Rob Reiner and Anthony Geary Shared the Screen—Long Before Their Same-Day Farewell
Decades before a headline-grabbing twist linked their legacies, Rob Reiner and Anthony Geary shared a fleeting, now-poignant moment on a 1971 episode of All in the Family.
Two TV heavyweights died on the same day, and here is the odd twist I can’t stop thinking about: Rob Reiner and Anthony Geary actually shared a scene way back in 1971. It was brief, it was early, and it now reads like one of those behind-the-scenes trivia bits that suddenly lands with weight.
Their paths crossed before they really took off
Reiner and Geary were both on All in the Family in 1971, in the show’s fifth episode, Judging Books by Covers. Reiner was in his regular lane as Michael Stivic, a role he rode for eight of the show’s nine seasons as the series became a full-on cultural juggernaut. Geary, on the other hand, popped in for a single half hour and moved on.
The careers that followed could not have been more different
Geary became a daytime icon as Luke Spencer on General Hospital. He racked up eight Daytime Emmys for that performance and basically cemented himself as soap royalty.
Reiner shifted behind the camera and turned into one of Hollywood’s go-to directors. The hits came fast: This Is Spinal Tap (1984), When Harry Met Sally... (1989), Misery (1990), and A Few Good Men (1992). He also earned an Academy Award nomination along the way.
The hard news that ties it all together
On Sunday, December 14, 2025, Rob Reiner was found dead alongside his wife, Michelle, at their Brentwood home, according to initial reports. He was 78. Authorities are investigating their deaths.
That same day, Anthony Geary also died at 78, reportedly due to complications following a surgical procedure.
- Shared screen: All in the Family, 1971, episode 5, Judging Books by Covers
- Reiner on the show: Michael Stivic for eight seasons
- Geary on the show: one-episode appearance
- Geary’s legacy: Luke Spencer on General Hospital, eight Daytime Emmys
- Reiner’s directing run: Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally..., Misery, A Few Good Men; Oscar-nominated
- Deaths: Both on Dec. 14, 2025; Reiner and his wife found in Brentwood; Geary reportedly after surgical complications
It is a strange, sobering full-circle moment: two 20-somethings sharing a slice of a sitcom in 1971, then going on to completely different corners of TV and film history, only to end up linked again by a date on the calendar. And yes, the title of that old episode feels pointed now. Judging Books by Covers. A small-screen footnote that suddenly says a lot.