Veteran comedian Carl Reiner passes away

American comedian Carl Reiner has passed away at the age of 98 of natural causes. A multi-talented director, writer, and actor who worked in various creative industries for seven decades, his was an influential and remarkably prolific career in the history of show business.

Born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrants, he began his career as a writer and performer on the comedy series Your Show of Shows, which starred Sid Caesar, before moving on to create The Dick Van Dyke Show. He was known for his absurd comedy, laced with New York Jewish humor, and was a close friend and collaborator of Mel Brooks. After the enormous success of The Dick Van Dyke Show, which won him five Emmys between 1962 and 1966, he went on to work with Steve Martin in a popular string of comedies in the ’70s and ’80s, most notably 1979’s The Jerk. Later in his life he wrote several memoirs and children’s books, received the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2000, and appeared in various television shows as a guest.

Mr. Reiner passed away in the presence of his family at his home in Beverley Hills yesterday morning. He is survived by his sons, the director Rob Reiner and artist Lucas Reiner, his daughter, author Annie Reiner, and his five grandchildren. He joins the long list of celebrities who have passed away in 2020