When Carl Reiner passed away of natural causes at the age of 98 on June 29, he left an indelible mark on Hollywood as a writer, director, producer and actor. He also left behind a lot of friends and colleagues who worked with him over the years and loved him. Many them paid tribute to him and shared remembrances on social media.
Mel Brooks, Reiner’s “2000 Year Old Man” partner and a close friend since they met on “Your Show of Shows” in the 1950s, sang his praises on Twitter.
“Carl was a giant, unmatched in his contributions to entertainment. I loved him,” he wrote. “When we were doing ‘The 2000 Year Old Man’ together there was no better straight man in the world. Whether he wrote or performed or he was just your best friend nobody could do it better. He will be greatly missed. It’s a tired cliché in times like this, but in Carl Reiner’s case it was absolutely true. He will be greatly missed.”
In his tweet, Dick Van Dyke honored the man who created the show that made him famous. “My idol, Carl Reiner, wrote about the human comedy. 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.”
One of the greatest moments of my life was sitting in Mel Brooks’s office as he called #CarlReiner in front of Billy Crystal and I and proceeded to wind him up for 30 minutes as they both made fun of my name and said it needed an extra consonant. pic.twitter.com/lGh9ux3cSi
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) June 30, 2020
“Goodbye to my greatest mentor in movies and in life. Thank you, dear Carl,” tweeted Steve Martin, who Reiner directed in four movies between 1979 and 1983. In a statement. Carol Burnett called Reiner “versatile beyond belief. He was a consummate comedic actor, a brilliant director and a prolific writer. I always loved it when he came on my show, knowing that we were in for a wonderful and laugh-filled week. In short, I adored him.”
https://twitter.com/SteveMartinToGo/status/1277991007892549632?s=20
“Carl Reiner made every room he walked into funnier, smarter, kinder. It all seemed so effortless,” Reiner’s “Ocean’s Eleven” co-star George Clooney told Deadline. “What an incredible gift he gave us all. His was a life well lived and we’re all the better for it. Rest in peace my friend.”
Bette Midler remembered her “That Old Feeling” director fondly, tweeting, “The great #Carl Reiner has gone to that ‘Show of Shows’ in the sky, I worked with him, loved him, and consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world to have once attended lunch with his hilarious garrulous gang.”
The great #CarlReiner has gone to that Show of Shows in the sky. I worked with him, loved him, and consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world to have once attended lunch with his hilarious, guarrulous gang…
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 30, 2020
“He was one of the greatest comedy minds of our time. And one of the kindest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting,” tweeted Eugene Levy.
He was one of the greatest comedy minds of our time. And one of the kindest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. RIP Carl Reiner.
— Eugene Levy (@Realeugenelevy) June 30, 2020
Jason Alexander echoed that in his tweet. “Carl Reiner was a comedy genius. Often that genius made other funny people even funnier. But give him a stage and he could spin laughter out of any moment. I watched him do it time and again. His contributions to comedy are eternal. And a lovely man, as well,” he posted.
Rob, he was a bright beacon of goodness and joy for all of us. What a wonderful man and wonderful life. He left us so much to remember and enjoy and celebrate – including the gift of you. My sympathy to you and the family. May he rest well. https://t.co/5x2niDaRNY
— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) June 30, 2020
“Not only did he make my favorite TV & movies (see: ‘Where’s Poppa’) but his humanity was beyond compare,” tweeted Sarah Silverman. “His heart was so full of love. [I] never left his house empty handed–book, space pen, Swiss Army knife. RIP to a man that embodies the word mensch.”
Reiner had a recurring role on the CBS sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” and the show’s producer, Chuck Lorre told Deadline that working with Reiner was “one of the most rewarding and joyful experiences of my career. “It was an opportunity to watch mastery in action. And the best part was seeing how much fun he was having playing a wheel-chair bound degenerate. He reminded us all not to take ourselves so damn seriously.”
Jerry Seinfeld, who drove around schmoozing with Reiner and Mel Brooks in an episode of his show “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” also sang the legend’s praises. “Anyone in comedy who got to know or even just meet Cark Reiner felt hat they had been given a great gift,” he tweeted. “His comedy energy was one of pure joyfulness. It’s an unusual quality in our world and I have always tried to emulate him that way. When we shot the first episode of [“Seinfeld”], Carl came to visit. When he said, ‘This is the same stage where we made ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show,’ I felt the stars lining up. When I helped present him with the Mark Twain Prize, I said ‘Mark Twain was pretty funny but I think he’d be more excited to receive the Carl Reiner Prize.’ We lost an angel today.”
— Jerry Seinfeld (@JerrySeinfeld) June 30, 2020
