Joe Besser (1938; 1949-1956)
Joe Besser is best known for his work as "3rd Stooge", but he appeared in his own series of solo shorts prior to gaining that fame. He first appeared in the Columbia released Ben Blake musical comedy short CUCKOORANCHO in 1938. 11 years later, Besser would turn out 10 shorts (the last four are remakes of the first four!) for the Hollywood unit before joining Larry and Moe as one of the 3 Stooges in 1956. A handful of the Besser titles were included in the 1959 Screen Gems television package.
PLEASE NOTE: Available titles will be in ITALICS and UNDERLINED
If a title is not in ITALICS and UNDERLINED....I do not have it in my collection.
WAITING IN THE LURCH (9/8/49) D: Edward Bernds. Christine McIntyre, Vernon Dent, Rodney Bell, Andre Pola, James Logan, Charles Hamilton, Joe Palma. Joe's bride-to-be frowns on his mania for chasing fire engines. TRIVIA: The original working title was LEFT IN THE LURCH. Remade as THE FIRE CHASER (1954). Reissued theatrically in October, 1960.
DIZZY YARDBIRD (3/9/50) D: Jules White. Dick Wessel, Brian O'Hara, Jessie Arnold, Bill Wallace, Jim Brown, Emil Sitka, Nick Arno. Joes sergeant struggles to mold him into a model soldier. TRIVIA: The original script, WHAT A SOLDIER! was written in 1943 by Felix Adler and was intended to be a Buster Keaton comedy. Remade as G.I. DOOD IT (1955). Reissued theatrically in December, 1959.
FRAIDY CAT (12/13/51) D: Jules White. Jim Hawthorone, Steve Calvert, Tom Kennedy, Joe Palma, Eddie Baker. Wide Awake Detective Agency investigators Joe and Hawthorne have failed to solve the antique robberies of the Ape Man Gang, and are given one last chance by their boss, I. Katchum. Guarding an antique shop late at night, the boys come face-to-face with a gang of crooks who have trained a real gorilla for the break-ins. TRIVIA: Joe Besser was reportedly paid $1500 for 4 days work. Original working title was SILLY SLEUTHS. A remake of the Three Stooges DIZZY DETECTIVES (1943). Remade as HOOK A CROOK (1955). Reissued theatrically in October, 1959.
Joe Besser is best known for his work as "3rd Stooge", but he appeared in his own series of solo shorts prior to gaining that fame. He first appeared in the Columbia released Ben Blake musical comedy short CUCKOORANCHO in 1938. 11 years later, Besser would turn out 10 shorts (the last four are remakes of the first four!) for the Hollywood unit before joining Larry and Moe as one of the 3 Stooges in 1956. A handful of the Besser titles were included in the 1959 Screen Gems television package.
PLEASE NOTE: Available titles will be in ITALICS and UNDERLINED
If a title is not in ITALICS and UNDERLINED....I do not have it in my collection.
WAITING IN THE LURCH (9/8/49) D: Edward Bernds. Christine McIntyre, Vernon Dent, Rodney Bell, Andre Pola, James Logan, Charles Hamilton, Joe Palma. Joe's bride-to-be frowns on his mania for chasing fire engines. TRIVIA: The original working title was LEFT IN THE LURCH. Remade as THE FIRE CHASER (1954). Reissued theatrically in October, 1960.
DIZZY YARDBIRD (3/9/50) D: Jules White. Dick Wessel, Brian O'Hara, Jessie Arnold, Bill Wallace, Jim Brown, Emil Sitka, Nick Arno. Joes sergeant struggles to mold him into a model soldier. TRIVIA: The original script, WHAT A SOLDIER! was written in 1943 by Felix Adler and was intended to be a Buster Keaton comedy. Remade as G.I. DOOD IT (1955). Reissued theatrically in December, 1959.
FRAIDY CAT (12/13/51) D: Jules White. Jim Hawthorone, Steve Calvert, Tom Kennedy, Joe Palma, Eddie Baker. Wide Awake Detective Agency investigators Joe and Hawthorne have failed to solve the antique robberies of the Ape Man Gang, and are given one last chance by their boss, I. Katchum. Guarding an antique shop late at night, the boys come face-to-face with a gang of crooks who have trained a real gorilla for the break-ins. TRIVIA: Joe Besser was reportedly paid $1500 for 4 days work. Original working title was SILLY SLEUTHS. A remake of the Three Stooges DIZZY DETECTIVES (1943). Remade as HOOK A CROOK (1955). Reissued theatrically in October, 1959.
AIM, FIRE, SCOOT (3/13/52) D: Jules White. Jim Hawthorne, Henry Kulky, Angela Stevens, Charles Heine Conklin. Joe and his sergeant fall for the same girl. TRIVIA: The original working title was DAFFY DRAFTEES. Remade as ARMY DAZE (1956). Reissued theatrically in March, 1961.
CAUGHT ON THE BOUNCE (10/9/52) D: Jules White. Maxine Gates, Esther Howard, Edward Coch, Jr. Joe and his family make plans to visit his wealthy aunt. TRIVIA: The original working title was GULLIBLES TRAVELS.
SPIES AND GUYS (4/4/53) D: Jules White. Angela Stevens, Emil Sitka. Private Besser is sent on a secret mission with a W A C lieutenant.
THE FIRE CHASER (9/30/54) D: Jules White. Christine McIntyre, Vernon Dent, Rodney Bell, James Logan, Andre Pola, Charles Hamilton, Joe Palma. Joes passion for following fire engines is driving his fiancée crazy. TRIVIA: A remake, with stock footage, of WAITING IN THE LURCH (1949).
G.I. DOOD IT (2/17/55) D: Jules White. Dick Wessel, Phil Van Zandt, Emil Sitka, Brian O'Hara, Bill Wallace, Jim Brown, Nick Arno. Joes pet dog relates, in flashback, his masters adventures in the Army. TRIVIA: A remake, with stock footage, of DIZZY YARDBIRD (1950).
HOOK A CROOK (11/24/55) D: Jules White. Jim Hawthorone, Steve Calvert, Tom Kennedy, Joe Palma, Eddie Baker, Dan Blocker, Barbara Bartay, Lela Bliss. Private detectives Joe and Hawthorone are hired to recover stolen jewels and encounter a trained gorilla. TRIVIA: The original working title was DAFFY DETECTIVES. A remake, with stock footage, of FRAIDY CAT (1951), and the Three Stooges DIZZY DETECTIVES (1943).
ARMY DAZE (3/22/56) D: Jules White. Angela Stevens, Henry Kulky, Phil Van Zandt, Charles Heine Conklin. Joe and Hawthorone are drafted into the army. TRIVIA: A remake, with stock footage of AIM, FIRE, SCOOT (1952). This film had two working titles; ARMY DAYS and WHACKY IN THE KHAKI.
