May 23, 2015, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States
Spouse
Jerry Stiller
Fact
Had a recurring role as "Veronica Olchin" on The King of Queens (1998), which also starred her husband Jerry Stiller as "Arthur Spooner", with whom Veronica had a love interest.
Anne Meara (September 20, 1929 – May 23, 2015) was an American actress and comedian. She was the wife of actor and comedian Jerry Stiller and the mother of actor Ben Stiller.
Meara was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Mary (née Dempsey) and Edward Joseph Meara, both first-generation Irish Americans. She was raised Catholic. Her mother was a homemaker, and her father was an insurance salesman. She had four brothers: Richard, Robert, Edward and Gerald.
Meara was educated at Catholic schools, including the all-girls Sacred Heart Academy in Brooklyn. She graduated from high school in 1947. She attended Hunter College for one semester before dropping out to pursue a career in acting.
Meara began her career as an actress in the 1950s. She appeared in episodes of the television series Studio One (1955) and The Philco Television Playhouse (1955). She made her film debut in The Private Lives of Adam and Eve (1959).
Meara met her future husband, Jerry Stiller, while both were auditioning for an Off-Broadway play called The Third Best Sport. They married in 1954 and became a comedy team. They worked together on The Ed Sullivan Show (1961), The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1964), and The Mike Douglas Show (1966). They also appeared in films such as The Out-of-Towners (1970), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), and Hairspray (1988).
Meara and Stiller co-wrote two books: Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller (2000) and Stiller & Meara: From Brooklyn to Hollywood (2005).
Meara was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on the television series Rhoda (1974–1978). She also received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the play Anna Christie (1993).
Meara’s final film appearance was in the film Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014), in which she played Rosie, the wife of Larry Daley (played by her son, Ben Stiller).
Meara died on May 23, 2015, at the age of 85. Her cause of death was not immediately known.
General Info
Full Name
Anne Meara
Date Of Birth
September 20, 1929
Died
May 23, 2015, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States
Profession
Screenwriter, Television producer, Comedian, Actor, Teacher
Nationality
American
Family
Spouse
Jerry Stiller
Children
Ben Stiller, Amy Stiller
Parents
Edward Joseph Meara, Mary Dempsey
Accomplishments
Awards
Outer Critics Circle Award for John Gassner Playwriting Award, Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Anthology - Original or Adapted
Nominations
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play, Golden Globe Award for Best Supportin...
Movies
Night at the Museum, Reality Bites, Awakenings, Lovers and Other Strangers, Heavyweights, The Daytrippers, Like Mike, The Out-of-Towners, Planes: Fire & Rescue, The Boys from Brazil, Fame, Southie, A Fish in the Bathtub, Kiss of Death, Judy Berlin, Chump Change, Another Harvest Moon, What Makes a Fa...
TV Shows
ALF, Archie Bunker's Place, Kate McShane, The Corner Bar, The Paul Lynde Show, The Greatest Gift
She studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village in New York City.
2
Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
3
Had a recurring role as "Veronica Olchin" on The King of Queens (1998), which also starred her husband Jerry Stiller as "Arthur Spooner", with whom Veronica had a love interest.
4
Was named as "Queen of Brooklyn" at the Welcome Back to Brooklyn Festival in 2000. Her husband, Jerry Stiller, was named "King of Brooklyn" at the same festival.
5
Born and raised an Irish Catholic, she converted to Judaism after marrying Jerry Stiller
6
Although Anne converted to Judaism upon their marriage, the main source of Stiller & Meara's material was the differences in their ethnic backgrounds, epitomized by their famous "Hershey Horowitz/Mary Elizabeth Doyle" routines.
7
Won an Obie for the 1955 off-Broadway production "Mädchen in Uniform."
8
She and husband Jerry Stiller appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) (aka The Ed Sullivan Show) as Stiller & Meara every two months for a total of 36 times.
