Director Ivan Reitman: "Ghostbusters" has died aged 75
Written byTimes Magazine
Director Ivan Reitman, who directed blockbuster comedies, including the original Ghostbusters, has died at the age of 75. After his family escaped communist repression in postwar Czechoslovakia, Reitman grew up in Canada, where he studied filmmaking.
His big bust came when he produced the 1978 fraternity comedy National Lampoon's Animal House. His other films as a director include Twins, a Kindergarten Cop, and a Junior. His family tell he died peacefully in his sleep at his home in California.
"Our family mourns the unexpected loss of a husband, father, and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life," her children said in a statement. "We are consoled by the point that his work as a director has brought laughter and happiness to many people around the world.
Paul Feig, who directed the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot, wrote on Twitter: "He has directed some of my favorite comedies of all time. We all owe a lot to his comedies."
Judd Apatow, screenwriter and director of Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, said Reitman was a "true legend" who "influenced everything we all love about comedy." Prominent Sick actor and writer Kumail Nanjiani agree that he is a "legend," adding, "The number of great films he's made is unbelievable."
Mindy Kaling, who bragged about it in the 2011 Reitman film No Strings Attached, said she was "old school in the best and kindest way possible," adding, "I enjoyed working with her." Born in Komarno, now Slovakia, in 1946, Reitman's mother survived the Auschwitz concentration camp, and her father owned the country's largest vinegar factory.
The family later settled in Toronto. Reitman went to McMaster University in Hamilton, where he made a short film and met future Ghostbusters star, Rick Moranis.
After producing director, David Cronenberg's two early horror films, his work on the National Lampoon's Animal House launched a career that would lead him to some of the greatest comedies of the 1980s and '90s.
In 1979 he directed Bill Murray in his first leading role in Meatballs. Together with Gemini (1988), he also made Arnold Schwarzenegger a comedy star.
Reitman's has been famous since 1984 with Ghostbusters. The hit supernatural comedy has grossed over $200 million worldwide and won two Oscars. He also created a franchise that includes a 1989 sequel and two new episodes. In addition, Reitman produced last year's Ghostbusters: The Otherworld, which his son Jason directed.
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