Joe Besser

From Grokipedia

Joe Besser (August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988) was an American comedian and actor renowned for his brief but distinctive stint as the third member of the Three Stooges comedy team from 1956 to 1959, where he appeared in 16 short films alongside Moe Howard and Larry Fine. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Besser began his career in vaudeville and burlesque as a teenager, initially assisting a magician before going solo as a comedian in 1928, and he built a reputation for his high-pitched voice, impish humor, and portrayals of wimpy, spoiled-child characters. His film debut came in 1938 with the short Cuckoorancho, marking the start of a prolific career that spanned radio, Broadway (including the 1941 production Sons o' Fun), over 40 feature films with stars like Rock Hudson, and approximately 250 television appearances. Besser also had a notable television role as the bumbling Stinky Davis on The Abbott and Costello Show (1952–1954).

Besser's entry into the Three Stooges followed the death of Shemp Howard in 1955; he joined Moe and Larry for Columbia Pictures' final shorts, bringing his unique comedic style to roles that emphasized verbal gags over the team's traditional slapstick violence, a change he requested to accommodate his wife's health needs. He left the group in 1958 to care for his ailing wife, Erna, to whom he had been married since November 18, 1932, until his death, and whom he often cited as the highlight of his personal life; she died on July 1, 1989. After leaving the Stooges, Besser continued in television, including as Mr. Jillson, the Dimples apartment house manager, on The Joey Bishop Show (1962–1965). In the 1970s, he provided voice work for Hanna-Barbera animated series, including characters in Yogi's Space Race and Galaxy Goof-Ups.

Besser died of heart failure on March 1, 1988, at his home in North Hollywood, California, at the age of 80, becoming one of the last surviving members of the Three Stooges; he had been ill for some time prior. In 1983, he helped unveil the Three Stooges' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, cementing his legacy in American comedy despite his relatively short time with the iconic trio.

In brief

Joe Besser brought a childlike protest — “not so fast!” — that made him famous long before the Stooges hired him. Abbott and Costello’s Stinky was already a finished character.

The Stooge years were brief and disputed by purists. They still count. A comedian who can be “the new one” and remain himself has done the hard thing.