Billy Crystal, Albert Brooks and other close friends of Rob and Michele Reiner pay tribute
LOS ANGELES AP Chosen of Rob and Michele Reiner s closest friends including actors Billy Crystal Albert Brooks Martin Short and Larry David have distributed a declaration mourning the couple and praising their love of film and country Absorbing all he had learned from his father Carl and his mentor Norman Lear Rob Reiner not only was a great comic actor he became a master story teller There is no other director who has his range From comedy to drama to mockumentary to documentary he was constantly at the top of his event He charmed audiences They trusted him They lined up to see his films the group commented in a message distributed first to The Associated Press His comedic touch was beyond compare his love of getting the music of the dialogue just right and his sharpening of the edge of a drama was merely elegant it mentioned of Rob Reiner whose films included A Minimal Good Men When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride The comment was distributed two days after Rob and Michele Reiner were ascertained dead in their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles Their son Nick Reiner was charged Tuesday with two counts of murder and is suspected of stabbing his parents to death The joint comment came from selected of Reiner s longtime collaborators and contemporaries including Crystal Brooks Short David and their spouses The signatories included writer Alan Zweibel composer and lyricist Marc Shaiman director Barry Levinson and former U S Ambassador to Spain James Costos For the actors he loved them For the writers he made them better His greatest gift was freedom If you had an idea he listened he brought you into the process They inevitably felt they were working as a unit To be in his hands as a film maker was a privilege but that is only part of his legacy the report announced The Reiners were major Democratic contributors and champions of numerous political causes Rob was also a passionate brave citizen who not only cared for this country he loved he did everything he could to make it better and with his loving wife Michele he had the perfect partner Strong and determined Michele and Rob Reiner devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens They were a special force together dynamic unselfish and inspiring the announcement stated We were their friends and we will miss them forever it declared before concluding with a quote from one of Reiner s favorite films the Christmastime classic It s a Wonderful Life There is a line from one of Rob s favorite films It s a Wonderful Life Each man s life touches so multiple other lives and when he isn t around he leaves an awful hole doesn t he You have no idea the declaration concludes The deaths of the Reiners have stunned Hollywood especially since their family embodied a gentle and comedic spirit Their deaths drew tributes from numerous stars and political figures on Sunday and Monday but multiple of those closest to the Reiners had yet to release statements Source
