Rob Reiner, director of 'This Is Spinal Tap' and 'When Harry Met Sally,' dies at 78

Renowned filmmaker Rob Reiner, known for directing Hollywood classics such as This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally, died at the age of 78, along with his wife, Michele Singer Reiner. They were found in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025, authorities said. 

Their bodies showed lacerations consistent with a knife attack, and the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division is investigating the deaths as an apparent double homicide. Reiner first rose to fame as actor Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family before becoming one of Hollywood’s most versatile directors, earning acclaim across comedy, drama and genre films over five decades. 

Rob Reiner as a filmmaker 

Rob Reiner built one of the most versatile and influential directing careers in modern Hollywood, with more than 20 films spanning comedy, drama, fantasy, horror and romance. His notable directing credits include The Princess Bride, Misery, A Few Good Men, The American President, and The Bucket List, with A Few Good Men earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

Reiner redefined filmmaking early with This Is Spinal Tap, the first mainstream mockumentary, which critic Roger Ebert hailed as one of the funniest films ever made. He later set a new standard for romantic comedies with When Harry Met Sally, written by Nora Ephron and inspired in part by their lives. 

Reiner’s biggest commercial success, A Few Good Men, showcased his ability to shift seamlessly into gripping courtroom drama. Beyond directing, Reiner co-founded Castle Rock Entertainment, which produced acclaimed projects such as The Shawshank Redemption, City Slickers, Best in Show, Michael Clayton, and the landmark sitcom Seinfeld. 

On television, he first achieved fame as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family and later played a key role in helping keep Seinfeld on the air. Castle Rock was sold to Ted Turner in 1993 for about $160 million, later becoming part of Time Warner. Reiner relaunched Castle Rock in 2020, reviving its film division with projects including Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.

Rob Reiner as an actor

Alongside his celebrated directing career, Rob Reiner continued to be an active and accomplished actor. He portrayed the warmhearted plastic surgeon Dr. Morris Packman in The First Wives Club, shared the screen with Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle, and played Zooey Deschanel’s father on Fox’s long-running sitcom New Girl. 

Reiner’s keen understanding of what worked onscreen was shaped early in life as the eldest son of comedy legend Carl Reiner and through close exposure to his father’s circle, which included Sid Caesar, Neil Simon, Mel Brooks and influential television pioneer Norman Lear. 

Lear’s groundbreaking 1970s comedies, such as All in the Family and The Jeffersons, deeply influenced Reiner’s sensibilities and cultural awareness. Reiner also delivered a memorable performance in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, playing stockbroker Max Belfort opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, with many of his scenes largely improvised.

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