Actor-comedian Jerry Stiller has died. He was 92.
Confirmed by his son Ben Stiller, Jerry — beloved for his television roles as a high-strung fathers in sitcoms like Seinfeld and The King of Queens — passed away of natural causes.
Ben broke the unfortunate news via Twitter early Monday morning (May 11) in the following statement: “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.”
Following his success in the '60s and '70s as a comedy team alongside his late wife Anne Meara (under Stiller and Meara), Jerry branched out with film projects like The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, Hot Pursuits, Hairspray, The Heartbreak Kid, Zoolander and Zoolander 2.
On television, Jerry was considered a fan-favorite on the '90s sitcom Seinfeld for his portrayal of the short-tempered father, Frank. He garnered an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 1997, and later received an American Comedy Award for his work on the show. Jerry's acting and comedic shops were paramount to the success of The King of Queens, on which he starred as Carrie Heffernan's grouchy dad, Arthur Spooner, from 1998 until 2007.
In response to the unfortunate loss, many of Jerry's admirers have been sharing tributes on social media.
"RIP Jerry Stiller, this outtake remains the funniest thing I've ever seen," comedian Martin James tweeted.
"Saddened to hear of the passing of Jerry Stiller. His part as Frank Costanza in Seinfeld was mercurial. You knew you were in for a treat when Frank was in an episode. #SERENITYNOW," one fan tweeted. Another user added, "RIP to Jerry Stiller, A legend of comedy, Here's one of his funniest moments in the show King of Queens."
Rest in peace.
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