Carl Reiner & Rob Reiner
Footprinting Ceremony held on Friday, April 7, 2017
 
For the first time in the Chinese Theatre's history, a father and son were asked to make their imprints at the Chinese Theatre Forecourt at the same time. Carl and Rob Reiner have both made indelible marks on the entertainment business, and both of them have been there for each other, frequently appearing in each other's projects.
Carl Reiner. Date unknown.
 
Carl Reiner on Wikipedia
Carl Reiner on the Internet Movie Database
Carl Reiner on Twitter
Carl Reiner
 
Born: March 20, 1922, in The Bronx, New York
Age at the time of the ceremony: 95
Died: June 29, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California, aged 98
 
Carl Reiner's parents were both Jewish immigrants, who settled in The Bronx. Father Irving was a watchmaker. Carl's older brother Charlie discovered a WPA program offering free lessons in the drama, so Carl attended, putting his feet on the showbiz path.

Drafted to serve in the Army Air Forces in World War II, Reiner got pneumonia, was sent to school to learn French, directed a Moliére play in that language, then auditioned for Major Maurice Evans, who allowed him to join his Special Sevices unit. Reiner entertained troops all over the Pacific Theatre until his discharge in 1946. In 1943, he married actor and singer Estelle Lebost, with son Rob coming along in 1947.

Reiner made his Broadway debut in the cast of the Dietz and Schwartz musical Inside U.S.A. with Beatrice Lillie, for 399 performances, from April 1948 to February 1949. He was in the cast of the revue Alive and Kicking for only 49 perfs in January 1950.

Also in 1950, Max Leibman cast Reiner to join the cast of Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca's Your Show of Shows for 140 episodes, aired over NBC from February 1950 to June 1954. When Coca left the show, NBC revamped it as Caesar's Hour ; as a regular performer on the show, he did all 61 episodes, but got to write some material for three shows, in 1954, 1955 and 1957. In 1958, Simon & Schuster published Reiner's semi-autobiographical novel Enter Laughing. More about this later.

Reiner had been writing a sitcom pilot based on his experiences as a cast member and writer on the Sid Caesar shows, and they shot a pilot of him playing lead character Rob Petrie. But the CBS brass told him to find someone else for the lead. Renier chose Dick Van Dyke as Rob and Mary Tyler Moore as Laura. Reiner took the role of Alan Brady, the ding-dong host of the show Rob works on. The Dick Van Dyke Show ran for 158 episodes over CBS from October 1961 to June 1966, and has become a milestone in television comedy. Reiner was co-producer (with Sheldon Leonard and Danny Thomas as executive producers) for 148 episodes, and he played Alan Brady for 32 episodes.

Around this time, Reiner and Mel Brooks made history with a recording of a routine they had performed at parties: The 2000 Year Old Man. Their first recording was released in 1960, with others released in 1961, 1962, 1973 and 1997. In 1998, Brooks and Reiner received Grammy Awards for these recordings.

For director Norman Jewison, Reiner wrote the script for The Thrill of It All (released in July 1964) with Doris Day and James Garner. Meanwhile, writer Joseph Stein (whose next project would be to write the book for the musical Fiddler on the Roof) wrote a stage adaptation of Reiner's Enter Laughing, which was staged on Broadway starring Alan Arkin, for 419 perfs, from March 1963 to March 1964.

With Reiner, Joseph Stein would co-write the script and co-produce with Reiner directing the film of Enter Laughing (released in February 1967) with Reni Santoni in Alan Arkin's role (a shame, really).

On Broadway, Reiner wrote and directed the comedy Something Different with Linda Lavin for 111 perfs, from November 1967 to February 1968. Reiner then co-wrote, co-produced, directed and took a small role in a film based on the life of Buster Keaton, The Comic (released in November 1969) with Dick Van Dyke.

Reiner was asked to direct the oddball comedy Where's Poppa? (released in July 1970) with George Segal; the film was very popular. He was co-creator of the 22 episodes of Lotsa Luck! with Dom DeLuise, aired over NBC in September 1973. Reiner wrote 13, directed 10 and produced six of the 72 episodes of The New Dick Van Dyke Show, aired over CBS from September 1971 to March 1974.

For producer Jerry Weintraub, Reiner directed the hit comedy Oh, God! (released in October 1977) with George Burns. Reiner was then called on to direct the movie debut of Steve Martin in The Jerk (released in December 1979). Reiner and Martin became a team of sorts, with Reiner writing and / or directing serveral of Martin's earlier films, including co-writing and directing Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (released in May 1982), co-writing and directing The Man with Two Brains (released in June 1983), and directing All of Me (released in September 1984) with Martin and Lily Tomlin.

Reiner directed Summer Rental (which played the Chinese in August 1985) with John Candy, and wrote and directed the semi-musical Bert Rigby, You're a Fool (released in February 1989) with Robert Lindsay.

He directed the spoof on "erotic" thrillers in Fatal Instinct (released in October 1993) with Armand Assante, and directed the wedding comedy That Old Feeling (released in April 1997) with Bette Midler.

Carl Reiner has a loooong list of shows and movies he has played parts in, and after 1997, he retired from directing and enjoyed appearing before the cameras. He wrote and was executive producer for the animated The Alan Brady Show with Dick Van Dyke, aired over TV Land in August 2003, and was executive producer on The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited with Mary Tyler Moore, aired over CBS in May 2004. One of his final roles was as "Carl Reineroceros" in Toy Story 4 (which played the Chinese in June 2019).
   
Rob Reiner as Michael Stivic on All in the Family, aired over CBS from January 1971 to April 1979.
 
Rob Reiner on Wikipedia
Rob Reiner on the Internet Movie Database
 
Rob Reiner on Twitter
 
Rob Reiner
 
Born: March 6, 1947, in The Bronx, New York
Age at the time of the ceremony: 70
 
If you think Carl Reiner's bio above was energetic, get a load of son Rob's!

Born in 1947 to Carl and Estelle Reiner, Rob grew up in New Rochelle. He studied filmmaking at the UCLA Film School; while in Los Angeles, Rob guest starred on a number of television shows, including his first, Manhunt with Victory Jory, aired in syndication in 1961. He played actor Clark Baxter in the film his father Carl wrote the novel for, co-wrote the script for, produced and directed,Enter Laughing (released in February 1967) with Reni Santoni.

Rob became a staff writer (along with Steve Martin) for 21 episodes on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, aired over CBS from February 1967 to November 1968. A connection with producer Danny Thomas got him a shot on The Andy Griffith Show with Andy Griffith, aired over CBS in April 1967. Rob co-wrote the television special Romp!!! hosted by Ryan O'Neal, aired over ABC in April 1968.

Rob had several quest slots on Gomer Pyle, USMC with Jim Nabors, aired over CBS, most recently as "Moondog" — a hippie — in March 1969, and he was among several white high schoolers messing things up at a black high school in Halls of Anger (released in April 1970) with Jeff Bridges. Director / father Carl gave his son a small role in his comedy Where's Poppa? (released in July 1970) with George Segal.

Then, lightning struck. Producer Norman Lear cast Rob Reiner as Michael Stivic in All in the Family with Carroll O'Connor as Archie Bunker, aired over CBS. Mike's continual liberal boostings, contrasted with Archie's continual conservatism made All in the Family one of the most-watched and best-remembered shows in television history.

Reiner did 182 episodes of the show from January 1971 to April 1979; he wrote four episodes revolving around flashbacks to Mike and Archie's daughter Gloria's wedding. Being on the hit show allowed Reiner to become producer for 10 and co-writer for three episodes of The Super with Richard Castellano in the title role, aired over ABC from June to August 1972. Additionally, he got his first taste of directing and producing and writing the unsold TV pilot Sonny Boy with Allen Garfield, aired over CBS in May 1974.

After All in the Family went of the air in 1979, Reiner got itching to direct again. He co-wrote, directed and played the mockumentary director Marty DiBergi in the incredible This Is Spinal Tap (released in March 1984) with Christopher Guest.

Reiner directed the wonderful Stand By Me (released in November 1986) with Wil Wheaton. In June 1987, Reiner and some film executives got a bunch of venture capital and started Castle Rock Entertainment; many of Reiner's future projects would be produced by this company. Reiner then produced and directed the classic (!) fantasy adventure comedy The Princess Bride (released in October 1987) with Cary Elwes.

Reiner produced and directed the comedy When Harry Met Sally. . . (released in July 1989) with Billy Crystal, played a supporting role for director Mike Nichols in Postcards from the Edge (released in September 1990) with Meryl Streep, and produced and directed what is probably his masterpiece, Misery (released in November 1990) with James Caan.

He produced and directed the courtroom thriller A Few Good Men (released in December 1992) with Tom Cruise, then played a small role for director Nora Ephron in Sleepless in Seattle (released in June 1993) with Tom Hanks. For director Hugh Wilson, Reiner played a plastic surgeon to Goldie Hawn in The First Wives Club (released in September 1996) with Bette Midler.

After taking a break from directing, Reiner produced and directed the comedy The Bucket List (released in December 2007) with Jack Nicholson. For director Martin Scorsese, Reiner played Leonardo DiCaprio's father in The Wolf of Wall Street (released in December 2013). The next year, he produced and directed And So It Goes (released in July 2014) with Michael Douglas. Reiner, always interested in politics, produced and directed a biopic of US president Lyndon Baines Johnson in LBJ (released in November 2017) with Woody Harrelson in the title role.

Reiner has been doing a lot of acting lately. He plays Zooey Deschanel's father in her series The New Girl, aired over the Fox Network, beginning in November 2012, and plays Ace Amberg in the post World War II movie biz television show Hollywood airing over Netflix in May 2020, with Darren Criss. His latest film is Shock and Awe with Woodly Harrelson (released in July 2018).
 
TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX®, Hollywood, California. Carl and Rob Reiner Forecourt block. Executed by unknown, Friday, April 7, 2017. 50 x 24 inches.
 
TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX®, Hollywood, California. Carl and Rob Reiner Forecourt ceremony, Friday, April 7, 2017. Carl and Rob Reiner hold up their cementy hands.
 
TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX®, Hollywood, California. Carl and Rob Reiner Forecourt ceremony, Friday, April 7, 2017. Carl and Rob Reiner are busy inscribing their names in the wet cement.
 
TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX®, Hollywood, California. Carl and Rob Reiner Forecourt ceremony, Friday, April 7, 2017. Carl Reiner stands aside as son Rob Reiner puts his finishing touches to their block.
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