HOLLYWOOD—Actor and comedian Jerry Stiller, 92, died on Monday, May 11. The actor’s death was announced by his son, Ben Stiller, who tweeted: “a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband.”
Stiller was born in Brooklyn on June 8, 1927 and had a lengthy career on Broadway and in cinema. He graduated from Syracuse University and studied speech and drama. Before his acting career launched, he served in the Army during World War II.
He started his career in New York City, appearing in Broadway debuts and Rialto. He partook in a popular comedy act with his wife, Anne Meara, with whom he performed at various Las Vegas nightclubs, on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and other TV stations. The duo were members of the improv group the Compass Players, which later turned to Second City.
He gained more recognition with his role as Frank Costanza in the comedy series, “Seinfeld,” which received an Emmy nomination for in 1997. He was nominated for a Grammy in 2001 for Best Spoken Word Album for “Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara.” Stiller’s other films included “Airport 1975” and “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.” He also appeared on two episodes of “Law & Order” and on “The Good Wife” as Judge Felix.
Jerry and Ben Stiller co-starred in several films including the 1987 comedy “Hot Pursuit,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and 2001 movie “Zoolander,” which was directed by Ben Stiller.
Many celebrities including Leah Remini, Seth Rogen and David Muir paid their tributes to the star via social media.
