Anne Meara, one half of the comedy duo Stiller and Meara and mother of actor Ben Stiller, died Saturday at the age of 85 according to a statement from her family.
It described Jerry Stiller as Anne’s “husband and partner in life”, continuing, “The two were married for 61 years and worked together almost as long.”
“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,” it added.
Further details about the death have not yet been released.
Anne Meara was born in 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, to parents of Irish-Catholic descent. She was a regular on TV and the silver screen for decades, appearing alongside her fellow comic and actor husband Jerry as one half of the comedy double-act Stiller & Meara in the 1960 and 70s.
More recently she appeared on Sex and the City as Mary Brady – the mother of bartender Steve Brady – who was in an on-off relationship with Miranda Hobbes, played by Cynthia Nixon.
The comedy great also made a guest appearance on Will & Grace in 2001 and made a comeback with Stiller & Meara, in 2010 in a Yahoo comedy series produced in part by Hollywood star son Ben.
She was nominated for numerous Emmy awards, including twice for her performance on Archie Bunker’s Place. Anne Meara won a Writers Guild Award for The Other Woman, a film for TV that came out in 1983.
She and Jerry also worked on various award-winning commercials for TV and radio.
Besides her husband and son, Anne is survived by her daughter, Amy, and several grandchildren.
Agencies/Canadajournal