On Sunday night, I sat at my production assistant desk for CBS News as word began to trickle in about the deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner. It had already been a horrible news day, with murders at Brown University and Bondi Beach. The details revealed themselves slowly, my denial of their untimely passing lasting as long as it could.
I had just watched Spinal Tap II the weekend prior, a movie that provided the perfect blend of blissful escape and warm nostalgia as characters I’ve loved for years came back to life, forever ambitious and delightfully awkward, reuniting for one last concert. Who knew, truly, how prophetic and ominous that “one last concert” would prove to be?
Actually, I’d been on a Rob Reiner kick lately, without consciously realizing it. Whether acting or directing, he’s woven into the fabric of so many movies I love: When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride are the perfect movies to revisit with the weather turning colder and the holidays right around the corner. Sleepless in Seattle is the best movie to sink into when you want to believe that ridiculous love stories are entirely possible. A Few Good Men is an essential film if you need hope that justice ultimately prevails. I’d even taken to rewatching episodes of New Girl on Netflix before bed, Reiner’s portrayal of Bob Day, the leading character’s father, making me laugh so hard I spit toothpaste across the bathroom. More than once.
Rob Reiner has either acted in, directed, or produced an enormous amount of movies and TV that make up our modern canon, starting with his infamous portrayal of Meathead on All in the Family from 1971 to 1979. Once, when asked during an interview for 60 Minutes, “What makes a Rob Reiner film?,” he replied, “The main character in the film is always going through something that I’ve experienced. Or am experiencing.” It was this meaningful connection that made his movies at once both personal and universal, forever relevant.
As familiar as I am with his creative body of work, it wasn’t until I crouched over my computer late at night in the newsroom searching for more information about this influential artist, especially any relevant details that would tie him to the Bay Area, that I uncovered what I now love most about this man: his years-long devotion to political activism.
Reiner’s 2004 visit to the Bay Area as the inaugural Chair of First Five California, was but one example of his activism. “Actor and director Rob Reiner […] announced two hefty commitments to preschool programs in the Bay Area as a result of his successful push for Proposition 10.” (SF Gate) Prop 10 was the initiative that added 50-cents to a pack of cigarettes in order to help fund initiatives for children ages 0-5. Benefits of this proposition included prenatal care, child health, education for parents, childcare, and early learning education. Five years after it passed, Reiner had successfully raised an average of $700 million each year.
Then, in 2010, Reiner played a pivotal role in overturning Prop 8, which had enormous consequences for many right here in the Bay. With political strategists Chad Griffin and Kristina Schake, as well as his wife, Reiner founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights. “As Griffin reached out to the gay community, Reiner used his Hollywood insider status to court a handful of millionaires and billionaires including Norman Lear, Steve Bing and David Geffen, who provided the $3 million-$5 million in seed money that allowed the foundation to support the work of high-powered lawyers Ted Olson and David Boies.” (Hollywood Reporter) It was in large part due to Reiner’s efforts that the law banning same-sex marriage was dissolved.
Within hours of his death, politicians were quick to speak about Rob Reiner’s passion, generosity and commitment to climate action, gun control, and social justice. Gov. Gavin Newsom released a statement saying, “Rob was a passionate advocate for children and for civil rights — from taking on Big Tobacco, fighting for marriage equality, to serving as a powerful voice in early education. He made California a better place through his good works.” He added, “Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and extraordinary contribution to society.”
As the 11 o’clock news began its broadcast and I turned my desk light off to head home, I knew that the next day would be filled with painful revelations. It’s now been confirmed that Nick Reiner, their middle son, has been booked on suspicion of murder, and it was their daughter, Romy, who found her parents’ bodies. I cannot fathom the extent of their family’s grief and what the next few weeks will hold.
But this cannot – and will not – be how we remember this man’s legacy. Rob Reiner brought people together, through entertainment and politics, reminding us always what matters most: truth, justice and love. The full title of the Spinal Tap sequel is Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. What is clear through our collective shock and grief is that his death will not be the end. Tonight, this weekend, as you head into your festivities, hopefully surrounded by people you love, I hope you feel called to put on a Rob Reiner film and let the warmth of his message continue.
Emilie Rohrbach has taught music and theater to grades pre-school through 8th in San Francisco and Marin counties for the last 20 years, as well as working as a freelance writer, journalist, and as a production assistant at CBS. Her writing has appeared in Front Page Live, Divine Caroline, Narratively, Hippocampus, Common Ground, Travelers’ Tales, and Marin Magazine, among others. She is passionate about The International Library of Young Authors, Room to Read, Shanti Bhavan, and Destiny Arts and serves on the board of Knighthorse Theatre Company.
