Editing Joe Besser (section)

{{Short description|American actor and comedian (1907–1988)}}
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{{Use American English|date = January 2020}}
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{{Infobox person
| name               = Joe Besser
| image         = JoeBesser1950s.jpg
| caption       = Besser, circa 1950s
| birth_name    = Jessel Besser
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1907|8|12}}
| birth_place   = [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1988|3|1|1907|8|12}}
| death_place   = [[North Hollywood, California]], U.S.
| resting_place = [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park]], Glendale, California, U.S.
| other_names   = 
| occupation    = {{hlist|Actor|comedian|musician}}
| years_active  = 1938–1988
| spouse        = {{marriage|Erna Kay|1932<!--As marriage ended by death of Besser, not by death of his spouse, the year 1988 is omitted here. See instructions on [[Template:Marriage]] for more info-->}}
| family        = [[Matt Besser]] (first cousin twice removed)
| website       = {{URL|https://www.joebesserforever.com/}}
}}

'''Joe Besser''' (born '''Jessel Besser''',<ref>Joe Besser with Greg and Jeff Lenburg, ''Not Just a Stooge'', Excelsior Books, 1984, p. 8.</ref> August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988) was an American actor and comedian 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 1957–1959. He is also remembered for his television roles: Stinky, the bratty man-child on ''[[The Abbott and Costello Show]]'', and Jillson, the maintenance man on ''[[The Joey Bishop Show (sitcom)|The Joey Bishop Show]]''.