Billy Crystal is opening up about the painful loss of his dear friend, Rob Reiner.
Crystal, 78, a comedy icon known for films ranging from When Harry Met Sally to City Slickers, had a 50-year friendship with Reiner, who tragically died on December 15, 2025, alongside his wife, Michele Singer Reiner. Their son, Nick Reiner, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. But despite the tragic circumstances of their untimely death, Reiner’s legacy is living on through his other children and his lifelong friends. In a revealing new interview with PEOPLE, Crystal shared that after the first full run-through of his new one-man show, 860, his first thought was to reach out to his friend Reiner.
“I felt so good,” Crystal told the publication. “And my first thought was, ‘I’ve got to call Rob.’ I don’t know if I don’t want that to keep happening or I do want it to keep happening…I don’t know.”
Crystal shared that Reiner was a supportive friend who stood by him through the development of his one-man show.
“He encouraged me,” Crystal explained. “I told him what I was doing, and he went, ‘Great, great,’ and because we’d just done some workshops, he asked, ‘What are you calling it?’ I gave him [some] titles, and he said, ‘I don’t know….’ and then I said, ‘I think 860.’ And he said, ‘That’s the one. I love that.’ So he’s there for me in that way too. What can I tell you…”
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How Did Billy Crystal and Rob Reiner Meet?
Crystal and Reiner met in 1977 after TV producer Norman Lear saw Crystal’s set at the Comedy Store in LA, the article notes.
“I did 20 minutes,” Crystal shared. “He just introduced himself: ‘I’m Norman Lear.’ And Carl Reiner [Rob’s dad] also happened to be there that night too. Two weeks later, I got a call that Norman wanted me to play Rob Reiner’s best friend. ‘I think you and Robbie will be great together.’”
The series was, of course, the legendary show All in the Family, which starred Rob Reiner as the beloved “Meathead” opposite Carroll O’Connor.
If you need a flashback of Crystal on All in the Family, check out the fun video below:
Related: ‘When Harry Met Sally’ Star Billy Crystal Opens Up About Losing His Home of 46 Years: ‘Everything Was Gone’
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