Hollywood actor Ben Stiller has confirmed on Twitter the sad news of the death of his father and fellow actor Jerry Stiller.
The elder Stiller was 92.
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
Jerry Stiller served in the U.S. Army during World War Two. He earned his Bachelor of Speech and Drama from Syracuse University in 1950 before embarking on a career in stage, television, and film that spanned decades.
In 1953, he earned his first significant role in the Phoenix Theatre production of Coriolanus.
That year, he met his wife Anne Meara, and the couple married in 1954. Soon after, the young couple joined The Compass Players, which later became the Second City improv troupe.
The two had two children together, Amy in 1961 and Ben in 1965.
Stiller and Meara made many appearances on TV variety shows in the 1960s and 70s, but it was his role in Seinfeld in the 1990s as Frank Constanza that earned him an Emmy.
It was the fictional character of Frank Constanza, the cantankerous father of George Constanza, who introduced the saying "serenity now" to express exasperation into the popular lexicon, and the Constanza family tradition of "Festivus," which included "The Airing of the Grievances."
After Seinfeld, Stiller played Arthur Spooner in the television series "King of Queens." He also appeared in a series of skits shown before and after Rush concerts during the band's 30th Anniversary Tour.
In 2001, he appeared alongside his son, Ben Stiller, in the movie Zoolander.
Stiller and Meara were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010.
