Mel Brooks was with Rob Reiner's dad, Carl Reiner, the night he died

Entertainment Weekly • January 15, 2026 • entertainment

Key Points:

Mel Brooks, longtime friend and collaborator of Carl Reiner, was by Reiner's side until his death in June 2020, as highlighted in the HBO documentary Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! premiering January 22.
Brooks spent nearly every night with Reiner after the deaths of their respective spouses, showing the depth of their close relationship spanning seven decades.
Rob Reiner confirms that Mel Brooks was present during Carl Reiner's final moments and continued to visit the family home for months afterward, demonstrating his enduring bond with the Reiner family.
The friendship began in 1950 on the NBC variety show Your Show of Shows, where they created the iconic "2000 Year Old Man" comedy