Ivan Reitman, a giant in comedy cinema, died on Saturday, Feb. 12 at the age of 75. His decades-long career in show business Iincluded the blockbuster hits “Animal House,” “Stripes,” the original “Ghostbusters,” and “Kindergarten Cop.”
During the late 1970s and 1980s, Reitman’s comedies topped the box office and were embraced by 20th century moviegoers as enthusiastically as the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy are today. Reitman’s had his first success in 1978, when he produced “National Lampoon’s Animal House.” The third highest-grossing film that year, it is still regarded as one of the greatest comedies of all time.
Other major box-office hits Reitman either directed or produced include include “Stripes” (no. 2 in 1981), “Ghostbusters” (no. 2 in 1984), “Twins” (no. 5 in in 1988), “Ghostbusters II” (no. 8 in 1989), “Kindergarten Cop” (no. 10 in 1990), “Space Jam” (no.10 in 1996) and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (no. 10 in 2021).
During the late 1970s and 1980s, Reitman’s comedies topped the box office.
Reitman’s was born in Czechoslovakia on October 27, 1946. His mother, Clara, survived the death march from Auschwitz in January 1945, and his father Leslie escaped from a labor camp in Budapest, where he had been assembling Nazi uniforms. The two met each other in Komárno (in present-day Slovakia) and married a week later.
“My father was a remarkably courageous man,” Reitman said in the 2010 documentary “Starting Over: The Legacy of Leslie and Clara Reitman.” Leslie said he “escaped death seven times” during the war.
As the Iron Curtain fell on Czechoslovakia, Reitman’s parents devised an escape plan that involved hiding underneath the floorboards in a tugboat to Vienna. They settled in Toronto in 1950, and shortly thereafter, Reitman became a big brother to twin sisters, Susan and Agi.
To find footing in a new land, Reitman’s father parlayed the skills he acquired in the labor camp to start a dry cleaning business, Albright Cleaners Tailors Laundry; the family lived above the shop.
Reitman’s parents’ success brought them into real estate and the car wash business in Toronto. They made sure to provide a comfortable life for their three young children in their new homeland., including young Reitman attending summer camp for 12 years, which was one of his fondest memories growing up. His camp experience inspired the first film he directed after producing “Animal House,” the Canadian camp comedy “Meatballs,” starring Bill Murray in his first leading role.
Having a proven track record as a successful filmmaker, Reitman had been given a $30 million budget to make “Ghostbusters” in 1984. It would go on to make almost $300 million and spawn a franchise.
Though he is best known for some of the silliest iconic comedies of all time, Reitman had a reputation as a fantastic leader behind the scenes. He produced — and his son, Jason, directed — “Up In The Air,” which was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar in 2009. Reitman produce d last year’s long-awaited “Ghostbusters” sequel, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” also directed by Jason.
In addition to Jason, Reitman is survived by wife Geneviève and daughters Catherine, creator and star of the TV show “Workin’ Moms,” and Caroline. Family meant so much to Reitman, he cast his children in small roles in his films when they were young.
Reitman and his family never lost sight of their indebtedness to the city of Toronto for being such a welcoming land of opportunity. In 2010, the Reitman family donated the land where the family’s car wash was located for thedh site of a massive new arts center in downtown Toronto, the TIFF Bell Lightbox. The facility serves as the home of the Toronto International Film Festival.
Looking back at his career, Reitman attributed his success to values he learned from his parents, who never gave up.
“I think my mother came from a very creative family and my father came from a very pragmatic family,” Reitman said. “And you know somehow to be in the film business, you need a combination of artistry and pragmatism.”
