- Born
- Birth nameRobert Reiner
- Height6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
- Robert Reiner was born in New York City, to Estelle Reiner (née Lebost) and Emmy-winning actor, comedian, writer, and producer Carl Reiner.
As a child, his father was his role model, as Carl Reiner created and starred in The Dick Van Dyke Show. Estelle was also an inspiration for him to become a director; her experience as a singer helped him understand how music was used in a scene. Rob often felt pressured about measuring up to his father's successful streak, with twelve Emmys and other prestigious awards.
When Rob graduated high school, his parents advised him to participate in Summer Theatre. Reiner got a job as an apprentice in the Bucks County Playhouse in Pennsylvania. He went on to UCLA Film School to further his education. Reiner felt he still wasn't successful even having a recurring role on one of the biggest shows in the country, All in the Family. He began his directing career with the Oscar-nominated films This Is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, and The Princess Bride.
In 1987, with these successful box-office movies under his belt, Reiner founded his own production company, Castle Rock Entertainment; along with Martin Shafer, Andrew Scheinman, Glenn Padnick, and Alan Horn. Under Castle Rock Entertainment, he went to direct Oscar-nominated films When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men. Reiner has credited former co-star Carroll O'Connor in helping him get into the directing business, showing Reiner the ropes.
Reiner is known as a political activist, co-founding the American Foundation For Equal Rights, a group that was an advisory for same-sex-marriage. He has spoken at several rallies on several topics, an advocate for social change regarding such issues as domestic violence and tobacco use.
Reiner made cameo appearances on television shows 30 Rock, The Simpsons, and Hannah Montana, and in films The First Wives Club, Bullets Over Broadway, Primary Colors, and Throw Momma From The Train, among many others.- IMDb mini biography by: Peter Sean
- SpousesMichele Reiner(May 19, 1989 - present) (3 children)Penny Marshall(April 10, 1971 - 1981) (divorced, 1 child)
- Children
- Parents
- RelativesLucas Reiner(Sibling)Sylivia Ann Reiner(Sibling)George Shapiro(Cousin)
- Often includes references to his previous films
- Frequently uses music by Marc Shaiman
- While filming the scene in Stand by Me (1986) in which Gordie and Vern are being chased by a train, he couldn't get Wil Wheaton and Jerry O'Connell to look frightened enough, so after a take, he proceeded to yell at them until they began to cry. He then filmed the scene over again.
- Was best friends in high school with Richard Dreyfuss, whom he later directed in Stand by Me (1986).
- Of all the films he has directed, he considers Stand by Me (1986) as his masterpiece and his favorite film.
- Wore a toupee in All in the Family (1971).
- Named his production company "Castle Rock" after a fictional town created by Stephen King (the two have worked as a team on several movies together).
- [on his All in the Family (1971) co-star Carroll O'Connor] He couldn't have been more different from Archie Bunker. He cared about the little guy. He shone a light on bigotry and ignorance and hope. Arguably, he created the single most indelible character in the history of American television.
- [on why his career skidded in the late 1990s when he split his time between movies and politics] People kept asking me, "How do you balance it?," and the point is, you don't. I know now, about me: I can't split my attention in that way. It doesn't work. I mean, it shows, to be honest with you. You can't do both.
- [on producing The Bucket List (2007)] This is kind of a little minefield here. You want to get the tone right for it. This is a subject that you have to deal with comically. It's still got to be funny. You want sentiment, not sentimentality. These are all the sidewalls you want to not fracture the picture on. Not that I don't like an easy job.
- I like to think of myself as a very young old person. But you start thinking, "How many years am I going to have to be productive?" Especially in our business, youth is so stressed. You start thinking, "How many more movies am I going to get to make?" Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll make five more.
- Stand by Me (1986) was a unique directing experience because ideas came from everywhere. Doing a period piece about the world of childhood is an adventure, each day on-set; people from the crew threw their own childhood memories into the production.
- A Few Good Men (1992) - $4,000,000
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