'Seinfeld' Alum Pay Tribute to Estelle Harris, George's Short-Fused Mom

Tributes poured in for actress Estelle Harris on social media after she died at age 93 on Saturday.

Harris is known for iconic roles including on the sitcom Seinfeld, where she played George Costanza's short-fused mother, and in Pixar's Toy Story franchise, where she played Mrs. Potato Head. She died Saturday evening in Palm Desert, California, just days before her 94th birthday, Deadline reported.

Her son, Glen Harris, told Deadline in a statement that his mother's "kindness, passion, sensitivity, humor, empathy and love were practically unrivaled, and she will be terribly missed by all those who knew her."

One co-star in particular on Seinfeld took to Twitter to remember Harris.

Jason Alexander, who played her son George Costanza, tweeted: "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. Love to your family. Serenity now and always. #RIPEstelleHarris."

Carol Leifer, who worked as a writer on the show, wrote on Twitter: "So sad to hear about the passing of the hilarious Estelle Harris. On 'Seinfeld' set with her and the great Jerry Stiller shooting 'The Rye.' She made everything we wrote that much funnier. A true gift to work with her!"

Harris also played a large number of guest roles on other shows and films, including ER, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and Once Upon a Time in America. She was also once dubbed the "Queen of Commercials," Deadline reported.

She described her character on Seinfeld as "the mother that everybody loves, even though she's a pain in the neck," according to the BBC.

She was born April 22, 1928 in New York City and began acting during high school productions, the Associated Press reported. She is survived by three children, three grandsons and a great grandson.

Others also paid tribute to Harris following the news of her death, praising her comedic role on Seinfeld and the impact she had on the television and film industry.

Radio host Eric Alper wrote that Harris "really played all our moms."

Actress Giselle Eisenberg wrote: "Estelle Harris was funny, beautiful, kind & incredibly talented! We made a commercial together once and she told the director 'I'm not doing another take until you promise to give Giselle this dress to keep!' They gave me the dress. I will cherish knowing Estelle forever."

"A shame to lose such a wonderful actress who brought us so much laughter. Her brilliant, comedic work on #Seinfeld will entertain generations. But don't forget her fantastic VO work, numerous TV guest spots and occasional film roles. She always delivered," wrote critic John Rocha.

Estelle Harris remembered by Seinfeld stars
Tributes poured in for actress Estelle Harris, above in Los Angeles in March 2008, after she died at 93 years old Saturday. Michael Tran/FilmMagic/GettyImages

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go