Anne Meara, the mother of 'Zoolander' actor Ben Stiller and wife of comedian Jerry Stiller died on Saturday, according to Fox News. She formed half of the hit show 'Stiller & Meara' and had been a widely popular comedienne throughout her life. Apart from Ben and Jerry, Meara is survived by her daughter, Amy Stiller. The comedienne was 85 years old when she passed away.
"Anne's memory lives on in the hearts of daughter Amy, son Ben, her grandchildren, her extended family and friends, and the millions she entertained as an actress, writer and comedienne," wrote the family in a statement announcing her death. The family went on to say that Jerry had not only been Meara's husband but also her "partner in life." They said, "The two were married for 61 years and worked together almost as long."
In his autobiography, "Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara," Jerry gave out details on their love story. Referring to the first time he saw her in a casting call in 1953, Jerry said that Meara "looked sort of puritanical." He also described her as an "angel faced" who "smelled nice."
Further revealing information on their early days of dating, Jerry shared that he asked Meara out for a coffee date. "She seemed to sense I had no money, so she just ordered coffee," he recalled. "Then she took all the silverware," he added.
He then went on to say, "I picked up her check for 10 cents and thought, 'This is a girl I'd like to hang out with.'"
While the two appeared to have a wonderful romantic relationship, their families were not pleased with the idea of a mixed marriage. "Nobody was thrilled when we got married, absolutely nobody," said Meara in an earlier interview, according to Chicago Tribune.
The two eventually led a successful career as comedic partners. "I couldn't have done it without you [Jerry Stiller] because I had to have someone to hock. It's that simple. Conflict," she revealed in an interview, referring to their husband-and-wife tandem in the 1960s as 'Stiller & Meara.' Their breakthrough came in an appearance at the 'Ed Sullivan Show' in 1963.
"He [Sullivan] scared the stuff out of me," the comedienne recalled in an earlier interview. "I wasn't the only one. There were international favorites from all over the world throwing up in the wings - singers and tenors and guys who spin plates. It was live. We were scared!"
Meara had been nominated for various awards including the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in Television as well as Primetime Emmy Awards for several roles. She won a Lifetime Achievement Award from Made in NY Awards in 2012.
