Legendary Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle were found dead in their home in Los Angeles.
Authorities are investigating the incident as an apparent homicide after police and firefighters were called to the couple's home in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon.
Police said a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were pronounced dead inside the home. Police said no suspect or person of interest is currently being sought.
Reiner is known for directing classic films such as The Princess Bride, This Is Spinal Tube, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men.
Rob and Michelle Reiner pictured in 2018 [Reuters]
Authorities did not immediately identify the couple or the circumstances of their deaths.
A spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department told the BBC they received a call at about 3:38 pm local time (23:38 GMT) to provide medical assistance to a home in Brentwood, an area where many celebrities live.
Murder investigation
Robbery detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department also responded to the home and began a homicide investigation.
At a news conference Sunday evening, police did not provide any details about the deaths or what they found when they responded. Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said both bodies were still in the home more than six hours after police and firefighters were called.
According to him, no one was detained or arrested in connection with the incident.
Police also did not provide details about any injuries the couple suffered or whether any weapons were found or used. Hamilton said the cause of death will be determined by the Los Angeles coroner's office.
Hollywood classic
California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement confirming the deaths of Reiner and his wife.
Newsom said he was “heartbroken” by the death and called Reiner “the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love.”
The son of comedy great Carl Reiner, he began his career in the 1960s and achieved success playing Meathead on the groundbreaking television sitcom All in the Family in the 1970s, earning him two Emmy Awards.
He achieved further success with the cult mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap in 1984, which he directed and also played on-screen director Marty DiBerga.
Thus began a string of classic Hollywood films for Reiner, including Stand by Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), Misery (1990) and A Few Good Men (1992), the latter of which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
Reiner with Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise and Demi Moore, stars of A Few Good Men, 1992. [Reuters]
He reunited with Spinal Tap for the highly anticipated sequel Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which was released this September.
Reiner also co-founded the successful production company Castle Rock Entertainment.
He was married to actress Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981 and is the adoptive father of Marshall's daughter, actress Tracy Reiner.
In 1989, he married Michelle Rainer, an actress, photographer and producer. The couple has three children.
Michel owned the photo agency and production house Reiner Light.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the incident a “devastating loss for our city and country” and praised the couple's philanthropic work in children's development and LGBTQ+ rights.
“Rob Reiner's contributions resonate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy while fighting for social and economic justice,” she said.
