Joe Besser | Living St. Louis

Living St. Louis producer Jim Kirchherr explores the life and career of Joe Besser. Born to Orthodox Jewish parents in St. Louis, Besser dreamed of begin in show business from a young age. After beginning his career as a vaudeville and radio star, he became of member of the Three Stooges from 1955 to 1958. He would go on to have a successful career on television and in films until the 1970s, but he is most remembered for his time with the Stooges.

[@ericseabury3968]

I remember Joe Besser when he was with The Three Stooges but now I am enjoying his work as J.J. Jilson on “The Joey Bishop Show”. Rest In Peace, Joe Besser. You are not forgotten.

[@MikeEder]

He's my favorite comedian RIP Joe.

[@jamesfox2579]

I always loved Joe Besser's, and always thought he was hilariously funny!! ❤️❤️

[@MonstruosEspantosos]

I loved the Joe episodes.

[@jubalcalif9100]

What a wonderful little mini-documentary ! THANK YOU very much for uploading !

[@hourlynewscaster]

Remember, Bessser was a reluctant fill-in as the third stooge when they needed a third. He didn't want to be physical. I met him in a laundromat in North Hollywood. He was a beautiful, wonderful guy.

[@fjccommish]

If you banged on the button when the machine didn't work, Joe would say, "Not so haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard!"

[@mjp96]

I read that he didn't either - but he didn't avoid it or put it in his contract or anything. Team player!

[@handgunner1911]

they dont make them like this anymore all the funny men back then they were all priceless amd i will love them forever a huge part of my life as a child growing up,

[@MonstruosEspantosos]

Loved Joe

[@3rdstooge]

Very nice find. Thanks for adding this.

[@mjp96]

what a great piece. I found his schtick unusual and very funny!! No comparison to the later Joe (zzzzz).

[@Nemesis7293]

Joe Besser was, by all accounts, a lovely, sweet, genuinely nice human being..........and a criminally under-rated talent.

[@WakandaBabe]

Joe Besser guested on the Jack Benny show and was absolutely hysterical.

[@mcfrdmn]

Excellent videoclip !

[@38ddkelly]

Joe was wonderful on Abbott and Costello, The Joey Bishop Show and on an episode of The Mothers-In-Law.

[@Mpshfromlowell64]

"Not so ha-a-a-a-a-a-ard!" Joe gets a bum rap among Stooge fans, but I give him credit for not trying to be anything other than what he was. And he was often very funny......

[@Tornado1994]

He was a poor Stooge. He only did the shorts because he was contractually obligated to by Harry Cohn. Moe actually wanted it just to be him and Larry as "The Two Stooges" after Shemp died in late 1955. He did NOT want to replace Shemp.

[@SonyComputerEntertainment]

Actually, Moe later said in a 1971 interview that he did in fact want to replace Shemp with comedian Mantan Moreland. Harry Cohn refused because the actor wasn't under contract and due to him being a black man. Moe also referred to Besser as "that prissy damned Joe Besser"

[@Tornado1994]

@@SonyComputerEntertainment The idea to replace Shemp with Mantan Moreland was one that came late. Because originally Moe was torn between either just being the Two Stooges, or going for broke and disbanding the act altogether.

[@SonyComputerEntertainment]

Tornado1994 that’s true. Moe wanted to continue as the Two Stooges but Harry Cohn refused, saying it would ruin the brand/marketing. Joe was definitely forced into the act and it showed in the film, though I’ve personally come to appreciate his work over the years

[@mjp96]

@@SonyComputerEntertainment Joe was prissy - but in a funny way!!

[@terryhammond1253]

Joe Besser as the bad little boy Stinky is not only hilarious...but a totally original creation by Besser. Very clever. Nothing else like it. The male counterpart to Fannie Brice doing Baby Snooks.

[@raulgreen8369]

The voice if Baboo on the Jeannie in the 70's on CBS

[@colinwilliams553]

That's right,as a matter of fact, I first heard his voice on the Jeannie cartoon series so years later, I would watch an old rerun of the Abbott and Costello show and there was this one character that sounded and talked like Baboo. I started to put two two together and I found out his name was Joe Besser and there was more to him than just the voice of Baboo....he was also a stooge. R.I.P Joe, you were a comedic talent.

[@bryanmiller469]

Thank god for video

[@loungelizard5000]

Joe was under rated that's for sure. Everyone loved Curly so much that they hated all his replacements without giving them a chance. Even Curly's own brother Shemp. Ignorant.

[@TorontoJediMaster]

He wasn't great in the Stooges, but he seemed to be a really nice guy. I've heard that Moe and Larry felt he was wrong for the act, but liked him immensely on a personal level. The Three Stooges were criminally underpaid for their Columbia shorts. They never got a raise in the twenty-five years they were making them, nor did they get residuals. (Moe was wealthy by the time the act was retired simply because he saved his money and was a savvy investor.) They made far more in their personal appearances than they did from their shorts.

[@StLouisEarl]

Wow I never realized he was from my home town, and born the same year my Dad was. they may have even knew each other back as kids.

[@rumpoose]

fascinating....

[@NDW85]

@Gwitfu90 Well, producer/director Jules white wanted Besser in the stooges because he needed someone who resembled Curly and that's why he was brought in to the act. But despite the fact that Besser was five foot five, fat and bald like Curly, I don't think they look anything alike.

[@WildBuster]

Not so hard... Joe wasn't bad, it's just that Shemp was great and Curly was excellent.

[@mjp96]

I couldn't add to that better. Joe was following two legends. But I loved Joe B.

[@moegreen6477]

He was very funny, it is a shame those great comedians worked more and longer than todays comics. Without the big pay days.

[@loungelizard5000]

I know he wasn't squat to them.......but at least he helped let Moe and Larry keep making a living, since they were not rich by any means, and needed to keep working..........when they needed him. And he was "sorta" funny sometimes !!! It was always the "3" Stooges...even after it shoulda been done. But if you know their history, they needed Joe Besser and Joe DeRita to help them still make a living .......

[@patriciastewart2239]

Awww

[@WytZox1]

Actually Baby Boomers are most likely to recall Joe Besser as Mr. Jillson the building janitor on Joey Bishop's TV sitcom.

[@1968DodgePolara]

Joe did well as a stooge being his own act not to imitate Curly, just being Himself but by the time he came to the picture people was use to Curly's way of acting he was in his shadow and never became popular as a stooge.

[@bobareeniobobareenio2935]

Wrong, Wrong Wrong! I would have to say that most baby boomers remember Joe Besser from The Abbott & Costello Show. He played Oswald (Stinky) Davis. An adult that dressed and acted like a kid . Not from the Three Stooges.

[@misterwhitman4368]

oh You CRAAAAZY, You!

[@jimmypier54]

ohhh Not so Hard

[@bobareeniobobareenio2935]

I mean, don’t get me wrong. He played that same character in everything he did. However, he was at his peak when doing the Abbott. Costello TV Show. .

[@richardalanmoore4342]

Absolutely agree that his work on the A&C television show was the funniest role that I remember. In that silly sailor suit and cocking an arm to slap at Costello: "I'll harm you!!"

[@Nickcat5]

What you are I.E saying is that Comedic Heavyweights such as Abbott & Costello,Milton Berle,Jerry Lewis,Jack Benny, Olsen & Johnson, Joey Bishop were wrong in their assessment about Joe Besser.,Correct? Not to mention various voiceovers and movie roles (Non-comedic role in 'the Desert Hawk). Columbia (who had him under contract) was slowly folding up their Shorts Dept when Besser joined the act as a filler. The writing was weak,hardly his fault. His career didn't begin or end with the Stooges.

[@RBComics]

joes is a decent third stooges. he's not no imitator of curly or shemp it's just those stupid remakes of older stooges shorts that made him appear that he sucked. but in some original material joe is actually very funny. he does his own comedic style. so I don't know why stooges fans bashed joe like this. at least besser makes me laugh than derita. DERITA SUCKS!

[@itiswhatitaintanditaintwha1427]

He was a gfeat comedian but as a stooge the material was weak! He was hilarious as Stinky in Abbott And Costello!

[@benadam7753]

+itiswhatitaint anditaintwhatitis At least Joe Besser didn't rip off Curly Howard like Joe DeRita did!

[@itiswhatitaintanditaintwha1427]

Rich Schneider true!

[@AceripXF]

i just think it was unfair he got paid MORE than moe n larry O_o

[@tak-475]

Lol

[@jgray110]

This guy just didn't have it, not funny, watching re-runs, Shemp's hilarious "put em up" fight style with reluctant legs and wide-open face and remarks that set him up for Moe's abuse put him right in league with any stooge: Moe, Larry or Curly.

[@salvagemonster3612]

No one will remember him as the janitor on Joey bishop show. NO ONE. He will be remembered and is remembered as a stooge and stinky. So please.

[@colbymercury]

What are you talking about, Moe and Larry could not stand the dud.

[@Johnny_Love_Tree]

Joe besser was one of the worst Stooges ever besides Shemp..