Billy Crystal, Larry David, Martin Short and several other prominent figures and close friends of Rob Reiner’s released a statement on Tuesday memorializing the Hollywood director, according to The Associated Press.
Mr. Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were found dead in their home in Los Angeles on Sunday. Their son Nick Reiner, 32, has been charged with murder in their deaths.
In their statement, the friends of Mr. Reiner said: “Going to the movies in a dark theater filled with strangers having a common experience, laughing, crying, screaming in fear, or watching an intense drama unfold is still an unforgettable thrill. Tell us a story audiences demand of us. Absorbing all he had learned from his father Carl and his mentor Norman Lear, Rob Reiner not only was a great comic actor, he became a master story teller.
“There is no other director who has his range. From comedy to drama to ‘mockumentary’ to documentary he was always at the top of his game. He charmed audiences. They trusted him. They lined up to see his films.”
Mr. Crystal, a close friend of the Reiners who starred in several of his movies, including “The Princess Bride” and the romantic comedy “When Harry Met Sally,” was seen late Sunday leaving the Reiners’ home, not long after their bodies had been discovered.
Mr. Reiner was also a longtime friend and collaborator of Mr. David’s, having produced Mr. David’s show “Seinfeld” and appeared as an exaggerated version of himself in Mr. David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
Along with Mr. David, Mr. Crystal and their wives, the statement was issued on behalf of Martin Short, Albert and Kimberly Brooks, Alan and Robin Zweibel, Marc Shaiman, Lou Mirabal, Barry and Diana Levinson, James Costos and Michael Smith, according to The A.P.
“His comedic touch was beyond compare, his love of getting the music of the dialogue just right, and his sharpening of the edge of a drama was simply elegant,” the statement continued. “For the actors, he loved them. For the writers, he made them better.
“His greatest gift was freedom. If you had an idea, he listened, he brought you into the process. They always felt they were working as a team. To be in his hands as a filmmaker was a privilege but that is only part of his legacy.”
The group also paid tribute to the Reiners’ political work. The pair were longtime Democratic backers who were mourned by much of the progressive left.
“Rob was also a passionate, brave citizen, who not only cared for this country he loved, he did everything he could to make it better and with his loving wife Michele, he had the perfect partner. Strong and determined, Michele and Rob Reiner devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens,” the statement said. “They were a special force together — dynamic, unselfish and inspiring. We were their friends, and we will miss them forever,” the statement said.
“There is a line from one of Rob’s favorite films, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ ‘Each man’s life touches so many other lives, and when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?’ You have no idea.”
Ali Watkins covers international news for The Times and is based in Belfast.
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