From his initial success in the coffeehouses of Greenwich Village with Anne Meara, who would be the love of his life, to his serenity-seeking days on Seinfeld and later on The King of Queens, Jerry Stiller has consistently proven himself to be a force in showbiz. In Married to Laughter, he brings us into his world and recounts, in a tone that is laugh-out-loud funny and strikingly honest, his passion for entertainment and working with people such as Ed Sullivan, Mike Nichols, Robin Williams, and Jerry Seinfeld, who were there along the way. At the heart of this tale is Stiller's partnership, both onstage and off, with Anne Meara. He shares the affectionate story of their long-surviving relationship, spotlighting the pleasures and challenges of raising a family in an interfaith show business marriage. Married to Laughter is the story of an actor who never let go of his dreams, but ultimately it is the story of two people who found their place in show business without losing sight of each other. Tony Peyser Los Angeles Times Stiller's gifts as a storyteller are abundantly clear... Married to Laughter is a...reminder that behind every successful Hollywood story is a lot of rejection...and tough luck...He emerges as someone you'd love to have as a dinner guest. Jerry Stiller has earned his serenity now. Donald Margulies Married to Laughter captures the sweet essence of Jerry Stiller -- and, in its rough-hewn eloquence, demonstrates why he has been a beloved show business fixture for forty years. Kirkus Reviews More than a biography, this is an account of the whole gamut of emotions and experiences that populate and define a life. Carl Reiner A wonderfully honest and humorous autobiography: The moment I finished it, I called somebody who knew Stiller's number and told him how great a book he had written. Now I tell you! Jerry Stiller earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series and an American Comedy Award for his role as Frank Costanza on Seinfeld. He currently appears on The King of Queens on CBS and has graced the Broadway stage and the silver screen. He lives in New York City. Chapter 1 Anne In 1953, I was in New York City looking for work. I was making rounds with Bea Mortensen, a tall, lovely, redheaded actress. I thought we'd be terrific doing an act together. That wasn't all I wanted to do with Bea. She sensed that my hanging out with her was not solely in hope of theatrical employment, but I never made an overt pass and did everything to disguise my biological feelings. We'd walk down Broadway holding hands, she in two-inch heels and me in my Keds, sending out a message: "See, we're just two crazy show-business people." Bea's making rounds with me must have hinged on some bizarre expectation of hers that we'd actually strike it rich one day. On this spring afternoon we arrived at a casting cattle call in an agent's office. The place was full of chattering hopefuls seeking employment in a summer-stock company. As we waited our turn, Bea recognized a friend of hers, a tall girl, though not quite Bea's height, with auburn hair and an angelic face. They got talking just as the receptionist announced that the agent would start seeing people. I was sandwiched between them. The conversation proceeded as if I weren't there. "By the way, this is Jerry," Bea said. "Hi," I said, extending my hand in a kind of manly way. The angel-faced girl shook it. She looked sort of puritanical and smelled nice. She was wearing Mary Chess perfume, I later learned. "Anne Meara," the secretary called. "That's me," the girl said. "I already know I'm too tall to play the ingenue and too young to be a character woman." She's very self-demeaning, I thought. "Okay, wish me luck," she said, disappearing into the inner office. Bea looked at me soulfully and said, "That's a nice girl." I knew instantly that this was the kiss-off. "You'll like her," Bea said. "She's a very sweet girl." I felt like a baseball card being traded. Before I could fully comprehend that Bea's and my relationship had ended, the agent's door flew open and Anne Meara, in tears, burst back into the room. "What happened?" everyone asked. "He chased me. He chased me all around the desk," she said. Her face was flushed. "I think I'm going back to Rockville Centre. My father told me New York was a tough place." "Who's next?" the secretary said. "Who's Jerry Stiller?" "I'm next," I said. I'd seen this agent on many occasions, and he'd always paid me the courtesy of saying hello. His walls were full of pictures of stars he claimed he handled. He wore a houndstooth sports jacket and always seemed to be on vacation. He was basically harmless, but he also loved to play practical jokes on me, Once he asked me to light his cigar. I hesitated, "Light it," he snapped. When I struck the match, it flared brightly. He went into hysterical laughter. Today he asked, "What have you been up to these days?"