Although he has enjoyed a successful solo career, Jerry gained a high profile in the comedic duo Stiller and Meara. Jerry met Anne Meara, the other half of the duo, when they worked together for improvisational team The Compass Players, which would go on to become The Second City. Anne and Jerry were married in 1954. Although Anne had converted to Judaism, their differing ethnic backgrounds were often used as fodder for their comedic material. Their popular act became a regular fixture on programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show, for which they made over thirty appearances. Their act was also featured in their own television series, Take Five with Stiller and Meara in 1977.
Jerry and Anne welcomed the birth of daughter, Amy, in 1961; and son Ben Stiller in 1965. Both children inherited their parents’ flair for drama and comedy, going on to appear in and write for several successful films and sitcoms. Both Jerry, his wife, and son have publicly acknowledged suffering from depression, which runs in their family.
Jerry’s film credits include Lovers and Other Strangers in 1970, Hairspray in 1988, and the made-for-television movie Seize the Day in 1987. On the small screen, he has played television characters Barney Dickerson in The Paul Lynde Show in 1972; Gus Duzik in Joe and Sons in 1975, and Sid Wilbur in Tattinger's in 1988.
Jerry’s career has also been met with much commercial success. He and Anne have written, performed in, and produced various commercials for products such as Blue Nun Wine, United Van Lines, and Amalgamated Bank. Jerry was the recipient of a Radio Advertising Bureau's Voice of Imagery Award for his persuasive radio and TV spots on behalf of the Public Broadcasting System. He also starred in an AOL 9.0 commercial along with Rapper and Producer Snoop Dogg.
Jerry is perhaps best-known for his recurring role in the 90s sitcom Seinfeld as the short-fused father of perpetual loser, George Costanza. For his portrayal of Frank Costanza, Stiller received a 1997 Emmy nomination and was the recipient of a 1998 American Comedy Award. Seinfeld’s plot-lines spawned many iconic references and catchphrases in popular culture, including "Festivus" – an alternative holiday to Christmas in which family and loved ones gather to air their grievances. Jerry wrote the tongue-in-cheek foreword to Allen Salkin’s 2005 book Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us. In the introduction he notes, "There's something pure about Festivus, something primal, raw in the hearts of humans.... All I'm saying is, if you celebrate Festivus, you may live a little longer."
After Seinfeld went off the air in 1998, Jerry began playing the role of Arthur, a character very similar to Frank Costanza, in the sitcom The King of Queens. Jerry and his wife were named King and Queen of Brooklyn at the Welcome Back to Brooklyn Festival in 2000. That same year, Jerry released a tribute to his wife in his autobiographical book, Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara.
YUDDY
