Jerry Stiller's Real Name: Jerry Stiller

Quick answer: The comedian and actor is known professionally as Jerry Stiller. Britannica, Encyclopedia.com, and the Television Academy independently date his birth to June 8, 1927. They disagree on the exact form of a longer given name and on the New York birthplace wording, so this page titles him under the public name and does not treat the town as settled in the summary.

Real name and early life

Independent publishers identify him under the professional name Jerry Stiller. Britannica gives the name in full as Gerald Isaac Stiller, dates the birth to June 8, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York, and says he later studied theater at Syracuse University under the G.I. Bill after Army service in World War II, and made a professional stage debut in 1951. Encyclopedia.com independently dates the birth to June 8, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York, lists the original name as Gerard Stiller, and records a Syracuse University B.A. in 1950. This page records both "Gerald Isaac" and "Gerard" as published forms. The Television Academy independently lists a June 8, 1927, birthday and New York City as the birthplace. This page records both Brooklyn and New York City.

Career highlights

Britannica says he and his wife, Anne Meara, became a successful comedy duo in the 1960s, and that he is best known as Frank Costanza on Seinfeld. The Television Academy independently says the couple appeared regularly on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and that his role as Frank Costanza earned a 1997 Primetime Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series. The same account says he then joined The King of Queens and appeared in all 206 episodes of that series, and later appeared with his son, Ben Stiller, in Zoolander (2001). Encyclopedia.com independently lists Frank Costanza on Seinfeld (1993–98) and Arthur Spooner on The King of Queens. The Associated Press independently describes those later television roles and the 2001 film Zoolander.

Death

The Associated Press reported that his son, Ben Stiller, announced on Monday, May 11, 2020, that he had died of natural causes at age 92. Britannica independently dates the death to May 11, 2020, in New York City. The Television Academy independently dates the death to May 11, 2020, in Manhattan, New York, at age 92.

Name notes for searchers

People looking up Jerry Stiller are looking for the same comedian. This page uses the public professional name because published longer forms do not agree.