Jerry Stiller

Jerry Stiller (born Gerald Isaac Stiller) is an Emmy-winning actor and comedian. He grew up in New York City and briefly served in the US Army towards the end of World War II before enrolling in Syracuse University. He graduated in 1950 with a degree in speech and drama and went on to study acting at HB Studio. Shortly after, he began making appearances in local theater productions, and in 1953, he met his future wife and comedy partner, Anne Meara.

By 1961, the pair made a name for themselves performing in nightclubs and their newfound popularity landed them TV appearances on shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show. While they made the decision to end their live act in favor of maintaining a strong marriage, the couple continued to pursue other opportunities and hosted the show Take Five with Stiller and Meara from 1977 to 1978. Jerry later went on to star in the 1986 sitcom The Stiller and Meara Show alongside his wife.

The comedian’s presence in the mainstream helped him to land individual roles, most notably as Frank Costanza on the beloved sitcom Seinfeld. His performance earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 1997. He went on to appear on the show The King of Queens as Arthur Spooner and he remained part of the cast until 2007.

Jerry was also an author and published his memoir Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara in 2000.

After meeting Meara during his early acting days, the pair wed in 1954 and remained together until her death in 2015. The pair share two children: actress Amy Stiller and comedian Ben Stiller.

Jerry died peacefully in his Manhattan home in May 2020.