As a stunt man working with The Three Stooges he was used as a stand-in for
Shemp Howard after Shemp's death and before Joe Besser joined the
stooges. Reportedly Palma was filmed from the back & old footage of
Shemp was inserted for frontal shots.
Joe's last years in the business were as an assistant to Jack Lemmon.
He received small credited roles in Mr. Lemmon's movies during the 1960s
just before Joe retired.
Before moving to Hollywood in the 1930s he worked as a mortician in the
Provenzano funeral home, owned by his parents on 2nd Avenue in
Manhattan, NYC.
Real last name was Provenzano.
Married to Marjorie Ann Ries for more than 50 years.