Jerry's son Ben Stiller confirmed that his dad passed away and that he will be greatly missed.
Veteran actor and comedian Jerry Stiller who entertained viewers for decades with his talent is no more. He died at 92 of natural causes, his son, actor and comedian Ben Stiller confirmed through 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," he wrote. Apart from Ben, they had a daughter, Amy, together.
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. pic.twitter.com/KyoNsJIBz5
— Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) May 11, 2020
A regular on television for many decades, the senior Stiller is best known for his role as Frank Constanza in Seinfeld from 1993-98. Growing up as an unemployed bus driver's eldest of three children, Stiller was drawn to Hollywood as a means of escape because the family moved around a lot.
Even though he had caught the acting bug from a young age, it took him many years of struggle to finally achieve what he wanted. During those years, he did a stint in the Army, worked various jobs including washing windows, selling ice cream, and driving a bus. He also studied drama at Syracuse University, according to CNN.
His flair for comedy saw him essaying many roles over the years in shows, movies, and on stage, like The Ed Sullivan Show. He was also known for portraying Arthur Spooner in the sitcom, The King of Queens in the early 2000s. While he left a legacy of making people laugh behind, something he also passed on to his son, Ben, 54, he was also a devoted husband.
He met his wife, Anne Meara, in New York during a casting call in 1953. They became partners in life and on stage in a few years with their Stiller & Meara comedy team. They became popular together in the 1960s by performing on variety shows, including The Ed Sullivan Show.
"It occurred to us that we were an unlikely couple," Stiller told PEOPLE in 1977. "People would say to Anne, 'Heh, you’re married to him?’ I thought we could use it."
They were also featured together in the Blue Nun commercials but in the 1970s they decided that they needed to keep their careers and home life separate. "I love Anne, but if I had depended on her in my professional life, I would have lost her as a wife," Stiller told PEOPLE. "We felt like two guys.” Anne, who passed away in 2015, had then said, "I didn’t know where the act ended and our marriage began."
RIP to Jerry Stiller. Here's him and his wife, Anna Meara, cutting an ad for the single-payer healthcare movement in the 90s♥️ pic.twitter.com/B9Lg5FXdf0
— tim (@singlepayertom) May 11, 2020
The comedy team is once again united in heaven five years after they were separated. We hope they rest in peace, and laughs, together.
Tributes poured in for the actor when news of his demise was announced.
I was lucky enough to work with Jerry Stiller, playing his daughter for 9 years on The King Of Queens, but even luckier to know him, the man, the husband, the father, the grandfather. I am only
— Leah Remini (@LeahRemini) May 11, 2020
comforted knowing… https://t.co/yHUS1XWyN0
Captain’s Log Stardate 54: As we begin a new week it is sad to hear about the passing of Jerry Stiller; a comedic genius, fellow actor & friend. He will be missed. Condolences to his family.
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) May 11, 2020
Actor Jason Alexander, who played Stiller onscreen son in Seinfeld, expressed his condolences too.
Yeah. I adored this man. pic.twitter.com/4YiaTLJh4C
— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) May 11, 2020
Rest in peace, Jerry!
References:
https://twitter.com/RedHourBen/status/1259759084309446657
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/11/us/jerry-stiller-death-natural-causes/index.html
https://people.com/movies/inside-jerry-stiller-annea-mearas-marriage/
