Rob Reiner, the American director, actor and political activist whose comedies became part of the popular lexicon, has died at 78. The cause was homicide. Reiner was found dead with his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, allegedly at the hands of their son Nick, in their Los Angeles home.
The murder felt all the more shocking for a widely loved man whose best work became an integral part of American pop culture, or as one fan wrote: “Rob Reiner made Princess Bride, which makes him my third parent.” That 1987 fairytale comedy belonged to Reiner’s sure-handed run of Hollywood hits, showing off his crowd-pleasing directorial touch with showbiz satire (This Is Spinal Tap), coming-of-age drama (Stand by Me), romantic comedy (When Harry Met Sally?.?.?.?), courtroom conflict (A Few Good Men) and twisted thriller (Misery). These films were his second act after already notching a career-defining role as Archie Bunker’s liberal son-in-law in the 1970s Norman Lear sitcom All in the Family.