Film director and producer Ivan Reitman, who directed the popular movie “Ghostbusters” has died at the age of 75 in California, local media reported Monday.

The also producer of “Animal House” died “in his sleep” last Saturday night at his home in Montecito, in the state of California, according to his relatives.

“Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father and grandfather who taught us to always look for the magic in life,” his family published in a statement.

Born in the former Czechoslovakia and raised in Canada, the film director was known for his popular comedies, some with a racy twist.

Reitman broke into the world of film with a skit on the National Lampoon’s Animal House fraternity, which he produced.

He directed actor Bill Murray in his first leading role in “Meatballs” and later in Stripes, but his most significant success came with 1984’s Ghostbusters.

This supernatural-tinged comedy starred Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis and grossed nearly $300 million worldwide, earning two Oscar nominations.

El director Jason Reitman con Ivan Reitman

The film spawned a franchise that later included television series and a sequel such as the most recent “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”, directed in 2021 by his son Jason Reitman, who followed in his footsteps as a filmmaker.

“Our family mourns the unexpected loss of a husband, father and grandfather who taught us to always look for the magic in life”her children Jason Reitman, Catherine Reitman and Caroline Reitman said in a joint statement. “We are comforted that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and joy to countless people around the world. As we grieve in private, we hope that those who knew him through his films will always remember him.”

Known for big, raunchy comedies that portrayed the spirit of the times, Reitman’s first big break came with the college sitcom “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” which he produced. He also directed Bill Murray in his first leading role in “Meatballs” and again in “Stripes,” but his most notable success was with 1984’s “Ghostbusters.” .

Not only has the irreverent supernatural comedy starring Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis grossed nearly $300 million worldwide, earned two Oscar nominations and created a true franchise, including television spin-offs and new movies like “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (“Ghostbusters: Legacy”) that premiered last year, directed by his son Jason.

Other notable films Reitman directed include “Twins,” “Kindergarten Cop,” “Dave” (“Dave, President for a Day”), “Junior” and ” Six Days, Seven Nights” (“Six days and seven nights”). As a producer he also stood out for “Beethoven”, “Old School” (“Those university sprees”) and “EuroTrip” (“censored Eurotrip”) among many others, including several of his son Jason.

Jason Reitman, director of the movie "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"

“I remember flashes of scenes,” Reitman told AP in 1979. “Then they told me that they gave me a couple of sleeping pills so that I wouldn’t make any noise. I was so sedated that I fell asleep with my eyes open. My parents feared that he was dead.”

The Reitmans came with a relative to Toronto, where Ivan showed his inclinations for show business: he started a puppet theater and gave performances at summer camps, he also appeared in coffee shops with a folk music group. He studied music and theater at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and began making short films.

With his friends and $12,000, Reitman made a movie in nine days, “Cannibal Girls,” which American International agreed to distribute. He produced a $500 budget weekly television revue “Greed” with Dan Aykroyd, and became associated with the Lampoon group on their off-Broadway revue with John Belushi, Gilda Radner and Murray. This soon led to “Animal House”.

Ivan Reitman, during the recording of the movie Ghostbusters

By the time the 1990s movie “Kindergarten Cop” came along, Reitman had established himself as the most successful comedy director in history. Although not even the experience of being the father of three children had prepared him for the arduous task of directing 30 children between the ages of 4 and 7 in the comedy starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Reitman slowed down as a director after “Six Days, Seven Nights” which was followed by only four films: “Evolution” (“Evolution”), “My Super Ex-Girlfriend” (“My super ex-girlfriend”), “No Strings Attached” (“Friends with benefits”) and “Draft Day” (“Final decision”) of 2014.

But he continued to produce and with “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” he was even close to the press with his son, giving emotional moments for his change of courier.

When asked last year why the 1984 film continued to fascinate, Reitman told AP that was hard to define.

“I always had a kind of sincere approach to comedy”, He said. “I took it seriously even though it was a horror movie and a comedy, I felt you had to deal with it realistically and honestly.”

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