One of the most iconic Jewish mothers on television has passed away at the age of 93.
Harris, who was most famous for playing Estelle Constanza in Seinfeld, played the neurotic Jewish mother of George Costanza for nine seasons on the award-winning show.
Born Estelle Nussbaum in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, she was the daugher of Isaac and Anna Nussbaum, Polish-Jewish immigrants who owned a candy store in the city. After leaving the city when she was seven, she raised a family in Pennsylvania before starting an acting career in 1977.
After winning a number of smaller roles including a walk-on part in US crime drama Law & Order she eventually found fame in 1992 when she landed the role in Seinfeld.
Along with onscreen husband Jerry Stiller, who passed away in May 2020, Harris was praised for her shrill portrayal of a stereotypical Jewish mother. In a 1998 interview with a local Pittsburgh paper, she said: “She is the mother that everybody loves, even though she’s a pain in the neck.”
The actress also spoke of her surprise at the enduring legacy of Seinfeld, telling an interviewer in 2012: "In the last year or two, all of a sudden these youngsters recognize me as Mrs. Costanza, Estelle Costanza.
"So we have a whole new age group, and I'm getting a lot of fan mail from these young people too. I think 'Seinfeld,' because of the writing and the right cast, will go on for years and years."
After Seinfeld ended, she later took on similar matronly roles including voicing Mrs. Potato head in the Toy Story franchise. Her last film role was in Toy Story 4 in 2019.
Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza in the show, paid tribute to his on-screen mother in an emotional tweet.
He said: “One of my favorite people has passed – my tv mama, Estelle Harris. The joy of playing with her and relishing her glorious laughter was a treat. I adore you, Estelle,”
According to her agent, Harris died at her home in Palm Desert, California, on April 2, 2022, at the age of 93.
