Rob Reiner used his fame to advocate for progressive causes. ‘Just a really special man. A terrible day’

Rob Reiner was known to millions as a television actor and director.

But the Brentwood resident, known for the classic films “Stand by Me” and “When Harry Met Sally,” was also a political force, a staunch supporter of progressive causes and a Democratic Party activist who went beyond the typical role of celebrities hosting glitzy fundraisers.

Reiner was deeply involved in issues close to his heart, such as early childhood education and the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner, were found dead Sunday at his home, sparking an outpouring of grief from those who worked with him on various causes.

Ace Smith — a veteran Democratic strategist for former Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Gov. Jerry Brown and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton — had known Reiner for decades. Reiner, he says, approaches politics differently than most celebrities.

“Here’s this unique human being who really made the leap from entertainment to politics,” Smith said. “And he really spent the time understanding politics, really, in its true depth, and making a huge impact in California.”

Reiner was a co-founder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the organization that successfully led the fight to overturn Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure banning same-sex marriage. He has been active in children’s issues over the years, having led the campaign to pass Proposition 10, the California Children and Families Initiative, which created an ambitious early childhood development services program.

Proposition 10 was considered a landmark policy. Reiner enlisted the help of Steven Spielberg, Robin Williams and his own father, comedy legend Carl Reiner.

“He wanted to make a difference. And he did, and he did it deeply,” Smith said.

After the passage of Proposition 10, Reiner was named chairman of the California Children and Families Commission, also known as First 5 California. He resigned from his post in early 2006 after the commission released $23 million in ads touting the importance of preschool as Reiner was rallying support for Proposition 82.

The measure, which failed, would have taxed the wealthy to create universal preschool in California.

The filmmaker and his wife spent more than $6 million on the failed proposal. They have also donated significant sums to support national Democratic Party groups and candidates, including Jerry Brown, Gray Davis, Ed Rendell and Andrew Cuomo.

Bruce Fuller, a professor of education and public policy at UC Berkeley, called Reiner “a caring and vigilant advocate for children. He added character and money to California’s movement to open preschools to tens of thousands of young families over the past quarter century.”

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who knew Reiner since he was a state legislator in the 1990s, worked with him on Proposition 10 and was impressed by the way Reiner took up the cause.

“He was a man with a good answer. It wasn’t so much politics as he was always focused on the humanity among us,” Villaraigosa said. “When he dealt with a problem, he knew everything about it. »

“Just a really special man. A terrible day,” the former mayor said.

Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that she was heartbroken by the day’s events, saying Reiner “always used his gifts in service to others.”

“Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy for social and economic justice,” the mayor said.

“I carry in my heart everyone who loved Rob and Michele,” Bass said.

Newsom added: “Rob was a passionate advocate for children and civil rights – from his fight against Big Tobacco, fighting for marriage equality, to his powerful voice in early childhood education. He made California a better place through his good works.”

“Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contributions to humanity,” the governor said.