Estelle Harris, who was best known for playing George Costanza’s mother on Seinfeld, died Saturday in Palm Desert, California. She was 93.
“It is with the greatest remorse and sadness to announce that Estelle Harris has passed on this evening at 6:25pm,” her son Glen Harris told Deadline in a statement.
Glen held his mother, who was weeks away from turning 94 as she took her final breath.
She was born Estelle Nussbaum in New York City on April 22, 1928, but grew up in Tarentum, Pennsylvania with her aunt and uncle who ran a general store.
Estelle and her husband, Sy Harris who she married in 1953, had three children and for a time she stayed home and took care of them. Eventually she started to find work at dinner theaters and commercials.
Thanks to her unique voice and comedic talent, she was known as the “Queen of Commercials” after having booked 25 national TV spots in a single year.
“Her passion was her work,” Glen said, “and her work was her passion.”
One of her most famous commercials was for Handi-Wrap.
Estelle’s first on-screen credit didn’t occur until 1977 when she appeared in Looking Up. And it wouldn’t be until nearly two decades later when she got her breakthrough role on Seinfeld.
Although she only appeared in 27 episodes, Estelle’s character, Estelle Costanza alongside her husband Frank played by the late Jerry Stiller, was beloved character.
Often times her character, George Costanza’s mother, stole the scene from the show’s four main characters.
With a shrill voice, a quick temper, and a mother-son relationship so believable, she often had people on the street approach her and tell her how much her on-screen character reminded them of their own mother. Her success on Seinfeld opened the door to other opportunities including roles in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Mad About You, ER, Law & Order, and perhaps her next most famous role, the voice of Mrs. Potato Head in the Toy Story series.
Those who worked with her mourned her loss over the weekend.
Jason Alexander who played George Costanza, honored his “TV mama” with a tweet.
He also thanked those for reaching out to him and sharing their memories of Estelle.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus also expressed her condolences to the celebrated actress.
“Her kindness, passion, sensitivity, humor, empathy and love were practically unrivaled, and she will be terribly missed by all those who knew her,” her son said.
Estelle, provided us all with years of laughs. May you rest in peace.
