Gone: Carl Reiner, aged 98, of natural causes. Comedy genius, and comedy legend, terms strewn around anything but lightly where he is concerned. From before most of you were born, right up until the end. Besides spawning his son, the Meathead, he was not only Mel Brooks' long-time partner, but a comedy pioneer in his own right, and as funny at slapstick or deadpan as any vaudevillian or silent movie comic you could think of.
Most people now will know him from his part in the Ocean's ensembles, but he was also the brains behind the Dick Van Dyke Show, and as his friend Mel Brooks' straight man and co-creator for multiple versions of The 2000 Year Old Man, which started out as a bit he and Brooks started doing at local parties, and turned into a full-blown series of comedy masterpieces.
The world is far less funny at his passing, after a long and full life, and having done nothing substantial other than enriching the human experience. Which isn't a bad gig to have, nor too shabby a legacy to leave behind.
He's gonna leave a big hole for the next generation to fill.
ReplyDeleteOn a similar note, any idea what happened to remus@woodpile report?
No idea, Fred.
ReplyDeleteAny news on that score is welcomed.
"Emergency! Everyone to get from street!" Love that movie.
ReplyDeleteI doubt many people realize the extent to which Carl and Mel have influenced comedy since the 50's.
RIP
Loved him in The Jerk. He did crossed eyes very well.
ReplyDelete-JW
My wife and I saw this 10-minute segment of CBS Sunday Morning. It's a dialog between Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks from quarantine. Love both those guys.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckc4R2TET6o
A very funny man. In an age where so much that is not actually funny is presented as riotous humor (and you are too stupid if you do not get it), he will be badly missed.
ReplyDeleteI just found out through a regular read that Remus of The Woodpile Report is deceased. That's a big loss for team freedom.
ReplyDeletehttps://americandigest.org/mia-remus-and-the-woodpile-report/#comment-40138
Carl Reiner was a true comedic genius, and though he will be missed, at least his work survives him. Too bad that he had no talent for raising a son with any sense in his head, but otherwise I will definitely miss him.
ReplyDeleteNote that in the environment that his son and his ilk are striving to create, someone like Carl Reiner would never have been heard from, let alone a success. Leftist scum (but I repeat myself) have no sense of humor.
Even his son the Meathead isn't a total zero.
ReplyDeleteIf the only thing he'd ever done in his entire life was The Princess Bride, he'd still deserve Hollywood Hall Of Fame status as one of the top 0.1% of talent that ever walked a studio lot.
Ignore the political opinions they burp out, and go to movies to see movies.
Your blood pressure will thank you.