Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and Rob Reiner attend 'Anniversary Film: This is Spinal Tap-35 Years' at Beacon Theatre on April 27, 2019 in New York City.
Rob Reiner, the acclaimed director, actor and producer whose work helped define modern American film and television comedy, has died alongside his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, it was confirmed late Sunday (Dec. 14).
A spokesperson for the Reiner family confirmed the deaths Sunday evening. “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”
Emergency responders from the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived around 3:30-3:40 p.m. PT to the Chadbourne Avenue property following a medical aid call, discovering a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman deceased with stab wounds.
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The LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division is investigating, with no suspect identified or detained as of Sunday evening; no signs of forced entry were reported
“We are not looking for anyone as a suspect or in any other manner right now,” Hamilton said, adding that police will not release further details until the Los Angeles County coroner completes formal identification and investigators gather additional evidence.
Reiner, who turned 78 in March, was one of Hollywood’s most influential creative figures. He first rose to prominence in the 1970s as Mike “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family, earning two Emmy Awards, before becoming a defining filmmaker of the 1980s and ’90s.
His directing credits include This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally…, Misery and A Few Good Men.
In September, Reiner spoke with Billboard about the enduring legacy of This Is Spinal Tap ahead of the release of its long-awaited sequel, Spinal Tap II, reflecting on how closely the original film mirrored real rock culture.
“Life imitating art imitating life,” Reiner said during the September interview, appearing on Zoom wearing a Spinal Tap baseball cap and T-shirt. “In Oasis’ case, they’re real brothers, but with Spinal Tap, the two guys were best friends since they were little and break apart and come back together.”
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Discussing the emotional core of the sequel, Reiner said the film leaned beyond satire. “The emotional ballast of the movie is the relationship between the two guys,” he said. “Now, many years later, they’re older. The same issues are happening, but it’s deeper because they’ve known each other longer.”
Originally released in 1984, This Is Spinal Tap was not a box office success but became a cult classic through home video and word of mouth, particularly among musicians. Reiner previously noted that some rock stars initially bristled at how closely the film mirrored reality.
“We took [moments] from the real world of rock and roll,” he said, citing backstage mishaps and infamous tour lore that later became part of music mythology.
The son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, who died in 2020, Rob Reiner married photographer Michele Singer Reiner in 1989 after meeting while he was directing When Harry Met Sally…. The couple shared three children. Reiner was previously married to actor and filmmaker Penny Marshall, who died in 2018.
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Tributes continued to emerge Sunday night, including from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who described Reiner as “an iconic figure in film who made us laugh, cry and think.”
Police said the investigation remains active and that additional updates will be provided as appropriate.
