‘Seinfeld’ star Jason Alexander posts moving tribute to ‘TV mama’ Estelle Harris
‘Seinfeld’ star Jason Alexander posts moving tribute to ‘TV mama’ Estelle Harris
Seinfeld star Jason Alexander posted a moving tribute to his “TV mama” Estelle Harris, who has died age 93.
The stage and screen actor, who starred as as George Costanza’s high-pitched, high-drama mother on the ’90s sitcom, passed away on Saturday in Palm Desert, California, her agent confirmed.
Harris starred alongside the late Jerry Stiller as George’s parents, Estelle and Frank, constantly throwing barbs at each other and giving unsolicited advice to their onscreen son. Estelle debuted in the 1992 Emmy Award-winning Seinfeld episode, “The Contest.”
“One of my favorite people has passed – my tv mama, Estelle Harris,” Alexander wrote on Twitter. “The joy of playing with her and relishing her glorious laughter was a treat.”
In a moving moment for fans, Alexander used one of Seinfeld‘s famous and oft-quoted lines, which Frank Costanza originally roared, a phrase taken from his relaxation cassette: “Serenity now!”
“I adore you, Estelle. Love to your family,” he wrote. “Serenity now and always.”
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Seinfeld star Julia Louis Dreyfus, who played Elaine Benes on the show, also tweeted a tribute to Harris.
Harris was born in New York City on April 22, 1928, and grew up there and also in Pittsburgh. A longtime actor of stage, film, and TV, from Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America to The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, she also famously played Mrs. Potato Head in the Toy Story franchise, bringing the same kind of hilariously chaotic energy of Estelle Costanza to the role.