Very Sissy Man: Joe Besser

Joe Besser

Aug. 12, 1907 - March 1, 1988

                  Imagine a short, pudgy, bald, middle-aged man dressed like a spoiled schoolboy of a half-century earlier. Picture a plump Buster Brown with a whiney voice, an oversize lollipop in one hand, willing to throw a tantrum at any time; a bratty “kid” in short pants called Stinky, a name he lived up to on Abbott & Costello’s television show. “You crazy, yoooou!”  His name was Joe Besser, and he was sissy enough to steal scenes from Lou Costello.

         Joe is probably most famous for being the third “third stooge”, replacing Shemp in The Three Stooges. (Joe and Shemp were friends.) He didn’t wear the Buster Brown outfit, but nothing else changed. Moe and Larry seemed baffled by Joe, who pinched, attempted a fey punch --well, slap-- with the underside of his fist, and responded to any attempt at the usual Stooge-foolery with  “Not so harrrrd!”   If there was ever a perfect sissy, it was Joe Besser.

SISSY METER: 7