Carl Reiner never fell out of favor, or of view
Veteran comedian is best remembered for “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Ocean’s” films.
Carl Reiner, the veteran comedian, actor and director known for starring in “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and the “Ocean’s” films, has died at 98.
Reiner’s assistant Judy Nagy told the Associated Press he died Monday night of natural causes his home in Beverly Hills, California.
Filmmaker Rob Reiner, the legendary 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.
Reiner was one of those rare entertainers who never fell out of favor or out of sight, busily maintaining his career and popularity from the day he joined Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows” in 1950 right up to his part in the big-screen “Ocean’s Eleven” family and 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.”
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Reiner.
A younger generation may know him best as the father of actor/director Rob Reiner (and Rob’s siblings Lucas and Annie), but they still know who he is, and that can’t be said of every founding father from TV’s first Golden Age.
And let’s just say this up front: If all he’d ever done was create “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” one of the best and most influential sitcoms ever made, that would have been enough to ensure his place in the American cultural Hall of Fame. Everything else is just more icing on top of the cake.
Tall and physically imposing, yet more put-upon than threatening, Reiner’s gifts as a comic actor were probably most fully exploited in his decadelong stint with Caesar. (Though fans of his work with close pal Mel Brooks on the legendary “The 2000 Year Old Man” albums might disagree.) 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, while showing he could hold his own with the best in the business.
He was also, however, self-aware, in a way many performers aren’t. When Caesar’s runs finally 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