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Ivan Reitman

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Ivan Reitman
OC
Reitman in 2011
Born(1946-10-27)October 27, 1946
Komárno, Czechoslovakia
DiedFebruary 12, 2022(2022-02-12) (aged 75)
Montecito, California, U.S.
Resting placeSanta Barbara Cemetery
NationalityCanadian
Alma materMcMaster University
Occupations
  • Film director
  • producer
  • screenwriter
Years active1968–2022
Spouse
Geneviève Robert
​
(m. 1976)​
Children3, including Jason and Catherine

Ivan Reitman OC (/ˈraɪtmən/; October 27, 1946 – February 12, 2022) was a Canadian film director and producer. He was known for his comedy films, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. Reitman was the owner of The Montecito Picture Company, founded in 1998.

Films he directed include Meatballs (1979), Stripes (1981), Ghostbusters (1984), Twins (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), Kindergarten Cop (1990), Dave (1993), Junior (1994) and Draft Day (2014). Reitman also served as producer for such films as National Lampoon's Animal House (1978), Heavy Metal (1981), Space Jam (1996) and Private Parts (1997).

Early life

[edit]

Ivan Reitman was born in the town of Komárno, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), on October 27, 1946, the son of Klara (Raab) and Ladislav "Leslie" Reitman.[1] Both of Reitman's parents were Jewish-Hungarians; his mother survived the Auschwitz concentration camp, and his father was an underground resistance fighter.[2][3][4] His family arrived in Canada as refugees when Reitman was four years old. Reitman attended Oakwood Collegiate in Toronto and was a member of the Twintone Four singing group.[citation needed] He attended McMaster University,[5] receiving a Bachelor of Music in 1969. At McMaster he produced and directed many short films.[6]

Career

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Reitman's first producing job was with the then-new station CITY-TV in Toronto. CITY was also the home of the first announcing job of his later friend and collaborator Dan Aykroyd. However, Reitman's tenure at CITY was short and he was fired during his first year by station owner Moses Znaimer.[citation needed]

In Toronto, he produced the stage production Spellbound (1973)[7] which evolved into Broadway production The Magic Show.[6]

Reitman in 1984

Reitman's first commercial film ventures were as producer of two films for director David Cronenberg, Shivers (1975) and Rabid (1977). His big break came when he produced National Lampoon's Animal House in 1978 and directed Meatballs in 1979. From there, he directed and produced a number of comedies including Stripes (1981), Ghostbusters (1984),[8] Legal Eagles (1986), Twins (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989),[9] Kindergarten Cop (1990), Dave (1993), Junior (1994), Six Days, Seven Nights (1998), Evolution (2001), My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006), and No Strings Attached (2011).

In the early 1990s, Reitman began to direct fewer films, but increased his role as a producer and executive producer through his company, Northern Lights Entertainment.[10] He helped to produce the animated film Heavy Metal (1981), as well as the live-action films Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983), Beethoven (1992), Beethoven's 2nd (1993), Space Jam (1996), Howard Stern's film Private Parts (1997)

In 1998, Reitman (alongside former Universal Pictures chairman Tom Pollock) founded The Montecito Picture Company, a film production company located just south of Santa Barbara.[11] In 2007, Reitman was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.[12]

He next produced the comedy I Love You, Man (2009), starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. Also in 2009, he produced the Academy Award-nominated film, Up in the Air, directed by his son Jason Reitman. Later, Reitman had planned to direct the erotic thriller Chloe (2009) but he couldn't attract the cast he wanted so Reitman decided to only serve as a producer and asked Atom Egoyan to direct the film.[13] Chloe has since enjoyed commercial success and became Egoyan's biggest moneymaker ever.[14]

In his final decade, Reitman also co-produced the biographical film Hitchcock, released on November 23, 2012, directed the 2014 sports drama Draft Day, starring Kevin Costner, and served as executive producer on 2021's Space Jam: A New Legacy as he had done for the first film.

In mid-January 2019, news of a new Ghostbusters film, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, came through with Ivan's son Jason Reitman taking over as co-writer and director.[15] Ivan remained producer, and stood in for the late Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler using digital makeup.[16] The film was released on November 19, 2021, marking his final film before his death. However, Reitman received a posthumous producer credit for the sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which was released on March 22, 2024. The film is also dedicated to his memory.[17]

Unmade projects

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In the early 1980s, Tom Mankiewicz wrote a script for a film titled The Batman, with Reitman attached to direct. He planned to cast Meatballs star Bill Murray as Batman, David Niven as Alfred Pennyworth, William Holden as Commissioner James Gordon, and singer David Bowie as Joker.[18] Following the deaths of Holden and Niven and rewrites of the script, Reitman left the project and was replaced by Gremlins director Joe Dante, but the film was never made.

In the mid-1980s, Reitman was in contention to direct Memoirs of an Invisible Man, but departed from the project due to creative differences with star Chevy Chase.[19]

Reitman in 2013

In February 1996, it was reported that Reitman was planning a remake of Creature From the Black Lagoon at Universal with a script by Herschel Weingrod and Timothy Harris, as well as a potential Marx brothers feature,[20] but neither materialized.

In April 1996, it was reported that Reitman was attached to produce, and possibly direct, a Wonder Woman film.[21] However, three years later, he passed the project on to writer Jon Cohen and left for unknown reasons.

In 2000, Reitman along with Wolfgang Petersen, Rob Reiner, M. Night Shyamalan, Alan Parker, Tim Robbins, Terry Gilliam, Brad Silberling and Peter Weir were considered to direct Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone but the directing job was given to Chris Columbus instead.[22]

In 2001, Reitman revealed he would direct MGM's remake of The Pink Panther, with Mike Myers in the role of Inspector Clouseau. A 2006 iteration starred Steve Martin in the role instead.[23]

In March 2007, New York magazine, citing no sources, stated that Sony Pictures Entertainment wanted to replace Reitman on Ghostbusters III with a younger director, but that Reitman's original contract precluded this.[24] In early 2010, it appeared as if Reitman would direct the film,[25] but in September 2014, after Harold Ramis' death, Paul Feig was officially set to direct a new film, which was released in 2016 as a reboot of the franchise.[26][27]

In March 2012, it was reported that a sequel to Twins, titled Triplets, was in the works, and that Reitman would co-produce the film.[28][29] Deadline reported in September 2021 that Reitman would both direct and produce Triplets and that shooting was scheduled to begin in January 2022. The status of the film is unclear following Reitman's death,[30] with Arnold Schwarzenegger suggesting that Reitman's son Jason "stopped the project when his father died" and that the younger Reitman "never liked the idea."[31]

In 2013, it was revealed that Reitman had plans to make a sequel to Evolution,[32] but they never came to fruition.

Reitman in 2018

In June 2016, it was reported that Reitman would produce a prospective animated series Ghostbusters: Ecto Force.[33] In July 2017, Reitman stated that Ecto Force had been postponed to focus on an animated Ghostbusters film that he would produce and co-direct alongside Fletcher Moules.[34]

Personal life and death

[edit]

Reitman married Geneviève Robert in 1976. He had two daughters and a son, Jason, who is a film director best known for his films Juno, Thank You for Smoking, Up in the Air and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. His daughter Catherine is the creator, executive producer, writer and star of the CBC comedy series Workin' Moms. His other daughter, Caroline, is a nurse in San Diego, California. He and his French-Canadian wife, who converted to Judaism, brought up their children in the same tradition.[35]

In 2009, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada "for his contributions as a director and producer, and for his promotion of the Canadian film and television industries".[36] In April 2011, he received the Mayor's Prize at his native city of Komárno, Slovakia.[37] He received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.[38]

In 2014, he said "I've always been something of a conservative-slash-libertarian."[39] Reitman had previously appeared in the 2004 documentary, Rated R: Republicans in Hollywood.[40]

Reitman died in his sleep at home in Montecito, California, on February 12, 2022, at the age of 75.[41]

Filmography

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Film

[edit]

Short film

Year Title Director Producer Notes
1968 Orientation Yes Yes Also writer, editor, cinematographer and composer

Feature film

Year Title Director Producer Notes
1971 Foxy Lady Yes Yes Also editor and composer
1973 Cannibal Girls Yes Executive Also story writer
1979 Meatballs Yes No Golden Reel Award
1981 Stripes Yes Yes
1984 Ghostbusters Yes Yes
1986 Legal Eagles Yes Yes Also story writer
1988 Twins Yes Yes
1989 Ghostbusters II Yes Yes
1990 Kindergarten Cop Yes Yes
1993 Dave Yes Yes
1994 Junior Yes Yes
1997 Fathers' Day Yes Yes
1998 Six Days, Seven Nights Yes Yes
2001 Evolution Yes Yes
2006 My Super Ex-Girlfriend Yes No
2011 No Strings Attached Yes Yes
2014 Draft Day Yes Yes

Ref: [42] [43] [44] [45]

Acting roles

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Ghostbusters Zuul / Slimer Voice role
1989 Ghostbusters II "Man Walking Outside Firehouse / Slimer"
2011 No Strings Attached "Secret High" director Cameo
2021 Ghostbusters: Afterlife Egon Spengler's ghost Motion capture body double

Executive producer only

Producer only

Year Title Notes
1969 The Columbus of Sex Also cinematographer
1975 Shivers Also music supervisor
1976 Death Weekend
1977 Ilsa, the Tigress of Siberia As "Julian Parnell"
1978 Animal House
1981 Heavy Metal[49]
1992 Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot
1996 Space Jam
1997 Private Parts
2009 Post Grad
Up in the Air Nominated- Academy Award for Best Picture
Chloe
2012 Hitchcock
2016 Ghostbusters
2017 Baywatch
Father Figures
2020 A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting
2021 Ghostbusters: Afterlife [50][51]
2024 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Posthumous credit; dedication[17]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Director Writer Executive
producer 		Notes
1997 Metropolitan Hospital[52] No Creator Yes Unsold pilot
2004 Cooking Lessons[53] Yes No No TV movie

Executive producer only

Year Title Notes
1979 Delta House[54] 13 episodes
1994 Beethoven 13 episodes
1996 The Late Shift TV movie
1997 Mummies Alive! 42 episodes
1999 The First Gentleman TV movie
2001–02 Alienators: Evolution Continues 13 episodes
2006 That Guy TV movie

Producer

Year Title Notes
2006 That Guy TV movie
2008 Atom TV 5 episodes (segments "Border Patrol")

Music video

[edit]
Year Title Artist
1984 "Ghostbusters"[55] Ray Parker Jr.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Leslie Reitman | Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara". jewishsantabarbara.org.
  2. ^ Kohn, Eric (November 14, 2007). "Director Shows His 'Stripes'". Forward. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  3. ^ "Ivan Reitman Biography (1946-)". www.filmreference.com.
  4. ^ Bloom, Nate (January 21, 2011). "Jewish Stars 1/21". Cleveland Jewish News.
  5. ^ "McMaster University Alumni". Retrieved January 10, 2007.
  6. ^ a b "McMaster University Alumni Community". Archived from the original on August 11, 2013.
  7. ^ "Spellbound". Variety. 273 (6): 43. December 19, 1973. ISSN 0011-5509 – via archive.org.
  8. ^ Barton, Steve (January 13, 2010). "Ghostbusters 3 Director Confirmed!". DreadCentral. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  9. ^ "Ivan Reitman Verbally Confirms He'll Direct 'Ghostbusters 3'". January 13, 2010.
  10. ^ Britton, Bonnie. "Director of 'Junior' has delivered plenty of hits." The Indianapolis Star (November 25, 1994).
  11. ^ Madigan, Nick (February 17, 1998). "PFE adds to stable". Variety. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  12. ^ "Canada's Walk of Fame: Ivan Reitman". canadaswalkoffame.com. Archived from the original on October 30, 2006.
  13. ^ Warner, Andrea (March 24, 2010). "Atom Egoyan lets 'Chloe' put words in his mouth". thewriterlylife.blogspot.hk.
  14. ^ Pevere, Geoff (December 7, 2010). "The Digital Revolution: Part 1". The Star.
  15. ^ Roffman, Michael (January 18, 2019). "Ernie Hudson on new Ghostbusters movie: "Everybody is in"". Consequence. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  16. ^ "Original Ghostbusters director stood in as Egon Spengler in Afterlife". Ghostbusters News. November 25, 2021. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  17. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (January 9, 2024). "'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's Release Date Pushed Forward By Sony". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  18. ^ "10 Batman films that almost happened". Batman News. July 5, 2013.
  19. ^ "Exit Line". Los Angeles Times. June 12, 1988. p. K33.
  20. ^ Archerd, Army (February 12, 1996). "Hiller relieved that noms weren't leaked". Variety. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  21. ^ Burr, Ty (April 1, 1996). "Comic movies". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  22. ^ Tilden, Imogen (October 30, 2001). "Harry Potter, the film and the phenomenon in numbers". The Guardian. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  23. ^ "Reitman Talks Pink Panther". IGN. May 17, 2001.
  24. ^ Brodesser-Akner, Claude. "Reitman Foils Studio's Ghostbusters Reboot Plans", Vulture, March 17, 2010. Retrieved February 13, 2022
  25. ^ Rosenberg, Adam (January 13, 2010). "EXCLUSIVE: 'Ghostbusters 3' Script Is In, Ivan Reitman Confirms He WILL Direct". MTV. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  26. ^ Kit, Borys (August 2, 2014). "'Ghostbusters 3' Targets Paul Feig as Director". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  27. ^ Squires, John (March 10, 2015). "Latest on New Ghostbusters Movie Universe; Chris Pratt in the Mix? Four Films?!". Dread Central.
  28. ^ "'Twins' Sequel 'Triplets' in the Works for Arnold, DeVito...and Eddie Murphy (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. March 29, 2012.
  29. ^ Red Carpet News TV (January 22, 2013). "Arnold Schwarzenegger Confirms Terminator 5, Conan and Twins Sequels" – via YouTube.
  30. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 14, 2021). "'Twins' Sequel 'Triplets' Set: Tracy Morgan Joins Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito & Director Ivan Reitman In Hot Toronto Package". Deadline. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  31. ^ De La Paz, Maggie (May 18, 2023). "Triplets Update: Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals Disappointing News on Twins Sequel". Coming Soon. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  32. ^ "Are there any plans to make a sequel to the film Evolution (2001)". Movies & TV Stack Exchange.
  33. ^ Brennan, Colin (June 21, 2016). "Original Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman to produce futuristic Ghostbusters cartoon". Consequence. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  34. ^ Takao (August 7, 2017). "Ghostbusters: Ecto Force postponed for new film". ToonBarn. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  35. ^ Hanau, Shira (February 15, 2022). "Ivan Reitman, Ghostbusters director, Auschwitz survivor son, dies at 75". The Jerusalem Post. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  36. ^ "Governor General Announces 57 New Appointments to the Order of Canada". Office of the Secretary to the Governor General. December 30, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
  37. ^ "Primátor ocenil osobnosti mesta Komárno". komarno.sk (in Slovak). Archived from the original on August 20, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  38. ^ "Ivan Reitman". Office of the Secretary to the Governor General. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  39. ^ Doherty, Brian (September 23, 2014). "Ivan Reitman Cops to Libertarian Subtext of Ghostbusters". Reason.
  40. ^ Schodolski, Vincent J. (October 3, 2004). "Conservatives raise profile in liberal bastion Hollywood". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022.
  41. ^ Bahr, Lindsey (February 13, 2022). "Ivan Reitman, producer, 'Ghostbusters' director, dies at 75". AP NEWS. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  42. ^ HOFSESS, JOHN. "The magic and decidedly 'ungroovy' garden of film-maker Ivan Reitman | Maclean's | NOVEMBER 1970". Maclean's | The Complete Archive. Archived from the original on February 19, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  43. ^ "Orientation, 1968". Digital Archive @ McMaster University Library. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  44. ^ Morris, Chris (February 14, 2022). "Ivan Reitman, 'Ghostbusters' Director, Dies at 75". Variety. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  45. ^ Sobczynski, Peter (February 14, 2022). "Ivan Reitman: 1946-2022 | Tributes". Roger Ebert. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  46. ^ "Reitman will serve as executive producer for Trailer Park Boys movie". The Globe and Mail. April 28, 2005. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  47. ^ "Hotel for Dogs". TVGuide.com. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  48. ^ Kit, Borys (January 9, 2020). "Jillian Bell, Isla Fisher to Star in Disney+ Comedy 'Godmothered' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reoprter. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  49. ^ Konrad, Jeremy (February 11, 2022). "Heavy Metal Comes To 4K Blu-ray On April 19th". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  50. ^ "Original Ghostbusters director stood in as Egon Spengler in Afterlife". Ghostbusters News. November 25, 2021. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  51. ^ Inguanzo, Ozzy (November 2021). Ghostbusters: Afterlife: The Art and Making of the Movie (First ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 191. ISBN 9781789096521.
  52. ^ Richmond, Ray (January 14, 1997). "Fox exex soft-shoe critical barrage". Variety. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  53. ^ Schneider, Michael (March 23, 2004). "Bellows 'Cooking' at CBS". Variety. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  54. ^ Leszczak, Bob (2012). Single season sitcoms, 1948-1979 : a complete guide. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-7864-9305-0. OCLC 817224423.
  55. ^ Ryan, Mike (June 6, 2014). "The Inside Story Of The 'Ghostbusters' Music Video". ScreenCrush. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
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