News RIP Jerry Stiller
- Thread starter Kai "the spy"
- Start date
Oh no, not Frank Costanza (aka: Arthur Spooner)!
Maybe the last of the true funny men.
Maybe the last of the true funny men.
He made me laugh on many occasions. He will be missed. Rest in peace Mr. Stiller.
I hope he has finally found true serenity.
I hope he has finally found true serenity.
"Are you supposed to yell it?"
I only saw him as Frank Costanza on Seinfeld, but he sure was awesome there. I think I was always laughing or at leas smiling during every scene he had.
I remember Stiller and Meara when I was a little kid, on shows like Mike Douglas. Stiller dropped off my radar for a while, but I was glad to see him pop up in Hairspray in 1988.
I think it is pretty well known that Frank Costanza was originally played in one episode by John Randolph, a very well regarded actor with a long career. Larry David liked Jerry Stiller so much in the role that he went to the expense of re-assembling the actors and recreating the set two years later to re-shoot all Frank's scenes in "The Handicap Spot" for the rerun package. And who could argue? Stiller's idiosyncratic delivery of a simple line that episode is a hilarious contrast to the more conventional Randolph:
"DE-
LIV-
ER
IT
TO HER!"
I think the Seinfeld actors have all agreed that it was hard to get through a scene with Stiller without cracking up.
He's also great in a straight role opposite Walter Matthau in the '70s classic The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.
I'm laughing just thinking of some of his scenes. Sad to see him go.
I think it is pretty well known that Frank Costanza was originally played in one episode by John Randolph, a very well regarded actor with a long career. Larry David liked Jerry Stiller so much in the role that he went to the expense of re-assembling the actors and recreating the set two years later to re-shoot all Frank's scenes in "The Handicap Spot" for the rerun package. And who could argue? Stiller's idiosyncratic delivery of a simple line that episode is a hilarious contrast to the more conventional Randolph:
"DE-
LIV-
ER
IT
TO HER!"
I think the Seinfeld actors have all agreed that it was hard to get through a scene with Stiller without cracking up.
He's also great in a straight role opposite Walter Matthau in the '70s classic The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.
I'm laughing just thinking of some of his scenes. Sad to see him go.
I enjoyed his appearance in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and you should check out the horror movie Highway to Hell. It's probably the only movie with the entire Stiller family in it.
RIP Mr. Stiller.
The Stiller & Meara Reunion Tour can begin.
That was something frequently done on Seinfeld. IIRC, there was an episode from the early seasons featuring a character named Newman not played by Wayne Knight. But for the syndicated reruns, they had the scene re-filmed with Wayne Knight.
Yeah, the episode you mention had Newman (only appearing offscreen) planning to kill himself by jumping off the roof of the apartment building. We only hear his voice in that episode which was originally done by Larry David. In the syndicated version, Wayne Knight recorded David's lines. Both versions appear on the DVD set giving you a choice of which one to watch. It's the same with the first appearance of Frank Costanza. You can watch either John Randolph or Jerry Stiller.
There was a different Morty Seinfeld in his first appearance. Phil Bruns instead of Marney Martin. Like Frank Costanza, they ended up with a much more interesting actor for the long run.
From way back in 1999, the New York Friars Club Roast of Jerry Stiller:
