Carl Reiner, who had a seven decade-long career in the entertainment industry, died of natural causes on Monday night, according to his family. The comedian, actor, director and TV producer was born in The Bronx, New York City on March 20, 1922 to Jewish immigrant parents. Reiner served in World War II in the Army Air Forces, and spent the latter part of his military career performing for troops in the Pacific.
After the war, he moved back to New York and starred in a number of broadway productions. In the 1950s he began appearing on TV, and met his long-time friend and comedy partner Mel Brooks. The pair remained friends until Reiner's death, with Brooks eating dinner with Reiner every night in the past decade, according to their appearance on Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. Reiner was best known for creating the The Dick Van Dyke Show, which was initially meant to be a vehicle for him to star in. Network executives didn't want Reiner in the lead, though, so he retooled the show to star Van Dyke, and served as the head writer and creator for all six seasons. He worked regularly into his 90s, and gained a younger set of fans by appearing in the Oceans trilogy in the 2000s. He even had a small voice role as Carl Reineroceros in last year's Toy Story 4, alongside a number of other legendary comedians, including Brooks.
This morning, TMZ broke the news that Reiner had passed away. Sources close to him say he died peacefully at his Beverly Hills home, surrounded by his family, including his filmmaker son Rob Reiner (Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally). Reiner's wife, Estelle, passed away in 2008, after a 64-year marriage. Reiner is also survived by his daughter, author Annie, and youngest son, artist Lucas. Rob Reiner took to Twitter to confirm the news of his father's passing, saying that his father was his "guiding light." You can see the tweet below.
Reiner's legacy extends well beyond his acting work. He was a prolific director, helming 15 movies and directing on a number of TV shows. He is credited with launching the movie career of Steve Martin, directing the comic's breakout movie, The Jerk. His contribution to American comedy in the 20th century is almost unparalleled. His sardonic sense of humor became a standard style for many sitcoms in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 2000, Reiner became the third recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, an acknowledgement of the impact he had on America society throughout his life. His work will live on, and his humor will be remembered fondly by all who came to love him through his TV and movie work. He will be greatly missed.
Source: TMZ, Rob Reiner/Twitter