Ben Stiller is spotlighting the life and journey of his parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara in the upcoming Apple TV+ documentary Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, for which the first trailer was released earlier today. Ben's late parents made up the comedy duo Stiller and Meara, beginning in the late 1950s. Their act, often parodying domestic troubles with distinct warmth and even poking fun at their opposing religious beliefs (Jerry was Jewish, Anne was Catholic), skyrocketed in prominence by the 1960s, and until the 1970s, they were one of the country's top comedic acts.
© Getty ImagesThe documentary, which will be out on October 17 for limited theatrical release before hitting the streaming platform on October 24, captures how they balanced their immense success with raising two kids, Ben and his sister Amy. "When they were working, I remember sometimes hearing laughter, sometimes hearing raised voices, never knowing if that was real or them rehearsing something," he recalls in the trailer.
Take a look at the lives of Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara…
© Getty ImagesJerry Stiller
Ben's father Jerry was born in New York City in 1927. After a brief stint in the U.S. Army during World War II, he returned to the States to get his college degree and pursue his dream of acting. He appeared in several local theater productions until 1953, when he met Anne. The pair tied the knot a year later, which was when he'd convinced her to form a comedy duo with him.
© Getty ImagesStiller & Meara
They joined The Compass Players, a St. Louis improvisation troupe, in 1959, and began performing at nightclubs in 1961, becoming a household name by the following year. They began making appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Ed Sullivan Show, but decided to break up the live act in 1970 to avoid putting strain on their marriage.
© Getty ImagesTV stardom
While their comedic work continued on TV and radio, Jerry experienced a resurgence in 1993 when he began playing Frank Costanza on Seinfeld, staying with the show until 1998 and receiving an Emmy nod. He achieved similar success playing Arthur Spooner on the show King of Queens, inhabiting the role from 1998 to 2007. He has also appeared in movies like Zoolander (2001), The Lion King 1½ (2004), Hairspray (both 1988 and 2007), and Zoolander 2 (2016). Jerry died of natural causes in 2020 at the age of 92.
© Getty ImagesAnne Meara
Born in 1929 in New York City, Ben's mother Anne studied acting as well and began her career working in summer stock until she met Jerry at her agent's office. After the dissolution of the live version of Stiller and Meara, the duo found success writing and appearing in a very popular series of commercials for Blue Nun Wine.
© Getty ImagesSolo Success
Anne soon found fame starring in the short-lived legal drama Kate McShane, which earned her an Emmy nomination. She also earned a Golden Globe nod that same year for playing a recurring character in the sitcom Rhoda. In the 1980s, she earned two more Emmy nods for appearing in the sitcom Archie Bunker's Place, and also guest starred in King of Queens opposite her husband.
© Getty ImagesOff-Screen
While making appearances on screen, Anne also found success on stage and as a writer. She won a Writers Guild of America Award in 1984 as a co-writer of the TV movie The Other Woman, and in 1993, she earned a Tony nomination for co-starring in the play Anna Christie. She passed away in 2015 at the age of 85.
