Actress/Comedian Anne Meara, Mother Of Ben Stiller, Dies At 85

Actress and comedian Anne Meara, the mother of actor Ben Stiller and wife to Jerry Stiller, has died at the age of 85.

According to the Associated Press, the Stillers released a statement on the passing of Meara, but did not disclose her cause of death. The statement described Jerry Stiller as Anne Meara’s “husband and partner in life.”

“The two were married for 61 years and worked together almost as long.”

Meara and her husband worked together as the comedy duo known as Stiller & Meara, and made appearances on many programs throughout the 1960s, including The Ed Sullivan Show. The two also worked together on radio and television advertisements. Both were honored with a Lifetime Acheivement Award from the Made in NY Awards, and they share a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, according to Meara’s IMDb profile.

Anne Meara was a successful actress in the television and film worlds, garnering a Golden Globe nomination for her work as Sally Gallagher on the 1970s television series, Rhoda. Meara also received two Emmy nominations for her work on Archie Bunker’s Place, and she was also nominated for a guest appearance on Homicide: Life on the Street.

Meara’s other television credits include ALF, All My Children, Sex and the City, and The King of Queens. Her film appearances include an uncredited role in Zoolander, which was directed by and starring her son, Ben Stiller. Meara also appeared in the Shawn Levy-directed Night at the Museum, which had her son playing the lead character. Anne Meara’s final film was the 2014 sequel, Planes: Fire & Rescue, and her final television appearance was a guest spot on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Fans and those who work in the entertainment industry have begun posting tributes to Meara on Twitter.

My heart and prayers go out to Jerry and Ben for the loss of their beloved Anne Meara.

— Patty Duke (@pattyduke_id) May 24, 2015

I was lucky enough to know Anne Meara personally, and I’m very saddened by her passing. She was wonderful. Love to her family. #RIPAnne

— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) May 24, 2015

Very sad to hear of the passing of Anne Meara. Such an incredibly funny person, an amazing woman & a groundbreaker. A huge loss for comedy.

— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) May 24, 2015

In addition to her son and husband, Anne Meara is survived by daughter Amy and “several grandchildren,” the Associated Press reports.

[Photo by Frazer Harrison / Getty Images]