Joe Better
Joe Besser (born August 12, 1907 in St. Louis , Missouri , † March 1, 1988 ) was an American comedian and voice actor . He became known through his temporary participation in the cult series The Three Stooges .
Life
Better was the ninth child of the Jewish immigrants Morris and Fanny Besser, who emigrated from Poland to the USA in 1895. On November 18, 1932, Joe Besser married Erna Dora Kretschmer (Erna Kay), with whom he remained in a relationship until his death.
Until joining the Three Stooges in 1956, he acted as a solo comedian on Broadway in New York City, among others .
In the spring of 1956, Joe Besser replaced Shemp Howard, who had died of a heart attack, as one of the three main characters in the Three Stooges. There he worked on numerous short films and achieved greater fame than before. When at the end of 1957 it was discussed whether the Three Stooges should start a tour with live performances, Besser announced his withdrawal from the show, as he did not want to leave his wife Erna, who had suffered a heart attack in November 1957, alone for this. Therefore, he left the Stooges in 1958 and started a successful television career. From then on he also worked as a voice actor for various television programs.
Joe Besser died of heart failure on March 1, 1988. He is buried with his wife Erna († 1989) in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California .
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Better, Joe |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American comedian |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 12, 1907 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | St. Louis , Missouri |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 1, 1988 |