Original ‘Ghostbusters’ director dies

Ivan Reitman – a prominent director, writer and producer, known for directing the widely successful ‘Ghostbusters’ films in the 1980s, has passed away in his sleep at the age of 75. The news came from his family in a statement to Associated Press, while no cause of death has been revealed.

“Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father, and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life,” his children, director Jason Reitman, Catherine Reitman and Caroline Reitman said in a joint statement. “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.”

Reitman was born in Czechoslovakia and raised in Canada. He made a name for himself after producing ‘National Lampoon’s Animal House’ in 1978 before directing two hit films starring Bill Murray – ‘Meatballs’ (1979) and ‘Stripes’ (1980). After that he partnered with Dan Aykroyd to realize what would become his most successful feature film – 1984’s ‘Ghostbusters,’ starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. The film turned out to be a cultural sensation, raking in over $228 million domestically and spawning a franchise that would include a hit sequel in 1989, an animated series, and several modern adaptations.

While none of Reitman’s subsequent projects proved as successful as ‘Ghostbusters,’ his style of directing became a staple in comedy. He went on to direct and produce films such as ‘Dave,’ ‘Beethoven,’ ‘Space Jam,’ ‘Eurotrip,’ ‘Heavy Metal,’ ‘Evolution,’ ‘Hitchcock,’ ‘My Super Ex-Girlfriend,’ ‘No Strings Attached,’ ‘Up In The Air,’ ‘Draft Day’ and, most recently, ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife,’ which sees his filmmaker son Jason continuing the story.