01of 12Carl Reiner.United Artists/Kobal/ShutterstockBorn and raised in New York City, Carl Reiner was the son of two Jewish immigrants. Like his father, a watchmaker, Reiner had a knack for handy work. He worked as a sewing machine repairman until his older brother introduced him to the world of performing when he read in the New YorkDaily News. Reiner still credits his older brother for his sudden, but successful career change.
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Carl Reiner.United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock
Born and raised in New York City, Carl Reiner was the son of two Jewish immigrants. Like his father, a watchmaker, Reiner had a knack for handy work. He worked as a sewing machine repairman until his older brother introduced him to the world of performing when he read in the New YorkDaily News. Reiner still credits his older brother for his sudden, but successful career change.
02of 12Carl Reiner.Frank Carroll/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via GettyBest known for creating and starring inThe Dick Van Dyke Show, Reiner got his start acting in Broadway musicals includingInside U.S.A.and he landed the lead role inCall Me Mister.
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Carl Reiner.Frank Carroll/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Best known for creating and starring inThe Dick Van Dyke Show, Reiner got his start acting in Broadway musicals includingInside U.S.A.and he landed the lead role inCall Me Mister.
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Walt Disney Television via Getty
Reiner’s big break came in 1950 when he was cast inYour Show of Showsappearing in comedy skits, working alongside writers Mel Brooks and Neil Simon.
04of 12CBS via GettyReiner also made stars out of his leading cast inThe Dick Van Dyke Show(his directorial debut) when the network preferred to keep him behind the camera rather than on screen.
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CBS via Getty
Reiner also made stars out of his leading cast inThe Dick Van Dyke Show(his directorial debut) when the network preferred to keep him behind the camera rather than on screen.
05of 12Carl Reiner/ TwitterReiner was drafted in 1943, and spent much of his time entertaining the troops as part of Special Services.“I was in Hawaii as a teletype operator. My friend was putting together shows for the troops. I could do good Shakespearean double-talk as a comedy tool. That got me in,“he once toldMomentmagazine. “They traded me like a ball player. I got into Special Services and worked for the last year of my career in the Army as an entertainer.“He was honorably discharged in 1946.
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Carl Reiner/ Twitter
Reiner was drafted in 1943, and spent much of his time entertaining the troops as part of Special Services.
“I was in Hawaii as a teletype operator. My friend was putting together shows for the troops. I could do good Shakespearean double-talk as a comedy tool. That got me in,“he once toldMomentmagazine. “They traded me like a ball player. I got into Special Services and worked for the last year of my career in the Army as an entertainer.”
He was honorably discharged in 1946.
06of 12NBCUniversal via GettyReiner was a 16-time Emmy nominee for writing, narrating and acting, winning nine statuettes throughout his career.
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NBCUniversal via Getty
Reiner was a 16-time Emmy nominee for writing, narrating and acting, winning nine statuettes throughout his career.
07of 12Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner.Frank Trapper/Corbis via GettyReiner and Brooks also earned a Grammy in 2000 for their spoken comedy album,The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000.
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Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner.Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty
Reiner and Brooks also earned a Grammy in 2000 for their spoken comedy album,The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000.
08of 12SGranitz/WireImageReiner had a fulfilling personal life as well. He married singer Estelle Lebost in 1943. They were married for 64 years, until her death in 2008.His wife is also a rather recognizable face on the screen, but not for her volume of work, but rather her memorable one-liner. She delivered the famous “I’ll have what she’s having” line in theWhen Harry Met Sallydeli scene.The couple had three children: director Rob, Lucas and Annie.
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SGranitz/WireImage
Reiner had a fulfilling personal life as well. He married singer Estelle Lebost in 1943. They were married for 64 years, until her death in 2008.
His wife is also a rather recognizable face on the screen, but not for her volume of work, but rather her memorable one-liner. She delivered the famous “I’ll have what she’s having” line in theWhen Harry Met Sallydeli scene.
The couple had three children: director Rob, Lucas and Annie.
09of 12Stephen J Boitano/AP/ShutterstockIn 2000, Reinerwas honored with the Mark Twain Prizein Washington, D.C. In a moving acceptance speech, he thanked fellow stars like Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore and Steve Martin for allowing him to “stand on their shoulders,” and gave a shout-out to his wife and children. “I am also very thankful that I’ve lived the kind of a life that allows me to have a family like that and an evening like this,” he said.
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Stephen J Boitano/AP/Shutterstock
In 2000, Reinerwas honored with the Mark Twain Prizein Washington, D.C. In a moving acceptance speech, he thanked fellow stars like Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore and Steve Martin for allowing him to “stand on their shoulders,” and gave a shout-out to his wife and children. “I am also very thankful that I’ve lived the kind of a life that allows me to have a family like that and an evening like this,” he said.
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Carl Reiner and Rob Reiner.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
“Last night my dad passed away,” he shared. “As I write this my heart is hurting. He was my guiding light.”
11of 12Jerry Seinfeld/ FacebookOne of Reiner’s final on-screen appearances was on a 2012 episode of Jerry Seinfeld’sComedians in Cars Getting Coffee.The pairended up bringing a full deli mealto Mel Brooks' home, sharing jokes in the star’s living room.
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Jerry Seinfeld/ Facebook
One of Reiner’s final on-screen appearances was on a 2012 episode of Jerry Seinfeld’sComedians in Cars Getting Coffee.The pairended up bringing a full deli mealto Mel Brooks' home, sharing jokes in the star’s living room.
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Warner Brothers/ Everett
In the years before his death, Reiner was still acting on the big and small screen. And even at 98, he even kept up with the younger generations on social media as one of the oldest celebritiesto have an active Twitter account.
The week of his death, talent manager George Shapiro tweeted a photo of Reiner, his daughter, and Mel Brooks wearing Black Lives Matter shirts.
Reiner died at home in Beverly Hillson June 29, 2020, of natural causes. He was 98 years old.
source: people.com
