| Jerry Stiller | |
|---|---|
 Stiller in New York City in November 2005 |
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| Birth name | Gerald Stiller |
| Born | June 8 1927   New York City, New York, USA |
| Other name(s) | Jerry Stiller |
| Spouse(s) | Anne Meara (1954 – Present) |
Jerry Stiller (born June 8, 1927) is an American comedian and actor. He spent many years in the comedy team Stiller and Meara with his wife Anne Meara. Stiller and Meara are the parents of actor Ben Stiller (with whom he co-starred in the movies Zoolander, Heavyweights, Hot Pursuit and The Heartbreak Kid), and actress Amy Stiller.
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Biography
Personal life
One of four children, was born Gerald Stiller in New York City, the son of Bella (née Citrin) and William Stiller, a bus driver.[1] His paternal grandparents were Austrian Jewish immigrants and his maternal grandparents were Russian Jews. A drama major at Syracuse University, he gained a Bachelor of Science in Speech and Drama. He is a brother of Tau Delta Phi fraternity, Tau Zeta chapter. Stiller has two grandchildren (both of them are from his son, Ben, with actress Christine Taylor): Ella Olivia Stiller (b. April 10, 2002) and Quinlin Dempsey Stiller (b. July 10, 2005).
Stiller and Meara
The comedy team team Stiller and Meara, comprised of Stiller and wife Anne Meara, was extremely successful in the 1960s and 1970s, with numerous appearances on television variety programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show. Their career declined, however, as variety series gradually disappeared. The duo's own 1986 TV sitcom, The Stiller and Meara Show, in which Stiller played the deputy mayor of New York City and Meara portrayed his wife, a TV commercial actress, was unsuccessful.
Resurgence
Beginning in the 1990s his career experienced a resurgence with a recurring role as George Costanza's father Frank in the situation comedy Seinfeld from 1993 to 1998 and as the very similar character of Arthur Spooner in the situation comedy The King of Queens from 1998 until 2007. In the late 1990s Stiller appeared in a series of Nike television commercials as Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi, recreating famous scenes with game-uttered quips from the legendary coach. They have also been featured in humorous radio commercials for United Van Lines and other companies, as their comedy routine can easily be followed solely by listening to them. On February 9, 2007, he and his wife were honored with a joint star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
As author
Stiller wrote the foreword to the book Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us (ISBN 0-446-69674-9) by Allen Salkin, released on October 26, 2005, and appears in the intro and outro of the Rush 30th Anniversary Tour and on the band's DVD R30 Live In Frankfurt. His memoir Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara was published in 2000.
Filmography
- Lovers and Other Strangers (1970) as Jim (Carol's Father) (uncredited)
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) as Lt. Rico Patrone
- Airport 1975 (1974) as Sam
- Nasty Habits (1977) as P.R. Priest
- Those Lips, Those Eyes (1980) as Mr. Shoemaker
- Madame X (1981) (made for TV)
- The McGuffin (1985) as Marty
- Seize the Day (1986) as Dr. Tamkin
- Hot Pursuit (1987) as Victor Honeywell
- Nadine (1987) as Raymond Escobar
- Hairspray (1988) as Wilbur Turnblad
- That's Adequate (1989) as Sid Lane
- Little Vegas (1990) as Sam
- Sweet 15 (1990) as Waterman
- Freefall (1992) as Emily's Father
- Highway to Hell (1992) as The Desk Cop
- The Pickle (1993) as Phil Hirsch
- Heavyweights (1995) as Harvey Bushkin
- The King of Queens (1998-2007) as Arthur Spooner
- Camp Stories (1997) as Schlomo
- Stag (1997) as Ted
- The Deli (1997) as Petey Cheesecake
- The Suburbans (1999) as Speedo Silverburg
- A Fish in the Bathtub (1999) as Sam
- Secret of the Andes (1999) as Dr. Golfisch
- The Independent (2000) as Monty Fineman
- My 5 Wives (2000) as Don Giovanni
- Chump Change (2001) as The Colonel
- Zoolander (2001) as Maury Ballstein
- On the Line (2001) as Nathan
- Serving Sara (2002) as Milton the Cop
- Teacher's Pet (2004) (voice) as Pretty Boy
- The Lion King 1½ (2004) (voice) (direct-to-DVD) as Uncle Max
- Hairspray (2007) as Mr. Pinky
- The Heartbreak Kid (2007) as Doc
Short Subjects
- Shoeshine (1987)
- So You Want to Be an Actor (1993)
- Amy Stiller's Breast (2000)
See also
- Stiller and Meara
- The Stiller and Meara Show
- Anne Meara
- Ben Stiller
- Amy Stiller
- Seinfeld
- King of Queens
External links
- Jerry Stiller at the Internet Movie Database
- The Stiller and Meara Show at Internet Movie Database
- Festivus: The website for the rest of us - Website for Festivus Book to which Stiller wrote foreword, includes Festivus movies, songs, forum and grievances
- Jerry Stiller - Internet Accuracy Project
- Exclusive Jerry Stiller Interview at TrulyHollywood.com (March 21, 2007)
- Stiller and Meara article at talkingcomedy.com
