Jerry Stiller Has Died at 92; Star of SEINFELD, HAIR SPRAY, THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE, & More

Seinfeld Actor Jerry Stiller Passes Away

Seinfeld actor and father to Ben Stiller, Jerry Stiller, passed away on Monday. He was ninety-two. Finding success in the nineteen-sixties as a comedy star in a duo with his wife Anne, he later reclaimed fame in his role as Frank Costanza, George Costanza’s father on the classic nineties sitcom Seinfeld. In this role he dubbed two iconic bits: “Festivus”, a made-up holiday “for the rest of us”, and “serenity now”, which his character chanted in order to fend off stress. He is survived by his daughter Amy and his son, Ben, who penned a tribute post on twitter Monday: “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.”

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

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— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) May 11, 2020

Stiller appeared on Broadway throughout the nineteen sixties, seventies, and eighties, and onscreen during this time as well. On Broadway he appeared in Terrance McNally’s “The Ritz”, and David Rabe’s “HurlyBurly”, and off Broadway in “The ThreePenny Opera”. His film roles include a detective in “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” and Tracy’s father in John Water’s “Hairspray”. With his wife Anne, he appeared as a comedy team in nightclubs, on the radio, on television, and in commercials, most notably for Blue Nun wine and Amalgamated Bank. Their mixed-religious marriage sparked controversy and excited new conversations on the topic as their visually different physical appearances contributed to their comedy appeal: he was Eastern European and Jewish, she was Roman-Catholic and and Irish. 

Stiller served as a veteran in World War II. He was one of four children, and studied theater at Syracuse University. After Seinfeld, he appeared in Kevin James’ comedy “King of Queens”, and a series of Capital One Bank commercials. He told the Daily News of New York in 2012: “I’ve never thought of stopping. The only time you ever stop work is when they stop calling you.” 

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