Anne Meara

Actress / Comedienne


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In her over two-hour Archive interview (consisting of one hour solo and just over an hour with her husband and comedy partner, Jerry Stiller), Anne Meara (1929-2015) recalls wanting to be a serious actress. She tells of her time doing Summer stock productions and discusses her roles on Archie Bunker's Plac e, Rhoda, Murphy Brown and Will & Grace. She also details her recurring role on Sex and the City. In her joint interview with Stiller, she describes how the pair became a comedy team. They discuss their many appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, outline their comedy routines and talk of the interactions that they had with Ed Sullivan himself. Meara also speaks of the challenges of raising two children (Ben and Amy Stiller) while on the road. Gary J. Rutkowski conducted the interview on December 12, 2005 in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I couldn't have done it without you [Jerry Stiller] because I had to have someone to hock. It's that simple. Conflict." 

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Anne Meara on her recurring character on Sex and the City
03:48
Anne Meara on appearing on Sesame Street
01:15
Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on how they became a comedy team
01:18
Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on the commercial parodies in their act
01:34
Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on creating their alter egos
02:59
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On her childhood and early influences; on wanting to be a serious actress; on live television versus stage work
On appearing on the soap opera, The Greatest Gift; on starring in the short-lived series Kate McShane; on working with Laurence Olivier
On getting cast in Archie Bunker's Place; on appearing on Rhoda, Murphy Brown, and All My Children
On her play "After Play" and appearing on Oz

Chapter 2

On writing; on appearing on Will & Grace and her recurring character on Sex and the City; on appearing on Sesame Street
On her acting style; on getting typecast; on her proudest career achievement and how she'd like to be remembered

Chapter 3

START OF JOINT INTERVIEW WITH JERRY STILLER: On how they met
On becoming a comedy team; on their television debut as a comedy team on The Ed Sullivan Show; on creating their alter egos; on having children

Chapter 4

On rehearsals and material for The Ed Sullivan Show; on Ed Sullivan
On the commercial parodies in their act; on the legacy of The Ed Sullivan Show
On their Blue Nun radio commercials

Chapter 5

On their appearances on sketch comedy shows; on their rapport
On the difficulties of raising a family while they both worked; on their children, Ben and Amy Stiller, being interested in show business
On fighting for the Cobra bill to extend health insurance for actors; on speaking out politically; on their favorite stories about each other
Shows

All My Children

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Anne Meara on appearing on All My Children in the 1990s
01:07

Archie Bunker's Place

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Anne Meara on getting cast as "Veronica Rooney" in Archie Bunker's Place
01:30
Anne Meara on working with Carroll O'Connor on Archie Bunker's Place
01:12
Anne Meara on working with the cast of Archie Bunker's Place
00:53

Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town

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Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show
01:09
Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on rehearsals for The Ed Sullivan Show
01:16
Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on rehearsals and material for The Ed Sullivan Show
15:35
Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on their last appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and the legacy of the show
05:30

Greatest Gift, The

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Anne Meara on appearing on the soap opera, The Greatest Gift
01:41

King of Queens, The

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Anne Meara on appearing with her husband, Jerry Stiller on The King of Queens
00:26

Medical Center

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Anne Meara on guest-starring on Medical Center
01:29

Merv Griffin Show, The

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Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on their television debut as a comedy team on The Merv Griffin Show
01:21

Murphy Brown

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Anne Meara on appearing on Murphy Brown
00:47

Oz

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Anne Meara on appearing on Oz
00:24

Rhoda

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Anne Meara on appearing on Rhoda
00:43

Sesame Street

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Anne Meara on appearing on Sesame Street
01:15

Sex and the City

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Anne Meara on her recurring character on Sex and the City
03:48
Anne Meara on her character's role in the finale of Sex and the City
01:04

Sex and the City: "An American Girl in Paris (Part Deux)"

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Anne Meara on her character's role in the finale of Sex and the City
01:04

Will & Grace

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Anne Meara on appearing on Will & Grace
00:18
Topics

Hollywood Blacklist

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Anne Meara on her recollections of the Hollywood Blacklist
04:58

Industry Crossroads

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Anne Meara on her recollections of the Hollywood Blacklist
04:58

Television Industry

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Anne Meara on her recollections of the Hollywood Blacklist
04:58
Professions

Actress

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Anne Meara on her path to becoming an actress
01:12
Anne Meara on her acting style
02:22

Comedian

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Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on how they became a comedy team
01:23

Performers

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Anne Meara on her path to becoming an actress
01:12
Anne Meara on her acting style
02:22
Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on how they became a comedy team
01:23
Genres

Comedy Series

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Anne Meara on her recurring character on Sex and the City
03:48

Commercials

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Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on their Blue Nun radio commercials
04:50

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

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Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on rehearsals and material for The Ed Sullivan Show
15:35
People

Martin Balsam

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Anne Meara on working with Martin Balsam on Archie Bunker's Place
00:28

Chad Everett

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Anne Meara on guest-starring on Medical Center
01:29

Michael Patrick King

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Anne Meara on her recurring character on Sex and the City
01:42

Zero Mostel

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Anne Meara on working with the blacklisted actor Zero Mostel
00:37

Cynthia Nixon

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Anne Meara on working with Cynthia Nixon on Sex and the City
01:42

Carroll O'Connor

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Anne Meara on working with Carroll O'Connor on Archie Bunker's Place
01:12

Laurence Olivier

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Anne Meara on working with Laurence Olivier
01:10

Joseph Papp

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Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on working together for Joseph Papp
00:47

Ed Sullivan

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Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on Ed Sullivan
13:43
Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara on Ed Sullivan mispronouncing Anne Meara's name
00:35

All Interviews

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