Carl Reiner Net Worth

What was Carl Reiner's Net Worth?

Carl Reiner was an American comedian, actor, director, and writer who had a net worth of $70 million at the time of his death in 2020. Carl Reiner was honored with several awards during his decades-long Hollywood career, including 11 Emmys, a Grammy, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Throughout his career, Carl performed in multiple Broadway musicals, movies, and films, such as "Alive and Kicking" (1950), "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961–1966), and "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963). Reiner collaborated with Steve Martin numerous times, directing "The Jerk" (1979), "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" (1982), "The Man with Two Brains" (1983), and "All of Me" (1984); he also co-wrote "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" and "The Man with Two Brains" and had a memorable role in "The Jerk." Carl was an accomplished author as well, publishing more than 25 books, including "My Anecdotal Life: A Memoir" (2003), "NNNNN: A Novel" (2006), and "I Remember Me" (2012).

Early Life

Carl Reiner was born on March 20, 1922, in the Bronx, New York City. He was raised in a working-class household by Jewish immigrant parents. His mother, Bessie, emigrated from Romania, and his father, Irving, came from Austria and worked as a watchmaker. Reiner grew up alongside his older brother, Charles, and from an early age was exposed to the rhythms of everyday humor that would later define his comedy.

As a teenager, Reiner worked repairing sewing machines, a practical job that had little to do with entertainment. His life took a decisive turn when Charles told him about a free drama workshop. Reiner enrolled out of curiosity and quickly discovered a passion for performance.

In 1942, Reiner was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He rose to the rank of corporal and initially trained as a radio operator. After contracting pneumonia and spending several months recovering in the hospital, he was reassigned and sent to Georgetown University to train as a French interpreter. While there, he directed a French-language production of a Molière play. He completed his language training in 1944 and was later stationed in Hawaii as a teleprinter operator.

After attending a performance of "Hamlet" staged by the military's Special Services entertainment unit, Reiner auditioned for actor and major Maurice Evans. He was subsequently transferred to the entertainment division and spent the remainder of the war performing for troops stationed in Hawaii, Iwo Jima, and Guam. He was honorably discharged in 1946.

Broadway and Early Television

Following the war, Reiner began working steadily as a performer on Broadway. In the late 1940s, he appeared in musicals such as "Inside U.S.A.," "Alive and Kicking," and "Call Me Mister." These roles helped establish him as a versatile stage actor with strong comedic instincts.

In 1950, Reiner joined the cast of Sid Caesar's landmark television series "Your Show of Shows." It was there that he met Mel Brooks, beginning one of the most influential creative partnerships in comedy history. When the series ended in 1954, Reiner continued writing and performing on "Caesar's Hour," which ran until 1957 and earned him two Emmy Awards.

Mel Brooks and "The 2000 Year Old Man"

In the early 1960s, Reiner and Brooks became a popular comedy duo through their appearances on "The Steve Allen Show." Their improvised routine, "The 2000 Year Old Man," became a defining piece of American comedy. The bit evolved into five successful comedy albums, an animated television special, and a Grammy Award, cementing Reiner's reputation as a master of conversational and character-driven humor.

"The Dick Van Dyke Show"

In 1961, Reiner created "The Dick Van Dyke Show," originally titled "Head of the Family." The series was loosely based on Reiner's own experiences as a television writer. Although Reiner intended to play the lead role, network executives felt he was better suited to a supporting part. Dick Van Dyke was cast as the star, and Reiner instead portrayed Alan Brady, the blunt and intimidating boss.

Reiner also served as a writer and executive producer on the series, which became one of the most acclaimed sitcoms of all time. During this period, he also appeared in major films such as "The Thrill of It All," which he co-wrote, and the ensemble comedy "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World."

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Directing Career

Reiner made his directorial debut in 1966 with "Enter Laughing," adapted from his own novel. He went on to direct a total of 15 feature films, many of which blended broad comedy with emotional warmth. His most commercially successful directing effort was "Oh, God!" in 1977, which became a major box office hit. Other notable films he directed include "Summer Rental," "Fatal Instinct," and "That Old Feeling."

Later Acting Work and Final Projects

Over the course of his career, Reiner amassed more than 100 acting credits across film and television. His later film appearances included "The Spirit of '76," "The Majestic," and Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's Eleven" trilogy. On television, he appeared on series such as "Mad About You," "Hot in Cleveland," and "Parks and Recreation."

Reiner also lent his voice to animated projects, including Carl Reineroceros in "Toy Story 4" and Santa Claus in "The Penguins of Madagascar." During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he participated in "Home Movie: The Princess Bride," a remotely produced charity project. His son, director Rob Reiner, appeared in a scene with him, later noting that they filmed their segment just three days before Carl Reiner's death.

Personal Life

Carl married singer Estelle Lebost on December 24, 1943, and they were together until Estelle's death in 2008. The couple had three children together: famed director/screenwriter/actor Rob Reiner (born March 1947), poet/playwright Sylvia, who is better known as Annie (born May 1949), and painter Lucas (born August 1960). Though he was raised Jewish, Reiner stated in a 2013 interview that he "became an atheist after Hitler came."

Carl was a Democrat, and in 2018, he said his goal was to live long enough to see Donald Trump voted out of the White House. He tweeted his opposition to Trump until the day he died; some of his final tweets called Donald a "Russian-installed puppet president" and "a bankrupted and corrupt businessman."

Death and Tributes

On June 29, 2020, Reiner fell in his Beverly Hills home and lost consciousness, passing away from natural causes at the age of 98. Carl reportedly spent the last evening of his life watching TV with Mel Brooks, who had been his best friend since 1950, and was surrounded by family when he passed. After Reiner's death, many actors and comedians paid tribute to him, including Dick Van Dyke, who called Carl his idol, and Sarah Silverman, who said his "humanity was beyond compare." Steve Martin wrote an op-ed for the "New York Times" in which he called Reiner a perfect person and said that working with Carl "gave [him] a template of how to be better, nicer, how to lead with kindness."

Awards and Honors

Carl won his first Emmy in 1957 (Best Supporting Performance by an Actor for "Caesar's Hour") and followed it with 10 more wins for "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special," and "Mad About You." In 1999, Reiner and Brooks earned a Grammy for Best Spoken Comedy Album for "The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000," and the following year, Carl received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Reiner also won awards from the Writers Guild of America, American Comedy Awards, Directors Guild of America, and Gold Derby Awards. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960, and he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2017, Carl and Rob were honored with a handprint and footprint ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theater, becoming the first father and son to receive the honor together.

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