Jerry Seinfeld has remembered the late Jerry Stiller as ''unbelievably funny'', after he passed away this week at the age of 92.
Jerry Seinfeld has remembered the late Jerry Stiller as ''unbelievably funny''.
The late actor tragically passed away this week at the age of 92, and Seinfeld - who starred with Stiller on his eponymously titled sitcom - has recalled the moment he agreed to hire Stiller to play Frank, the father of George Costanza (Jason Alexander).
Seinfeld admitted he was originally unsure about the casting because Stiller wasn't ''bald'' like he'd envisaged Frank to be, but gave him a chance because 'Seinfeld' writer Larry Charles kept mentioning him.
He said: ''['Seinfeld' writer Larry Charles] kept saying, Jerry Stiller, Jerry Stiller. I remember Stiller and Meara from the '60s, but I hadn't seen Jerry in a while and I just didn't - and I thought, well, but he's not bald. But Larry just kept mentioning him and finally we brought him in.''
And after seeing Stiller in the role, Seinfeld admitted the casting was ''perfect'', because Stiller ''had the most amazing comedic stuff''.
He added: ''Those packages of just Jerry Stiller bits on my show are so unbelievably funny. What I loved about him is he so completes the George story. When you meet the father, you go, 'Oh, now I understand why he's like that.'
''It was the perfect finishing of the painting of George Costanza was Frank Costanza. He had the most amazing comedic stuff.''
Seinfeld was so happy with the casting, he gave Stiller free reign to put his own unique spin on the character, which yielded amazing results.
Speaking on Thursday's (14.05.20) edition of 'What a Joke with Papa & Fortune' on SiriusXM's 'Netflix Is a Joke Radio', he explained: ''We didn't know if he was planning it or it just came out that way, or he couldn't remember the line, or we didn't know what it was.
''We never gave Jerry Stiller a note. I never adjusted his performance once. Whatever he did, that's it. We're putting that out there. I don't know why he did it like that. I don't know why he screamed on that line. It doesn't matter. It's funny. So funny. I am such a dedicated believer in if it's funny, don't touch it. I don't care why it's funny. I don't care what the line was supposed to be. He said it that way, we're doing it that way.''
Stiller sadly passed away this week from ''natural causes'', and his death was confirmed by his son and fellow actor Ben Stiller.
Ben wrote on social media: ''I'm sad to say that my father, Jerry Stiller, passed away from natural causes. He was a great dad and grandfather, and the most dedicated husband to Anne for about 62 years. He will be greatly missed. Love you Dad.''
On the same day that Glastonbury welcomed back Margate's adopted sons, The Libertines, Margate itself put on it's very own Leisure Festival as it...
Oasis fans hoping to get tickets for the band's reunion shows are being asked a trivia question to secure access to a pre-sale ballot.
Sheffield's very own all girl group Pretty Fierce are still on a high after the recent release of their debut single - 'Ready For Me'.
Three nights before the end of his current tour Will Varley returned to his home town of Deal to delight a sold out crowd in The Astor Theatre.
With only a few days to go before Portsmouth based songstress and producer WYSE releases her new single, 'Belladonna', we caught up with her to find...
Colorado raised, Glasgow educated and Manchester based Bay Bryan is nothing if not a multi-talented, multi-faceted artist performing as both...
Former Marigolds band member Keelan Cunningham has rediscovered his love of music with his new solo project Keelan X.
Wiltshire singer-songwriter Luke De Sciscio, formally known as Folk Boy, is set to release is latest album - 'The Banquet' via AntiFragile Music on...
Andre Allen has been voted the Funniest Man in America in his illustrious career as...
Comedians are not funny people. If we're to believe Christian Charles' aptly-titled documentary, they're...