Reiner, beloved creator of ‘Van Dyke Show,’ dies
Carl Reiner, a veteran comedian, actor and director known for starring in “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and the “Ocean’s Eleven” films, has died at 98.
Reiner’s assistant, Judy Nagy, told The Associated Press that he died Monday night of natural causes at his home in Beverly Hills, California.
Filmmaker Rob Reiner, the actor’s son, confirmed his father’s death in a tweet Tuesday.
“Last night my dad passed away. As I write this my heart is hurting. He was my guiding light,” he tweeted.
Carl Reiner was one of those rare entertainers who never fell out of favor or out of sight, maintaining his career and popularity from the day he joined Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows” in 1950 up to his part in the big-screen “Ocean’s Eleven” franchise and his role as Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer’s stepfather on “Two and a Half Men.”
Reiner shared a tweet just days before his death, reflecting on his life and family.
“Nothing pleases me more than knowing that I have lived the best life possible by having met & marrying the gifted Estelle (Stella) Lebost,” Reiner tweeted Saturday, “who partnered with me in bringing Rob, Annie & Lucas Reiner into to this needy & evolving world.”
Reiner’s gifts as a comic actor were probably most fully exploited in his decade-long stint with Caesar. Drawing on his early acting experience in such stage reviews as “Call Me Mister” and “Inside U.S.A.,” Reiner proved to be a master of the sharp, sly dig and the explosive, agitated outburst. ,
When Caesar’s run came to an end, Reiner made a push for the star spot by creating his own sitcom, “Head of the Family.” When the network rejected “Head,” fearing Reiner didn’t have the onscreen warmth required to keep the audience invested in the story of a TV writer, he reworked the show as a vehicle for a young Broadway actor and gave the world “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”
Van Dyke brought a new level of wit, sex appeal and sophistication to the genre. Switching back and forth between Rob Petrie’s job as a writer on the fictional “Alan Brady Show” with his role as suburban husband to Laura (Mary
Tyler Moore), Reiner helped create both the modern workplace sitcom and the modern concept that coworkers are another kind of family. He also slipped in a perfect role for himself as the vainglorious, hilariously puffed-up TV star Brady.
“When I started that show, I had a feeling it was going to have a long life because it was based on something real: my life,” Reiner told USA TODAY in May 2019. For longevity’s sake, “I told myself, ‘No slang of the day. No politics. Just ethics.’ The only thing that remains for a long time is the ethics. (And) this show did have a life that should go on after I’m gone.”
Reiner later did voiceover work in animated series including “Family Guy,” “Bob’s Burgers” and “American Dad,” among others, and had a recurring role in “Hot in Cleveland” alongside Betty White.
His film work included “Enter Laughing,” the 1967 movie adaptation of his autobiography, and such well-regarded comedies as “The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming,” “Oh God!” and “The Jerk.”