Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander Pay Tribute to Jerry Stiller: ‘He Made Everything Funnier’

Ellise Shafer
·8-min read

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Hollywood took to social media to pay tribute to Jerry Stiller, the comedian and actor who was best known for playing beloved fathers on “Seinfeld” and “The King of Queens.” Stiller died of natural causes at the age of 92.

His son, actor Ben Stiller, called him “a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Anne for about 62 years,” adding, “He will be greatly missed.”

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Jerry Seinfeld shared a tribute, posting a photo of himself holding “The Last Two People in the World,” a 1967 comedy album from Stiller and his wife, Anne Meara.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus resurfaced a clip of “Seinfeld” bloopers. “The truth is that this happened all the time with Jerry Stiller,” she wrote. “He was so funny and such a dear human being. We loved him. RIP Jerry Stiller.”

Seth Rogen, Ricky Gervais, Jon Cryer and Ben Schwartz were among the celebrities offering condolences in response to Ben Stiller’s post on Twitter.

“So sorry. He made me laugh till I cried on many occasions,” Rogen wrote on Twitter. Gervais said, “So sorry for your loss, Ben,” while Cryer wrote, “I’m so sorry to hear this. He was so loved.”

Jason Alexander, who acted alongside Stiller on “Seinfeld” as the father-son duo George and Frank Costanza, mourned the loss of his TV dad.

“He was perhaps the kindest man I ever had the honor to work beside. He made me laugh when I was a child and every day I was with him. A great actor, a great man, a lovely friend,” he said. “I adored this man.”

Stiller also played the father of Leah Remini’s character on the TV show “The King of Queens.” Remini shared some behind-the-scenes photos from set.

“I was lucky enough to work with Jerry Stiller, playing his daughter for 9 years on The King of Queens, but even luckier to know him, the man, the husband, the gather, the grandfather,” Remini captioned the pictures. “I will be forever grateful for the memories, the fatherly talks off screen and for the many years of laughter, the kindness he had shown to me and my family.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

I was lucky enough to work with Jerry Stiller, playing his daughter for 9 years on The King Of Queens, but even luckier to know him, the man, the husband, the father, the grandfather. I am only comforted knowing that Anne & Jerry, the great comedy duo of Stiller & Meara are back together. I will be forever grateful for the memories, the fatherly talks off screen and for the many years of laughter, the kindness he had shown to me and my family…You will be so very missed Jerry. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Amy & Ben. #JerryStiller #stillerandmeara

A post shared by Leah Remini (@leahremini) on May 11, 2020 at 8:16am PDT

Kevin James, who portrayed the husband of Remini’s character on “The King of Queens,” refered to Stiller as “one of the most kind, loving, and funny people to ever grace this earth.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

One of the most kind, loving, and funny people to ever grace this earth. Thank you for so many incredible memories. I love you and miss you. Requiescat in pace.🙏

A post shared by Kevin James (@kevinjamesofficial) on May 11, 2020 at 6:49am PDT

“Seinfeld” writer Carol Leifer, who is often referred to as “the real Elaine,” shared a photo with Stiller in memoriam.

“What a JOY to work with this man, writing all those seasons on ‘Seinfeld,'” Leifer said. “He made everything funnier!”

 

Wayne Knight, who played Newman on “Seinfeld,” called Stiller “a giant.”

“I remember watching Stiller & Meara as a kid on Ed Sullivan, loving them. Then to work with Jerry, a kind, brilliant comedian who had no idea how great he was. What an honor!”

 

Actor Parry Shen, who had a small role on “The King of Queens” in 1999, shared a heartwarming story via a Twitter thread, explaining how Stiller helped him get his part back after it was taken away.

“Mr. Stiller (& Kevin James) spoke to the producers & got my job back (unheard of – when you’re gone, you’re gone),” Shen wrote. “When I thanked Jerry, he said, ‘Hey, it’s not Shakespeare! You’re doing great!'”

 

See below for tributes from Viola Davis, Lin-Manuel Miranda and more:

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