Jerry Stiller

Biography

Jerry Stiller was an American actor and comedian who spent years performing in the comedy duo Stiller and Meara, which appeared on television variety programs, most often The Ed Sullivan Show, and later in radio commercials and their own sketch and sitcom projects. He studied speech and drama at Syracuse University and trained at HB Studio, and he drew notice in a 1953 stage production of Coriolanus. From 1993 to 1998 he played the short-tempered Frank Costanza on Seinfeld, a part that brought him an Emmy nomination, and from 1998 to 2007 he was Arthur Spooner on The King of Queens. His films included Hairspray (1988), Zoolander (2001) and Hairspray (2007), along with voice work in The Lion King 1 1/2 (2004) and Planes: Fire and Rescue (2014), and he became known for grumpy but beloved characters.

92years old at death

Born June 8, 1927Brooklyn
Died May 11, 2020Upper West Side
Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
Gerald Isaac Stiller (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 28
Career span: 55 years1970 to 2025

Genres

Comedy82%, 23 films
Romance32%, 9 films
Drama21%, 6 films
Animation18%, 5 films
Family14%, 4 films

First and latest

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Early training
Stiller served in the U.S. Army during World War II. After returning, he earned a bachelor's degree in Speech and Drama from Syracuse University in 1950 and studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village.
Beyond film
In the 1953 Phoenix Theater production of Coriolanus, produced by John Houseman, Stiller joined Gene Saks and Jack Klugman as a trio of clowns. Houseman called them the best he had ever seen on any stage.
Big break
After Seinfeld ended, Stiller planned to retire, but Kevin James asked him to join The King of Queens, saying he needed Stiller for the show to succeed.
Beyond film
Stiller played himself in filmed skits that opened and closed Rush's 30th Anniversary Tour concerts in 2004, appearances included on the band's R30 DVD.
Behind the camera
Allen Salkin's 2005 book Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us, which examined the made-up holiday that Frank Costanza, Stiller's character on Seinfeld, promoted, included a foreword written by Stiller.

Jerry Stiller movies on Netflix

Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost2025IMDb rating 7.1as Himself
Zoolander: Super Model2016IMDb rating 4.6as Maury Ballstein (voice)
Planes: Fire & Rescue2014IMDb rating 5.9as Harvey (voice)
Foodfight!2012IMDb rating 1.3as General X
Swinging with the Finkels2011IMDb rating 4.6as Mr. Winters
Hairspray2007IMDb rating 6.7as Mr. Pinky
The Heartbreak Kid2007IMDb rating 5.9as Doc
Teacher's Pet2004IMDb rating 5.7as Pretty Boy (voice)
The Lion King 1 1/22004IMDb rating 6.5as Uncle Max (voice)
Serving Sara2002IMDb rating 5.3as Milton the Cop
On the Line2001IMDb rating 4.2as Nathan
Zoolander2001IMDb rating 6.5as Maury Ballstein
The Suburbans1999IMDb rating 4.3as Speedo Silverberg
A Fish in the Bathtub1998IMDb rating 6.1as Sam
Subway Stories1997IMDb rating 6.5as Old Man (segment "The 5:24")
Heavyweights1995IMDb rating 6.6as Harvey Bushkin
The Pickle1993IMDb rating 4.4as Phil Hirsch
Tracey Ullman Takes on New York1993IMDb rating 8.2as Theatrical Producer
Highway to Hell1991IMDb rating 6.0as The Desk Cop
That's Adequate1989IMDb rating 4.9as Sid Lane
Hairspray1988IMDb rating 7.0as Wilbur Turnblad
Hot Pursuit1987IMDb rating 5.8as Victor Honeywell
Nadine1987IMDb rating 5.5as Raymond Escobar
Those Lips, Those Eyes1980IMDb rating 6.4as Mr. Shoemaker
The Ritz1976IMDb rating 6.8as Carmine Vespucci
Airport 19751974IMDb rating 5.8as Sam
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three1974IMDb rating 7.6as Police Lt. Rico Patrone
Lovers and Other Strangers1970IMDb rating 6.6as Jim

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Zoolander2001 Comedyas Maury Ballstein
IMDb rating 6.5321K votes
The Heartbreak Kid2007 Comedy, Romanceas Doc
IMDb rating 5.9103K votes
The Lion King 1 1/22004as Uncle Maxvoice
IMDb rating 6.552K votes
Hairspray1988as Wilbur Turnblad
IMDb rating 7.026K votes
Serving Sara2002as Milton the Cop
IMDb rating 5.320K votes
Hairspray2007as Mr. Pinky
IMDb rating 6.7147K votes
Hot Pursuit1987as Victor Honeywell
IMDb rating 5.84.5K votes
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three1974as Police Lt. Rico Patrone
IMDb rating 7.642K votes

Most often with

Ben Stiller directed two of these films. Ben Stiller appears in eight of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Ben Stiller

Anne Meara

Christine Taylor

Christopher Walken

Cloris Leachman

Will Ferrell

Ben StillerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Ben Stiller8 films together, 1987 to 2025
Ben Stiller's page
- Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost2025IMDb rating 7.1Stiller as HimselfStiller as Himself
- Zoolander: Super Model2016IMDb rating 4.6Stiller as Maury BallsteinvoiceStiller as Derek Zoolandervoice
- The Heartbreak Kid2007IMDb rating 5.9Stiller as DocStiller as Eddie
- Zoolander2001IMDb rating 6.5Stiller as Maury BallsteinStiller as Derek Zoolander
- The Suburbans1999IMDb rating 4.3Stiller as Speedo SilverbergStiller as Jay Rose
- Heavyweights1995IMDb rating 6.6Stiller as Harvey BushkinStiller as Tony Perkis / Tony Perkis Sr.
- Highway to Hell1991IMDb rating 6.0Stiller as The Desk CopStiller as Pluto's Cook / Attila the Hun
- Hot Pursuit1987IMDb rating 5.8Stiller as Victor HoneywellStiller as Chris Honeywell
Anne Meara6 films together, 1970 to 2025
Anne Meara's page
- Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost2025IMDb rating 7.1Stiller as HimselfMeara as Himself
- Planes: Fire & Rescue2014IMDb rating 5.9Stiller as HarveyvoiceMeara as Winnievoice
- A Fish in the Bathtub1998IMDb rating 6.1Stiller as SamMeara as Molly
- Highway to Hell1991IMDb rating 6.0Stiller as The Desk CopMeara as Medea, Waitress in Pluto's
- That's Adequate1989IMDb rating 4.9Stiller as Sid LaneMeara as Charlene Lane
- Lovers and Other Strangers1970IMDb rating 6.6Stiller as JimMeara as Wilma
Christine Taylor3 films together, 2001 to 2025
Christine Taylor's page
- Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost2025IMDb rating 7.1Stiller as HimselfTaylor as Himself
- Zoolander: Super Model2016IMDb rating 4.6Stiller as Maury BallsteinvoiceTaylor as Matilda Jeffriesvoice
- Zoolander2001IMDb rating 6.5Stiller as Maury BallsteinTaylor as Matilda Jeffries
Christopher Walken2 films together, 2007 to 2025
Christopher Walken's page
- Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost2025IMDb rating 7.1Stiller as HimselfWalken as Himself
- Hairspray2007IMDb rating 6.7Stiller as Mr. PinkyWalken as Wilbur Turnblad
Cloris Leachman2 films together, 1970 to 2012
Cloris Leachman's page
- Foodfight!2012IMDb rating 1.3Stiller as General XLeachman as Brand X Lunch Lady
- Lovers and Other Strangers1970IMDb rating 6.6Stiller as JimLeachman as Bernice Henderson
Will Ferrell2 films together, 1999 to 2001
Will Ferrell's page
- Zoolander2001IMDb rating 6.5Stiller as Maury BallsteinFerrell as Mugatu
- The Suburbans1999IMDb rating 4.3Stiller as Speedo SilverbergFerrell as Gil
Ben StillerDirector, 2 films, 2001 to 2025
All films by Ben Stiller
- Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost2025IMDb rating 7.1Stiller as Himself
- Zoolander2001IMDb rating 6.5Stiller as Maury Ballstein
Also two films together10 more actors
- Owen WilsonZoolander: Super Model (2016) and Zoolander (2001)
- Robert LoggiaThe Suburbans (1999) and Hot Pursuit (1987)
- Cedric the EntertainerPlanes: Fire & Rescue (2014) and Serving Sara (2002)
- Nathan LaneTeacher's Pet (2004) and The Lion King 1 1/2 (2004)
- Doris RobertsA Fish in the Bathtub (1998) and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
- Bob DishyA Fish in the Bathtub (1998) and Lovers and Other Strangers (1970)
- Amy StillerStiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost (2025) and Highway to Hell (1991)
- Joe FranklinTracey Ullman Takes on New York (1993) and That's Adequate (1989)
- Rose ArrickA Fish in the Bathtub (1998) and Those Lips, Those Eyes (1980)
- Shaun FlemingTeacher's Pet (2004) and The Lion King 1 1/2 (2004)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Jerry Stiller's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$616 million

18 of the 28 films have a worldwide figure.

18Worldwide figure
2US gross only
4Never in cinemas
1Streaming, short cinema run
3Figure not found

Top grosser

Planes: Fire & Rescue2014Harvey$151 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 95% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Planes: Fire & Rescue2014as Harvey (voice)
$151M24.6% of the total
2
The Heartbreak Kid2007as Doc
$128M20.9% of the total
3
Airport 19751974as Sam
$103M16.7% of the total
4
Hairspray2007as Mr. Pinky
$90M14.7% of the total
5
Zoolander2001as Maury Ballstein
$61M9.9% of the total
6
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three1974as Police Lt. Rico Patrone
$19M3.0% of the total
7
Heavyweights1995as Harvey Bushkin
$18M2.9% of the total
8
Serving Sara2002as Milton the Cop
$17M2.8% of the total