TOPLINE
A tweet from Ben Stiller announcing the death of his father, Jerry Stiller, became Twitter’s most-liked tweet this week, according to data compiled by the social media tracking firm NewsWhip, in a poignant display of love for the late actor and comedy legend, with condolences from celebrities and fans alike.
Jerry Stiller, 1927—2020.
KEY FACTS
“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,” wrote Stiller. “He will be greatly missed. Love you Dad.”
As of Sunday afternoon, the tweet has been shared over 136,000 times and received over 1.4 million likes since the previous Sunday, May 10, 2020; representatives for Ben Stiller did not respond to a request for comment by Forbes.
Jerry Stiller, 92, notably portrayed the perpetually irate Frank Costanza in television’s Seinfeld; Jason Alexander, who played his son, George, tweeted, “He was perhaps the kindest man I ever had the honor to work beside,” and later posted a photo of them together, along with the caption “Yeah. I adored this man.”
Other co-star tributes: Jerry Seinfeld tweeted “Jerry Stiller's comedy will live forever,” while actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus remembered, “He was so funny and such a dear human being.”
Actors and comedians such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Nancy Sinatra, Seth Rogen, Peter Gallagher, Marc Maron, Kim Cattrall, Cary Elwes, Jon Cryer, Sarah Silverman, Chelsea Peretti, Ben Schwartz, Devon Sawa and more replied to Ben Stiller’s tweet with condolences and shared memories.
NewsWhip’s Twitter engagement data comes from its database of influential users, which tracks around 350,000 accounts.
Key background
Jerry Stiller was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1927. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II before becoming a graduate of Syracuse University. He met his wife, Anne Meara, in 1953, and they were married a year later. The couple became a comedy duo called Stiller & Meara, a successful act that continued through the 60s, including 36 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show (the “must-see TV” of the day)—and eventually became a short-lived sitcom in the 80s. They were married for over 60 years before her death in 2015. Along with Seinfeld, Jerry Stiller is known for his role as Arthur Spooner on The King of Queens. Jerry Stiller appeared with his son, Ben Stiller, in a number of films, including: the Zoolander movies, Heavyweights, Hot Pursuit and The Heartbreak Kid.
Tangent
Parry Shen, an actor on General Hospital, tweeted an old story about working with Jerry Stiller. Shen had been cast in an episode of The King Of Queens, but “after the table read, I was canned.” Next, Shen said, Jerry Stiller “talked to the producers & got me my job back. When I thanked him, he said, ‘Hey, it’s not Shakespeare!’” Jerry Stiller was “a class act & a legend,” Shen added.
Further reading
Jerry Stiller, Comedian With Enduring Appeal, Is Dead at 92 (New York Times)
‘Seinfeld’, ‘The King Of Queens’ Casts Honor Jerry Stiller (Deadline)
Comedian Jerry Stiller Dies at 92 (Forbes)
Actress and Comedian Anne Meara, Mother of Ben Stiller, Dies at 85 (Variety)
