Claim: Ben Stiller acts in comedies.

Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller -LRB- born November 30 , 1965 -RRB- is an American actor , comedian and filmmaker . He is the son of veteran comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara .   After beginning his acting career with a play , Stiller wrote several mockumentaries , and was offered his own show entitled The Ben Stiller Show , which he produced and hosted for its 13-episode run . Having previously acted in television , he began acting in films ; he made his directorial debut with Reality Bites . Throughout his career he has written , starred in , directed , or produced more than 50 films , including The Secret Life of Walter Mitty , Zoolander , The Cable Guy , There 's Something About Mary , the Meet the Parents trilogy , DodgeBall , Tropic Thunder , the Madagascar series , and the Night at the Museum trilogy . In addition , he has had multiple cameos in music videos , television shows , and films .   Stiller is a member of a group of comedic actors colloquially known as the Frat Pack . His films have grossed more than $ 2.6 billion in Canada and the United States , with an average of $ 79 million per film . Throughout his career , he has received multiple awards and honors , including an Emmy Award , multiple MTV Movie Awards and a Teen Choice Award .