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‘Dick Van Dyke Show’ and ‘The Jerk’ Star Carl Reiner Dies at Age 98
Rest in peace. Carl Reiner died at his Beverly Hills home at age 98 on Monday, June 29, TMZ reports. According to the outlet, the iconic entertainer, best known for creating and starring in The Dick Van Dyke Show, was surrounded by family when he died.
Carl’s eldest son, Rob Reiner, also confirmed his father’s death on Tuesday morning. “Last night, my dad passed away,” the All in the Family actor, 73, wrote on Twitter. “As I write this, my heart is hurting. He was my guiding light.”
Aside from his iconic TV and film roles, Carl was also a producer and director with over 400 credits. Throughout his career, he took home a Grammy Award and nine Emmy Awards, as well as tons of other achievements including a TV Land Legend Award and an induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Although it seems Carl was destined for Hollywood, acting wasn’t necessarily his first career path. While growing up as the son of two Jewish immigrants in New York City, Carl worked as a sewing machine repairman. However, he served as a radio operator and toured as an actor while getting drafted into the Air Force during World War II.
After he began performing in musicals on Broadway in the late 1940s, Carl got his first taste of fame and superstardom when he worked alongside Mel Brooks and Neil Simon in the 1950 sketch comedy Your Show of Shows. Carl then teamed up with the director, 94, and the two starred together in The Steve Allen Show from 1956 to 1964.
“Carl was a giant, unmatched in his contributions to entertainment,” Mel told Closer in a statement. “He created comedy gems like The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Jerk and Where’s Poppa? I met him in 1950 when he joined Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows and we’ve been best friends ever since. I loved him. When we were doing The 2000 Year Old Man together there was no better straight man in the world. So whether he wrote or performed or he was just your best friend —nobody could do it better. He’ll be greatly missed. A tired cliché in times like this, but in Carl Reiner’s case, it’s absolutely true. He will be greatly missed.”
While Carl has appeared in an endless amount of TV shows and films, he’s best known for The Dick Van Dyke Show. Not only did the Hollywood alum made his directorial debut, but he starred alongside late actress Mary Tyler Moore as the role of Alan Brady.
As he got older, the Summer Rental director continued his work in showbiz. Carl appeared in prominent series including Two and a Half Men, Hot in Cleveland, House and more. The comedian also had roles in Ocean’s Thirteen, Toy Story 4 and Duck Duck Goose.
He may be remembered for his long list of accomplishments, but Carl also left a mark as the loving dad of his three kids, Rob, Annie Reiner, 71, and Lucas Reiner, 60. The actor — who was married to wife Estelle Reiner from 1943 until her death in 2008 — credited his late spouse for making his personal life even more successful than his professional one.
“My wife laid it out pretty clear,” Carl exclusively shared with Closer Weekly in March 2019. “Marry someone who can stand you at your worst.”
The proud dad also shared advice on how he stayed strong through the tough times. “Don’t lie about anything. You are very similar to everybody else in the world: You love, you hate, you have friends, you have enemies,” he insisted. “Be who you are.”
