Ben Stiller grew up surrounded by punchlines. His parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, were one of America’s most beloved comedy duos, and their legacy will now be preserved at a museum in Upstate New York.
Ben Stiller has recently donated his parents’ career archive to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, a museum dedicated to preserving the art of comedy. The donation coincides with the release of Stiller’s new documentary, “Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost,” which will debut Oct. 24 on Apple TV+.
The archive spans more than five decades of work and features both professional and personal artifacts that Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara curated themselves. Items include early improv sessions with Chicago’s Compass Players, handwritten drafts of sketches performed on “The Ed Sullivan Show,”“The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and “The Carol Burnett Show,” as well as love letters from their early years together.
Pieces from the archive are also featured in the new documentary, which offers an intimate look at the couple’s creative process and their lifelong partnership in work and love. Ben Stiller began filming the project after his parents passed away — Anne in 2015 and Jerry in 2020.
Comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara will have their personally curated archive donated to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, N.Y. The archive is donated by their son Ben Stiller. Stiller & Meara archive photo | National Comedy CenterStiller & Meara archive photo | National Comedy Center
Jerry Stiller, a World War II veteran and 1950 Syracuse University graduate, met Meara in 1953 in a New York City casting office, according to People. After the agent reportedly made a pass at her, Jerry comforted her over coffee. They married a year later.
The pair — he Jewish and she Irish Catholic — found fame performing witty skits on “The Ed Sullivan Show” before building acclaimed solo careers.
Among her accolades, Meara earned four Emmy nominations and a 1993 Tony nomination. She also won a Writers Guild of America Award in 1984 for co-writing the television movie “The Other Woman.” Her standout TV roles included Sally Gallagher in “Rhoda” and Veronica Rooney in “Archie Bunker’s Place.”
Jerry Stiller was equally prolific. His unforgettable roles included Wilbur Turnblad in “Hairspray” (1988) and Mr. Pinky in the 2007 remake. He also became a TV favorite as Arthur Spooner in “The King of Queens” and Frank Costanza in “Seinfeld,” a role that earned him an Emmy nomination.
Handwritten joke notes from comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. Stiller & Meara archive photo | National Comedy CenterStiller & Meara archive photo | National Comedy Center
“Knowing my parents’ body of work is preserved at the National Comedy Center means a great deal, because the material they left behind was not just a gift for my family, but for anyone who wants to understand comedy as a creative process,” Ben Stiller said. “They would have been very proud to know that the National Comedy Center is bringing their archive to life in a way that can inspire and educate future generations.”
Located in Lucille Ball’s hometown, the National Comedy Center is the first museum in the United States dedicated to the art of comedy. Ball famously insisted that any institution honoring her legacy also celebrate the entire art form. The Western New York museum has been named the “Best New Museum“ and one of the best family weekend getaways.
Its 50-plus interactive exhibits trace comedy’s evolution — from vaudeville to viral memes — while honoring legends like Lucille Ball, Charlie Chaplin, George Carlin and Dave Chappelle. Stiller and Meara’s artifacts will be found throughout the museum’s displays.
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