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Billy Crystal breaks silence on death of close friend Rob Reiner after being spotted at his home hours after tragedy
Billy Crystal has spoken publicly for the first time since his close friend Rob Reiner and Reiner’s wife Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home.
Crystal, 77, and his wife Janice were spotted outside the Brentwood mansion on Sunday after Reiner’s daughter Romy discovered her parents’ bodies and called Crystal to the scene.
Crystal was seen appearing to wipe tears from his face as law enforcement arrived at the property. Reiner, 78, and his wife, 70, were both found with fatal knife wounds.
Their youngest child, Nick Reiner, 32, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with their deaths.
Police say the couple had been dead for hours before their bodies were found. Nick has yet to be arraigned and remains in jail without bail. Prosecutors have said no decision has been made on whether to seek the death penalty.
Crystal joined a group of fellow comedy legends in issuing a statement about Reiner’s life and work. Notable names signing the tribute included Albert Brooks, Larry David, Martin Short and director Barry Levinson.
Friends and colleagues reflect on Reiner’s career
The joint statement (via CNN) praised Reiner’s impact on film and on those who worked with him. “Tell us a story audiences demand of us. Absorbing all he had learned from his father Carl and his mentor Norman Lear, Rob Reiner not only was a great comic actor, he became a master story teller. There is no other director who has his range.”
The tribute continued by highlighting Reiner’s work across genres. “From comedy to drama to 'mockumentary' to documentary he was always at the top of his game. He charmed audiences. They trusted him. They lined up to see his films.”
Friends also praised how Reiner made others feel when they collaborated with him. “His comedic touch was beyond compare, his love of getting the music of the dialogue just right, and his sharpening of the edge of a drama was simply elegant. For the actors, he loved them. For the writers he made them better. His greatest gift was freedom. If you had an idea, he listened, he brought you into the process. They always felt they were working as a team.”
Memories of friendship and famous collaborations
Reiner and Crystal’s friendship spanned decades. They first met on the set of All In The Family in 1975 and later worked together on the 1989 hit film When Harry Met Sally.
Crystal shared a story about one of his favourite moments with Reiner in a 2016 column for The Hollywood Reporter. He said: “Rob and I were sitting in the back next to each other. Then the orgasm scene happens, and the place goes berserk. When Rob's mother, Estelle, says, 'I'll have what she's having,' it was thunderous, a laugh you can only hear with the best of jokes in a concert hall.”
The joint statement also spoke about Reiner and Michele as a couple. “Strong and determined, Michele and Rob Reiner devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens. They were a special force together dynamic, unselfish and inspiring. We were their friends, and we will miss them forever.”
It ended with a line from a favourite film of Reiner’s. “There is a line from one of Rob's favorite films, 'It's a Wonderful Life'. 'Each man's life touches so many other lives, and when he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?' You have no idea.”