Everything To Know About Rob Reiner's Hollywood Icon Parents, Carl And Estelle

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On December 14, 2025, actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Rob Reiner, 78, and his 70-year-old photographer and producer wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death in the master bedroom of their Los Angeles home. The celebrated couple, who wed in 1989, shared three children: Jake, 34, Nick, 32, and Romy, 28. Several hours after the tragedy, police took Nick into custody, and he was later charged with two counts of first-degree murder. According to a source, the night before the double homicide, he had a heated argument with his dad at Conan O'Brien's house party, which made him a person of interest. Not to mention that he has had a long history of substance abuse, homelessness, and rehab stints, and his struggles were a constant source of concern for his parents.

For their part, Jake and Romy have issued a statement that said (via The New York Times), "Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day ... They weren't just our parents; they were our best friends."

Rob was also a beloved figure to his celebrity friends. He will be remembered for his numerous Hollywood hits, which include "A Few Good Men," "Misery," "The Princess Bride," "Stand by Me," "This Is Spinal Tap," and "When Harry Met Sally..." His famous parents, Carl and Estelle Reiner, were no less iconic and influential. So, let's revisit their romance and biggest milestones, which span theater, television, film, radio, and literature.

Carl Reiner and Estelle Reiner (née Lebost) were married for 64 years, and they enjoyed one of the most enduring and least problematic relationships in Hollywood. Born in the Bronx on June 5, 1914, Estelle studied at the National Academy of Design and became a painter and visual artist. At the age of 28, she crossed paths with Carl at a summer camp for adults in the Catskills, where she charmed him with her singing. She was designing sets for hotel shows at the time, while he was on a temporary leave from the Army for the weekend. Because he was eight years her junior, their acquaintances didn't think their romance would last, but as the actor-director firmly told Silver Screen Studios in 2020, "Well, it only worked for 65 years, and if she didn't pass on, we'd still be working on it."

The two wed on December 24, 1943, and Carl spent the rest of his life publicly gushing over her talents and supporting her singing and painting careers. Indeed, between the ages of 65 and 93, she made a name for herself as a jazz performer in the New York and Los Angeles club scenes, not to mention that she had four solo painting exhibits in the 1970s. "Her bittersweet timbre suggests honey laced with vinegar. She has qualities many a seasoned pro would envy," wrote renowned jazz critic Leonard Feather (via Legacy).

Carl Reiner enjoyed a prolific career in entertainment from 1945 until his passing in 2020. Prior to his Broadway, television, and Hollywood achievements, he served in the United States Army Air Forces between 1942 and 1946. Indeed, this celebrated World War II veteran became a French translator and radio operator at the time, until a Special Services unit production of "Hamlet" ignited his thespian flame. From that moment on, he dedicated himself to writing and performing plays at different Pacific battlefields, including Guam and Iwo Jima, thus offering the troops much-needed respites from the horrors of war.

Following his service, Reiner moved on to Broadway musicals. Between 1946 and 1948, he starred in a production of "Call Me Mister" at the National Theater, Majestic Theater, and Plymouth Theater for a total of 734 performances. He also appeared in "Inside U.S.A." in 1948 and 1949, as well as "Alive and Kicking" in 1950. In the following years, he wrote and/or directed several successful shows: "Enter Laughing" in 1963 and 1964; "Something Different" in 1967 and 1968; "Tough to Get Help" in 1972; "So Long, 174th Street" in 1976; and "The Roast" in 1980.

Meanwhile, in the 1950s, Reiner's television career was kicking off as a supporting actor on Sid Caesar's "Your Show of Shows" and "Caesar's Hour," which aired on NBC and earned him two Primetime Emmy Award nominations and two wins between 1954 and 1958.

Driven by his comedic success in television, Carl Reiner, a seasoned and respected writer and performer, went on to create, co-write, and occasionally star in a sitcom that aired on CBS and nabbed a whopping 15 Primetime Emmy Awards: "The Dick Van Dyke Show." It aired for five seasons (158 episodes in total) from 1961 to 1966, showcasing the wacky life of a TV sketch comedy writer both at work and at home. In addition to Van Dyke, it also starred Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, and Reiner himself as the toupee-wearing TV producer and host Alan Brady.

In his memoir "100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life," Van Dyke recalled Reiner's creative struggles with CBS. He wrote (via People), "Carl Reiner was a friend and hero for too many reasons to count — one of which is that he was a fighter. During our years working together, he consistently went to the mat for the show against the higher-ups. He spoke up for our writers and actors and protected us like a father."

In parallel, from 1964 to 1965, Reiner also hosted "The Celebrity Game," a CBS primetime show that featured Eartha Kitt, Mel Brooks, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Allan Sherman as panelists.

Between 1970 and 1989, Carl Reiner juggled writing, producing, and acting in various hit TV shows and films, but he also very much enjoyed and excelled at directing them. Based on the 1970 novel by Robert Klane, his dark comedy movie "Where's Poppa?" (1970), for instance, which starred George Segal and Ruth Gordon, earned three award nominations.

Reiner also directed and appeared in "Oh, God!" (1977), a widely acclaimed comedy based on a novel by Avery Corman and starring John Denver as Jerry Landers, a supermarket assistant manager who becomes God's messenger; Teri Garr as his wife; and George Burns as God. As for his comedy "The Jerk," which featured and was co-written by Steve Martin, it became the eighth-highest-grossing U.S. film of 1979.

In the 1980s, Reiner made more movies that turned into critical and commercial hits. He collaborated with Steve Martin again, directing and co-writing "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" (1982), "The Man With Two Brains" (1983), and "All of Me" (1984). He also helmed the hilarious 1985 classic "Summer Rental," which starred John Candy and was nominated for three awards, not to mention "Summer School" in 1987, which featured Mark Harmon and Kirstie Alley, as well as "Bert Rigby, You're a Fool," in 1989, starring Robert Lindsay, Robbie Coltrane, and Cathryn Bradshaw.

Carl Reiner's television and film appearances as well as his voice-over roles were no less impressive and eclectic than his directing, producing, and writing. IMDb lists a total of 101 acting credits, but we'll only highlight some of his most notable performances between 1990 and the year he passed away because he stayed active till the very end.

In 1993, he helmed the erotic comedy thriller film "Fatal Instinct," which starred Armand Assante, Sherilyn Fenn, and Kate Nelligan and featured him playing a judge named Ben Arugula. He also played a neighbor and himself on "The Bernie Mac Show" and appeared on "Boston Legal," "Two and a Half Men," and "Hot in Cleveland."

He voiced the character of Roger, a radio show caller, in an episode of the award-winning sitcom "Frasier" and reprised his iconic role of Alan Brady in a 1995 episode of the sitcom "Mad About You." You might also recognize him as the voice of Gary Kasner in "King of the Hill" (1997); Sarmoti in "Father of the Pride" (2004-2005); Santa in "Merry Madagascar" (2009); Murray in "The Cleveland Show" (in 2010 and 2011); and Carl Reineroceros in "Toy Story 4" (2019).

Reiner's last listed acting credit is as the grandfather in the 2020 fantasy miniseries "Home Movie: The Princess Bride," opposite Thomas Lennon, Javier Bardem, and Brandon Routh.

In addition to his extensive contributions in the entertainment field, Carl Reiner authored various types of fiction and nonfiction books over the years, culminating in his witty and candid memoir, "My Anecdotal Life." In the memoir, he discussed his career ups and lows, his friendship and collaborations with Mel Brooks (with whom he released "The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000: The Book" in 1997), and his family. He even disclosed a recipe for decadent cream cheese cookies. This best-selling release featured rave testimonies on the back cover: Mary Tyler Moore labeled him a genius, and Johnny Carson said, "He's bright, a brilliant storyteller, self-effacing, and funny as hell."

Reiner's other published works and audiobooks include "I Remember Me," "Enter Laughing," "NNNNN," and "Why & When the Dick Van Dyke Show Was Born."

As for the 2003 book (and audiobook) "Tell Me a Scary Story... But Not Too Scary!" it centers on a little boy and his adventures in the basement of his enigmatic and sinister new neighbor, Mr. Neewollah. Per Amazon's editorial review, "In his first book for children, Reiner gets that kids love to be spooked — and to know that all is well, too. [James] Bennett's exaggerated illustrations, featuring weird angles and vivid, in-your-face close-ups, are a good match for Reiner's Halloween tale."

For her part, the matriarch of the famous Reiner family, Estelle Reiner, was busy honing and promoting her singing and painting skills, not to mention raising three children. Additionally, thanks to her illustrious husband's show business connections, she was able to land a few minor film and TV roles — none of which earned her any awards or acclaim, though. As such, in 1980, she portrayed a mother in Ron Friedman's TV movie "Marathon," opposite Bob Newhart and Herb Edelman, as well as Mrs. Goodman in Anne Bancroft's "Fatso," alongside Dom DeLuise and Ron Carey.

Three years later, she was cast as a tourist in an elevator in her husband's comedy film "The Man With Two Brains" and Gruba in Alan Johnson's "To Be or Not to Be," a remake of Ernst Lubitsch's 1942 film of the same title. Then, in 1988, she played Mrs. Goldblatt in "Hot to Trot," a comedy adventure flick that was slapped with five Razzie Awards nominations, not to mention a guest role on an episode of the sitcom "Baby Boom."

Reiner's last two listed acting credits on IMDB are from 1989, the year when she appeared in an episode of the drama series "Thirtysomething" and in the hit comedy romance film "When Harry Met Sally..."

Estelle Reiner may not have been an accomplished actor, but she'll always live on in film history as the restaurant customer in the critical and commercial 1989 hit "When Harry Met Sally..." Directed by her late son, Rob Reiner, this film starred Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as the title characters as well as Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby as their close friends. It earned 19 nominations and six awards, including its nomination for a best original screenplay Oscar and its wins for funniest actor and actress in a motion picture at the American Comedy Awards.

Even though Estelle barely appeared in the movie, the single scene she was in remains forever anchored in the history of cinema. It featured the two leads having lunch at Manhattan's famous Katz's Deli. After Ryan's character finished simulating an orgasm at their table, Estelle's character, a customer sitting nearby the couple, then said to the waiter, "I'll have what she's having." Her iconic line made Time magazine's top 10 quotes of 1989, surpassed only by America Online's "You've got mail" voice message and, "[M]y first act as president is a prayer. I ask you to bow your heads," from President George H. W. Bush's inaugural speech.

Estelle and Carl Reiner raised two sons and a daughter together: Rob Reiner, who became a celebrated director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and political activist; Dr. Annie Reiner, an author, poet, playwright, singer, and psychoanalyst; and Lucas Reiner, a painter, photographer, and filmmaker. Inspired by their parents' accomplishments as well as a nurturing and loving home, it's no wonder that they, too, blossomed and left their mark in the entertainment and literature fields.

Born in New York City in 1947, Rob was nominated for 36 awards, including a best picture Oscar for "A Few Good Men," and earned 24, including two Primetime Emmys for best supporting actor in comedy. He has 90 acting credits, 55 writing credits, and 30 directing credits on IMDb, many of which include iconic TV series and films, such as the 1970s sitcom "All in the Family" and the 1984 mockumentary "This Is Spinal Tap." Still, despite all these achievements, Rob and Michele Steiner's hearts constantly broke over their son Nick's struggles with addiction, rehab periods, and bouts of homelessness. As a source revealed to People in December 2025, "They tried everything — giving him space, keeping him close — but his struggles are so deep. It's just a parent's worst nightmare."

For her part, Annie Reiner is a faculty member and training analyst at The Psychoanalytic Center of California in Los Angeles and has nabbed awards for her short stories and poems. As for Lucas Reiner, he has exhibited his artistic work in the United States, Italy, Germany, and Portugal.

Estelle and Carl Reiner enjoyed a fruitful life and a long, happy marriage together, and they both died of natural causes in their Beverly Hills home, at ages 94 and 98, respectively. Estelle passed away on October 25, 2008. Per her obituary, "Her friends and family will remember her as a free thinker who never stopped searching, a courageous woman of extraordinary spirit and curiosity."

As for Carl, he died on June 29, 2020, just days after posting the following heartfelt tweet about the love of his life (via People): "Nothing pleases me more than knowing that I have lived the best life possible by having met and marrying the gifted Estelle (Stella) Lebost — who partnered with me in bringing Rob, Annie, Lucas Reiner into to this needy and evolving world."

Devastated by the death of his friend and "idol," Dick Van Dyke honored him with a tweet of his own, writing, "He had a deeper understanding of the human condition than I think even he was aware of. Kind, gentle, compassionate, empathetic, and wise. His scripts were never just funny; they always had something to say about us."

Carl and Estelle may have died peacefully, but sadly, their son Rob and his wife Michele met a much more difficult fate. They made an indelible mark on the industry and the lives of others, and they'll be fondly remembered by their family, friends, peers, and fans alike.