Serenity now: RIP Jerry Stiller

[Gurke and Hare]

https://twitter.com/RedHourBen/status/1259759084309446657

Ben Stiller
@RedHourBen
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.

[Nowhere Man]

Aw fuck, probably my favourite Seinfeld character after George and Elaine. His performances as Frank have often left me roaring with laughter over the years.

[Gurke and Hare]

Any scene with George and his parents is solid gold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkdausJO3Oo

[Gulftastic]

He was equally brilliant in 'King Of Queens' IMHO. A sad loss.

[BlodwynPig]

YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME?

Surely, the greatest comedy moment of all time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFpKs4FEITo

[EOLAN]

Any scene with George and his parents is solid gold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkdausJO3Oo

Yep. In the Dharma and Greg episode where they try to have sex in public during the Seinfeld Finale; was very annoying when they said "we'll call you during one of the boring scenes with George's parents" when it obviously should have been Jerry's parents. 

[mippy]

Speaking of parents, I caught a Big Bang Theory the other day which had June Squibb as Sheldon's grandma. Thankfully she's still alive!

I quite like Jerry's parents.

[lankyguy95]

An American comedian and actor with a marriage that lasted over sixty years? A true one-off.

RIP

[Twit 2]

Gutted. In a long list of great supporting actors in Seinfeld he stood out as one of the very best. The petty irritability that characterises George and his parents' home life is so well-observed and, above all, fucking funny.

[SavageHedgehog]

He was equally brilliant in 'King Of Queens' IMHO. A sad loss.

Yeah I've always really enjoyed King of Queens, never really understood why it seems to be such an anathema to American comedy fans (obviously Kevin James' subsequent career is a factor now, but it's seemed terminally unfashionable even before that). Lots of good comedy over the years, and often surprisingly nasty, in a good Seinfeld way, too.

I also enjoyed The Independent, an early poundland staple mockumentary with Stiller as a Roger Corman-esque independent film maker who makes films like Jesus for the Defence (Jesus touches a witness on the stand and says "what was that you claimed about being unable to walk?"). Only appears to be one clip for it on YouTube, so I'd call it a true unknown gem.

[Pseudopath]

YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME?

Surely, the greatest comedy moment of all time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFpKs4FEITo

I'll never tire of this clip. Absolute comedy gold.

RIP Jerry.

[phes]

This is sad. The whole Costanza family is a perfect comedy creation and execution. A family almost charitably described by Helen Seinfeld's line 'uncomfortable and exhausting, like being in an asylum'.

[Small Man Big Horse]

This really is very sad news, and like everyone has said he was a fantastic comedic actor.

I also enjoyed The Independent, an early poundland staple mockumentary with Stiller as a Roger Corman-esque independent film maker who makes films like Jesus for the Defence (Jesus touches a witness on the stand and says "what was that you claimed about being unable to walk?"). Only appears to be one clip for it on YouTube, so I'd call it a true unknown gem.

I've seen it as it was released on dvd as a double bill with Wet Hot American Summer (and could be found in most cash converters when they still had a healthy dvd selection) and enjoyed it a lot, it's a silly piece but very funny.

[dissolute ocelot]

I was unexpectedly sad when I heard this. He was one of those actors who the instant you see them look like they're going to be funny: the dyed hair, the mustache, the frequently absurd clothes, but no matter how funny he looks, he always brings more to the performance. Seinfeld was maybe the highlight, but he was great in many things: the Hairspray remake comes to mind as a typically big character.

[QDRPHNC]

Was he in the remake? He was in the original too.

[Bobloblawslawbomb]

Aw fuck, probably my favourite Seinfeld character after George and Elaine. His performances as Frank have often left me roaring with laughter over the years.

'Are you supposed to yell it?'

'The man on the tape was not specific'

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Was he in the remake? He was in the original too.

Was there a remake of " Seinfeld"? I think there was a Porn parody, but I doubt he would have been in that.

( Oh, soz, you were talking about " Hairspray". Didn't read the preceding post properly.)

[ersatz99]

His partnership with Kevin James in King of Queens was fantastic. A real roller-coaster of resentment and affection.

[Brundle-Fly]

.

I also enjoyed The Independent, an early poundland staple mockumentary with Stiller as a Roger Corman-esque independent film maker who makes films like Jesus for the Defence (Jesus touches a witness on the stand and says "what was that you claimed about being unable to walk?"). Only appears to be one clip for it on YouTube, so I'd call it a true unknown gem.

Agreed. It's like Stiller's own Norbert Smith.A Life.

[TheMonk]

That blooper is the king of all bloopers.

This suggestion appears to be a YouTube treasure chest. I haven't checked that they're unseen, but looks like a treat.
https://youtu.be/JrmG93oNpLs

[phes]

His partnership with Kevin James in King of Queens was fantastic. A real roller-coaster of resentment and affection.

Just seen a few episodes of this and amazed to find out that it followed Seinfeld. Was watching it convinced that it must have preceded it, it seems so dated. Is there any reason to watch this other than that relationship? I'd love to reap the benefit of what you describe but it seems very broad and the conflict in every episode so far has revolved around something really banal, and not in a good way.

[Dewt]

Just seen a few episodes of this and amazed to find out that it followed Seinfeld. Was watching it convinced that it must have preceded it, it seems so dated. Is there any reason to watch this other than that relationship?

No, only watch the Jerry Stiller bits.

I felt certain he died about two years ago. Who am I mistaking him for?

[Armin Meiwes]

No, only watch the Jerry Stiller bits.

I felt certain he died about two years ago. Who am I mistaking him for?

Jerry... Lewis?

[Armin Meiwes]

Yeah George's relationship with his parents definitely provided some of the high points of Seinfeld. Georges mum being in hospital after catching him wanking and then she catches him staring at the nurse bedbathing the woman in her neighbouring bed was one of the funniest things ever.

[mr. logic]

Gutted. In a long list of great supporting actors in Seinfeld he stood out as one of the very best. The petty irritability that characterises George and his parents' home life is so well-observed and, above all, fucking funny.

You're using too much ketchup!

Just thinking, did Stiller show up in the curb Seinfeld episodes? I remember the mother being there, can't remember him being there

[Ferris]

Sad to read this, he was always a highlight when he popped up in Seinfeld.

Favourite bit - yelling at Steinbrenner for trading Jay Buhner "he's got a rocket for an arm! You don't know what you're doing!"

[Phil_A]

"Many Christmases ago, I went to a buy a doll for my son. As I reached for the last one they had, so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realised there had to be another way!"

[Jerzy Bondov]

Just thinking, did Stiller show up in the curb Seinfeld episodes? I remember the mother being there, can't remember him being there

He's not in it. Don't know why but I found this comment from him about it:

When we caught up with Jerry Stiller at the opening of Time Stands Still on Broadway recently, we wondered why we didn't see him on the Seinfeld reunion for Curb Your Enthusiasm. "I don't know, you have to ask the people that book shows," he told us. "I thought it was going to be, you know, a Seinfeld reunion. I thought there would be everybody on the set. But then there were just a few people and that was it. They asked me to come by, I said send me a ticket. And that's all I can tell you."

Not sure what he means by that. Classic Frank Costanza.

Favourite bit - yelling at Steinbrenner for trading Jay Buhner %u201Che%u2019s got a rocket for an arm! You don%u2019t know what you%u2019re doing!%u201D

The best part of this is he says this immediately after being informed of his son's death.

JERRY IT'S FRANK COSTANZA, MR STEINBRENNER'S HERE, GEORGE IS DEAD, CALL ME BACK

[mr. logic]

He's not in it. Don't know why but I found this comment from him about it:
Not sure what he means by that. Classic Frank Costanza.

Seems to be suggesting that rather than hiring and paying him, they suggested he just come along. And they didn't even want to sort his expenses. A shame.

[SteveDave]

"Many Christmases ago, I went to a buy a doll for my son. As I reached for the last one they had, so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realised there had to be another way!"

"That must've been some doll!"