Jerry Stiller, 'Seinfeld' and 'Hairspray' Actor and Comedian, Dies at 92

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Variety



Jerry Stiller, actor and comedian and father to Ben Stiller, has died of nature causes. He was 92.

Ben Stiller confirmed his father’s death in the early hours of Monday morning, writing on Twitter: “I’m sad to say that my father, Jerry Stiller, passed away from natural causes. He was a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Anne for about 62 years. He will be greatly missed. Love you Dad.”

After a long career performing in comedy routines with his wife Anne Meara, appearing on Broadway and guest-starring on TV series, Stiller became known for his role on “Seinfeld” as Frank Constanza, as Leah Remini’s father on “The King of Queens,” and as Zoolander’s manager in the comedy directed by Ben Stiller. He appeared in 26 episodes of “Seinfeld” as Constanza, the father of George (Jason Alexander), from 1993-98, with Estelle Harris playing his wife, Estelle. Stiller was Emmy nominated for his work on the show in 1997.

Though known as a comedian, Stiller was also a serious dramatic actor with a long history on Broadway. Long before Stiller became known for his appearances on “Seinfeld” and “The King of Queens,” Stiller and Meara, were a top comedy act in the 1960s, appearing on “The Ed Sullivan Show” some 36 times. The pair were also members of the improv group the Compass Players, which later became Second City.

Read more: https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/jerry-stiller-actor-and-comedian-dies-at-92-1234603183/

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Damn. What a loss. Still remember the duo - Stiller and Meara.

Link to tweet

TEXT

Ben Stiller
✔
@RedHourBen

I’m sad to say that my father, Jerry Stiller, passed away from natural causes. He was a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Anne for about 62 years. He will be greatly missed. Love you Dad.
View image on Twitter
42.8K
4:15 AM - May 11, 2020

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Good morning. You're up early. Or maybe not.

I heard it on WCBS. I leave a radio running all night long.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Good morning - was up at 3:50 am.

Am usually up and about between 4 - 4:30 am and yes, I just heard it on my CBS radio affiliate (KYW here) and searched to see when it happened (found it was just announced in the past half hour). And I do the same - keep the radio on all night with volume down low. Have heard many a breaking news in the middle of the night if I happened to wake up.

[Rhiannon12866]

3. Oh no! He was wonderful - in everything he did!

[BumRushDaShow]

4. I know!!!!

I always thought he was funnier than his son. His gruff deadpan performances were just hilarious. Anne died 5 years ago...





This really am making me sad.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. It's making me really sad, too!

And of course I loved her! I used to watch The King of Queens just because he was in it - and she made guest appearances - everything he did was entertaining and memorable.

Thanks for the great pix! They made such a wonderful team!

[Roy Rolling]

5. Oh no

Serenity now!

[Oppaloopa]

11. I remember them from the Ed Sullivan Show they were terrific.

Their comedy would never be accepted now. He made fun of her druken Irish familly and she made fun of his Jewish familly. No one was offended back then. He was a 'legend.

[Throckmorton]

7. I loved him in the Original Taking of Pelham 123

I wonder if he can "Plug into the IRT Trainmaster's circuit " from where he is now?

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Me too - to the point where I bought the paperback book when it came out

[Rollo]

8. I remember enjoying listening to Stiller and Meara on the radio in the 60's...

Radio station KGO's Comedy Hour in San Francisco, as I recall. Obviously from recorded albums, but always hilarious.

And long before Festivus.

[abqtommy]

13. Dammit, Jerry! How can we get "a piece of you" now when we really need your humor. Lucky

for us we have our memories and videotape... Rest easy and best wishes to Ben and the rest of your family and those of us who loved you...

[2naSalit]

14. Farewell to a man who made me laugh

for decades. Stiller and Meara were a favorite of mine back in the day.

[FakeNoose]

15. Rest In Peace Jerry Stiller!

Remembering the great comedy team Stiller and Meara - always clever, always entertaining!

[MissMillie]

16. "Serenity Now!" for you, Jerry

RIP

[PSPS]

17. "Benji"

Here's a clip of "What's My Line" in 1968 where they mention taking their son "Benji" to the park:

[PSPS]

18. And here they are doing one of their "Sneak Preview" bits for HBO in the 80's

They did these for HBO for a long time in the 80's

[BusyBeingBest]

19. Frank Costanza and Arthur Spooner-- loved his characters on two of my

favorite TV sitcoms. RIP, thank you for the laughs.

[KWR65]

20. You wanna piece of me? SEINFELD

?t=11

[OriginalGeek]

21. There's an apartment complex near me named Boca Vista

I can't pass it without screaming DEL BOCA VISTAAAAAAAA


I can't remember a scene he was ever in that he wasn't my favorite part of it.

[BumRushDaShow]

22. Talking about "scenes" you made me think of his contemporary - Norman Fell

who also could steal a scene. And the two of them were together in Airport 1975 -

[OriginalGeek]

23. That's darn close to dividing by zero right there..

[BumRushDaShow]

25. ...

(and I literally was drinking a sip of water when I saw your post so you owe me a keyboard )

[SeattleVet]

24. I met him and Anne one night in a little Broadway restaurant/cafe.

A friend was a part-time theater critic for a magazine, and he and I would go to the shows and then to a little place frequented by theater people afterwards and he would basically write his review. It was a 'you have to know where it is' place - a nondescript door with a small brass plaque with the name of the place that probably 99% of people walked by without noticing. There was a big, round table at the back that was permanently reserved for George Hearn's party (La Cage aux Folles was a big hit at the time) and tiny cafe tables along the wall across from the bar, with some larger tables on the floor between.

We were sitting at one of the tiny tables along the wall, when the woman at the next table tapped my elbow and asked me to please pass the salt. Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller were at the next table, and we exchanged pleasantries for a bit. Very nice, gracious couple. Pretty quiet and reserved - not at all the way they acted on stage.

They are both missed.

[Skittles]

26. the man was just plain hilarious

great guy

[olddad65]

27. The father of Festivus ( for the rest of us).