The world has gotten a little dimmer today.
The morning news, so quick to intrude on our already skewed and crazy existence in quarantine share the sad update on the passing of a comedy legend. In my house, we grew up watching Carl Reiner on “Nick At Nite” – seeing his brilliance played out with the blustery arrogance of the character Alan Brady, the buffoonish actor/entertainer that Rob, Sally, & Buddy wrote for on the classic sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show. It was a show he created, produced, wrote for, and starred in. It was sharp, it was funny, and its humor held up impressively well three decades later as we sat around watching it. I can fondly say I recall watching it with my siblings, my parents, and my grandparents – three generations, all chuckling at the antics on the screen…and we had Reiner to thank.
Reiner was born March 20th, 1922 in New York City to two Jewish immigrant parents. He caught the acting bug as a kid and starred in local theater productions, encouraged by his older brother. He served in the Army during World War II in the Army Air Forces (you know…before the Air Force existed) and was trained to be a radio operator, that is until he was sidelined for several months with pneumonia. The government sent him to Georgetown to learn French to be an Army interpreter, but as luck would have it he ended up rounding out the war being placed with the Special Service entertainment unit- putting on shows and performances for his fellow G.I.’s.
Returning home from the war, he spent the late 1940s performing in Broadway musicals until he hit upon the opportunity that would make him a star: he landed a writing job and a supporting player role on Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows in 1950. It was public exposure and set him up with friendships that would last his entire life, including Caesar, Neil Simon, and most importantly- Mel Brooks. The two of them bonded in a way that was wholly unique, and terrifyingly funny. Their partnering created a unique comedy routine- “The 2000-Year-Old Man”- which they debuted as a throw away gag for the Steve Allen show. It was a hit and it spawned 5 comedy albums- with Reiner playing an interviewing straight man to Brook’s irascible 2000-year-old man. I was a fan of the 4th album (the one my Father had and subsequently the first that I heard) 1973’s 2000 and Thirteen. I heard it for the first time when I was around ten, and it was like hearing two geniuses at the height of their powers performing a type of vocal origami that to this day has not been replicated.
Like all young men of a certain age, I grew up watching Reiner’s films- perfect vehicles for adolescent comedic tastes, nurtured by my father and his sensibilities. Oh, God! (1977), The Jerk (1979), Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982), All of Me (1984) & Summer School (1987) were all marvelous comedies to be enjoyed and consumed by some very impressionable youth. Later, as an adult I went back and watched his now little seen 1970 Where’s Poppa? with George Segal, the late, great Ron Leibman and Ruth Gordon. It is such a black as pitch dark comedy, it is a film that almost always divides a room and causes arguments, and in my opinion separates film “tourists” from true cinephiles. See it, it’s crazy, it’s funny, it’s Reiner.
For most folks my age, they became acquainted with Reiner’s work one of two ways: he was either viewed as Rob Reiner’s father- or, more importantly- he was Saul Bloom, the aging conman in Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Trilogy. I feel it is more important to stress the decency that Reiner possessed- he was married to Estelle Lebost Reiner for 64 year until her death in 2008. They had three Children together, the afore mentioned Rob, Annie, & Lucas. After his wife died, Reiner and Brooks made it a point to spend most of their evenings together- the two widowers ordering in food and watching Jeopardy, and old movies.[1] It was a friendship for the ages. He was a staunch Democrat, a social progressive, and he railed against the activities of the Trump Presidency, advocating on behalf of the children separated from their parents seized crossing the border between the United States and Mexico. He leaves behind a legacy of laughs, compassion, and humility…a mensch if there ever was one.
The world has indeed gotten a little dimmer today…but the heavens are sporting a new twinkling light.
Rest in peace Mr. Reiner, and thank you.
~Mgmt.
[1] You can see their swanky lifestyle on the 2012 episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.