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Gerald Isaac "Jerry" Stiller (born June 8, 1927) is an American comedian and character actor. Stiller is best known for as Frank Costanza, the father of George Costanza, on the sitcom, Seinfeld, and his supporting role as Arthur Spooner on the television series, The King of Queens.
He is also the father of actor and comedian, Ben Stiller, and actress, Amy Stiller.
Biography
Stiller was born as the oldest of four siblings on June 8, 1927 to Bella (née Citrin) and William Stiller. Stiller became a drama major at the University of Syracuse, and received a Bachelor's degree in Speech and Drama in 1950.
In 1954, Stiller married Anna Meara, who were both members of the improvisational company, The Compass Players (which later became The Second City), and eventually during the 1960s, as the husband-and-wife comedy team, "Stiller & Meara". After performing their act, they made regular appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show to which they appeared 36 times. Soon after, their careers declined as variety television gradually declined during the 1970s.
Decades later, Stiller's career was revitalized in the role of the raucous, gasket-blowing Frank Costanza on the sitcom classic, Seinfeld, from 1993 to 1998. After Seinfeld's run, Stiler joined the cast of The King of Queens from 1998 to 2007. In 2004, Stiller voiced Uncle Max in The Lion King 1½.
Other Roles
- Airport 1975 - Sam
- Hairspray - Mr. Pinky
- Zoolander - Maury Ballstein
- Teacher's Pet - Pretty Boy
- A Rat's Tale - Professor Plumgingham