Legendary Comedian Jerry Stiller Dead at Age 92
Actor Jerry Stiller, who played the crusty character of Frank Constanza on “Seinfeld,” has died at the age of 92.
Stiller’s success in “Seinfeld” was part of a long career that saw him perform on stage, screen and television for more than 50 years.
Actor Ben Stiller confirmed his father’s death in a Monday tweet.
“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,” Ben Stiller tweeted.
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
Stiller’s career took off in the early 1960s when he and his wife, Anne Meara, developed a comedy routine that made the rounds of New York City nightclubs and then developed into more than 30 appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” according to The New York Times.
Although the act ended when they went different professional ways, Stiller and Meara remained married until her death in 2015.
Stiller’s second round of fame came in the mid-1990s when we appeared in 26 episodes of “Seinfeld,” according to Variety. Stiller played the father of constant schemer George Costanza, who was played by Jason Alexander. Estelle Harris played the role of his wife, Estelle.
Stiller received an Emmy nomination for his work on the show in 1997, according to Variety.
According to USA Today, the Frank Costanza millions loved was not in the original script.
Stiller said the show initially called for his character to be bossed around by his wife, but the show didn’t work until Stiller wanted Frank transformed into a cranky man who could out-yell everyone.
Stiller had not been the first choice for the role and portrayed his pursuit of it as a form of desperation.
“My manager had retired,” he said. “I was close to 70 years old, and had nowhere to go.”
“Frank Costanza was a classic sitcom eccentric whose many dubious accomplishments included marketing a brassiere for men and creating Festivus, a winter holiday ‘for the rest of us’ celebrated with tests of strength and other bizarre rituals,” The Times recalled in its obituary. “His most noteworthy characteristic was his explosive, often irrational anger, and most of the episodes on which he was featured found him, sooner or later, yelling, usually at either his son; his wife, Estelle, played by Estelle Harris; or both.”
Twitter mourned his passing.
Unofficial Top Five Frank Costanza Quotes
1. Serenity now!
2. A Festivus for the rest of us
3. My George isn’t clever enough to hatch a scheme like this
4. So, who’s having sex with the hen?
5. I find tinsel distracting.RIP Jerry Stiller pic.twitter.com/GLKMEUndrc
— Fred Cunningham (@fredontv) May 11, 2020
Sad news, veteran actor Jerry Stiller has just passed away at the age of 92. His career, which spanned 7 decades included many memorable roles. My personal favorite was Frank Costanza in Seinfeld. #jerrystiller #RIP pic.twitter.com/7bL7k2Krkj
— Price of Reason (@priceoreason) May 11, 2020
Stiller also played riles in “The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three,” “The King of Queens” and “Zoolander 2.”
“I’ve never thought of stopping,” Stiller said in a 2012 interview. “The only time you ever stop working is when they don’t call you.”
Stiller and Meara shared a star on the Hollywood Walk in Fame, awarded in 2007.
“What words of wisdom can I give my children?” Stiller wrote in his 2001 book “Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara.”
“See past the hype and the glitz and ask yourself why you want to perform. It may take years to arrive at the answers, but understanding the reasons will help you to keep the dream alive and reach your goals,” he wrote.
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