Carl Reiner Dies at 98

Comedian, writer and actor Carl Reiner died Monday night of natural causes at the age of 98, Variety and numerous other outlets reported Tuesday morning.

If you watched TV in the 1950’s and 1960’s much of comedy influence came from funny men Sid Caesar, Mel Brooks and legendary funny man Carl Reiner.

I first saw Carl Reiner on the Dick Van Dyke show when I was a little kid, he played Rob Petrie’s (Dick Van Dyke) boss Alan Brady.

Carl Reiner was the creator of the Dick Van Dyke show but his comedy resume goes way back to his army days in world war two where he became involved in creative services and under the direction of actor (then Major) Maurice Evans started entertaining the troops overseas

In the 1950’s Carl Reiner appeared in many broadway musicals and where he met and teamed up with another comedy genius Mel Brooks, and was part of the famous 2000-year-old man production.

The original story for the Dick Van Dyke show was called Head of the family and starred Reiner in the lead role, but studio conflicts recasts the part and made stars out of Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore with its 1961 debut.

Carl Reiner directed many films and also helped launch the career of Steve martin directing four of his movies including the 1979 comedy “The Jerk”

He appeared in several roles thought out the years including The Russians are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and even in his 90’s has appearances on the hit sitcom “Two and a Half Men”

Carl Reiner’s son Ron Reiner, who played Michael Stivic in the 1970’s TV Sitcom All in the family, also became a famous director in his own right.

Carl Reiner said of the Dick Van Dyke Show “It was the most thrilling of my accomplishments because that was very, very personal” “It was about me and my wife, living in New Rochelle and working on the Sid Caesar show”

Carl has three children, his wife Estelle died in 2008.

[via Variety]