WATCH: Rob Reiner’s ‘Towering Career’ Remembered
As murders of the acclaimed filmmaker and his wife, Michele, rock Hollywood, we examine a memorable life: ‘We underestimate how influential he was’
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
I mentioned the tragic deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, briefly in Monday’s newsletter. Still, for one of the most significant figures in Hollywood over the last 50 years, more eulogizing was required.
Earlier, I hopped onto Substack Live with my colleagues Richard Rushfield and Christopher Rosen to discuss what Richard rightly hailed as the “towering career of a towering presence” in the industry. From his early days as a sitcom star on All in the Family to his remarkable 12-year run of feature films, starting with 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap and ending with 1996’s The American President — with 1986’s Stand By Me, 1987’s The Princess Bride and 1989’s When Harry Met Sally among those in between — Reiner influenced a generation.
“You could put that stretch of movies up against literally anybody — including Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese,” Chris said. “I don’t think that’s an overstatement.”
Born in 1947, Reiner grew up in the industry — his father was the legendary comic Carl Reiner, and the younger Reiner grew up around folks like Mel Brooks, Sid Caesar and Norman Lear.
“His career goes back lifetimes; his father’s career goes back to practically the dawn of Hollywood, the dawn of television, certainly,” Richard said. “Rob was a symbol of what is best about Hollywood in its way. His movies really are sort of classic Hollywood movies. They’re all over the spectrum in terms of genre, but they’re just done with such grace, wit and a light touch; it’s really something.”
Watch our conversation above (or listen on Apple Podcasts) for more about what the industry has lost with the death of the Reiners and why Donald Trump’s disgusting comments after their murders should give pause to anyone willing to work with the president and his administration.
“The backdrop here is the idea that Hollywood — and the spirit of the industry — is being dismantled,” Richard said. “You need to look good and hard at that [statement]. You live in this community, and the person you’re becoming business partners with is a man who mocked the murder of an elderly icon of this industry. That’s who you’re out with. Think about what that says about you, if that’s something you think is important.”