Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. CARL REINER
______
HON. TED LIEU
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, August 7, 2020
Mr. TED LIEU of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to celebrate the
life of Mr. Carl Reiner, a beloved American and resident of
California's 33rd Congressional District, who passed away at the age of
98 on June 29, 2020. With decades of work as an Emmy-winning writer,
actor, director and producer, Carl's comedic genius and generous spirit
impacted not only the world of comedy but also deepened our
understanding of the human condition.
Born on March 20, 1922 in The Bronx, Carl graduated high school at 16
and started working as a shipping clerk and then as a machinist's
helper before discovering a newspaper announcement for free drama
classes sponsored by the Works Progress Administration.
From there, Carl began acting at a midtown Manhattan theater and
joined a Shakespearean repertory company. He even took a job performing
at Allaben Acres, a summer camp for adults in the Catskills where he
met jazz singer Estelle Lebost, his wife for 65 years who passed in
2008.
Drafted into the Army during World War II, Carl trained as a French
interpreter at Georgetown University before touring the South Pacific
in G.I. revues in the Special Services entertainment unit. After his
honorable discharge in 1946, Carl branched into performing Broadway
musicals, until landing a spot in an NBC comedy sketch show entitled
``Your Show of Shows'' as an actor and a writer. In this writing room
with Mel Brooks, Mel Tolkin, Lucille Kallen, and Neil and Danny Simon,
the idea of the 2,000-Year-Old-Man routine came to life with fellow
comedian and director Mel Brooks.
Later, while writing for singer Dinah Shore's variety, Carl developed
the idea for ``The Dick Van Dyke Show,'' a comedy sitcom based on his
own life experiences. This highly successful and well-crafted show
would run for five seasons and earn Carl multiple Emmys for writing and
producing.
After ``The Dick Van Dyke Show,'' Carl transitioned into a full-time
director, creating films like ``The Jerk'' (1979), ``Dead Men Don't
Wear Plaid'' (1982), ``The Man with Two Brains'' (1983) and ``All of
Me'' (1984) with actor Steve Martin during the 1970s and 1980s. In his
later years, Carl would return to acting, with his reoccurring roles in
the television sitcom Frasier and the Ocean's Eleven movie franchise,
and even becoming a prolific writer of books. As Carl once said, ``The
absolute truth is the thing that makes people laugh.''
Carl is survived by his son Rob Reiner, a noted actor, director,
producer, and political activist; son Lucas Reiner, an artist; daughter
Annie Reiner, a psychoanalyst; and his five grandchildren. May his
compassion, kindness, and dedication to the craft of comedy continue to
live on through the millions of people he brought joy to and inspired.
____________________
