Albert Brooks is still in disbelief over the death of his friend Rob Reiner

Reiner and his wife Michele were found stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home last weekend and their son Nick has been charged with first-degree murder.

Speaking on the upcoming programme CBS News: Rob Reiner - Scenes from a Life, Albert said: "Rob was my oldest friend. It's that simple. He's the person I've known longest. I met him when I was 14 years old. So I'm still in that not believing it stage."

Brooks confessed that there are still moments when he forgets that Reiner is gone.

The Broadcast News star said: "I know it happened, but, you know, I'm driving around and all of a sudden - I actually two days ago, I called his number."

Albert was among a number of stars - including Billy Crystal and Larry David - who paid a heartfelt joint tribute to the This Is Spinal Tap filmmaker.

Their statement read: "Going to the movies in a dark theatre filled with strangers having a common experience, laughing, crying, screaming in fear, or watching an intense drama unfold is still an unforgettable thrill. Tell us a story audiences demand of us. Absorbing all he had learned from his father Carl and his mentor Norman Lear, Rob Reiner not only was a great comic actor, he became a master story teller.

"There is no other director who has his range. From comedy to drama to 'mockumentary' to documentary he was always at the top of his game. He charmed audiences. They trusted him. They lined up to see his films.

"His comedic touch was beyond compare, his love of getting the music of the dialogue just right, and his sharpening of the edge of a drama was simply elegant.

"For the actors, he loved them. For the writers he made them better. His greatest gift was freedom. If you had an idea, he listened, he brought you into the process. They always felt they were working as a team. To be in his hands as a film maker was a privilege but that is only part of his legacy.

"Rob was also a passionate, brave citizen, who not only cared for this country he loved, he did everything he could to make it better and with his loving wife Michele, he had the perfect partner. Strong and determined, Michele and Rob Reiner devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens... They were a special force together-dynamic, unselfish and inspiring. We were their friends, and we will miss them forever.

"There is a line from one of Rob's favourite films, It's a Wonderful Life, 'Each man's life touches so many other lives, and when he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?' You have no idea.(sic)"