Anne Meara was an American actress, comedian, and writer. She was best known as a stand-up comedian and as half of the comedy duo Stiller and Meara with her husband Jerry Stiller. She was nominated for four Emmy Awards for her work in television and appeared in films such as The Out-of-Towners, Fame, and Awakenings. Meara also had a successful career on Broadway, appearing in productions such as Anna Christie and After-Play.