HOLLYWOOD continues to be in mourning over the lack of producer-director Ivan Reitman, whose wildly profitable comedies of the ‘70s and ‘80s included the blockbuster spookfest Ghostbusters, and who died in his sleep over the weekend. He was 75.
Born in Czechoslovakia, Reitman’s mom survived the Auschwitz extermination camp, whereas his father fought within the Czech resistance. At 4 years outdated, he was taken by his household as they fled the repressive postwar Communist regime.
Raised in Canada, Reitman would then grow to be chargeable for propelling many younger comics into stardom, reminiscent of Dan Aykroyd, Rick Moranis, Billy Murray and John Belushi.
The greatest film of Reitman’s profession that spawned a 4 decade outdated franchise was Ghostbusters, which just lately noticed a sequel, Ghostbusters: Afterlife that was directed by Reitman’s son, Jason.
Reitman was additionally chargeable for exhibiting the comedic-side of (at the moment) motion hero Arnold Schwarzenegger by means of Twins (1988), Kindergarten Cop (1990) and Junior (1994).
In a 1993 New York Times function, author Randall Rothenberg mentioned: “Mr. Reitman, [his actors] say, walks a fine line between the control many directors assert over every aspect of a film and the willingness to let his cast – many of whom come from the world of improvisational comedy – fly free.”
Paying tribute to Reitman, Aykroyd’s assertion expressed his heartbreak to Reitman’s surviving household.
“The loss of my friend, collaborator, champion and one of the last great creative talents of the big screen era crumples me,” the veteran comedic actor mentioned.
“Now on Thursdays who am I gonna call?”
Reitman is survived by his spouse Genevieve; his son Jason, a director; and daughters Catherine, a TV actress-writer-producer, and Caroline.
In a press release, the household wrote: “We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world. While we mourn privately, we hope those who knew him through his films will remember him always.”
