Joe 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 The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...

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 ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'', and Jillson, the maintenance man in '' The Joey Bishop Show''.

Early life

Besser was born in

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, on August 12, 1907. He was the ninth child of Morris and Fanny

echt Echt may refer to: * Echt, Aberdeenshire, a village in Scotland * Echt-Susteren, a municipality in the Netherlands ** Echt, Netherlands Echt (; ) is a city in the Dutch municipality of Echt-Susteren in the province of Limburg, Netherlands. ...

Besser,

Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...

ish immigrants from

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russ ...

. He had seven older sisters, and an older brother Manny who was in show business, primarily as an

ethnic An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...

Jewish comic. From an early age, Joe was fascinated with show business, especially the magic act of

Howard Thurston Howard Thurston (July 20, 1869 – April 13, 1936) was a stage magician from Columbus, Ohio, United States. His childhood was unhappy, and he ran away to join the circus, where his future partner Harry Kellar also performed. Thurston was deeply ...

that visited St. Louis annually. When Joe was 12, Thurston allowed him to be an audience plant. Besser was so excited by this, he sneaked into Thurston's train after the St. Louis run of the show was over, and was discovered the next day sleeping on top of the lion's cage in Detroit. Thurston informed Besser's parents of the situation, and trained him as an assistant. The first act involved pulling a rabbit out of a hat. The trick involved two rabbits, one hidden in a pocket of Thurston's cape. But young Besser was so nervous that he botched badly, pulling out the rabbit from the cape at the same time as the other rabbit was on display, before the trick had been performed. The audience roared with laughter, and Besser from then on was assigned "comic mishap" roles only. Besser was placed by St. Louis juvenile authorities in a "corrective school" (reform school) at age 12.

Acting career

Besser remained in show business and developed a comic character: an impish but whiny and bratty man who was easily excitable and upset, throwing temper tantrums with little provocation. Besser, with his frequent outbursts of "You crazy, ''youuuuu!''" and "Not so ''faaaaaast!''" or "Not so ''harrrrd!!''" became a vaudeville headliner, and movie and radio appearances soon followed. The comedy team of Olsen and Johnson, whose

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

revues were fast-paced collections of songs and blackouts, hired Joe Besser to join their company. Besser's noisy intrusions fit the Olsen & Johnson style perfectly, and Besser's work caught the attention of the Shubert brothers, who signed Besser to a theatrical contract.

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

hired Besser away from the Shuberts, and Besser relocated to Hollywood in 1944, where he brought his comic character to feature-length musical comedies like ''

Hey, Rookie ''Hey, Rookie'' is a 1944 American musical film starring Ann Miller and Larry Parks. Cast *Ann Miller ... Winnie Clark *Joe Besser ... Pendelton (Pudge) Pfeiffer *Larry Parks ... Jim Leighter *Joe Sawyer ... Sergeant * Jimmy Little ... ...

'' and ''

Eadie Was a Lady ''Eadie Was a Lady'' is a 1945 American musical comedy. Plot Eadie Allen is a student at Glen Moor College and the niece of a wealthy Boston socialite (Aunt Priscilla) in Back Bay. She has secretly taken a new job as a dancer in a seedy burlesq ...

'' (1945). On May 9, 1946 Besser appeared on the pioneer NBC television program ''

Hour Glass An hourglass (or sandglass, sand timer, sand clock or egg timer) is a device used to measure the passage of time. It comprises two glass bulbs connected vertically by a narrow neck that allows a regulated flow of a substance (historically sand) ...

'', performing his "Army Drill" routine with stage partner Jimmy Little. According to an article in the May 27, 1946 issue of ''

Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...

'' magazine, the show was seen by about 20,000 people on about 3,500 television sets, mostly in the New York City area. During this period, he appeared on the

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with ...

radio program in the episode entitled "Jack Prepares For Carnegie Hall" in June, 1943. Besser also starred in short-subject comedies for Columbia from 1949 to 1956. By this point, his persona was sufficiently well known that he was frequently caricatured in ''

Looney Tunes ''Looney Tunes'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated comedy short film series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series ''Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation.

'' animated shorts of the era. He appeared in the action film '' The Desert Hawk'' (1950). Besser had substituted for Lou Costello on radio, opposite

Bud Abbott William Alexander "Bud" Abbott (October 2, 1897 – April 24, 1974) was an American comedian, actor and producer. He was best known as the straight man half of the comedy duo Abbott and Costello. Early life Abbott was born in Asbury Park, New J ...

, and by the 1950s he was firmly established as one of the

Abbott and Costello Abbott may refer to: People *Abbott (surname) *Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American painter and naturalist * Abbott and Costello, famous American vaudeville act Places Argentina * Abbott, Buenos Aires United States * Abbott, Arkansas ...

regulars. When the duo filmed ''

'' for television, they hired Joe Besser to play Oswald "Stinky" Davis, a bratty, loudmouthed child dressed in an oversized

Little Lord Fauntleroy ''Little Lord Fauntleroy'' is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was published as a serial in '' St. Nicholas Magazine'' from November 1885 to October 1886, then as a book by Scribner's (the publisher of ''St. Nicholas'') in 1886. The ill ...

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 The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

film ''

Sins of Jezebel ''Sins of Jezebel'' is a 1953 American historical drama film produced by Sigmund Neufeld and directed by Reginald Le Borg. It stars Paulette Goddard as Jezebel, the biblical queen of the northern kingdom of Israel during the 9th century BC. The ...

'' (1953) which starred

Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress notable for her film career in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Born in Manhattan and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Goddard initially began her career a ...

as the titular wicked queen.

The Three Stooges

After

Shemp Howard Samuel Horwitz (March 11, 1895 – November 22, 1955), known professionally as Shemp Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He was called "Shemp" because "Sam" came out that way in his mother's thick Litvak accent. He is best known as the ...

died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

while on his way home from a boxing night on November 22, 1955 at age of 60, his surviving partners,

Moe Howard Moses Harry Horwitz (June 19, 1897 – May 4, 1975), known professionally as Moe Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He is best known as the leader of The Three Stooges, the farce comedy team who starred in motion pictures and television ...

and

Larry Fine Louis Feinberg (October 5, 1902 – January 24, 1975), known professionally as Larry Fine, was an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is best known as a member of the comedy act the Three Stooges. Early life Fine was born to a Russian Je ...

, had been working as a two-man team since Shemp's death (with Shemp seen entirely in older film footage). Moe suggested that he and Larry could continue working as "The Two Stooges." Studio chief Harry Cohn 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. At the time, Joe Besser was one of a few comedians still making comedy shorts at the studio. He successfully renegotiated his contract, and was paid his former feature-film salary, which was more than the other Stooges earned. 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." He claimed that Larry volunteered to take the brunt of Moe's screen abuse. In a 2002 E! channel program which used file footage of Besser, the comic stated that the left side of

's face was noticeably coarser than the other side, which he attributed to Moe's slaps. As a result of his whiny persona and lack of true slapstick punishment against him (the cornerstone of Stooge humor), Joe has been less popular with contemporary Stooge aficionados, so much so, that "Stooge-a-Polooza" TV host

Rich Koz Rich Koz (born March 12, 1952) is an American actor and broadcaster best known for his portrayal of horror-movie host Svengoolie, as well as his early '90s children's cartoon showcase ''The Koz Zone''. Koz is also the host of the syndicated '' S ...

has even apologized on the air before showing Besser shorts; during the show's tenure he received more than a few letters from viewers expressing their outrage over his airing them. Besser does have his defenders, however. Columbia historians Edward Watz and

Ted Okuda Ted Okuda (born December 8, 1953) is an American non-fiction author and film historian. He has many books and magazine features to his credit, under his own name and in collaboration with others. Career Okuda's long-held interest in movie comedies ...

have written appreciatively of Besser bringing new energy to what was by then a flagging theatrical series. 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 Jules White (born Julius Weiss; hu, Weisz Gyula; 17 September 190030 April 1985) was a Hungarian-American film director and producer best known for his short-subject comedies starring The Three Stooges Early years White began working in mo ...

had shot enough film for 16 comedies, which were released a few months apart until June 1959, with ''

Sappy Bull Fighters ''Sappy Bull Fighters'' is a 1959 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe Besser in his final starring role). It is the 190th and final entry in the series re ...

'' being the final release. After Besser joined in, for the first time in their career, the Stooges did not go to any personal appearances during their lay-off season started from 1956. There was a long-time belief, based on an existing ad, that the Stooges once performed live, with Besser as the third stooge, at the Paramount Theatre, Los Angeles, sometimes around 1957. It was later found that the ad was erroneously used for the act's personal appearances in December 1959, with Joe DeRita, rather than Besser, as part of the line-up. In fact, Besser never made any personal appearances as a member of the Three Stooges. After their contract with Columbia ended, Moe Howard and Larry Fine discussed plans for a personal appearance tour, but Besser declined. His wife had suffered a heart attack in November 1957, and he was unwilling to leave without her. In later life, Besser praised Moe and Larry in a 1985 radio interview, of which a quote from said interview was aired on

A&E Network A&E is an American basic cable network, the flagship television property of A&E Networks. The network was originally founded in 1984 as the Arts & Entertainment Network, initially focusing on fine arts, documentaries, television drama, dramas, and ...

's ''

Biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...

''. Besser said:

After the Stooges

Besser returned to films and television, most notably as the superintendent Jillson for four seasons (1961–1965) of '' The Joey Bishop Show''. He also made occasional appearances on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

late-night series, also called ''The Joey Bishop Show,'' between 1967 and 1969. Besser also had roles on ''

The Mothers-in-Law ''The Mothers-in-Law'' is an American situation comedy featuring Eve Arden and Kaye Ballard as two women who were friends and next-door neighbors until their children's elopement made them in-laws. The show aired on NBC television from Septemb ...

'', ''

Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...

'', '' The Good Guys'', ''

That Girl ''That Girl'' is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from September 8, 1966 to March 19, 1971. It starred Marlo Thomas as the title character Ann Marie, an aspiring (but only sporadically employed) actress, who moves from her hometown of Brewster ...

'', and ''

Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from 1969 to 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a part of ABC's Friday primetime lineup ...

''. He provided the voice of the dragon on ''

The Alvin Show ''The Alvin Show'' is an American animated television series that aired on CBS in the early 1960s. This was the first series to feature the singing characters Alvin and the Chipmunks. ''The Alvin Show'' aired for one season, from October 4, 196 ...

'' (1961), and he played Chubby Stone in the episode "Cry Love, Cry Murder" (S3 E25) of the private-eye series ''

Peter Gunn ''Peter Gunn'' is an American private eye television series, starring Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn with Lola Albright as his girlfriend, Edie Hart. The series aired on NBC from September 22, 1958, to 1960 and on ABC in 1960–1961. The seri ...

'' (1961). Besser also provided voices for several Saturday Morning cartoon series in the 1970s. He voiced the character Putty Puss in ''

The Houndcats ''The Houndcats'' is an American Saturday morning cartoon series produced by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises. The series was broadcast by NBC from September 9 to December 2, 1972, with reruns continuing until September 1, 1973. Thirteen episodes were ...

'' (1972), bumbling genie Babu in '' Jeannie'' (1973), (inspired by ''

I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series, created by Sidney Sheldon that starred Barbara Eden as a sultry, 2,000-year-old genie and Larry Hagman, as an astronaut with whom she falls in love and eventually marrie ...

'') and ''

Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics ''Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics'' is a two-hour Saturday morning animated program block produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and broadcast on ABC from September 10, 1977, until October 28, 1978. The block featured five Hanna-Barbera series ...

'', and as Scare Bear in ''

Yogi's Space Race ''Yogi's Space Race'' is a 90-minute American animated television series and the third entry in the ''Yogi Bear'' franchise. Thirteen episodes were broadcast on NBC from September 9, 1978, to December 2, 1978, and featured the following four segm ...

'' (1978). Besser's career slowed somewhat after he suffered a minor

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

in 1979, resulting in considerable weight loss. Later in life, Besser expressed some dismay that people only recognized him for his brief tenure with the Stooges. However, he eventually softened, realizing that the Stooges continued to bring him his greatest exposure. In 1984, Besser co-wrote with authors Jeff and Greg Lenburg his autobiography, ''Not Just a Stooge'', for Excelsior Books. The book would be later retitled and re-published as ''Once a Stooge, Always a Stooge'' following his death in 1988. Joe Besser recalled his friendship with the Stooges in an emotional speech referring to "the four boys oe, Larry, Curly, and Shemp... up in heaven" looking down at the dedication of a star to The Three Stooges on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

on August 30, 1983. Stooges co-actor

Emil Sitka Emil Sitka (December 22, 1914January 16, 1998) was a veteran American actor, who appeared in hundreds of movies, short films, and television shows, and is best known for his numerous appearances with The Three Stooges. He is one of only two acto ...

, the only other Stooge attendee, also spoke; the only other surviving Stooge,

Joe DeRita Joseph Wardell (July 12, 1909 – July 3, 1993), known professionally as Joe DeRita, was an American actor and comedian, who is best known for his stint as a member of The Three Stooges in the persona of Curly Joe DeRita. Early life DeRita wa ...

, was ill at the time, though he outlived Besser by five years. In the spring of 2000, ABC aired a made-for-television movie

, with actor Laurence Coy appearing briefly as Besser. This depiction of Besser has been criticized as being unfairly negative.

Personal life

In 1932, Besser married dancer Erna Kay (born Ernestine Dora Kretschmer), known as "Ernie".'Three Stooges' Actor Joe Besser Dies at Age 80
''www.washingtonpost.com'', accessed 22 February 2021 The couple had no children. They were neighbors and friends of

Lou Costello Louis Francis Cristillo (March 6, 1906 – March 3, 1959), professionally known as Lou Costello, was an American comedian, actor and producer. He was best known for his double act with straight man Bud Abbott and their routine " Who's on First? ...

, of the

duo. Besser appeared in the Abbott and Costello movie ''

Africa Screams ''Africa Screams'' is a 1949 American Adventure film, adventure comedy film directed by Charles Barton (director), Charles Barton and starring Abbott and Costello that parodies the safari#Cinema genre, safari genre. The title is a play on the ti ...

'' (1949), which also featured

the Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...

. Joe and Shemp were old friends, having met in 1932. His cousin's grandson is

Upright Citizens Brigade The Upright Citizens Brigade is an improvisational and sketch comedy group that emerged from Chicago's ImprovOlympic in 1990. The original incarnation of the group consisted of Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh, Adam McKay, ...

theater co-founder and improviser/comedian

Matt Besser Matthew Gregory Besser (born September 22, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, director, producer, and writer, best known as one of the four founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe, who had their own show on Comedy ...

Death

Joe Besser died of

heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...

on March 1, 1988 at the age of 80. His wife Erna died on July 1, 1989, from a heart attack at age 89. Both spouses are buried in the same plot in the

Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries is an American corporation that owns and operates a chain of cemeteries and mortuaries in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties in Southern California. History The company was founded by a group of ...

, in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census the population was 196,543, up from ...

. Joe's marker reads, "Joe Besser / August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988 / He Brought the World Love and Laughter", while Erna's reads, "Ernestine Besser / March 14, 1900 – July 1, 1989 / In Loving Memory." Besser's Stooge partner

is in a crypt at the Freedom Mausoleum, which is a short distance away from the tomb.

Selected filmography

Theatrical

Features

* ''

Hot Steel Hot Steel is a 1940 American film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Richard Arlen, Andy Devine, and Peggy Moran. Cast *Richard Arlen as Frank Stewart *Andy Devine as Matt Morrison * Peggy Moran as Babe Morrison *Anne Nagel as Rita Martin ...

'' (1940) – Siggie * ''

'' (1944) – Pendelton * ''Eadie Was a Lady'' (1945) – Professor Dingle * ''Talk About a Lady'' (1946) – Roly Q. Entwhistle * ''Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'' (1948) – Sharkey Dolan * ''

'' (1949) – Harry * ''

Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey ''Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey'' is a 1950 film in the ''Joe Palooka'' series. It was directed by Jean Yarbrough. Plot When their car veers off the road en route to their honeymoon, Joe Palooka and new wife Anne are rescued by a sweet lummox, Hum ...

'' (1950) – Carlton * '' Outside the Wall'' (1950) – cook (uncredited) * ''

Woman in Hiding ''Woman in Hiding'' is a 1950 American film noir crime film directed by Michael Gordon and starring Ida Lupino, Stephen McNally and Howard Duff. Plot Deborah Chandler Clark watches police drag a North Carolina river for her body. She recounts ...

'' (1950) – salesman * '' The Desert Hawk'' (1950) – Prince Sinbad * ''

I, the Jury ''I, the Jury'' is the 1947 debut novel of American crime fiction writer Mickey Spillane, the first work to feature private investigator Mike Hammer. Plot summary The novel opens as private detective Mike Hammer is called to the apartment of i ...

'' (1953) – Elevator Operator * ''

'' (1953) – Yonkel * ''

Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops ''Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops'' is a 1955 comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. After the film was completed, Universal-International wanted to rename it ''Abbott and Costello ...

'' (1955) – Hunter (uncredited) * '' Headline Hunters'' (1955) – Coroner * ''Two-Gun Lady'' (1955) – Doc McGinnis * '' Three Stooges Fun-O-Rama'' (1959) * ''

Say One for Me ''Say One For Me'' is a 1959 American comedy musical film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Bing Crosby, Debbie Reynolds and Robert Wagner. ''Say One for Me'' was listed in the 1978 book ''The Fifty Worst Films of All Time''. Stella Stev ...

'' (1959) – Joe Greb * ''

Let's Make Love ''Let's Make Love'' is a 1960 American musical comedy film made by 20th Century Fox in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope. Directed by George Cukor and produced by Jerry Wald from a screenplay by Norman Krasna, Hal Kanter, and Arthur Miller, the film ...

'' (1960) – Charlie Lamont * ''The Silent Call'' (1961) – Art * ''

The Errand Boy ''The Errand Boy'' is a 1961 American comedy film directed by, co-written by and starring Jerry Lewis. Plot Paramutual Pictures decide that they need a spy to find out the inner workings of their studio. Morty S. Tashman, (the 'S' stands for 's ...

'' (1961) – Man watching rushes * '' Hand of Death'' (1962) – Service station attendant * ''

The Monk ''The Monk: A Romance'' is a Gothic novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis, published in 1796. A quickly written book from early in Lewis's career (in one letter he claimed to have written it in ten weeks, but other correspondence suggests that he ha ...

'' (1969) – Herbie (

TV movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

) * ''

Savage Intruder ''Savage Intruder'', later released as ''Hollywood Horror House'', is a 1970 American psychological horror film directed by Donald Wolfe and starring Miriam Hopkins, John David Garfield and Gale Sondergaard.Nissen p.202 Plot An ageing and reclusi ...

'' (1970) – Bus Driver * ''

Which Way to the Front? ''Which Way to the Front?'' is a 1970 American comedy film produced, directed by and starring Jerry Lewis, which was his first film for Warner Bros. Plot Brendan Byers III is a rich playboy who enlists to fight in the war against the Axis powe ...

'' (1970) – Dock Master

Short subjects

* ''Cuckoorancho'' (1938) – Wanderer * ''A Day in the Country'' (1953) * ''

'' (1957–1959) * ''The Woodcutter's House'' (1959)

Joe Besser with
Hawthorne Hawthorne often refers to the American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne may also refer to: Places Australia Hawthorne, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane Canada Hawthorne Village, Ontario, a suburb of Milton, Ontario United States * Hawt ...
short subject series

* ''Waiting in the Lurch'' (1949) – Eric Loudermilk Potts * ''Dizzy Yardbird'' (1950) – Rodney Marblehead * '' 'Fraidy Cat'' (1951) – Det. Joe Besser * ''Aim, Fire, Scoot'' (1952) – Pvt. Joe Besser * ''Caught on the Bounce'' (1952) – Daddy * ''Spies and Guys'' (1953) – Pvt. Joe Besser * ''The Fire Chaser'' (1954) – Eric Loudermilk Potts * ''G.I. Dood It'' (1955) – Pvt. Joe Marblehead * ''

Hook a Crook ''Hook a Crook'' is a 1955 short subject directed by Jules White starring American comedian Joe Besser and radio disc jockey Jim Hawthorne (billed as "Hawthorne"). It is the ninth entry in the ''Joe Besser'' series released by Columbia Pictures ...

'' (1955) – Det. Joe Besser * ''Army Daze'' (1956) – Pvt. Joe Besser

Television

* ''

The Ken Murray Show ''The Ken Murray Show'' was an American music and comedy television show on CBS Television hosted by Ken Murray (entertainer), Ken Murray that ran from 1950 to 1953. Show An established entertainer and vaudeville regular, Murray had hosted comedy ...

'' (1950) * ''

The Colgate Comedy Hour ''The Colgate Comedy Hour'' was an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC network from 1950 to 1955. The show featured many notable comedians and entertainers of the era as guest stars. Many of the scripts of the series ...

'' (1951–1953) * '' The Alan Young Show'' (1951) * ''

'' (1952–1953) – Stinky Davis * ''

The Spike Jones Show ''The Spike Jones Show'' was the name of several separate American comedy and variety show, variety series that aired on NBC and CBS in the 1950s and 1960s. The series was presented by actor and musician Spike Jones, his wife, musician Helen Gray ...

'' (1954) – jailhouse warden * ''

My Little Margie ''My Little Margie'' is an American television situation comedy starring Gale Storm and Charles Farrell that alternated between CBS and NBC from 1952 to 1955. The series was created by Frank Fox and produced in Los Angeles, California, at Hal Ro ...

'' (1954) – butterfly catcher * ''

The Jack Benny Program ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th century American comedy. He played one role throughout his radio and televis ...

'' (1954–1961) * '' The Millionaire'' (1955) – hobo * ''

Willy Willy or Willie is a masculine, male given name, often a diminutive form of William or Wilhelm, and occasionally a nickname. It may refer to: People Given name or nickname * Willie Aames (born 1960), American actor, television director, and scree ...

'' (1955), episode "Willy Saves Harvey From Fraud" * ''

Damon Runyon Theater ''Damon Runyon Theater'' is an American television program that presented dramatized versions of Damon Runyon's short stories. Hosted by Donald Woods, the program, sponsored by Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser beer, aired for a total of 39 episodes on ...

'' (1955) * '' The Martha Raye Show'' (1955) * ''

Club Oasis Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a '' Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises ...

'' (1958) * '' Kraft Music Hall'' (1959) * ''

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'' (1961) – Fight manager * ''

'' (1961–1962) – Additional voices * '' The Joey Bishop Show'' (1962–1965) – Mr. Jillson * ''

'' (1966) – Hizzoner the Penguin * ''

'' (1968) – "How Not to Manage a Rock Group", "The First Anniversary is the Hardest" * '' That's Life'' (1968) * ''

'' (1968) – "Eleven Angry Men and That Girl" * ''

The Don Rickles Show ''The Don Rickles Show'' is an American Television comedy, comedy television series. The series stars Don Rickles, Louise Sorel, Erin Moran, Robert Hogan (actor), Robert Hogan, and Joyce Van Patten. The series aired on CBS from January 14 until May ...

'' (1968) * ''

Where's Huddles? ''Where's Huddles?'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that premiered on CBS on July 1, 1970. It ran for ten episodes as a summer replacement show for ''Hee Haw'', until September 2. It was similar in style to ...

'' (1970) – Coach (voice) * ''

'' (1972) – Putty Puss (voice) * '' Jeannie'' (1973) – Babu (voice) * '' The New Scooby-Doo Movies'' (1973) – Babu (voice) * ''

The Oddball Couple ''The Oddball Couple'' is an animated half-hour Saturday morning show that ran on the ABC TV network from September 6 to December 20, 1975. The show was a production of DePatie-Freleng Enterprises in association with Paramount Television, and wa ...

'' (1975) – Additional voices * '' Scooby's All Star Laff-A-Lympics'' (1977–1978) – Babu (voice) * ''

Fred Flintstone and Friends ''Fred Flintstone and Friends'' is an American animated anthology wheel series and a spin-off of ''The Flintstones'' produced by Hanna-Barbera and Columbia Pictures Television that aired in daily first-run syndication from September 12, 1977 t ...

'' (1977–1978) – Babu (voice) * ''

'' (1978) – Scare Bear (voice) * ''

Galaxy Goof-Ups ''Galaxy Goof-Ups'' (also known as ''Yogi's Galaxy Goofs-Ups'') is a 30-minute American animated television series, a spin-off of ''Yogi's Space Race'' and the fourth incarnation of the '' Yogi Bear'' franchise. The show was produced by Hanna-Bar ...

'' (1978–1979) – Scare Bear (voice) * ''

Shirt Tales ''Shirt Tales'' are characters that were created in 1980 by greeting card designer Janet Elizabeth Manco and were featured on Hallmark Cards greeting cards. The characters were adapted into a 1982-1985 animated series for television, by Hanna-Bar ...

'' (1982) – Elmo the Elephant (voice) * ''My Smurfy Valentine'' (1983) – Cupid (voice)

References

External links

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170 high-definition clips, many rare of Joe Besser
{{DEFAULTSORT:Besser, Joe 1907 births 1988 deaths American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors Jewish American male actors Jewish American comedians American male comedians 20th-century American comedians Jewish male comedians Male actors from St. Louis The Three Stooges members Vaudeville performers Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) 20th-century American male actors American male comedy actors Columbia Pictures contract players