“From the time we met in 1971 during the making of Summertree when he played my roommate, Rob and I had spent a lot of time talking about the challenges of growing up as second-generation Hollywood figures and dealing with the large shadows our fathers’ careers had cast.”
Douglas was the son of Spartacus star Kirk Douglas, while Reiner was the son of comedy legend Carl Reiner.
Their shared experiences as the children of hugely successful Hollywood figures became one of the foundations of their friendship.
But Douglas said their conversations became considerably more personal as both men faced difficulties involving their sons.
He wrote: “We both had sons with serious drug issues and we both, at times, had been at the end of our rope.
“It was a heartbreaking confessional for us, but I know we gave each other some measure of comfort during the hard times.”
Douglas’ eldest son, Cameron Douglas, 47, has spoken publicly about his years of drug addiction and imprisonment.
Speaking to People in 2019, Cameron Douglas said: “I hated the wreckage I saw in my life because of drugs, but I just couldn’t stop.”
His father said at the time: “There were moments when hope dwindled … and then it’s just a train out of the station.”
He added: “Life became a series of crises. I thought I was going to lose him.”
Douglas returned to the subject following Reiner’s death in the CBS News special Rob Reiner: Scenes from a Life.
He said: “With this terrible tragedy, we’re realising how much pressure he was dealing with in his personal life with his son.
“I also had a son who had drug issues. And I’m happy to say he’s overcome them and he’s living a prosperous life.”
Douglas added: “But we talked a lot about that: What you can do as a parent, what you can’t do.
“So knowing with all of that going on behind the scenes, this was a man who always gave you his best.”
Douglas writes in his memoir, “Today, Cameron is now an incredible, doting, and loving father to two adorable children, Lua and Ryder. He wrote his own best-selling memoir, and has spent time speaking out about and mentoring people with substance abuse issues.”
Reiner’s death has remained in the headlines as the criminal case against Nick Reiner proceeds.
Prosecutors allege Reiner and his wife were fatally stabbed at their Brentwood home on December 14, 2025.
The case returned to Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, when a judge considered whether grand jury transcripts and exhibits connected to the indictment should be made public. A decision was postponed until later this month.
Douglas’ memories of Reiner form part of a wider examination of his family and Hollywood career in One Helluva Ride, which was published on Tuesday.
The book also covers his struggle to emerge from Kirk Douglas’ shadow and his work on films including One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Romancing the Stone, Wall Street and Basic Instinct.
Douglas became a household name playing Inspector Steve Keller in The Streets of San Francisco before producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which won the Academy Award for best picture.
He later won the best actor Oscar for his portrayal of ruthless financier Gordon Gekko in Wall Street, while other defining performances include Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct, The American President and Behind the Candelabra.
In One Helluva Ride, Douglas describes his life as having been a “roller coaster starting from childhood”, encompassing his career, relationships, addiction and his experiences as both the son of a Hollywood icon and a father confronting his own family crises.