Rob Reiner Movies and TV Shows: Full List & Rankings

If you’ve ever laughed at “I’ll have what she’s having” or felt genuinely moved by a group of boys finding a dead body, you’ve already spent quality time with Rob Reiner’s work — even if you didn’t know it was his. The man behind the camera for some of the most quoted films in American cinema started out as “Meathead” on All in the Family, then quietly built one of the most recognizable directorial careers in Hollywood. This guide maps out the full arc: from his breakthrough TV role in 1971 to his upcoming return as Marty DiBergi in Spinal Tap II (2025).

Born: 1947 · Breakout TV Role: All in the Family · Iconic Directorial Hits: When Harry Met Sally, Stand by Me · Recent TV Appearance: The Bear · Filmography Source: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes

Key identifiers and career milestones for Rob Reiner cluster around major creative turning points: his All in the Family years, the Castle Rock founding in 1987, and his directorial peak spanning 1984–1992.

What TV show made Rob Reiner famous?

All in the Family handed Reiner his career-defining role and a household nickname. He played Michael “Meathead” Stivic, the liberal son-in-law who clashed constantly with Archie Bunker — a character whose political correctness made him both controversial and beloved by audiences.

All in the Family Role

Reiner appeared in 182 episodes of All in the Family from January 12, 1971, through April 8, 1978 — a run that made him one of the most recognizable young faces on American television (Wikipedia). The role earned him two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, establishing his television bona fides before he ever stepped behind a camera.

Early Career Appearances

Before Meathead, Reiner logged guest roles on That Girl (1966–1967), Batman (1967), The Andy Griffith Show (1967), and Gomer Pyle – USMC (1967–1969). These small parts built the resume that eventually convinced producers he could carry a prime-time sitcom.

What are Rob Reiner’s top 5 movies?

Ranking Reiner’s best work requires acknowledging a clear split: his 1980s–early 1990s output sits comfortably in the “critically acclaimed” zone, while his later directing efforts have earned mixed reviews at best.

Ranked by Tomatometer

Rotten Tomatoes tracks the arc clearly: This Is Spinal Tap (86%), Stand by Me (97%), The Princess Bride (97%), When Harry Met Sally (91%), Misery (93%), and A Few Good Men (83%) all scored Fresh — collectively forming one of the strongest early-filmographies in modern Hollywood. For the next eight years, Reiner went on an remarkable directorial run that included Stand By Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987) and When Harry Met Sally (1989).

Stand by Me, The Princess Bride

Stand by Me (1986) earned a 97% Tomatometer score and remains a staple of coming-of-age filmmaking — a film that somehow makes a dead body feel like a coming-of-age party. The Princess Bride (1987) achieved the rare feat of being both a romantic fantasy adventure AND a comedy that actually lands jokes decades later.

What is Rob Reiner best known for?

Reiner occupies a rare position in American cinema: equally respected as both a director and an actor, with a filmography that spans genres without ever fully belonging to any one of them.

Directing Career Highlights

For eight years from 1984 to 1992, Reiner delivered an extraordinary run: This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Stand by Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), Misery (1990), and A Few Good Men (1992). He founded Castle Rock Entertainment in 1987 specifically to produce films under his creative control — and the company delivered a string of hits that defined late-80s mainstream cinema.

Acting in Iconic Films

Even while directing, Reiner kept acting. He played Marty DiBergi in This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Joel in Throw Momma from the Train (1987), an uncredited helicopter pilot in Misery (1990), Jay Mathews in Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Sheldon Flender in Bullets Over Broadway (1994), and Max Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) — a varied resume that shows he’s never been a one-trick performer.

Rob Reiner movies in order

Chronologically, Reiner’s directing career breaks into distinct chapters: the mockumentary debut, the coming-of-age streak, the romcom phase, the legal drama peak, and the quieter later years.

Chronological Directing List

This Is Spinal Tap (1984) → The Sure Thing (1985) → Stand by Me (1986) → The Princess Bride (1987) → When Harry Met Sally (1989) → Misery (1990) → A Few Good Men (1992) → North (1994) → The American President (1995) → Ghosts of Mississippi (1996) → The Story of Us (1999) → Alex & Emma (2003) → Rumor Has It (2005) → The Bucket List (2007) → Flipped (2010) → Being Charlie (2015) → LBJ (2016) → Shock and Awe (2017).

The pattern reveals that the 1984–1992 stretch alone accounts for six of his most enduring films, with quality declining noticeably after the American President (1995).

Acting Filmography

Beyond directing, Reiner’s acting credits span TV (All in the Family, New Girl 2012–2018, The Bear 2025), film (Throw Momma from the Train, Sleepless in Seattle, The First Wives Club, The Wolf of Wall Street), and numerous cameo appearances on The Simpsons (2006), Hannah Montana (2009), and 30 Rock (2010).

Rob Reiner acting roles

Reiner’s acting roles reveal a man who never fully stepped away from the camera, even as his directing career took center stage. The pattern is distinctive: he’s drawn to projects where he can either befriend the director or crack himself up on set.

TV Shows

Beyond All in the Family, Reiner played recurring characters on New Girl as Bob Day from 2012–2018, and most recently appeared as Albert Schnur in The Bear Season 4 (2025). He also voiced Screwie in Everyone’s Hero (2006) and appeared in Family Squares (2022) as Narrator.

Film Cameos

Reiner’s film cameos read like a who’s-who of directors who couldn’t resist casting him: Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street, 2013), Woody Allen (Bullets Over Broadway, 1994), Rob Reiner (Throw Momma from the Train, 1987), and Nora Ephron (Sleepless in Seattle, 1993) all found a spot for him in their films.

What this means: Reiner’s legacy isn’t just the films he made — it’s the proof that an actor can reinvent himself as a filmmaker and deliver a string of hits that actually outlast their theatrical run. The pattern from 1984 to 1992 represents the closest thing Hollywood has to a guaranteed quality streak, and the fact that it came from someone who started as “that guy who’s always arguing with Archie Bunker” makes it genuinely remarkable.