Carl Reiner, comedy giant and film star, dies aged 98

30 June 2020, 15:24 | Updated: 30 June 2020, 15:45

Writer, producer, director and actor Carl Reiner has died aged 98, his assistant has confirmed.

Variety confirmed the news, reporting that his assistant Judy Nagy said he died of natural causes on Monday night at his home in Beverly Hills.

Carl won nine Emmy awards, including five for The Dick Van Dyke Show, of which he was the creator.

He played Carl Reineroceros in Toy Story 4, but was best known for directing Oh God in 1977, The Jerk in 1979, and All of Me in 1984.

Dispatches From Quarantine - Episode 3 - Carl Reiner

Carl also starred in Ocean’s Eleven, Two and a Half Men and Hot in Cleveland.

The 98-year-old also did voice work for shows including Family Guy, American Dad, King of the Hill, and Bob’s Burgers.

He first came to prominence as a regular cast member of Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, for which he won two Emmys in 1956 and 1957 in the supporting category.

Carl was active on Twitter, even posting to his 367,000 followers just 15 hours to tell them how sad he was that Donald Trump was the president, and later posting a tribute to Noel Coward.

Earlier this week he tweeted: "What I am most proud of are, creating The Dick Van Dyke Show and informing Mel Brooks that he's 2000 Years Old and knows everything.

"Nothing pleases me more than knowing that I have lived the best life possible by having met and marrying the gifted Estelle (Stella) Lebost - who partnered with me in bringing Rob, Annie and Lucas Reiner into to this needy and evolving world."

Carl's son Rob took to Twitter to post: "Last night my dad passed away. As I write this my heart is hurting. He was my guiding light."