Ivan Reitman

Ivan Reitman was a well-recognized Canadian film director, producer, and screenwriter, known in particular for his work in comedy films during the 1980s and 1990s. He was the owner of The Montecito Picture Company, founded in 1998. The films he directed included iconic pieces such as Meatballs (1979), Stripes (1981), Ghostbusters (1984) and Twins (1988). Additionally, he served as the producer for films like National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) and Space Jam (1996). Reitman began his career with his first producing job at CITY-TV in Toronto. His big break came in 1978 when he produced National Lampoon's Animal House, and then followed with directing Meatballs in 1979. He then launched into a successful career, directing and producing a number of comedies. Reitman's career extended beyond directing film. He produced the animated film Heavy Metal (1981) and co-produced the biographical film Hitchcock, released in 2012. In 2007, Reitman was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. His last piece of work was Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which was released on March 22, 2024, and was dedicated to his memory. Unmade projects also made a significant part of Reitman's career, including a script for a film titled The Batman, with Reitman attached to direct.

Reitman was born in Komárno, Czechoslovakia in 1946. His parents, both Jewish-Hungarians, were Auschwitz concentration camp survivors and resistance fighters. He moved to Canada as refugees when he was four years old. He attended McMaster University, earning a Bachelor of Music in 1969. In his personal life, Reitman was married to Geneviève Robert and had two daughters and a son, Jason, who is also a well-known film director. Reitman was an Officer of the Order of Canada and received the Mayor's Prize at his native city of Komárno, Slovakia. He passed away in his sleep at home in Montecito, California, in February 2022 at the age of 75.