Prolific Filmmaker and Actor Rob Reiner Dies at 78

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that prolific filmmaker Rob Reiner, director of such films as When Harry Met Sally... and The Princess Bride, has died at the age of 78.

He and his wife, photographer Michele Singer, were both found dead in their Brentwood home on Sunday, December 14. The case has been marked as an "apparent homicide," and their son Nick has since been booked in jail as a possible suspect.

Reiner was born into a showbiz family, with his father being the television comedy writer and performer Carl Reiner, and his mother Estelle Reiner, an actress and singer. As an actor, Rob Reiner became known for his early television roles. For his role as "Meathead" in the 1970s sitcom All in the Family, he won two Emmy Awards. In 1980, his father directed him in the short-lived play, The Roast on Broadway, which closed after only 9 previews and 5 performances.  

In 1984, Reiner turned to filmmaking with the mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap. In addition to directing, he also appeared in the film, playing the documentarian Marty Di Bergi. Receiving acclaim upon its initial release, the movie has since become a cult classic (Broadway composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim considered it among his favorite films).

His seven-year stretch as a director from 1986 to 1992 was unprecedented. In 1986, Stand by Me was released. A coming-of-age drama based on a Stephen King novella, the movie was a great success and has remained a popular favorite in the years since its debut.

Reiner followed that with The Princess Bride in 1987, a swashbuckling comedy led by Cary Elwes, which is widely considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. Next came the beloved romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally..., the Stephen King psychological thriller Misery, and the military legal drama A Few Good Men. His accolades include an Academy Award nomination and eight Golden Globe nominations. 

Over the years, he appeared in supporting roles in movies and television, including Postcards from the Edge, Sleepless in Seattle, Bullets Over Broadway, The First Wives Club, Primary Colors, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Wolf of Wall Street, and more. His recent directorial output included Being Charlie (co-written by his son, Nick), LBJ, and a documentary about actor Albert Brooks. 

In addition to his work in entertainment, Reiner was active politically, speaking out on issues such as same-sex marriage rights and advocating for quality education for young children. He returned to Broadway in a one-night-only performance of Dustin Lance Black's play 8, which dramatized the trial regarding California's Proposition 8, an amendment intended to ban same-sex marriage in the state. 

Reiner's most recent project was Spinal Tap II, a sequel to the 1984 film, which reunited the director with the original cast, played by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer. The movie was released in theaters on September 12, 2025.