A loopy standup comedian, actor and writer, Meara paired with her husband Jerry Stiller and became something of a staple on the American comedy scene beginning in the late 1950s. Sometimes viewed as the common man's Nichols and May, Stiller and Meara, with their schmaltzy Brooklyn-accented gags and skits, worked the early comedy circuit that spawned such talents as Bill Cosby and Joan Rivers, and included such venues as The Village Gate and The Blue Angel. Achieving something of a record with 34 appearances on the legendary Ed Sullivan variety show on CBS, they formed a production company in