Legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner died in an apparent homicide alongside his wife, Michele Singer, yesterday. He was 78.
Reiner is responsible for directing two of the all-time great Stephen King adaptations, Stand by Me and Misery. The latter earned Kathy Bates the Academy Award for Best Actress.
“Iām horrified and saddened by the death of Rob Reiner and Michele,” King wrote on Twitter. “Wonderful friend, political ally, and brilliant filmmaker (including 2 of mine). Rest in peace, Rob. You always stood by me.”
Reiner made his directorial debut with 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap and released the long-awaited sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, just three months ago.
He also helmed such classics as The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally, and The Bucket List, among others.
Before assuming the director’s chair, Reiner was an actor who came to prominence as Mike “Meathead” Stivic in 182 episodes of “All in the Family,” winning two Emmy Awards in the process.
He also had notable roles in “The Bear,” “New Girl,” The Wolf of Wall Street, and Sleepless in Seattle.
Reiner admirably used his celebrity to advocate for social justice. He helped establish the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the I Am Your Child Foundation, and Parents’ Action for Children, among other charitable activism.
In the wake of of Reiner’s passing, this line delivered by River Phoenix in Stand by Me hits even harder:
“It’s like God gave you something, man, all those stories you can make up. And He said, ‘This is what we got for ya, kid. Try not to lose it.’ Kids lose everything unless there’s someone there to look out for them.”
Reiner was there to look out for others. May he rest in peace.
