Legacy

At the Walk of Fame ceremony: Left, Joe clowns with comedian Milton Berle as announcer
Gary Owens (right) looks on. Behind Joe are Jeff and Greg Lenburg, Right, Joe unveils the
star with Joan Howard Maurer, Norman Maurer, Phyllis Fine Lamond and Jean DeRita,
wife of Curly Joe DeRita.

Comic Joe Besser's legacy is certainly extraordinary.

One of the pinnacle moments of his illustrious career was the unveiling of the Three Stooges' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 30, 1983. This momentous occasion honored all of six members of the Stooges including Joe for his stint as the third stooge which he loved every minute of. 

Although Joe never received a star or solo awards, this event, where he was joyously reunited with his old friend Milton Berle, whom he co-starred with in vaudeville, on radio and television, was one of the most cherished memories of his life and career.

Joe clowns with a
copy of his original
autobiography, Not Just
a Stooge, at a 1984
Beverly Hills, Calif.
book signing.

In the months following, Joe poured his heart into his autobiography, Not Just a Stooge, which was published on January 1, 1984. This book, later retitled and expanded as Once a Stooge, Always a Stooge, offers a heartfelt look into his remarkable career. The latest edition, meticulously updated by the Lenburgs with over 420 photos and expanded content, stands as a testament to Joe’s enduring impact on show business.

The new edition, available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, audiobook (Audible) (Google Play) and e-book formats, is a comprehensive 408-pages, celebrating his work across radio, film, television, and stage. 

Sample art work for Joe's solo shorts featured on Tubi.

In 2025, Tubi, a free ad-supported video streaming service, added all
of Joe's classic Three Stooges shorts and his solo two reelers (except for Cuckoorancho), to its wide selection of on-demand movies, TV shows, and live TV channels. 

Samples of icense Joe Besser merchandise

And, for the first time, in the 2000s,  C3 Entertainment, which holds the worldwide rights to The Three Stooges brand, licensed a flurry of merchandise featuring the likeness of Besser, from an action figure to beautifully colorized Besser Stooges stamps for the Carribean island of the Commonwealth of Dominica to a talking bobblehead!

From his iconic roles as "Stinky" on The Abbott and Costello Show to his memories of The Three Stooges (including Curly and Shemp), Joe's story is a testament to his boundless talent and relentless charm.