When Shemp Howard died suddenly late in 1955, the Stooges nearly went out of business. Columbia Pictures managed to put out a few more Shemp episodes in 1956, using a lot of stock footage together with new scenes using Moe and Larry and Shemp stand-in Joe Palma (with his face hidden). Joe Besser had been making shorts with Columbia and had worked for director Jules White. Moe talked Joe into joining up with Larry and him as the "third" Stooge. The team went on to make sixteen more episodes, before being summarily dismissed by Columbia Pictures on December 20, 1957.

Year Released Episode Title	Rating
1957
Hoofs and Goofs	***
Muscle Up a Little Closer	** ½
A Merry Mix-Up	***
Space Ship Sappy	**
Guns A-Poppin'	***
Horsing Around	**
Rusty Romeos	*** ½
Outer Space Jitters	**
1958
Quiz Whizz	** ½
Fifi Blows Her Top	** ½
Pies and Guys	***
Sweet and Hot	***
Flying Saucer Daffy	***
Oil's Well That Ends Well	***
1959
Triple Crossed	**
Sappy Bullfighters	***