R.I.P. Estelle Harris, Seinfeld and Toy Story favorite
The beloved character actor, who held her own against Jerry Stiller and Don Rickles, has died
Aux News toy story
Estelle Harris, a beloved character actor best known in live-action for playing George Constanza’s easily frustrated mother on Seinfeld and best known in animation for playing devoted toy matriarch Mrs. Potato Head in the Toy Story series, has died. This comes from Deadline, which says she died of natural causes on Saturday night. Harris was 93.
Born in New York in 1928, Harris didn’t even begin professionally pursuing an acting career until after her three children had grown up, making her debut in the film Looking Up in 1977. At the same time, she became a reliable commercial spokesperson, appearing in dozens of ads a year at one point. She was also in Once Upon A Time In America, NightCourt, Married… With Children, a Law & Order episode, and Mad About You.
But her breakout role was, of course, playing Estelle Costanza (Deadline says the character was named before she was cast) on Seinfeld, with her frequently antagonistic relationship with her family painting a brilliantly clear picture of how Jason Alexander’s George Costanza could grow up to be the kind of man he was. That’s to say nothing of the fact that she held her own against the incredible Jerry Stiller, with the duo’s screaming matches (punctuated with Harris’ instantly memorable cries like “You’re killing him!”) solidifying their place as two of the funniest sitcom actors of all time.
Harris’ Seinfeld role is so iconic that a huge number of her subsequent roles were pretty clearly responses or references to her work on Seinfeld. She often popped up as a character’s previously unseen mother, like on the Hercules cartoon, Futurama, and Disney’s Kim Possible, and it’s hard to argue that she’s playing anything other than a nicer version of Estelle Costanza in the Toy Story series—once again holding her own against a comedy icon, this time Don Rickles, who played Mr. Potato Head. Her final credited film role was her appearance as Mrs. Potato Head in Toy Story 4.
On Twitter, Jason Alexander posted a tribute to his “TV mama,” saying, “one of my favorite people has passed” and that “playing with her and relishing her glorious laughter was a treat.”
12 Comments
I’m glad I packed my sad eyes. R.I.P.
I remembered to bring my sad eyes for this. A good long life, yet its a shame to see her go all the same.
She doesn’t even appear in any of these scenes but they wouldn’t be as hilarious without her. Rest in peace Estelle.
“LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!!!”God, George’s parents were the best way to show why George is…George.
“But her breakout role was, of course, playing Estelle Costanza . . . painting a brilliantly clear picture of how Jason Alexander’s George Costanza could grow up to be the kind of man he was.”Well put. I don’t know if “The Contest” was her first appearance as his mom, but it was certainly the one where she made a big impression. Lying in a hospital bed after she fainted when she caught her adult son masturbating, yelling at him that that she’s hungry while he’s trying to catch a glimpse of an attractive patient being bathed by a nurse. Instantly told us so much about George. RIP.
You’re correct, it was her first appearance, and it was certainly a memorable one.
The world lost a funny, funny lady. She and Jerry Stiller had amazing on-screen chemistry. The two of them are my favorite sitcom couple, just absolutely hilarious every scene they are in. Thanks for sharing your talents with the world Estelle!
RIP Estelle. thank you for the laughs, the many, many, many belly laughs x “Serenity now and always.” – i love this, i’m going to use this.
What am I supposed to do with all this paella?!
“I come home in the middle of the day and find you treating your body like an AMUSEMENT park ride. It’s too bad you can’t too THAT for a living, George. You’d be very good at it!” – good lord, she was so funny. I remember her and Ben Stiller did TV spots in character as Frank and Estelle Estelle: “Let’s go to a show. What do you see? How about Les Miz?”Frank: “No, I want to see Phantom.”Estelle: “Well, I wanna see Les Miz!!”Frank: “And I want to see PHANTOM!!!!!!!!”