We are deeply saddened by the loss of comedian and actress Anne Meara. With husband and partner, Jerry Stiller, the two made up the comedy duo of “Stiller and Meara.” The husband and wife comedy performers became regulars on The Ed Sullivan Show, appearing a staggering 36 times. While the team can certainly be remembered for the sheer quantity of performances on the show, the quality of their material is what separates them from the pack. Their natural chemistry combined with fresh, funny material on everything from relationships to their different religious backgrounds, made them a comedic force in the 60’s.

By 1970, the duo mainly began focusing on their individual careers as the act began affecting their marriage. As Meara described their performance relationship, “I didn’t know where the act ended and our marriage began.” Stiller echoed his wife’s sentiment, stating: “I love Anne, but if I had depended on her in my professional life, I would have lost her as a wife. We felt like two guys.”

Despite the collaborative split, Meara experienced individual success as an actress and writer. She was nominated for four Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and won a Writers Guild Award as a co-writer for “The Other Woman,” a 1983 TV movie. The couple eventually reunited professionally, producing a hilarious web series called “Stiller and Meara Show” with the help of their son, Ben Stiller. In this series the couple discuss everything from current events to pop culture, but their playful banter as husband and wife still resonates. With a prolific career that has spanned over five decades in many facets of entertainment, the couple has maintained their relevance as comedic pioneers. Undoubtedly, Anne Meara’s incredible talent made her a female comic trailblazer.