Rob Reiner was born on March 6, 1947, in the Bronx in New York City. His father was comic and writer Carl Reiner, who would become a living legend. His mother was Estelle Reiner (née Lebost), an artist and set designer. Once Carl Reiner's career was under way, the family moved to New Rochelle, New York, which would also be the home of Rob and Laura Petrie on Carl Reiner's sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show. The family would eventually move to California, and Rob Reiner graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1964.
Rob Reiner followed his father into the entertainment business. In the early Sixties, he was an apprentice at Bucks County Playhouse in Pennsylvania. He made his television debut in an episode of Manhunt in 1961. In the Sixties, he had guest appearances on the shows Batman; Hey, Landlord; The Andy Griffith Show; That Girl; The Mothers-In-Law; Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.; The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour; The Beverly Hillbillies; Room 222; and Headmaster. He attended the UCLA Film School. He also wrote for television on such shows as The Steve Allen Comedy Hour and The Joey Bishop Show. He was a staff writer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. He wrote an episode of the show Headmaster. He made his film debut in his father's movie Enter Laughing in 1967. He also appeared in the films The Big Mouth (1967), Where It's At (1969), Halls of Anger (1970), and Where's Poppa (1970).
It was in 1971 that Rob Reiner began playing Michael Stivic, the liberal son-in-law of conservative Archie Bunker on the classic sitcom All in the Family. He appeared in the role for eight seasons. He also guest starred on the shows The Odd Couple, The Rockford Files, and Archie Bunker's Place. He starred on the short-lived sitcom Free Country. He appeared in the movies Summertree (1971), How Come Nobody's On Our Side (1974), Fire Sale (1977), and The Jerk (1979). He wrote episodes of Shirley's World, The Super, All in the Family, Happy Days, and Free Country. He wrote the TV movie More Than Friends. He broke into directing in 1974 with the TV movie Sonny Boy.
It was in 1984 that Rob Reiner made his feature film directorial debut with the classic mockumentary This is Spinal Tap. While it did modestly well at the box office, This is Spinal Tap (1984) developed a cult following and has since become regarded as a classic. In the Eighties, he also directed the films The Sure Thing (1985), Stand by Me (1986), The Princes Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), and Misery (1990). As an actor, he played documentary filmmaker Marty Di Bergi in This is Spinal Tap (1984). He also appeared in the films Throw Momma from the Train (1987), Postcards from the Edgie (1990), and The Spirit of '76 (1990). On television he appeared in the TV movies The Million Dollar Infield and Partners in Life, and the TV shows Tall Tales & Legends and It's Garry Shandling's Show.
In the Nineties, Rob Reiner directed the movies A Few Good Men (1992), North (1994), The American President (1995), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), and The Story of Us (1999). He directed the TV movie I Am Your Child (1997). He hosted the mockumentary TV series Morton & Hayes. He guest starred on The Larry Sanders Show and reprised his role as Mary Di Bergi in the TV movie A Spinal Tap Reunion. He appeared in the movies Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Bullets Over Broadway (1994), Mixed Nuts (1994), Bye Bye Love (1995), For Better or Worse (1995), The First Wives Club (1996), Mad Dog Time (1996), Primary Colours (1998), EdTV (1999), The Muse (1999), and The Story of Us (1999).
In the Naughts, Rob Reiner directed Alex & Emma (2003), Rumor Has It... (2005), The Bucket List (2007), and Flipped (2010). He directed the TV movie Everyday Life. As an actor, he guest starred on the shows Curb Your Enthusiasm,The Simpsons, Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, and 30 Rock. He appeared in the movies Alex & Emma (2003), Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003), and Everyone's Hero (2006).
In the Teens, Rob Reiner directed the movies The Magic of Belle Isle (2012), And So It Goes (2014), Being Charlie (2015), and LBJ (2016), Shock and Awe (2017). As an actor, he appeared in the movies The Wolf of Wall Street (2014), And So It Goes (2014), Sandy Wexler (2015), and Shock and Awe (2017. He guest starred on the shows About a Boy, HAPPYish, The Comedians, and The Good Fight. He had a recurring role on the sitcom New Girl and appeared in the mini-series When We Rise and Hollywood.
In the 2020s, Rob Reiner directed Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (2023), God & Country (2024), and Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025). As an actor, he guest starred on The Bear and reprised his role as Marty Di Bergi in Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025).
Much like his father Carl Reiner, Rob Reiner was a national treasure. As an actor, he was not only loved for his role as Mike on All in the Family, but for his many guest appearances on shows from That Girl to The Rockford Files. And while he played a number of hippies on various shows prior to All in the Family, he played many more sorts of roles during his acting career. In the Rockford Files episode "The No-Cut Contract," he played the quarterback of a in a team in the football equivalent of the bush league. In The Wolf of Wall Street, he played Max Belfort, the father of stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio).
While Rob Reiner was beloved as an actor, he may have even more adored as a director. During his career, he directed a number of films that are now regarded as classics. This is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, and yet other films directed by Rob Reiner are very highly regarded by critics, film buffs, and the average movie goer. Indeed, Rob Reiner's films were nominated for eleven Oscars and won one (Best Actress for Kathy Bates in Misery). If Rob Reiner enjoyed such respect as a director, it is perhaps because he was so original. While mocumentaries had existed before This is Spinal Tap, Rob Reiner laid the groundwork for all future mockumentary movies to come. With The Princess Bride, Mr. Reiner gave us a movie that blended adventure, fantasy, and comedy. Rob Reiner re-invented the romantic comedy with When Harry Met Sally. Rob Reiner's movies often defied genres, which is perhaps why so many of them are so popular.
