Back in the 1800's, during the swell of immigration to America... Most of "The Besser Families" came through New York and settled in or around Brooklyn. Being close connected... most of The Besser Family Lines coming from Poland and Germany. Those that ventured West toward other American towns and cities, most of the Bessers and/or knew where their kin was? In the case of "The Besser's of St. Louis", Morris Besser had a large brood of children... Nine or Ten I guess? Of them... only two were Boys... Manny and Joseph. It made it easy for us, as they went into 'show business'. Lucky for me... I lived in The Bronx... Fordham to be exact, where at it's height, it was a major Movie and Theater District that today is non-existent. Since Grand Ma Hannah Besser-Moch died before I was born, I had to rely on My Aunt Frances to share with me about Our Besser Kin in St. Louis? Never-the-less, it became a no brainer that someone in The Besser Clan, would have updates on The Family. Stories from the old timers of Fordham, would tell me about 'The Good Old Days of Fordham'...the only problem was, when I asked my Dad "What and who are these people???" I got an answer "Friend of The Family"... showbiz slang for "They are you cousins". It was like trying to understand Yiddish Pig Latin... not showbiz kosher, but if The Rabbi blessed it and gave his approval... who am I to argue (Perhaps The Rabbi in question was a Jewish Lite Reformist???)
Getting back to Cousins Manny and Joe... OK, so wasn't brought up Jewish... I was brought up Bronx. It made no difference if The Soda Jerk in the Drug Store was a young struggling actor named Martin Sheen, or the Pizza Guy that sang like Frank Sinatra or even The Candy Store Owner made Chocolate Egg Creams by day and played The Cello in The New York Philamonic Orchestra at night... that was my neighboorhood and Show business came in all sizes and shapes. So being and/or knowing 'A Besser' should be no problem.
Al (aka: Edward Moch)
Actor-Performer/Writer-Director... and a partridge in a pear tree :)
