BY LEE PFEIFFER
Jerry Stiller, who rose to fame in the 1960s by teaming with his wife Anne Meara as a comedy act, has died at age 92. The father of actor Ben Stiller, Jerry went on to a successful acting career himself, becoming an iconic presence on such television series as "Seinfeld" and "The King of Queens". Both he and his wife Anne always aspired to acting careers but found their initial success in standup comedy, although Stiller appeared in dramatic roles on many television programs beginning in the late 1950s. Anne was a tall and of Irish heritage and Catholic while Jerry was short and Jewish. Their first major break came in 1961 when Ed Sullivan featured them on his show. They were an immediate sensation and would be invited back over the years for return appearances. Audiences loved their shtick which revolved around the ways men and women get on each other's nerves. They always worked "clean" and their observations resonated with everyday people who could identify with them. Ultimately, both Stiller and Meara would develop separate, successful acting careers. Stiller got his first credited role in a feature film in 1974 with a supporting part in "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three". Many more film roles would follow. However, it was in the role of Frank Constanza on the TV series "Seinfeld" that he became immortalized in pop culture. The character was high strung, manic and possessed a hair-trigger temper, generally directed at his son George (Jason Alexander) or his long-suffering wife Estelle (Estelle Harris). Despite the show's long run, Stiller only appeared in 30 episodes but his presence was always welcomed by fans. His most memorable episode involved his character's devotion to the fictional holiday he created, "Festivus", which was an alternative to Christmas and Hanukkah. "Festivus for the rest of us!" was his mantra and the logo can be found on the T shirts of fans even today. Following "Seinfeld", Stiller found great success playing a regular role in the CBS sitcom "The King of Queens" over a nine year period.
Jerry Stiller never went out of style. He continued to work even after Anne's death in 2015, occasionally teaming with his son Ben, with whom he appeared in the two "Zoolander" films.
For NY Times obituary, click here.