Customer Reviews

Married to Laughter: A Love Story Featuring Anne Meara

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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

It's truth that Jerry is well known by two generations. But after reading this book, I didn't realize that he had such a wonderful career in the theater. I didn't know that went to the army, attended Syracuse University and worked with Joseph Papp. I also enjoyed reading the early years with his wife Anne and her private dealing with her mother's death and finding true love with Jerry even though their were both stuggling actors trying to make a name for themselvers. In the end, Stiller and Meara are now well-known comedy actors and now a new generation is enjoying the talents of their son, Ben Stiller.

Jerry Stiller's childhood, during the Depression, was difficult. His parents lived in public projects; they moved ten times in a dozen years. Stiller's father or "Deddy" a taxi and bus driver was often unemployed. The reader of MARRIED TO LAUGHTER finds out about Jerry's upbringing in lower East side of Manhattan and a glimpse of the hardship people had to endure during the Great Depression in the U.S. (1929-1933). The reader also gets a taste of the cultural values and religious tenets of Jerry's Jewish parents and relatives. It is troubling to notice how prejudice against Jewish and other immigrants prevailed in the U.S. or how Jerry had encountered bigots while serving in the US Army.

Jerry's courtship and eventual marriage to "angel faced" Irish Catholic girl named Anne Meara, is narrated humorously. Both were struggling actors for a long time. They started in the coffeehouses of Greenwich Village, on and off Broadway. Eventually they made a name for themselves and became well-known comedy actors. I was always impressed by their versatile acts on Ed Sullivan's Show where they appeared numerous times to rave reviews. Jerry states (p.81) "I learned that theater was a battlefield to capture people's hearts and minds." Years later, Jerry and Anne did capture people's hearts on TV, much larger audiences than theatre. They sparked laughter in their audiences, over fifty years in show business. The book is an easy read; it might enhance your knowledge from various angles.

Great story about the life of Jerry Stiller and his experiences in life and show business. He leads you though his life with stories and lessons learned, and shares his love of his family and friends.

Jerry, are you out there? I couldn't put your book down, it was like an afternoon with old friends. <SMILE> TERRIFIC !!

Seeing pictures of the kids when they were small brought back memories of "Benjie" and the (forever getting lost) "wah-wah" and what a terrific Daddy you were. One might not take my review seriously as I have loved you guys since the 60's. BUT...... to justify the 5 stars, I would not put my name on a review if I didn't believe what I wrote. Got that reader?

Reader, buy this book. You will understand the seemingly neurotic "Stiller" and the grounded "Meara". Anne is surely the love of Jerry's life and even after 40 years, he still wonders if "it will last". <smile> Seeing early pictures of Jerry will make the reader do a double take. Many of Jerry's pictures then, look just like Ben now. We see lovely Amy too. A good read and anyone who watched The Ed Sullivan Show will consider it a visit with old friends. Younger ones will think Frank Constanza. Jerry and Anne, THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES. I know you remember Ralph, the Announcer of The Sullivan Show.......... well.....check my last name and there you have it.

For all of the people who think that Jerry Stiller's legacy will be a few short years on television, they are missing so much about this wonderful man. Great read for a celeb autobiography.

Really liked this book. Jerry Stiller takes us on a trip through his life, and it's funny, sad, and always interesting. I found out so many things about him that I didn't know--such as: he was a stage actor, in Shakespeare, no less! And, his courtship of, and eventual marriage to, Anne Meara, is related--sometimes humorously, sometimes seriously, but always with honesty. Jerry and Anne discover that their career aspirations aren't really the same, and each builds their own career, but never forgetting each other. The road is sometimes bumpy, but they don't lose sight of one another, and their love for each other is deep and true. A fine book, Mr. Stiller!

Read MARRIED TO LAUGHTER; A LOVE STORY FEATURING
ANNE MEARA by Jerry Stiller . . . had looked forward to this book
as I've always enjoyed Stiller's work (even before he was
"rediscovered" on SEINFELD) . . . however, it just didn't
do very much for me . . . most of the emphasis is on his work
in the theater . . . there's very little about his work on television . . . and if you're expecting anything about Ben Stiller, you won't find it here--except for one photograph when he was younger.

Not quite sure why I did not like this book . . . but couldn't even find that many memorable passages to share with you . . . that is usually a tip-off to me; i.e., if I'm "into" a book, I'll be making all sorts of notes about it . . . on this one, all I could come up with was the following:

As the curtain rose I realized in that split second that Hank was
right. I had never really spoken to anyone onstage; worse yet, I had never listened. I was always Acting, with a capital A. Had my success in college been a gigantic hoax?

[on his love for cooking and his special recipe for Chicken Gai Yung]I decided I could sell the delicious chicken legs door to door. I told Anne my idea. I'd marinate the legs overnight, broil then in the morning,and then hit every apartment building on the West Side. A dollar a leg. I figured it was an idea whose time had come, and it took me away from the pain of rejection. We'd become rich and possibly franchise the idea. You're sitting at home, watching TV. A knock on the door, "I'm selling
Chicken Gai Yung. It's only a buck." Who could resist?

[explaining jazz to Anne, who never understood it] "Because you're orderly. Jazz can be chaotic. It's like some storm that suddenly erupts spontaneously in a musician's soul. It's somebody else's sunset--someone else's terror. Who wants to hear the musical version of someone else's problems? A lot of dissonance. Just when you're ready to say, 'I've had enough,' you hear the
thread of a melody. It falls easily on the ears. The storm has subsided. You're suddenly caught up and now you're listening to Bill Evan's inner voice. He's taken us on a trip we've all been on ourselves at one time or another. Now he's out of his wilderness. The search for life's' golden path is over." I was
starting to sound like a poet.