American actor and film director Rob Reiner. Biography

Rob Reiner is an American actor, known to the general public for the cult sitcom "Everything in the Family". He also established himself as one of the creators of the Castle Rock Entertainment film company and a talented director, giving the world films such as "When Harry met Sally," "A Few Good Guys," "Misery," and "Until he Played in the Box." His life tragically ended on December 14, 2025: the actor and his wife were found murdered in their home in Los Angeles.

Family and childhood

Robert Norman Rainer was born on March 6, 1947, in the Bronx borough of New York City to a Jewish family. His father Carl Reiner was a legendary figure of American television — a comedian, screenwriter and director, one of the first pioneers of the entertainment industry. During his career, he was awarded 11 Emmy Awards. Estelle Rainer's mother is an actress and singer, starred in the films "The Fat Man" and "The Man with Two Brains."

Rob's childhood was spent in a creative atmosphere, which influenced his future path. When he turned 13, the family moved to Los Angeles, the center of the American film industry. There he graduated from a prestigious high school, and then entered the School of Theater, Film and Television at the University of California at Los Angeles, where his professional interest in cinema began to form.

Despite his Jewish origin, Rainer claimed that the traditions of Judaism were not observed in his house. He did not consider himself a member of any religion, although he passed the bar mitzvah ceremony, claiming to be an atheist.

Career in television and film

Rob Reiner started his career in the industry during his university years. He appeared in cameo roles in various television series, and also wrote scripts. His first significant work was the script for the popular comedy show "The Smathers Brothers" in the late 1960s, where he collaborated with Steve Martin.

However, the real breakthrough and fame came in 1971 after filming the sitcom "All in the Family," where the aspiring actor starred alongside Carroll O'Connor, who played the role of Archie Bunker. In an interview, Rainer said that he learned a lot from watching the game and the work of an older colleague. O'Connor became for him not only a partner, but also a mentor in his profession.

Over a forty-year career, O'Connor starred in more than 80 television series. John Carroll O'Connor died in June 2001 of a heart attack. Rob Reiner called his death a personal loss. He attended the funeral with his father Karl to pay his last respects to the man who played an important role in his creative development.

Founding of the Castle Rock Film Company

In 1987, Rainer and his partners founded the Castle Rock Entertainment film company, named after the fictional town of Castle Rock from the works of Stephen King. One of the first films released was the comedy "When Harry met Sally," directed by Rainer based on a script by journalist and writer Nora Ephron.

This film, exploring the theme of friendship between a man and a woman, was warmly received by critics and the public, receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. To this day, the film is considered the benchmark of the genre. Castle Rock also released the romantic drama about growing up "Stay with Me" (1986), the fantasy fairy tale "The Princess Bride" (1987), the drama "A Few Good Guys" (1992) starring Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson, which grossed about $250 million worldwide.

Today, the film company is a label of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment and continues to make independent films. One of Reiner's latest films was the historical thriller Dangerous Investigation (2017), based on real events.

Social activities

In addition to prominent film roles and directorial work, Rob Reiner became famous as an active supporter of democratic values. He advocated for women's rights, environmental protection, was an ardent opponent of the tobacco lobby, and even led a campaign for a special tobacco tax to fund children's programs. His image as an anti-smoking fighter has been used in satirical videos, such as in an episode of South Park, where he was portrayed as an obese tyrant.

In the last years of his life, the director's attention was drawn to the growing influence of Christian nationalism in American politics. In 2024, he produced the documentary "God and Country," based on the research of journalist Catherine Stewart. This film explores in detail the history and ideology of the movement, its fusion with far-right political forces, which, according to the filmmakers, poses a threat to both American democracy and Christian values themselves.

Personal life and tragic death

Rob Reiner was married twice. In 1971, he married actress and director Penny Marshall, who later became famous for her role in the movie The Big One. Their marriage lasted ten years and ended in divorce in 1981.

The director's second wife was photographer Michelle Singer, whom he met on the set in 1989. The couple were actively involved in charity work, founding a foundation dedicated to supporting early childhood development. Three children were born in this marriage: sons Jake, Nick and daughter Romy.

The life of the 78-year-old actor and his 68-year-old wife tragically ended on December 14, 2025. Their bodies with stab wounds were found in a house in the prestigious Brentwood neighborhood. The investigation of the incident was taken over by the Homicide Investigation Department.

According to reports from a number of reputable media outlets, including TMZ and the New York Post, citing police sources, the main suspect in the murder was the couple's 32-year-old son Nick. Earlier, he publicly talked about his struggle with drug addiction and periods of life without a fixed place of residence.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.