Stiller and Meara
Encyclopedia
Stiller and Meara were a husband and wife comedy duo popular in the 1960s
and 1970s
. They made frequent appearances on television variety shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show
.
Stiller and Meara were among the earliest graduates of the Second City
improvisational comedy troupe to become famous. When variety shows became scarce in the late 1970s
, they had a syndicated short program, only 5 minutes long, which ran on the NBC
affiliate in the Washington, D.C.
market immediately after Saturday Night Live
. They also did comical radio ads.
Stiller and Meara's career declined, however, as variety series gradually disappeared. The duo's own 1986 TV sitcom, The Stiller and Meara Show
, in which Stiller played the deputy mayor of New York City and Meara portrayed his wife, a TV commercial actress, was unsuccessful; Stiller had better luck with his next series, playing George Costanza's father in Seinfeld
.
In the 2000s, Stiller and Meara would reunite on several episodes of The King of Queens
, on which Stiller played the supporting role of Arthur Spooner
.
Comedy movie actor Ben Stiller
is the real-life son of Stiller and Meara, and comedienne/actress Amy Stiller is their daughter.
The duo is currently starring in a web series from Red Hour Digital
, in which they discuss current topics.
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
and 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
. They made frequent appearances on television variety shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
.
Stiller and Meara were among the earliest graduates of the Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
improvisational comedy troupe to become famous. When variety shows became scarce in the late 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
, they had a syndicated short program, only 5 minutes long, which ran on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
market immediately after Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. They also did comical radio ads.
Stiller and Meara's career declined, however, as variety series gradually disappeared. The duo's own 1986 TV sitcom, The Stiller and Meara Show
The Stiller and Meara Show
The Stiller and Meara Show is a 1986 television sitcom featuring the comedy duo Stiller and Meara as the deputy mayor of New York and his wife, a TV commercial actress...
, in which Stiller played the deputy mayor of New York City and Meara portrayed his wife, a TV commercial actress, was unsuccessful; Stiller had better luck with his next series, playing George Costanza's father in Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
.
In the 2000s, Stiller and Meara would reunite on several episodes of The King of Queens
The King of Queens
The King of Queens is an American sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007.This show was produced by Hanley Productions and CBS Productions , CBS Paramount Television ,and CBS Television Studios in association with Columbia TriStar Television , and Sony Pictures...
, on which Stiller played the supporting role of Arthur Spooner
Arthur Spooner
Arthur Eugene Spooner is a fictional character played by Jerry Stiller on the sitcom The King of Queens. He lives with his daughter Carrie and her husband, Doug Heffernan.-Biography:...
.
Comedy movie actor Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller
Benjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller is an American comedian, actor, writer, film director, and producer. He is the son of veteran comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara....
is the real-life son of Stiller and Meara, and comedienne/actress Amy Stiller is their daughter.
The duo is currently starring in a web series from Red Hour Digital
Red Hour Productions
Red Hour Films is an American motion picture production and distribution company. Ben Stiller and producer Stuart Cornfeld run the company. The name was derived from an episode of Star Trek -- The Return of the Archons -- that features a scheduled, alien riot...
, in which they discuss current topics.
External links
- The Stiller and Meara Show at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Stiller and Meara article at talkingcomedy.com