Actor Jerry Stiller was not just beloved in the film and television realms, he was also a friend and collaborator to Rush.
As Rush fans probably recall, Stiller starred in a string of tour videos on Rush's R30 and Snakes & Arrows tours.
Stiller died Monday at age 92, his family confirmed. The actor/comedian got his first big break in the '60s in a comedy duo alongside his wife, Anne Meara. He was best known for his recurring roles on Seinfeld as Frank Costanza and on The King of Queens as Arthur Spooner.
Rush shared a lengthy tribute to Stiller via the band's social media.
"We were all saddened to hear the news today of Jerry Stiller's passing," the band wrote. "We had the singular pleasure of knowing and working with him on a couple of Rush's tour films...He was always so generous wth his time and such a good sport to co-operate with our nutty roles for him. He remains a giant in show business and one of the best loved comic actors that ever graced the screen."
You can watch Stiller's bit in the R30 tour open in the player at the top of this page. Watch him in a Snakes & Arrows-era bit here.
The original plan for the R30 opening sequence was to create an animation based on Rush's album covers. The band did that, but ultimately Geddy Lee thought it was too serious. He had the idea to frame the animation as part of someone's abstract dream.
While the obvious choice would be to cast a stoner-type, the band thought the bit worked even better with the hilariously high-strung Stiller in the role.
"We had a few people in mind, and Jerry was very interested in doing it, and he's a real pro," Lifeson recalled. "And it was just such a cool idea to have George Costanza's father introducing the band, you know? So he was a really, really good sport, and I think he did a great job. [We] get a lot of laughs out of that."
Photo: Getty Images