Even years after Seinfeld aired its final episode, fans would stop Jerry Stiller on the street to quote some of his most iconic lines as Frank Costanza. "It's nice to know I'm still remembered," he once said back in 2012, referencing the famous line, "You want a piece of me?" That line, among countless others, became part of pop culture history, cementing Jerry's place as a comedic legend.
A Legacy That Transcends Generations
Truth be told, everyone wanted a piece of Jerry Stiller, who left us at the age of 92 due to natural causes on May 10. He had this incredible gift of making even the most cantankerous characters feel like your favorite uncle. "Jerry was just who he was—such a likable guy," recalls Michael Weithorn, co-creator of Jerry's long-running hit, The King of Queens, in an interview with Closer. "No matter what, you always rooted for him."
Jerry didn't start out as a star; instead, he began life as an underdog. Born in Brooklyn during the Great Depression, he was the son of a bus driver and his wife. He often joked that he turned to comedy as a way to keep the peace at home. "If I could make my mom and dad laugh, they'd stop fighting," he once shared. "When people laughed, their worries disappeared. And audiences loved funny men. I decided to become one." That decision changed everything—not just for Jerry, but for the entire world of comedy.
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From Struggling Actor to Comedy Icon
It all started in 1953, when Jerry met Anne Meara in an agent's office. They were both struggling actors, but they had an undeniable connection. A year later, they were married, and the rest is history. "They really were from two different planets," says their daughter, Amy Stiller. "But they needed and adored each other." Despite their differences—Anne was two inches taller than Jerry and converted from Catholicism to Judaism for their union—they built a partnership that lasted a lifetime. Together, they formed the legendary comedy duo Stiller and Meara.
Stiller and Meara found early success performing on variety shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and game shows such as Tattletales. But by the '80s, their career slowed down. Still, they stayed committed to their family, which also included their son, Ben Stiller. "We managed to hang in there," Jerry said. "Today, when people get married, there's often a tendency to run away when things get tough. There's a lot of strength in hanging together."
Jerry's career had a major comeback in the '90s thanks to his roles on Seinfeld and The King of Queens. "Any role played by Jerry was unlike how it would've been played by anybody else," raves Weithorn. "He was truly one of a kind and someone who made everyone he worked with happy."
A Legacy of Love and Laughter
Among those who worked closely with Jerry was Leah Remini, who played his daughter on The King of Queens. "I will be forever grateful for the memories, the fatherly talks off-screen, and for the many years of laughter," she says. "Jerry showed kindness not just to me but to my entire family."
Tragically, Anne passed away at 85 in 2015, but Jerry continued to make people laugh, making his last appearance in Zoolander 2 opposite his son, Ben, who described his dad as "the most naturally funny man in the world." For Jerry, that was the ultimate compliment. "It feels great when people say, 'You made us laugh,'" Jerry admitted. "There's nothing better than that."
