Washington: Hollywood actor and director Rob Reiner, best known for playing Michael “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family and directing classics including ‘This Is Spinal Tap’, ‘The Princess Bride’ and ‘When Harry Met Sally…’, was found dead in his Brentwood home with his wife Michelle Singer by his side on Sunday afternoon. According to Variety, he was 78 years old.
The deaths are being investigated as a homicide by the Los Angeles Police Department, with reports indicating that the couple were stabbed to death.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the tragic passing of Michelle and Rob Reiner. We are saddened by this sudden loss and ask for privacy during this incredibly difficult time,” the family said in a statement.
Add Zee News as favorite source
The son of renowned writer and comedian Carl Reiner, Reiner first rose to prominence as the hippie son-in-law “Meathead” on CBS’s groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family, winning Emmys as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy in 1974 and 1978.
Over the next decade, Reiner delivered box office hits and cult favorites across a variety of genres, including the coming-of-age drama Stand by Me (1986), the fantasy classic The Princess Bride (1987), the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally… (1989), the thriller Misery (1990), and the courtroom drama A Few Good Men (1992). According to Variety, he co-founded Castle Rock Entertainment in 1987, and produced most of his films and other hits like In the Line of Fire and Needful Things.
Despite declining commercial success in his later years, Renner remained dedicated to telling the stories he wanted to create. He told The Guardian in 2008, “Studios are looking for hundreds of millions of dollars in profits and you’re not going to get that from a small film… But I got into this business to express myself and tell stories, not just produce a product.”
Renner was also a prominent progressive voice advocating for Democratic candidates, gay rights, and political causes in California. Although he once considered running for office, he chose to focus on activism rather than elected positions.
Born in the Bronx on March 6, 1947, Reiner was raised in Hollywood and attended UCLA Film School. He began acting in TV shows such as Batman, That Girl and The Beverly Hillbillies and appeared in his father’s film Enter Laughing (1967).
According to Variety, Renner is survived by his children Jake, Nick and Romy, and was the adoptive father of actress Tracy Renner, the daughter of his first wife, the late Penny Marshall.