Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara [Paperback]

Jerry Stiller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2001

From his initial success in the coffeehouses of Greenwich Village with Anne Meara, who would be the love of his life, to his serenity-seeking days on Seinfeld and later on The King of Queens, Jerry Stiller has consistently proven himself to be a force in showbiz. In Married to Laughter, he brings us into his world and recounts, in a tone that is laugh-out-loud funny and strikingly honest, his passion for entertainment and working with people such as Ed Sullivan, Mike Nichols, Robin Williams, and Jerry Seinfeld, who were there along the way.

At the heart of this tale is Stiller's partnership, both onstage and off, with Anne Meara. He shares the affectionate story of their long-surviving relationship, spotlighting the pleasures and challenges of raising a family in an interfaith show business marriage.

Married to Laughter is the story of an actor who never let go of his dreams, but ultimately it is the story of two people who found their place in show business without losing sight of each other.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Seinfeld fans who pick up this audio expecting inside dish on the show will be disappointed. This is not Stiller comedy, but the real stuff about his real life and his longtime love and comedy partner, Anne Meara, as well as a personal history of Stiller's long career, including details of nearly every production he performed in, from local community theaters to Broadway to film to Stiller and Meara's frequent spot on The Ed Sullivan Show. Stiller's familiar, gritty, New York voice is fun to listen to as he offers colorful anecdotes: co-starring with a mangy, flea-bitten dog in Two Gentleman of Verona (the dog ended up making headlines and appearing on TV talk shows); playing opposite Divine in the cult film Hairspray; and creating the abrasive, louder-than-life character of Frank Costanza (Stiller was originally directed to play the role in a subdued monotone, but when the scene didn't gel in rehearsal, Stiller asked if he could try something different and proceeded to scream his way through the scene, reducing everyone to hysterics). Frank Costanza notwithstanding, Stiller turns noticeably tender as he speaks of his 40-year relationship with his wife, the supportive letters of his late acting teacher and mentor and a poignant visit with his dying father. Simultaneous release with the Random House hardcover (Forecasts, July 24). (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Stiller's long career has brought laughter to two generations of Americans. Known most recently for his role as Frank Costanza in the long-running comedy Seinfeld, in the 1960s he and his wife, Anne Meara, were noted stand-up comedians who performed on the Ed Sullivan Show three dozen times. This memoir begins at the beginning: Stiller's childhood on the Lower East Side of Manhattan during the Depression. He vividly remembers seeing Eddie Cantor's vaudeville performances, which inspired him to become an actor. After army service in World War II, Stiller went to Syracuse University where he majored in theater. The young actor returned to New York City and met aspiring actress Meara. Though theirs was an unlikely match he was a Polish Jew from the city, she was an Irish Catholic from Long Island they not only fell in love but have stayed in love for more than 40 years. The author reads his own work, which will be popular in public library collections. Nann Blaine Hilyard, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1st Touchstone Ed edition (August 21, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684869047
• ISBN-13: 978-0684869049
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,044,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars There's No Business Like Show Business, September 4, 2000

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara (Hardcover)

For those of you who may only think of Jerry Stiller as Mr. Costanza, George's father on Seinfeld or perhaps as hot young actor Ben Stiller's father, think again because he's so much more. The more is candidly revealed in his highly enjoyable memoir Married To Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara. The son of Polish Jews and a child of the Depression, Stiller's boyhood was spent on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Apartments, often in public projects, were changed frequently - the family moved ten times in a dozen years. His mother, Bella, was evidently a premier bargainer as Stiller vividly remembers the day just before his 13th birthday when she took him shopping for a Bar Mitzvah suit. "She took me down to Orchard Street," he writes. "Orchard Street made Baghdad seem like kindergarten when it came to bargains, but my mother's bargaining skills were honed to razor sharpness." They found a wool suit, complete with knickers, one pair of pants and a vest for thirteen dollars. He loved it. She cuffed him for saying that lest the shop keeper know he liked the suit. After offers, counter offers, and a shouting match on the street, she obtained the suit for $6.50.

First a taxi driver and then a bus driver, Stiller's father or "Deddy" was often unemployed (who took a cab during the Depression?) To ease the ache of poverty, "Deddy," "a frustrated performer who sometimes played the saxophone" took his son to vaudeville shows. And so, Stiller's love for comedy began. "Laughter seemed to dissipate the pain of being unemployed," Stiller remembers, "Even my mother's anguish subsided when Eddie Cantor sang...........More than anyone else Eddie Cantor made us aware that the entire country was in a Depression and we weren't alone. My mind danced when Eddie was on. I wanted to be Eddie Cantor. I thought he could change the whole world. I too could change the world if I were a comedian." Later, eager to leave an acrimonious home where battles were often fought over the lack of money, Stiller enlisted in the Army. Here, his street learned lesson - "never squeal" - almost got him into trouble when he was falsely accused of buying liquor while on duty. But the guilty party eventually confessed, and a relieved Stiller left the service for drama study at Syracuse University. Professor Sawyer Falk, his lifelong mentor, soon convinced the aspiring actor that he could indeed conquer the stage. Returning to New York to hopefully launch his theatrical career, Stiller met an "angel faced" Irish Catholic girl named Anne Meara. They feel in love, and after she announced that she wanted him to marry her they said their vows at City Hall. The couple never dreamed that they would someday become one of the most popular and successful comedy teams in show business. Early on, each were pursuing individual goals in the theater. But eventually, almost by serendipity, they put together a skit which was in reality a larger than life picture of themselves. Their act debuted in the coffeehouses of Greenwich Village and soon made its way to that day's television mecca - The Ed Sullivan Show, where they appeared numerous times to rave reviews. Two children, Amy and Ben, enriched their lives. They were, as the saying goes, in high clover. Later years brought a series of commercials, most memorably one for Blue Nun wines. Stiller continued to appear in the theater, both on and off Broadway. Then television called again and he became the peace seeking father of George Costanza on Seinfeld. Over fifty years in show business have brought the author lots of laughs and many lessons - all of which he shares in this noteworthy account of an actor's life and marriage. He may not have changed the world as was his boyhood dream, but he surely gives it a great deal of pleasure.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book about Ben's parents, March 19, 2007

By 

E. J. Pilch "book lover" (Ware, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara (Paperback)

Ok, I'll admit it. I bought the book with the hope of getting a glimpse into the childhood and family life of Ben Stiller. I didn't find out much about him, but I did learn a lot about his parents. I first saw Jerry Stiller in Seinfeld, I had no idea what a long resume he had prior to that. I enjoyed every page of his book and didn't want it to end. He certainly has worked hard for all his fame and I appreciate that he shared so many stories with his honest feelings. Jerry and his wife are both extremely talented and versatile performers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Glimpse into Jerry Stiller's Life, April 4, 2007

By 

Marina Kushner "Truth About Caffeine.com" (SCR Books) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara (Paperback)

Comedian Jerry Stiller shares stories from his life that are sure to make you laugh and inspire you to work hard for your dream.