Anne Meara was an American actress best known as one half of the comedy duo ‘Stiller and Meara,’ with her real-life husband Jerry Stiller as the other half. Both were members of Compass Players, an improvisational troupe that later became known as The Second City Theater. The couple also made an appearance on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show.’ When it comes to Meara’s solo acting career, she has appeared in a variety of projects on television, stage, and the big screen. ‘Rhoda,’ ‘ALF,’ ‘Sex and the City,’ and ‘The King of Queens’ all featured her. Kate McShane was also the star of her own show, ‘Kate McShane.’ ‘The Stiller and Meara Show’ featured the American actress as one of the main characters. When it came to her big screen appearances, Meara had only appeared in a few films. She starred in films such as “Fame,” “The Boys From Brazil,” “Crooked Lines,” “Awakenings,” “Sex and the City: The Movie,” and “Zoolander.” Meara was also a playwright, which few people are aware of. ‘After-Play,’ a hit off-Broadway play, was written by her. In addition, she co-wrote ‘The Other Woman,’ a television movie. She was also the author of the ‘Mr. Beller’s Neighborhood- New York City Stories’ online blog. Meara received numerous awards and accolades throughout her career. She was nominated for four Emmy Awards. Her Broadway production, ‘Mädchen in Uniform,’ earned her an Obie Award. She was also honored with a Writers Guild Award for her work on ‘The Other Woman.’
Childhood and Adolescence
Anne Meara was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 20, 1929, to Mary and Edward Joseph Meara. Meara grew up in Rockville Centre, New York, as the only child of her parents. Her mother, Mary, committed suicide when she was 12 years old.
Meara studied acting at The New School’s Dramatic Workshop when she was 18 years old (Manhattan).
Career of Anne
Anne Meara started her acting career in the summer stock theatre in 1948. After marrying Jerry Stiller in 1954, she joined The Compass Players (later renamed The Second City) and together with him formed the comedy team ‘Stiller and Meara.’
Meara and her husband performed in a number of New York nightclubs in 1961. Following that, the couple became regulars on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show.’ They went on to do a variety of other television shows, including Johnny Carson’s ‘The Tonight Show.’
After that, Meara had a recurring role on the show ‘Rhoda.’ She also appeared in the film ‘The Boys from Brazil’ in a minor role. She had her own series, ‘Kate McShane,’ which aired on CBS in 1975.
Meara then appeared in the series ‘Archie Bunker’s Place,’ alongside Martin Balsam and Carroll O’Connor. This show was a spin-off of ‘All in the Family,’ which aired in the 1970s. Veronica Rooney was played by the actress for the first three seasons of the show.
Meara starred in the film ‘Fame’ in 1980. She made an appearance in the television series ‘ALF’ in the late 1980s. The actress and her husband had their own show, ‘The Stiller and Meara Show,’ in 1986. Stiller portrayed a deputy mayor in this show, while Meara played his wife.
She wrote the comedy ‘After-Play,’ which was produced off-Broadway in 1995. Anne Meara was a guest star on ‘The King of Queens’ from 1999 to 2007. She also had a recurring role on the show ‘Sex and the City.’ In addition, she appeared in an episode of ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.’
She started the online blog ‘Mr. Beller’s Neighborhood—New York City Stories’ in 2009. She shared her personal life stories on this blog, including her boarding school experiences, her mother’s death, and other events.
‘Stiller & Meara,’ a Yahoo! web series starring Meara and Stiller, premiered in 2010. After that, the American actress was offered a part in the Off-Broadway play ‘Love, Loss, and What I Wore.’ She also served as the consulting director for the off-Broadway production The Jewish American Princesses (J.A.P) of Comedy.
Major Projects of Anne
Anne Meara appeared in a few films, including “The Boys From Brazil,” “Crooked Lines,” “Awakenings,” “Sex and the City: The Movie,” and “Zoolander.” ‘Brooklyn Thrill Killers,’ ‘The Yard Sale,’ ‘The Queen of Greenwich Village,’ and ‘Simpler Times’ are some of the short films in which she has appeared.
In 1963, she and her husband released their first album, which became a hit. She and her husband collaborated on several radio commercials for Blue Nun Wine during the 1970s.
Meara had voiced characters in a number of films. Her most recent voice role was in the 2014 animated film ‘Planes: Fire & Rescue,’ in which she played Winnie.
Achievements & Awards
Anne Meara has received four Emmy nominations throughout her career. She’s also been nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in a play.
She received a Golden Globe nomination for ‘Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series/Miniseries/Motion Picture Made for Television’ in 1977.
For her writing work in the TV film ‘The Other Woman,’ the American actress received a Writers Guild Award. For her contribution to the play ‘Mädchen in Uniform,’ she received an Obie Award.
Personal Experiences of Anne
Her parents, Edward Joseph Meara and Mary T. Meara, had only one child, Anne Meara. In 1954, she married actor Jerry Stiller. She converted to Judaism after her marriage.
Amy Stiller, who was born in 1961, and Ben Stiller, who was born in 1965, were her two children with Stiller.
Meara died on May 23, 2015, at her home in Manhattan, of natural causes. She was 85 years old at the time.
Estimated Net Worth
Anne Meara had a net worth of $12.5 million as an actress and comedian in the United States. Anne Meara was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 20, 1929.
Meara Stiller is the mother of Ben and Amy Stiller and was married to Jerry Stiller.
Trivia
Anne Meara studied drama at New York City’s HB Studio. Christine Taylor, a Hollywood actress, was her daughter-in-law.
The actress and her husband were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood on February 9, 2007.