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

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

But the Brentwood native, known for classic films like “Stand By Me” and “Harry Met Sally,” was also a political force, an outspoken supporter of progressive causes and a Democratic Party activist who went beyond the typical role of celebrity who hosts glitzy fundraisers.

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

Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner, were found dead inside their home on Sunday, prompting 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. Renner, he said, took a different approach to politics than most celebrities.

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

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

Proposition 10 was considered a historic policy. Reiner enlisted the help of Steven Spielberg, Robin Williams and his own father, comedian Carl Reiner, in that effort.

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

After the passage of Proposition 10, Reiner was appointed chairman of the California Commission on Children and Families, also known as First 5 California. Reiner resigned in early 2006 after the commission ran $23 million in ads touting the importance of preschool while 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 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 UC Berkeley professor of education and public policy, called Reiner “a caring and vigilant advocate for children. He added cachet and cash to California’s movement to open preschool to tens of thousands of young families over the past quarter century.”

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has known Reiner since he was a state lawmaker in the 1990s, worked with him on Proposition 10 and was impressed by how Reiner embraced the cause.

“He was a man with good answers. It wasn’t politics as much as he was always focused on the humanity between us,” Villaraigosa said. ‘When he followed a case, he knew everything about it.

“Just a really special guy. A terrific day,” the former mayor said.

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

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

“I hold Rob and Michelle in my heart to everyone who loves them,” Bass said.

Newsom added, “Rob was a passionate advocate for children’s and civil rights — from taking on Big Tobacco, to fighting for marriage equality, to serving as a powerful voice on early education. He made California a better place through his good deeds.”

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

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.