Sally Struthers spoke about her working relationship with Rob Reiner months before his death

Sally Struthers spoke earlier this year about her working relationship with Rob Reiner

Sally Struthers reflected on her professional relationship with Rob Reiner earlier this year, months before the director and actor’s death.

The two worked together on the long-running sitcom All in the Family, where Reiner played Michael “Meathead” Stivic and Struthers portrayed his on-screen wife, Gloria.

In an April 2025 interview with Celebrity Drop, Struthers discussed Reiner’s role during table reads, saying he frequently suggested edits to scripts to better accommodate live studio audience reactions. She said Reiner’s approach initially caused tension but was later widely accepted by the cast and show creator Norman Lear.

Struthers said Reiner encouraged her to focus on the overall success of each episode rather than the number of lines assigned to her character.

She described him as being particularly aware of the business and creative aspects of television production, noting that he appeared to be planning his future as a director while still acting on the series.

She also addressed how their relationship changed after leaving All in the Family, saying Reiner would periodically call her for several years before their contact eventually stopped. Struthers said she later encountered Reiner at public events, where their interactions were cordial but distant.

Struthers noted that Reiner once told her his then-wife Penny Marshall felt uncomfortable with their closeness, which she said she understood and respected. She added that she admired Marshall and held no resentment regarding the situation.

The two last appeared together publicly in 2024, when they jointly presented the In Memoriam segment at the Emmy Awards honoring All in the Family creator Norman Lear.

Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead at their Los Angeles home on December 14. Authorities have said the investigation remains ongoing.