Ben Stiller talks about going through "hundreds of hours" of footage for the documentary on his parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara

Ben Stiller talks about going through "hundreds of hours" of footage for the documentary on his parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, and how the documentary "turned into a family story" that also featured Stiller's sister, wife, and children. The documentary, "Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost," explores how the legendary comedy duo Stiller & Meara impacted the entertainment industry and the Stiller family at home. The film is available on AppleTV+. 

STILLER & MEARA: NOTHING IS LOST — Official Trailer Apple TV+

STILLER & MEARA: NOTHING IS LOST — Official Trailer Apple TV+

Ben Stiller tells the story of his parents, comedy icons Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, exploring their impact both on popular culture and at home, where the lines between creativity, family, life and art often blurred. In the process, Stiller turns the camera on himself and his family to examine Jerry and Anne’s enormous influence on their lives, and the generational lessons we all can learn from those we love.

Comedy is hard. Marriage is harder. Jerry and Anne somehow juggled both. Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost is in select theaters October 17 and streaming October 24 on Apple TV+

Watch the trailer:

Ben Stiller: "Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost" – A Tribute to Comedy Icons

Ben Stiller is set to direct and produce a deeply personal documentary titled Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, premiering on Apple TV+ on October 24, 2025. This film offers an intimate look into the lives of his parents, comedy legends Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, who were renowned both for their successful solo careers and as a beloved comedy duo in the 1960s and '70s. The documentary aims to explore their impact on popular culture and their family life, where the lines between creativity, family, life, and art often blurred. 

 

Ben Stiller wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on July 23, 2025: 

"This is a film I've been working on for a while. It is coming out Oct. 17th. It's about (our) family and parents and kids and creativity and other stuff too." 

 

On BlueSky he wrote: 

"A film I made about our family is coming out Oct. 17th. Happy it’s finally completed and excited to share. 💙"

🎬 Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost – A Tribute to Comedy Icons

In this heartfelt documentary, Ben Stiller delves into the legacy of his parents, Jerry and Anne, highlighting their enduring influence on comedy and their profound impact on his own life. Through personal anecdotes, rare footage, and insights from family members, the film paints a portrait of a couple who seamlessly blended their personal and professional lives, leaving an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. 

Jerry Stiller, known for his roles in Seinfeld, The King of Queens, and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, and Anne Meara, celebrated for her performances in Night at the Museum, captivated audiences with their unique comedic chemistry. Together, they formed the iconic duo Stiller & Meara, making numerous appearances on variety shows like The Ed Sullivan Show. 

Their partnership was not just professional but deeply personal, as they navigated the challenges of balancing family life with their careers. Ben Stiller reflects on how their relationship shaped his understanding of love, creativity, and resilience. 

 

📅 Mark Your Calendars

Don't miss this poignant exploration of love, legacy, and laughter. Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost premieres on Apple TV+ on October 24, 2025. Join Ben Stiller as he honors the enduring legacy of his parents and their unparalleled contribution to the world of comedy. 

This documentary not only celebrates the comedic genius of Jerry and Anne but also offers a touching glimpse into the personal side of two of entertainment's most beloved figures. It's a must-watch for fans of comedy, family stories, and those interested in the rich tapestry of Hollywood history.  

Ben Stiller: "Happy Birthday to my Dad. Miss you x"

Ben Stiller on Twitter:

"Happy Birthday to my Dad.

Miss you x"

Ben Stiller on Twitter

Ben Stiller about "THE FLYING NUN" (1967-70)

On July 15, 2023, Michael Warburton tweeted:

"The sheer amount of drugs that must’ve been ingested by the producers of this must’ve been off the charts.

THE FLYING NUN (1967-70)

It’s testament to Sally Field her career recovered at all let alone brought her not one but two Oscars."

Ben Stiller replied:

"I watched this show. As a child it didn’t seem weird at all."

User asked:

"Did you make a habit of it"

Ben Stiller replied:

"No but my sister did." 

and: 

"Also check out “Nasty Habits” which both my parents had smallish roles in… obscure comedy by Michael Lindsay- Hogg… Anne Jackson, Glenda Jackson and more…"

Ben talks about growing up in NY, lady bugs infesting his house, working on a documentary about his parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara...

September 30, 2022, Jimmy Kimmel Live:

Ben talks about growing up in NY, lady bugs infesting his house, working on a documentary about his parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, his daughter’s friend finding Owen Wilson’s wallet, directing Severence on AppleTV+, Jimmy’s fan theory, and since he’s an expert on New York - he answers questions from people on the street before getting into a very heated pizza argument with Jon Stewart.

Rip Jerry Stiller: The second anniversary of his death

The second anniversary of the death of Jerry Stiller, Ben Stiller's Dad.

In the 1980s, Jerry Stiller took Ben to jazz clubs in New York

In the 1980s, Jerry Stiller took Ben to jazz clubs in Greenwich Village, New York: Sweet Basil, The Blue Note, Vanguard or Gate. 

On March 15, 2022, one of the Internet users wrote on Twitter: 

"Went to a jazz club in Greenwich Village in the '80s. It was SRO and we stood directly behind Jerry Stiller. His young son was with him too." 

Ben Stiller wrote back: 

"Possibly Sweet Basil or The Blue Note or Vanguard or Gate… good memories. My mom hated jazz so my dad would take me." 

Ben Stiller & Amy Stiller honor Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller

Ben Stiller & Amy Stiller honor Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller - interview by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley in "Stars In The House" (July 7, 2020 8pm).

Starring Ben Stiller: Highway to Hell 1991

Stay At Home with Ben Stiller and watch the movie:

HIGHWAY TO HELL (1991)

Director: Ate de Jong
Screenwriter: Brian Helgeland 

Starring: Ben Stiller (as Pluto's Cook and Attila The Hun), Amy Stiller (as Cleopatra), Jerry Stiller (as The Desk Cop), Anne Meara (as Medea, Waitress in Pluto's) and others

Music by: Hidden Faces 
Release date: March 13, 1992

Highway to Hell is a 1992 American B horror comedy film directed by Ate de Jong and starring Chad Lowe, Kristy Swanson and Patrick Bergin. It was written by Brian Helgeland. The film tells the story of Charlie Sykes and his girlfriend Rachel Clark, who is kidnapped by a demon and taken to Hell to become one of Satan's brides, while Charlie must travel to the other dimension to rescue her.

The film features cameo appearances by Lita Ford, Gilbert Gottfried, Ben Stiller, his sister Amy Stiller and their parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.

The film was shot in Phoenix and Page, Arizona. Antelope Canyon was also a location. Parts of the film were also shot at Glen Canyon in Utah.

Charlie Sykes and Rachel Clark are a young all-American couple that decide to run away and elope in Las Vegas. On the road to Vegas, they ignore the warning of a local gas station attendant named Sam. They take an abandoned backroad where Rachel is kidnapped by a zombie Hell Cop who takes her to hell. Charlie goes back to Sam, and Sam explains what the Hellcop is and how to save her. Sam then gives Charlie a shotgun with special ammo and a car that holds a special attribute. After a few attempts, Charlie passes through the portal to hell, an expansive desert with buildings scattered about.

On the highway, Charlie meets other dead people that live in Hell and even a motorcycle gang led by a rebel named Royce. He manages to catch up to Hell Cop, but his car gets shot up during the chase and becomes disabled. His car is then taken by a repair man named Beezle, who is able to fix the car and continue his pursuit.

Charlie eventually finds out that Beezle's kid assistant Adam had sneaked into the car wanting to help him find Rachel and keep his dog Ben company. Adam tells him that Hell Cop killed his family and took him to hell and gave him to Beezle. Charlie promises to bring him back with him.

Charlie eventually tracks down Hell Cop and Rachel at a nightclub/casino. He tries to free Rachel, but Hell Cop would grab Charlie's shotgun and fatally shoot Charlie before they both leave. Fortunately Beezle came, and after securing a promise from Adam to come back with him, he uses his repair powers and saves Charlie so he can continue his pursuit.

Charlie decides to try a short cut, but before he goes in, Clara, Royce's girlfriend (and Sam's former girlfriend before she was taken) warns him about short cuts, and that a decision she made forced her to spend eternity in hell. He goes on where Charlie defeats "Hell Cop" and saves Rachel, who's sexually aggressive towards him. He finds out from her reflection that Rachel is a demon in disguise and this was a trap. After defeating the demon, he heads back on the highway and makes it to the outskirts of Hell City.

With Sam distracting Cerberus, Charlie convinces Charon to give him a ride over the River Styx to the city. He's able to sneak his way around and make it to Rachel. Satan then appears, wanting Rachel as a bride. Since Charlie went through all the trouble, Satan decides to let them go. But when Charlie looks back, a large group of minions appear. They manage to break into Hell Cop's car, and using its power, is able to break through the wall and jump over the river to their car.

When he goes back to Beezle's place to get Adam, his repair shop had become a mansion. Beezle comes out, revealing that he's Satan, and won't allow him to take Adam. Charlie proposes a deal: A race against Hell Cop. If he loses, both Rachel and Adam would stay.

As the race begins, Royce drives up to Charlie, demanding that he let him inside so he can go back to the real world. When Royce tries to stab Adam when Charlie refuses, Clara covers his eyes, causing both to crash into a ravine. Just as Hell Cop is about to disable Charlie's car, Rachel finds a switch which releases nitro, propelling their car through the portal winning the race. However, Hell Cop would follow, wanting revenge. As he's about to kill Charlie, Rachel shoots Hell Cop in his shades, causing him to blow up.

Wikipedia

Movie Highway to Hell 1991. Starring Ben Stiller, Amy Stiller, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara and others

Ben Stiller as Attila The Hun in the movie Highway to Hell 1991

Ben Stiller as Attila The Hun in the movie Highway to Hell 1991

Ben Stiller as Pluto's Cook in the movie Highway to Hell 1991

Ben Stiller as Pluto's Cook in the movie Highway to Hell 1991

Ben Stiller as Pluto's Cook in the movie Highway to Hell 1991

Ben Stiller as Pluto's Cook in the movie Highway to Hell 1991

Ben Stiller as Pluto's Cook in the movie Highway to Hell 1991

Anne Meara in the movie Highway to Hell 1991

Jerry Stiller in the movie Highway to Hell 1991

Jerry Stiller in the movie Highway to Hell 1991

Ben Stiller's memories of his Dad, Jerry Stiller

Ben Stiller's Dad, Jerry Stiller, died on May 11, 2020. Ben recalls his memories of both parents and the impact they had on his life.

Ben Stiller pays tribute to his dad, Jerry Stiller, by sharing hilarious and sweet anecdotes, like when he chased down his stolen bike or when Ben called him high on LSD.

   

Ben Stiller joins TODAY to talk about his late Dad, who he says would have loved the attention he’s getting after his death: “a big smile somewhere.” He also talks about his Dad’s relationship with his late Mother, comedian Anne Meara: “I feel like they’re connected again.”

In this week’s Sunday Sitdown, Willie Geist talks to Ben Stiller via video chat about his father, Jerry Stiller, who died earlier this month. “It's been really heartwarming to see how much he touched people, how beloved by people he was,” Stiller says. “I think the way that you feel with a parent … their spirit is something that's so much a part of me that I hold onto.”

New Interview: I talked to Ben Stiller about the life and career of his father Jerry, the roots of the Frank Costanza character on ‘Seinfeld,’ and Ben’s decision to follow in the footsteps of his parents. https://t.co/6sBQIF3XcR

— Isaac Chotiner (@IChotiner) May 19, 2020

How Ben Stiller Will Remember His Father

by Isaac Chotiner 

May 19, 2020

The actor and director on growing up with famous comedians as parents and how his father, Jerry Stiller, saw his son’s career.

“I can’t really pull out what influence my parents have had on my work, because I think they’ve had so much,” Stiller says.

Jerry Stiller, the legendary comedian and entertainer, died this month, at the age of ninety-two. In the nineteen-sixties, Stiller performed in a comedy duo with his wife, Anne Meara, appearing frequently on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and travelling the country on comedy tours. Then, in his mid-sixties, he reached new audiences with his turn as George Costanza’s irascible, voluble father on “Seinfeld.” A genetic basis for comedy is yet to be proved, but the couple’s two kids both joined the family business: their daughter, Amy, is a comedian, and their son, Ben, became one of the biggest movie stars of the past two decades, starring in films such as “There’s Something About Mary,” “Meet the Parents,” and “Zoolander,” which he directed. (Tad Friend profiled Ben Stiller for The New Yorker, in 2012.)

I recently spoke by phone with Ben, who was in his home in Westchester, New York, about his relationship with his father and both his parents’ comedic legacies. (Meara died in 2015.) In our conversation, which has been edited for length and clarity, we also discussed what it was like to grow up with famous comedians as parents, the roots of his father’s “Seinfeld” character, and how his father saw Ben’s career.

Were you able to spend some time with your dad before he died?

Yeah. My sister and I were able to be with him. And, just due to the fact that he didn’t have a coronavirus-related illness, and he had been ailing for a while, we were able to be with him, which I’m very, very grateful for.

What were the last few weeks like? Was his sense of humor there at the end?

He was just slowing down a lot, and he was dealing with a lot of issues. And so the last week or two were tougher for him. But he went peacefully, and he had a sense of humor, for sure, until the end. I hesitate to call it a sense of humor. He was just funny, and so he was always himself. He was almost ninety-three, and I think his body was kind of at that point where it was time.

When did you realize that your parents were really funny?

Wow, that’s a good question. Growing up with them, we were always around their process of working together, because they worked together at home. And so I don’t ever remember a moment of thinking, Oh, they’re funny. I remember watching them onstage and seeing them perform and get laughs, and do their act. I remember, as a kid, enjoying watching that and thinking, Oh, this is kind of cool that everybody thinks my parents are funny. And it was exciting.

My sister and I really enjoyed watching them perform. But, as parents, they’re always your parents. I think we had our progression of the relationship that you have with your parents, as you go through childhood and adolescence, and all the different aspects of it. But, honestly, when I think about it, it’s really when I got a little bit older, when I was a teen-ager, that I was able to really appreciate their humor. And then, really, as I got much older and was able to have a perspective, I was able to really see outside of the lens of just being their kid.

Did you ever feel, “I’m just a fourteen-year-old kid. I don’t want humor. I just want parents who are normal”? Was that ever hard?

No. [Laughs]

O.K., cool.

What that makes me think of is just that they really both had separate attitudes toward the work, and they both took it very seriously. So it wasn’t really them cracking jokes around the house. My memory is of my mother feeling the stress of it. My dad really liked to perform and do comedy more than my mom. It came to her very easily, but it was always work for her to put herself out there like that. My dad was always working at it and thinking about things. If something came to him, like, “Oh, that’s funny”—he was always writing stuff down. He was always keeping notes and writing journals, and somehow thinking about how he could use it. And then, eventually, my mom wrote plays, which really took a lot of her personal experience. I think she used a lot of what was going on in her relationship with my dad. I think they were taking it in and then translating it themselves, on their own.

Was a big part of their offstage relationship based on comedy? Or was it the family business and, when you get home, you’re not necessarily talking about the shoe store you own?

It was the fabric of our lives. And I think that’s because they worked together, and there weren’t really lines drawn, in terms of, like, “Oh, when we get home, we don’t talk about it.” Because there weren’t really regular hours. Sometimes, they were playing night clubs, or they were on the road, or they were doing a TV show. We hardly ever sat down to have dinner together as a family. But, by the same token, I think we were a pretty close family. And it was just not your typical, traditional setup. And they had a room in the apartment, on Riverside Drive, where we lived, where they would work, whether they were writing together or improvising together, because they wrote radio commercials a lot in the seventies.

They had a sketch where they hated each other. And they would just talk about how much they hated each other. And my sister overheard, and really thought that they hated each other. And then, another time, hearing them arguing and thinking it was rehearsing a sketch, and it wasn’t. So that was part of the energy in the household. They were very different people, but they were so, so devoted to each other. A very beautiful and imperfect relationship, as every relationship is. And so that was our life. And it was part of all of it for us.

Do you have a memory of when you first made your parents laugh, or your dad laugh?

Oh, man. Well, the first thing I think of is my dad coming to see me in a play at camp. I went to this camp in Maine, called Hidden Valley. And I hated it at first, and he came up there because I got homesick. He’s a very sensitive guy, a very loving dad. My mom would be kind of like, “No, Jerry, he’s got to figure out how to be on his own.” And my dad was, like, “No, I want to go up there and be with him.”

And, so, he came up for a couple of days and then left. And I got acclimated, and I remember I met a girl that I liked, and all of a sudden I didn’t want him to come back. And then he came back to see the play. I remember him watching the play. And I sang some song in it, and I remember him having this big smile. It wasn’t a laugh, but it was him just appreciating seeing his kid performing. I think he just loved seeing his kids act, and do their thing.

Do you think it was important to your parents that you and your sister turned out to be funny?

Interesting, but I don’t think so at all. When they knew that we both were interested in acting, and going into show business, I think they were both conflicted. My dad was very overprotective, and I think he was probably concerned about knowing all the rejection there is in this business. And, at the same time, I think he also was so nurturing of us, as creative people, and he wanted to try to foster that as much as he could. It’s kind of that thing where you go, “O.K., if you’re really going to go and try to do this, until you actually try to do it, you don’t know how hard it can be.” My parents were very different people. So he had one way of dealing with it. My mom had a different way.

What was her way?

A more hands-off approach. Same way with the camp attitude: “Just go there and you have got to figure it out.” Which I think is the more practical way, really, because you do have to go through that on your own eventually. But, if my dad could have been there with us every step of the way, he would pull every string that he could possibly pull, and open every door he could possibly open. And, again, he was like that with anybody. If you met somebody on the street and they said they were a fan and they were interested in acting, he’d talk to them for twenty minutes about it. For real. He was that guy. So, for me, when I was starting out, I definitely resisted that more, because I wanted to try and figure it out on my own. And so, sometimes, that caused tension between us.

Anything in particular come to mind?

Just the normal adolescent stuff. And it never was really dramatic at all. I was trying to figure out who I was. And, it’s so funny, because, when my dad died, I was looking at some old clips of the two of us on “Conan,” like twenty-five years ago. And I look at myself, like, “What was I thinking? Who is that person?” And I’m remembering that of course I wanted my dad on there with me, because I knew my dad would be funny. And I would dread the talk-show appearances, and it was like cheating to ask him to come and help.

Who were your dad’s comedic influences?

He was so much of an old-school guy in terms of show business, and in general. He grew up during the Depression, and he was very poor, and he loved listening to the radio and going to see vaudeville acts with his dad. So certainly people like Henny Youngman and Jack Benny and Burns and Allen. And that was always his dream, since he was a kid, which wasn’t my mom’s dream at all. For him it was a real thrill, as he made it in the business, to be able to actually meet those people and have friendships. They had a friendship with Henny Youngman, over the years, which I think really meant a lot to him. And him meeting George Burns was just, like, oh, he had made it.

How was your mom’s dream different?

She was more of a dramatic actor, who studied and wanted to do that. And that’s why it’s ironic, because she was amazing at comedy. But she really never had that desire to go out there and get laughs. And they did “The Ed Sullivan Show” thirty-plus times. I can’t even imagine the pressure of doing that show, because however many millions and millions of people would watch it. And he had to invite you back the next time. I know it was very tough to go out there and do that. She was so good at it, though. And I think, when I watch them, I see how my mom just naturally does it. With my dad, I see what he’s going through. And that was what their symbiosis was. They were so connected that she was always there for him in that way when they were onstage together. If you watch those sketches, usually at the end of the sketch, when it’s over, my mom will just kiss my dad. That was their relationship, and the kiss was, like, “We got through this. We did this. I love you.” And I feel like she was an underrated actor, because she really was good.

Is that something you’ve tried to balance in your career: trying to do serious acting—and, obviously, directing—but also caring about getting laughs?

Yeah. My first instinct, when I was eight, nine, ten years old, was that I knew I loved movies and I wanted to be a director. And my dad really supported that. He went out and got a Super 8 camera, and got me the editing equipment, and would act in movies that I would make. He was just there, all the time, for that. And then, as I got into my teens, I was trying to figure out who I was, and I think I pushed away. I was interested in acting, but since my parents were so known for comedy I was trying to figure out, comedically, if I wanted to do that or not, because I think my first instinct was “My parents are funny, but I want to be serious.” And, obviously, that’s not the way I went. [Laughs]

But I also found, when I was probably in my late teens or early twenties, a connection with the comedy, where I felt, Oh, generationally, this is what I get. Not that I didn’t get my parents, but they were my parents, always, at that point. And now I have so much more of an appreciation for what they did, but it was finding my own stuff, like Bill Murray and Steve Martin. I definitely was interested in doing dramatic stuff, too.

But, as it relates to my parents, I think, it’s hard to tell. Because I feel like all that stuff is so intertwined, you know? I can’t really pull out what influence my parents have had on my work, because I think they’ve had so much. Like, it’s impossible to think of doing what I do if they hadn’t done what they do.

When I was first starting out, I remember feeling, How do I find my own identity? How do I make it? Because my parents were so beloved, and are so beloved. And that’s confusing when you’re young, too. But they were always so supportive. And I think I was the one going through my own things, trying to figure out “How do I individuate?” or “How do I become what I want to become?” But my dad was so loving. His love for his kids is so strong that it didn’t matter what I was going through—he could absorb it.

I was trying to write the introduction to this interview, and I was trying, in a sentence, to describe his Seinfeld character. And it’s really hard. What did you make of that character, and do you have any insight into how he came up with it?

I have no idea, first of all. I don’t have any insight into how he did it, because he was just a unique, comedic entity that would basically have his process. I think “Seinfeld” really changed his life, because he was at a point in his career where the phone wasn’t really ringing. And he and my mom had really stopped working together. So, for someone who’s thrived on work and thrived on being funny and having an interaction with an audience, it really changed everything for him. I read in one of the obituaries that he had only done about twenty-five shows in the whole series. And, given the fact that he made such an impact, I hadn’t even realized that.

But, I think, more than anything for him, when you see the tributes that the cast members have given to him—he was so loved by those people, because his process was so connected to other actors. He loved working with those actors, and he would prepare like he was doing Shakespeare. He would break it down, a sitcom script, and figure out, “Why am I saying this? What’s the motivation for this character? What’s his history?” So it came out of him putting everything into it, and not trying to be funny. And yet, of course, it came out so funny because he was just putting everything into it. And it was just like the amalgam of who he was, as a person.

We had a small service for him, and I was talking to the rabbi about him, because I hadn’t had a chance to meet him. And the rabbi was talking about his character on “Seinfeld.” And I said, “He never once raised his voice to me, ever, as a kid. Ever.” So I watch that and I laugh, because I’m, like, “Who is that person?” Because that really was not him, but I think he was unleashing something that I think was suppressed in his real life. With my mom, he deferred to her. And he was so committed to her. And she was a really strong personality, but really loved him, but they were very different people. So I think he held a lot of stuff down, and it would come out in that character. Sometimes I think about it—it’s really like this sort of volcano coming out of stuff that was inside of him.

Yeah, and the relationship with his wife on the show is something else.

Yeah. But that’s what I think of when I watch the show: “Wow, that was an aspect of Jerry that was not who he was in real life, ever.” But I think he discovered it as people discovered it. In other words, he didn’t go in there thinking, I’m just going to do this, and it’s going to be funny. I think he went in there thinking, I’m going to do this because it feels right for the character. This is how I have to do it. And then, when he heard people laugh, he was, like, “Oh, O.K., this is working. This is great.”

Did you call him Jerry?

I did just call him Jerry, yeah—oh, in life? I always called him Dad.

He must have known, by the end of his life, that his primary legacy for most people was going to be “Seinfeld.” How do you think he felt about that?

I think the only thing that might have bothered him a little bit was that he wanted people to remember his work with Anne, because he loved my mom so much. I think that would be the only aspect of it. He would be, like, “But, Anne—Anne is amazing.” And I can understand that, because they did such incredible work together over the years. But I don’t think he was one of those actors who was, like, “I have to be known for something else.” I think he was grateful for the success. And I think that comes from where he came from—he didn’t have an ego about those sorts of things. He so loved being a part of that show, and he embraced it fully.

I just want to read something from an old profile of you:

In later years, Stiller would often put his parents in his films. Jerry Stiller says that, when he appeared in “Zoolander,” “Ben was acting with me, and also directing me—‘Do it this way, Dad. No, this way.’ He wanted perfection, and I was getting a little huffy. I didn’t even want to be in the movie.” Meara interjected, “Jerry was afraid people would think he was riding on his son’s coattails.” “Yeah, something like that,” he admitted. “Ben was ahead of me, in a lot of ways. Everything I could never do, Ben could do.”

What do you make of this?

I never read that before. I never heard that. I think he would write these things down. Or he would say these things, but he never said it to me—something like that. I was coming from my own point of view of trying to figure out who I was in relation to him. What I’ve always felt over the years is I wanted to do my thing, and my dad and mom did their thing—and were so good at it. And it’s, like, my dad is so funny. Like, I’ve never, ever thought I was funny like my dad. Or as funny as my dad. I’ve never really felt a competition, because I would lose, hands down.

I think, in that quote, he was saying, “I love my son.” It wasn’t, like, “I’m in competition with my son.” And I really feel that. I’m sure that he felt at times, like, “Oh, Ben’s doing a movie.” And he wasn’t. I think that’s a natural thing when you have a career. But it never was manifest in our relationship. And that’s what I think is the beauty of his career, and his life—that he had this incredibly long career that ended in a great way. And nobody has to be reminded of what he did. Like you said, his work is going to live on. To me, that’s the beauty of what he did.

Would he ever tell you if he didn’t think something was funny? A movie or something? You don’t need to give me the titles of the movies.

[Laughs] You know what? He didn’t. My mother was the one who would be a little more critical. I think he would probably keep it to himself more. And he’s the guy who would write letters to critics. Let me put it that way.

Oh.

Yeah. Which, as a kid, could be almost as tough as your dad criticizing you. It’s, like, “Please don’t write a letter to the film critic of the New York Times.”

You’re a father now. And you are a well-known person. And you’ve laid out different ways that your mom and dad parented. You must have thought about how you should, or could, parent your own children. Are you more like a Jerry or an Anne?

I think I probably, ultimately, would have to defer to my kids to give you that answer. I’ve found, as a parent, that my perception sometimes of what I’m doing is not what the kids are perceiving at all. I know that, growing up, I was, like, “Oh, I’m not going to make that mistake.” And, of course, I made totally different mistakes, and made some of the same mistakes, too, not realizing. And I think that’s something a lot of parents probably can identify with. I have a daughter who wants to study acting, and so there are these parallels I see in my own life.

And I try to navigate my own way. But, like I said, your parents are just a part of you. And especially now, I think, having both of them gone now. I feel like what I take away from them is this deep love and support that they always had. At the end of the day, it’s what you have inside, what you feel inside of your parents, that you keep with you. And so I hope, at the end of the day, that’s what I can leave my kids. And all the other stuff is kind of, like, who knows? You try to navigate it.

Is there a single memory onscreen you have of your dad that you return to?

Yeah. One of my favorite things that he did is “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.” He was just so good in that film. And he’s not doing a lot of comedic shtick or anything, but he’s very funny, very New York, and very real. And, in the very last scene in the movie, with Martin Balsam, I just love him. He’s in his transit-cop outfit, with his cap tilted off to the side, and a cigarette in his mouth. And he never smoked, ever, in life. But I love that image of him, and I love what he is in that movie. And kind of his alternate film career that he might have had, too. He was really good.

Jerry Stiller (June 8, 1927 – May 11, 2020)

Actor Jerry Stiller, Ben Stiller's Dad, died early Monday morning on May 11, 2020 at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. 

Ben Stiller:

"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

— Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) May 11, 2020

Ben Stiller talks being raised by a comedy duo in parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara pic.twitter.com/V3Y6esOL4U

— Reconsidering Cinema (@coenesqued) May 11, 2020

Jerry Stiller's Biography

Gerald Isaac Stiller (June 8, 1927 – May 11, 2020) was an American comedian, actor, and author. He had spent many years in the comedy team Stiller and Meara with his wife, Anne Meara, later playing George Costanza's father Frank, on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and Arthur Spooner on the CBS comedy series The King of Queens. Stiller and Meara were the parents of actor Ben Stiller, with whom Stiller co-starred in the films Zoolander, Heavyweights, Hot Pursuit, The Heartbreak Kid and Zoolander 2. Stiller frequently played frantic and angry, yet contemplative and sympathetic characters.

Early life

The eldest of four children, Stiller was born at Unity Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, to Bella (née Citron) and William Stiller, a bus driver. His family is Jewish. His paternal grandparents immigrated from Poland, and his mother was born in Poland, in the town of Frampol. He lived in the Williamsburg and East New York neighborhoods before his family moved to the Lower East Side, where he attended Seward Park High School.

Upon his return from service in the U.S. Army during World War II, Stiller attended Syracuse University, earning a bachelor's degree in Speech and Drama in 1950. In the 1953 Phoenix Theater production of Coriolanus (produced by John Houseman) Stiller, along with Gene Saks and Jack Klugman formed (as told by Houseman in the 1980 memoir Front and Center) "the best trio of Shakespearian clowns that I have ever seen on any stage".

Jerry Stiller grew up during the Great Depression in New York City, and took to acting at a young age. He was an Syracuse University student who arrived on campus through the G.I. Bill. The bill provided benefits such as a college education to World War II veterans. Stiller joined the army the year before the war ended. After the war, Stiller began to pursue his acting career with a passion.

“During the Great Depression, when people laughed, their worries disappeared,” Stiller once said. “Audiences loved these funny men. I decided to become one.”

Sawyer Falk established a drama program at Syracuse University in 1927 and became the director of dramatic activities. He was an international figure in the drama field and the professor that Stiller would have as an essential mentor when he arrived on campus in 1947.

Jerry Stiller (center) is seated during a Boar’s Head Dramatic Society banquet in the late 1940s. He starred in many Boar’s Head productions including “Long Live Love” and “The Bourgeois Gentleman.” Photo: The Daily Orange

As a student, Stiller was highly involved in extracurriculars. He was a member of the Sigma Tau Rho professional speech fraternity and the Tau Delta Phi social fraternity. Throughout his three years at Syracuse University, he made a name for himself through comedy gigs around the city and on campus.

But the organization that truly shaped Stiller into an actor was the Boar’s Head Dramatic Society. Founded in 1904, Boar’s Head was known for its lavish production quality, always complete with an original score by a professor and costumes from New York costume firms.

Eric Grode, director of SU’s Goldring Arts Journalism program, said he had the honor of interviewing Stiller during his time as a freelance writer for The New York Times. Grode recalled that neither of them were in a hurry to get off the phone.

“I’ve been in the presence of people who are funny, and you watch them flip that switch, and you know like ‘showtime’ kind of mode,” Grode said. “But you get the impression with Jerry Stiller that he was just a funny guy who didn’t seem that hard to be funny. Like his kids said, it was pretty effortless.”

In 1953, Stiller met actor-comedian Anne Meara, and they married in 1954. Until Stiller suggested it, Meara had never thought of doing comedy. "Jerry started us being a comedy team," she said. "He always thought I would be a great comedy partner." They joined the Chicago improvisational company The Compass Players (which later became The Second City), and after leaving, began performing together. In 1961, they were performing in nightclubs in New York, and by the following year were considered a "national phenomenon", said the New York Times.

Stiller and Meara

The comedy team Stiller and Meara, composed of Stiller and wife, Anne Meara, was successful in the 1960s and 1970s, with numerous appearances on television variety programs, mainly on The Ed Sullivan Show. Their career declined as variety series gradually disappeared, but they subsequently forged a career in radio commercials, notably the campaign for Blue Nun wine. They starred in their own syndicated five-minute sketch comedy show, Take Five with Stiller and Meara (1977–1978). 

From 1979 to 1982, Stiller and Meara hosted HBO Sneak Previews, a half-hour show produced monthly on which they described the movies and programs to be featured in the coming month. They also did some comedy sketches between show discussions. The duo's own 1986 TV sitcom, The Stiller and Meara Show, in which Stiller played the deputy mayor of New York City and Meara portrayed his wife, a TV commercial actress, was not successful.

Resurgence

Seinfeld

Jerry Stiller played the short-tempered Frank Costanza, the father of George Costanza in the sitcom Seinfeld from 1993 to 1998. He was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 1997, and won the American Comedy Award for Funniest Male Guest Appearance in a TV Series for his portrayal of Frank Costanza.

The King of Queens

After Seinfeld ended, Stiller had planned on retiring. Kevin James asked him to join the cast of The King of Queens. James, who played the leading role of Doug Heffernan, had told Stiller that he needed him in order to have a successful show. Stiller agreed, and played the role of Arthur Spooner, the father of Carrie Heffernan, from 1998 until 2007. Stiller said this role tested his acting ability more than any others have and that, before being a part of The King of Queens, he only saw himself as a "decent actor."

Other appearances

Stiller played himself in filmed skits, opening and closing Canadian rock band Rush's 30th Anniversary Tour concerts in 2004. These appearances are seen on the band's DVD R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour, released in 2005. Stiller later appeared in cameos in later in-concert films for the band's 2007–2008 Snakes & Arrows Tour. Stiller appeared on Dick Clark's $10,000 Pyramid show in the 1970s, and footage of the appearance was edited into an episode of The King of Queens to assist the storyline about his character being a contestant on the show, but that after losing, he was bitter about the experience as he never received his parting gift, a lifetime supply of "Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco Treat". He also made several appearances on the game show Tattletales with his wife Anne.

In the late 1990s, Stiller appeared in a series of Nike television commercials as the ghost of deceased Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi. Stiller has appeared in various motion pictures, most notably Zoolander (2001) and Secret of the Andes (1999). On February 9, 2007, Stiller and Meara were honored with a joint star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On October 28, 2010, the couple appeared on an episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Stiller voiced the announcer on the children's educational show Crashbox. Starting in October 2010, Stiller and Meara began starring in a Yahoo web series, Stiller & Meara from Red Hour Digital, in which they discussed current topics. Each episode was about two minutes long. As of 2012, Stiller has been a spokesman for Xfinity.

Author

Stiller wrote the foreword to the book Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us (ISBN 0-446-69674-9) by Allen Salkin, released on October 26, 2005. Stiller's memoir, Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara, was published by Simon & Schuster ISBN 0-684-86903-9.

Personal life

Stiller was married to Anne Meara from 1954 until her death on May 23, 2015. The two met in an agent's office. Anne was upset about an interaction with the casting agent, so Jerry took her out for coffee—all he could afford—and they were together ever since. Their son is actor-comedian Ben Stiller (born 1965) and their daughter is actress Amy Stiller (born 1961). He has two grandchildren through Ben.

Death

On May 11, 2020, Ben Stiller announced via Twitter that Jerry had died at age 92 of "natural causes".

Wikipedia / The Daily Orange

THEATER TALK presents an encore of our two-part interview with Ms. Meara with her husband and longtime partner, Jerry Stiller, who both together and separately have had long careers in all aspects of show business. The couple talks about the early days when they first came to national attention as a comedy team on TV’s Ed Sullivan Show, as well as their later years when they moved into successful and separate “legit” careers — Meara as an well-known actress and playwright and Stiller as an actor who appeared in many shows on Broadway and was a regular on the TV’s Seinfeld and The King of Queens.

Jerry Stiller and the late Anne Meara continue their 2011 conversation on THEATER TALK, discussing their six decades in show business, working both separately and together as the famed comedy team, Stiller & Meara (and as the parent of Ben Stiller).

Ben & Jerry Stiller On "Late Night With Conan O'Brien"

Original airdate: 06/14/96: Jerry Stiller gets very upset when his son, Ben, says he can’t make it to his "Late Night" interview.

Made in New York Awards- Ben Stiller and Amy Stiller present Lifetime Achievement Award to Parents 

MINI Awards in New York on Monday June 4, 2012.

Stiller & Meara on "What's My Line?"

Ben Stiller's folks are the Mystery Guests on this 1968 episode of WML. And listen closely as they even mention the future Movie Star at one point.

Jerry Stiller: The Untold Truth

Best known for playing the cantankerous Frank Costanza on Seinfeld, this veteran actor has been a constant presence on film and television screens since the late 1950s. But fans may still be surprised by how little they know about this TV icon and comedian. This is the untold truth of Jerry Stiller.

Jerry Seinfeld, Leah Remini & More Mourn Jerry Stiller

The comedy world is in mourning over the loss of Jerry Stiller. The comedy legend died at the age of 92 of natural causes, his son, Ben Stiller, announced on May 11. As the sad news spread, tributes poured in from many of Jerry’s famous co-stars, including "Seinfeld's" Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander and "King of Queen's" Kevin James and Leah Remini. "I will be forever grateful for the memories, the fatherly talks off screen and for the many years of laughter, the kindness he had shown to me and my family," Leah wrote in part. "You will be so very missed Jerry."

Best of Arthur Spooner | King of Queens 
 



Seinfeld | Frank Costanza

The card from Calendar: That's Adequate (1989)

📅 The card from Calendar:

That's Adequate is a 1989 mockumentary documenting a fictional Hollywood studio, Adequate Film Studios. Narrated and hosted by Tony Randall, the film features an all-star cast including James Coco (in his final film role), Robert Downey, Jr., Anne Meara, Jerry Stiller, Bruce Willis and Ben Stiller. It was also the last one for actress Ina Balin, who had also appeared in Hurwitz's previous films such as The Projectionist and The Comeback Trail.

Film poster That's Adequate (1989). Starring Ben Siller, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, Bruce Willis.

The card from Calendar: Shoeshine (1987)

📅 The card from Calendar:

In 1987, Ben Stiller and Jerry Stiller starred in the short film Shoeshine (10 min.) by Tom Abrams, nominated for an Oscar. The film won the grand prize for best short film at the prestigious Montreal International Film Festival.

It is humorous story about an old shoeshine man in New York City and the encounter he has with a young Wall Street trader on the Staten Island Ferry.

Film poster Shoeshine (1987). Starring Ben Siller and Jerry Stiller.

Photo from Columbia Daily Spectator, Volume CXII, Number 105, 11 April 1988.

Page from Columbia Daily Spectator, Volume CXII, Number 105, 11 April 1988.

Shoeshine: Columbia's Oscar Hopeful

By Lori Levy

There are few filmmakers who wouldn't love to be standing in Tom Abrams' shoes right now. That's right, his shoes. On this very night, Tom Abrams and his shoes will be shining at the Academy Awards ceremony, where this talented Columbia film student may just walk away with that glistening statue of Oscar himself. A student film which Abrams both wrote and directed was nominated in the category of Best Short Film - Live Action and is called—what else? —Shoeshine. The project began in fall of 1986 when Home Box Office announced the institution of the HBO Cinema Workshop, a program geared toward young film directors. HBO sponsored a contest of sorts —film students could submit scripts for short films, and HBO would choose four of these to license and fund at least partially. Needless to say, one of the scripts chosen was Abrams' Shoeshine, and the rest is history.

Shoeshine is about a young Wall Street broker (Ben Stiller) who encounters an older shoeshine man (Jerry Stiller) on his way home from work on the Staten Island Ferry. While having his shoes shined, the broker engages in friendly banter and down-to-earth, advice-for-living philosophizing with the shoeshine man, who, we find out -at the end, is the young broker's father. The film has already won the grand prize for Best Short at the prestigious Montreal International Film Festival, an honor that made the short eligible for the Academy Awards. But Abrams insists that he had no expectations of grandeur when he set out to make Shoeshine.

"I had no anticipation [of this kind of reaction] whatsoever. Obviously, I'm very excited." But Abrams seemed rather reserved when Spectacle spoke to him just a week ago. His explanation? "You don't want to set yourself up fora fall." The film's stars, Ben and jerry Stiller, are father and son in real life, jerry Stiller is well-known for the popular Stiller and Meara comedy team, which includes his wife, Anne Meara. It may seem odd for a student film to include such a "big name," but Abrams explained that Annette Insdorf, a professor of film at the Columbia Film Division and executive producer of Shoeshine, was instrumental in the acquisition of Stiller as the lead. "Annette knew Jerry, and Ben was working on Broadway at the time. So she [Annette] made the connection. Also, I think one of the reasons he [Stiller] chose the project was that he had the opportunity to work with his son. They were both great to work with." The film was shot on location on the Staten Island Ferry in only two days. Obviously, a location shoot, though effective, could have been an obstacle to the film's production, but Abrams maintained that the city was highly supportive of the project.

"They were great. They let us have the entire ferry boat for two days on a weekend." Other Columbia students and faculty that were involved in the project include Producer Robert Katz, also a student at the Film School; Jim Jones, a cinematographer who works at the Film Division; and, of course, Insdorf. "It's all a matter of who you're working with," said Abrams. "This film had extremely high production values because we were working with very, very competent people." As writer and director, Abrams was the "creative mind" behind the project. He chose to work with Katz because "he's a very good organizer and I had worked with him on his thesis film at Columbia, How High the Moon." Insdorf, as executive producer, was mainly in charge of financing the film, Abrams said. The film cost approximately $9,000 to make, and was partially funded by HBO, which contributed $5,000 to the project. Abrams said, "The rest of the funding was mainly up to us. It became a sort of community project, so we found a lot of local sponsors.

And, of course, all the camera equipment was supplied by the school, which was important because the camera rental alone would have cost thousands." Abrams came to the Columbia Film Division in 1984 after receiving his M.A. in Theatre at Northwestern University. Originally an aspiring actor, Abrams came to New York to perform on the stage but wound up waiting on tables. Since he had always been interested in filmmaking, he decided to attend Columbia instead. "The reason I came to film school was to find a structured environment," Abrams said. "I'm the type of person who needs structure to excel." The Columbia Film Division has had the reputation as a film school that focuses its students on screenwriting and directing rather than film production. Abrams agreed with that assessment, and added that he believes it is a positive focus. "I think the concentration on screenwriting and directing is the right concentration. If you know how to write and direct, you can always find someone to pull the trigger on the camera."

Archive Columbia Daily Spectator, Volume CXII, Number 105, 11 April 1988