Estelle Harris was born Estelle Nussbaum on April 22 in New York City. Growing up, she took part in school productions, but following her marriage to Sy Harris in 1952 she settled into life as a homemaker and mother. As her children got older, Mrs.Harris returned to acting. She appeared in local productions and found a good deal of success in TV commercials. One year she appeared in 27 different national commercials. The commercials on which Mrs. Harris starred ranged from Handi-Wrap to Transamerica Corporation.
Estelle Harris made her film debut in 1977 in Looking Up. That same year she appeared in Summerdog (1977). In the Eighties she appeared in the movies Once Upon a Time in America (1984) and Stand and Deliver (1988). She found a good deal of success on television, making her television debut in an episode of Night Court in 1985. In the late Eighties she guest starred on the shows Married with Children and Mathnet.
It was in 1992 that she began playing George Constanza's nagging mother Estelle on Seinfeld, remaining on the show for the rest of its run. Prior to Seinfeld she was a regular on the show Good Advice. She guest starred on the shows Brooklyn Bridge, Mad About You, Chicago Hope, Fallen Angels, In the House, Star Trek: Voyager, Night Stand, Moesha, Living Single, Cybill, The Parkers, Sunset Beach, and Providence. She provided voices for several animated TV series, among them Aladdin, Timon & Pumbaa, The Mask, and Godzilla: The Series. She appeared in the movies This is My Life (1992), Perfect Alibi (1995), Ski Hard (1996), Out to Sea (1997), Chairman of the Board (1998), The Odd Couple II (1998), My Giant (1998), Lost and Found (1999), What's Cooking? (2000), Dancing in September (2000), and Playing Mona Lisa (2000). She was the voice of Mrs. Potato Head in Toy Story 2 (2000).
In the Naughts Estelle Harris was a regular voice on the animated series Queer Duck and Dave the Barbarian. She was a guest voice on such animated shows as Family Guy, The Proud Family, Kim Possible, and The Emperor's New School. She was had a recurring role on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. She guest starred on the shows Half & Half, Regular Joe, Mind of Mencia, ER, iCarly, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Sonny with a Chance. Estelle Harris appeared in the movies Good Advice (2001), The Grand (2007), and Movin' On (2010). She was a voice in the animated movies Brother Bear (2003), Teacher's Pet (2004), Home on the Range (2004), and Toy Story 3 (2010).
In the Teens Mrs. Harris was a regular on the TV show Greetings from Home. She was a regular voice on Fanboy & Chum Chum and Jake and the Never Land Pirates. She guest starred on Retried at 35; Are You There, Chelsea?, and The Exes. She was a guest voice on the animated shows The Looney Tunes Show and Futurama.She appeared in the movies CBGB (2013) and Promoted (2015). She was the voice of Mrs. Potato Head in Toy Story 4 (2019).
Estelle Harris was a wonderful actress. I have to think she will always be best remembered as George's nagging mother on Seinfeld and the sweet-natured Mrs. Potato Head in the Toy Story movies, but she played a wide variety of roles in her career. I will always remember her as the sweet, supportive secretary of Garfield High in the classic movie Stand and Deliver. She also appeared in three episodes of Night Court the good natured, kindly hooker Sweet Mary. On Married...With Children she played a customer shopping for she she can dance in. In the TV movie Addams Family Reunion, she played Grandma Addams. Over the years Estelle Harris played many different roles. And whether it was in live action or animation, she always gave a good performance.
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