Celebrity Biographies
Anne Meara
Anne Meara has passed away at the age of 85 at her residence in New York. The interpreter has been working since the 50s, although she is mainly known for giving life to the grandmother of “Alf”, and for being the mother of Ben Stiller.
“Anne’s memory lives on in the hearts of her children, her grandchildren, other relatives and friends, and in the millions of people she entertained as an actress, screenwriter and comedian,” her intimate circle said in a statement.
Born in Brooklyn in 1929 in Brooklyn, into a Catholic family of Irish origin, Anne Meara converted to Judaism after marrying Jerry Stiller , together with whom she formed the comedy duo Stiller & Meara, which was enormously successful in the tables, and as frequent guests on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
In addition to taking part in numerous series, Anne Meara began her film career with a very brief appearance as a woman in a police station in the film The Charms of the Big City starring Jack Lemmon . Later she would be in titles like Los niños del Brasil and Despertares . She appeared briefly in her son’s directed films Reality Bites and Zoolander , and also joined him in Night at the Museum . But her most recognized role of hers was undoubtedly the crazy maternal grandmother of the family that welcomes an alien in Alf , a sitcom that aired between 1986 and 1990.
For her supporting role on Archie Bunker’s Place , Meara was nominated twice for an Emmy Award and won three statuettes in 1997 for her guest-starring role on Homicide . In 1983 she won a WGA Award, given by the Writers Guild of America, for co-writing the screenplay for the TV movie The Other Woman .