Actress and comedian Anne Meara, mother of Ben Stiller, dies

Actress and comedian Anne Meara, whose comic work with husband Jerry Stiller helped launch a 60-year career in film and TV, has died. She was 85.Jerry Stiller and son Ben Stiller say Meara died Saturday. No other details were provided.The Stiller family released a statement to The Associated Press on Sunday describing Jerry Stiller as Meara's "husband and partner in life.""The two were married for 61 years and worked together almost as long," the statement said.The couple performed as Stiller & Meara on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and other programs in the 1960s and won awards for the radio and TV commercials they made together. Meara also appeared in dozens of films and TV shows, including a longtime role on "All My Children" and recurring appearances on "Rhoda," ''Alf," ''Sex and the City" and "The King of Queens." She shared the screen with her son in 2006's "Night at the Museum."Meara was twice nominated for an Emmy Award for her supporting role on "Archie Bunker's Place," along with three other Emmy nods, most recently in 1997 for her guest-starring role on "Homicide." She won a Writers Guild Award for cowriting the 1983 TV movie "The Other Woman."Besides her husband and son, Meara is survived by her daughter, Amy, and several grandchildren.The family statement said: "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."Join the conversation about this story
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