Estelle Harris

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BIRTHDAY

April 23, 1936

RECENT CREDITS

Curb Your Enthusiasm (TV) Nov. 15, 2009

Fanboy and Chum Chum (TV) Nov. 7, 2009

American Dad (TV) Sep. 27, 2009

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (TV) Sep. 1, 2008

iCarly (TV) Oct. 20, 2007

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BIOGRAPHY

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This petite (5'3"), sixtyish redheaded actress found almost cult status playing the screechy-voiced Estelle Costanza, mother to Jason Alexander and wife to Jerry Stiller on "Seinfeld" (NBC, 1992-). Estelle Harris is one of those performers to whom success came late. She was a Long Island homemaker raising her children and dabbling, when she could, in dinner theater and TV commercials. It is a scenario not unlike that of another Estelle--Getty--who raised children in Queens before hitting it big after age 60 as Sophia Petrillo on "The Golden Girls". In Harris' case, she had had a few film roles here and there, such as in "Looking Up" (1977), and as the mother of Peggy, the girl the boys do on the roof, in "Once Upon a Time in America" (1984). But it was not until her son Greg, a music promoter, suggested Harris try her luck in California that she gave it a whirl. She landed a 1986 episode of "Night Court" and over the years appeared in commercials and others series like "Brooklyn Bridge", "Law & Order" and "Mad About You". By 1992, she had made her first appearance on "Seinfeld", in the now classic "The Contest" episode. Her role was upgraded to recurring from 1993 and also spawned a series of telephone company commercials that co-starred Jerry Stiller, who played her TV husband. Harris also appeared as a receptionist on Shelley Long's short-lived sitcom "Good Advice" (CBS, 1993).

Harris has had small roles in feature films in the 90s as well. She was particularly memorable as Aunt Harriet in "This Is My Life" (1992), whose death gives Julie Kavner the funds to leave Ozone Park, move to Manhattan and try to make it as a stand-up comic. More recently, she was featured in a small role as one of the cruise ship passengers in "Out to Sea" (1997).

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