
The Mothers-in-Law
Character:Bandleader
The Mothers-in-Law
Character:Tramp
The Mothers-in-Law
Character:Joe
That Girl
Character:
Batman
Character:Penguin Supporter (uncredited)
The Hollywood Palace
Character:Self
The Alvin Show
Character:
The Joey Bishop Show
Character:Mr. Jillson
The Millionaire
Character:Chester Pips
December Bride
Character:
General Electric Theater
Character:Manager
The Abbott and Costello Show
Character:Stinky Davis
The Gene Autry Show
Character:
Hour Glass
Character:
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