Jerry Stiller
Biography
Gerald Isaac Stiller was an American actor and comedian born on June 8, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, and he died on May 11, 2020. He studied drama at Syracuse University and made his stage debut in 1951, where he met his future wife, Anne Meara. The couple formed the comedy duo Stiller and Meara and were married for over sixty years until her death in 2015. Jerry Stiller was the father of actor Ben Stiller, with whom he appeared in films such as Zoolander, Heavyweights, and Hot Pursuit. Throughout his career, he appeared in numerous projects, including Seinfeld, The King of Queens, The Defenders, Zločin v ulicích, and The Danny Kaye Show.
Career overview
Gerald Isaac Stiller was an American actor and comedian born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, on June 8, 1927. He studied drama at Syracuse University and made his stage debut in 1951. During his career, he spent many years as part of the comedy duo Stiller and Meara with his wife, Anne Meara, to whom he was married for over sixty years until her death in 2015.
Stiller achieved a late-career resurgence beginning in 1993 when he played Frank, the father of George Costanza, on the sitcom Seinfeld, a role that earned him an Emmy nomination. The year Seinfeld went off the air, he began playing the eccentric Arthur Spooner on the CBS comedy series The King of Queens, garnering widespread acclaim for the role. In addition to his television work, Stiller appeared in several films alongside his son, Ben Stiller, including Zoolander, Heavyweights, and Hot Pursuit. His other film and television credits include The Defenders, Zločin v ulicích, and The Danny Kaye Show.
Active in the entertainment industry for decades, Stiller amassed 125 known acting credits throughout his career. He passed away on May 11, 2020, at the age of ninety-two.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about Jerry Stiller.
Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
135 titles- Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost (2025) as Self (archive footage)
- Zoolander 2 (2016) as Maury Ballstein
- Zoolander: Super Model (2016) as Maury Ballstein (voice)
- Deli Man (2015) as Self
- Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014) as Harvey (voice)
- I Am Divine (2014) as Self (archive)
- How Murray Saved Christmas (2014) as Murray Weiner (voice)
- Simpler Times (2014) as Harry
- Cousins (2013) as Charlie Gordon
- Cousins (2013) Producer
- Foodfight! (2012) as General X (voice)
- Excuse Me for Living (2012) as Morty
- Swinging with the Finkels (2011) as Mr. Winters
- Fish Hooks (2010) as Principal Stickler
- Fish Hooks (2010) as Principal Stickler (voice)
- The Good Wife (2009) as Judge Felix Afterman
- Celebrity Ghost Stories (2009) as Self
- Mercy (2009) as Joe Thalberg
- Ice Dreams (2009) as Skipper
- Hairspray (2007) as Mr. Pinky
- Head Case (2007) as Self
- The Heartbreak Kid (2007) as Doc
- Wonder Pets! (2006) as Old White Mouse (voice)
- The Lion King 1½ (2004) as Uncle Max (voice)
- Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) as Man in Bar (uncredited)
- Teacher's Pet (2004) as Pretty Boy (voice)
- Kramer vs. Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo (2004) as Self
- Behind the Legend: Timon (2004) as Uncle Max (voice)
- Timon & Pumbaa's Virtual Safari 1.5 (2004) as Uncle Max (voice)
- Serving Sara (2002) as Milton the Cop
- AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions: America's Greatest Love Stories (2002) as Self
- Zoolander (2001) as Maury Ballstein
- On the Line (2001) as Nathan
- Teacher's Pet (2000) as Pretty Boy (voice)
- The Independent (2000) as Morty Fineman
- Chump Change (2000) as The Colonel
- My 5 Wives (2000) as Don Giovanni
- Crashbox (1999)
- A Fish in the Bathtub (1999) as Sam
- The Suburbans (1999) as Speedo Silverberg
- Secret of the Andes (1999) as Dr. Golfisch
- The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Jerry Stiller (1999) as Self
- The King of Queens (1998) as Arthur Spooner
- Hollywood Squares (1998) as Self - Panelist
- Hercules (1998) as Eagle (voice)
- A Rat's Tale (1998) as Prof. Plumpingham
- The View (1997) as Self
- Subway Stories (1997) as Old Man (segment "The 5:24")
- The Deli (1997) as Petey Cheesecake
- Stag (1997) as Ted
- Camp Stories (1997) as Schlomo
- Deadly Games (1995) as Phil Cullen
- Heavyweights (1995) as Harvey Bushkin
- Going, Going, Almost Gone! Animals in Danger (1995)
- Touched by an Angel (1994) as Maury Salt
- Baseball (1994) as Various (voice)
- Baseball (1994) as (voice)
- Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) as McGonnigal
- The Pickle (1993) as Phil Hirsch
- Tracey Ullman Takes on New York (1993) as Theatrical Producer
- The Larry Sanders Show (1992) as Jerry Stiller
- Highway to Hell (1991) as Desk Cop
- Women & Men 2: In Love There Are No Rules (1991) as Irving
- The Sunset Gang (1991) as Seymour Shapiro (segment "The Detective")
- Law & Order (1990) as Michael Tobis
- Law & Order (1990) as Sam Pokras
- Sweet 15 (1990) as Mr. Waterman
- Freefall (1990) as Emily's Father
- Little Vegas (1990) as Sam
- Pair of Jokers (1990) as Scully Wexler
- Seinfeld (1989) as Frank Costanza
- That's Adequate (1989) as Sid Lane
- In the Heat of the Night (1988) as Rabbi Feldman
- Monsters (1988) as Victor
- Hairspray (1988) as Wilbur Turnblad
- Tattingers (1988) as Sid Wilbur
- Shoeshine (1987) as Father
- Hot Pursuit (1987) as Victor Honeywell
- Nadine (1987) as Raymond Escobar
- The Hustler of Money (1987) as Stu
- L.A. Law (1986) as Nat Pincus
- Seize the Day (1986) as Dr. Tamkin
- The McGuffin (1986) as Marty de Reske
- Screen Two (1985) as Marty de Reske
- The Equalizer (1985) as Brahms
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Lt. Birnbaum
- Tales from the Darkside (1984) as Luther Mandrake
- Reading Rainbow (1983) as Dinosaur Comedian (voice)
- Amanda's (1983) as Sal Malzone
- The Other Woman (1983) as Mel Binns
- American Playhouse (1982) as Seymour Shapiro (segment 'Yiddish', 'The Detective')
- American Playhouse (1982) as Sam Rosenbloom
- Simon & Simon (1981)
- Madame X (1981) as Burt Orland
- Those Lips, Those Eyes (1980) as Mr. Shoemaker
- Hart to Hart (1979) as Myron Finkle
- Archie Bunker's Place (1979)
- Time Express (1979)
- The Love Boat (1977) as Bud Hanrahan
- The Love Boat (1977) as Tony Vitelli
- Dick Clark's Good Old Days (1977)
- Nasty Habits (1977) as P.R. Priest
- Alice (1976)
- The Ritz (1976) as Carmine Vespucci
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Stu (uncredited)
- Joe and Sons (1975) as Gus Duzik
- Rhoda (1974)
- Airport 1975 (1974) as Sam
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) as Lt. Rico Patrone
- The Paul Lynde Show (1972) as Barney Dickerson
- Great Performances (1971) as Mechanic
- A Memory of Two Mondays (1971) as Mechanic
- The Flip Wilson Show (1970) as Self
- Lovers and Other Strangers (1970) as Jim
- Love, American Style (1969) as Harry
- Love, American Style (1969) as Leonard Ferguson
- The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969) as Paul Sterling
- The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969) as Mr. Landon
- That's Life (1968) as Self
- The Carol Burnett Show (1967) as Self
- Hullabaloo (1965) as Self
- Linus the Lionhearted (1964)
- The Danny Kaye Show (1963) as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self - Co-Host
- The Defenders (1961) as Sergeant Wysenski
- Kraft Music Hall (1958) as Self
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Audience Member
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Harold
- Studio One (1948) as Sergeant Joe Capriotti
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self
- Lamp Unto My Feet (1948) as Candide
- Lamp Unto My Feet (1948)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Jerry Stiller best known for?
Jerry Stiller is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Zoolander 2 (2016), Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014), Fish Hooks (2010), Fish Hooks (2010).
When and where was Jerry Stiller born?
Jerry Stiller was born on June 8, 1927 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. They passed away on May 11, 2020.
How many credits does Jerry Stiller have?
Jerry Stiller has accumulated over 135 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1948 to 2025.
What is Jerry Stiller's background in cinema and television?
Gerald Isaac Stiller was an American actor and comedian born on June 8, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, and he died on May 11, 2020. He studied drama at Syracuse University and made his stage debut in 1951, where he met his future wife, Anne Meara. The couple formed the comedy duo Stiller and Meara and were...