A monumental acting career that began in 1957 with a one-episode appearance on a television series called The Big Story, Jerry Stiller was, and is, an American Icon that will live on forever in the hearts and minds of fans all over the globe. Born Gerald Isaac Stiller, in New York, NY, on June 8th, 1927, Stiller left this world the same way he lived his life – on his own terms. He passed away of natural causes on May 11th, 2020 at 92 years old, leaving a gaping hole in the entertainment industry. Like the beloved Betty White, we all assumed Stiller would live forever (please don't take Betty too!).
But even though he punched the clock for the final time, we can all join together to remember the man that made us laugh and smile more times than we can count. Stiller was a natural when it came to comedy, he had the perfect combination of his trademark delayed delivery, facial expressions, and mannerisms. Whether it was a starring role or a brief cameo, he always made his presence known. Stiller is also the father of famed actor Ben Stiller, one of two children with his late wife Anne Meara, who passed away in 2015.
When it comes to Jerry Stiller, you will likely find that most fans are divided right down the middle as far as which character resonates most with them – it is either his eight season run as Frank Constanza in Seinfeld, a role that essentially revitalized his career, or his 9 seasons as Arthur Spooner in the sitcom The King of Queens. As much as I enjoy Seinfeld, I can say without a doubt his role as Arthur is by far my favorite. Living in the basement of his son-and-law Doug and daughter Carrie Heffernan, played by Kevin James and Leah Remini, Arthur Spooner was hilarious in every way.
I own all 9 seasons of The King of Queens and when I was living alone in my mid 20's, I would pick a random DVD and put it on with the TV sleep timer set for an hour or so allowing me to fall asleep to my favorite sitcom characters. Now I have my DVR set to always have at least 5 episodes recorded and anytime a marathon runs on cable that channel is on the TV – it is just one of those shows that puts me at ease. I could listen to Doug and Arthur’s back and forth all day long. Stiller’s late wife Anne also played a prominent role in the show as Veronica Olchin, Spence's mom, who was always hilariously trying to proposition Arthur whenever she had the chance. Going forward I will surely watch The King of Queens with a heavier heart than usual, but Jerry Stiller lived a long and successful life of 92 years and his memory will live on forever.
Gerald “Jerry” Isaac Stiller
Born: June 8th, 1927
Died: May 11th, 2020.
The two sitcoms he regularly appeared on, Seinfeld (1989) and The King of Queens (1998), both aired their series finales on May 14 (1998 and 2007 respectively). Stiller passed away on May 11th, 2020, just 3 days shy of the date both shows concluded.
Jerry Stiller released his autobiography titled Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Ann Meara in 2001, below is the description from Amazon and the link for the book can be found here.
“From his initial success in the coffeehouses of Greenwich Village with Anne Meara, who would be the love of his life, to his serenity-seeking days on Seinfeld and later on The King of Queens, Jerry Stiller has consistently proven himself to be a force in showbiz. In Married to Laughter, he brings us into his world and recounts, in a tone that is laugh-out-loud funny and strikingly honest, his passion for entertainment and working with people such as Ed Sullivan, Mike Nichols, Robin Williams, and Jerry Seinfeld, who were there along the way.
At the heart of this tale is Stiller’s partnership, both onstage and off, with Anne Meara. He shares the affectionate story of their long-surviving relationship, spotlighting the pleasures and challenges of raising a family in an interfaith show business marriage.
Married to Laughter is the story of an actor who never let go of his dreams, but ultimately it is the story of two people who found their place in show business without losing sight of each other.”