Ivan Reitman Net Worth

Ivan Reitman's Quotes

• This is not my generation. I'm of the baby boom generation. We think we invented free love.
• [film-making advice to his son Jason] Your job is not to make things funny. Your job is to tell the truth on a daily basis.
• [on current comedy, 2013] The world has become more abrasive, possibly because of social media. But people said that about us. The sexuality seems to have lessened. There's more squeamishness about nudity and sex, but there's a lot more scatological interest today than there seemed to be thirty years ago. It's a weird shift.
• [on the comedy of Melissa McCarthy] She's certainly extraordinarily talented. She has a way of using her physicality. And there's something about her nimbleness in moving a fairly hefty body around that is humorous, has been for generations.
• [on John Belushi and National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)] What John brought was this wonderful energy based on the comedies he loved from the 50s - The Three Stooges and Abbott and Costello - that physicality of the great American early comedians, against this very brash and contemporary way of speaking that the script had. It made it very special.. But when I worked with him before the movie and SNL, he was Brando onstage. He was the guy you couldn't take your eyes off. One of the great tragedies is that with his addictions he lost control of all his talent.

Interesting Facts about Ivan Reitman

1. Founder of the McMaster Film Board at McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario Canada. Student films include: "Freak Film", and "Orientation" which was distributed in Canada by 20th Century Fox as a short opening for a Dustin Hoffman vehicle. Reitman was arrested with Dan Goldberg for producing a "Columbus of Sex" at McMaster in 1970. The film was based on the Victorian novel "My Secret Life". During the trial, the men who went on to form Northern Lights Entertainment, were offered $175,000 by MGM to make a feature to be called "Foxy Ladies". They were the first Canadians convicted under Canada's decency laws, despite widespread critical acclaim and support from the arts community. They were fined $300.00 and put on a year's probation.
2. Father of Jason Reitman, Catherine Reitman and Caroline Reitman.
3. Worked on films in Canada with David Cronenberg.
4. Likes to put his children: Caroline Reitman, Catherine Reitman and Jason Reitman in his movies.
5. Graduated from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont. Canada, B.Mus 1969.
6. In 1983, was nominated for two Broadway Tony Awards for "Merlin:" as Best Director (Musical) and as one of the co-producers of the Best Musical nominee.
7. According to his audio commentary on Ghost Busters (1984), the proton packs were much heavier than they looked, and some were heavier than others depending on what was demanded of certain scenes. None of the actors enjoyed wearing them, but according to Reitman, Harold Ramis complained the least (he would not say who complained the most).
8. Slovakian-born, Canadian-raised Jewish film actor, producer, and director. His son, Jason Reitman (born in 1977) is also a film director.
9. Was interested in directing Batman (1989).
10. Was originally going to direct The Pink Panther (2006), but chose not to, staying on as producer of the film.
11. Attended the 2008 Oscars with son Jason Reitman.
12. He and Jason Reitman are one of only two father/son producing teams to be nominated for an Best Picture Oscar (for Up in the Air (2009) in 2010). The other is Mario Cecchi Gori and Vittorio Cecchi Gori for Il postino (1994).
13. Lives in Santa Barbara, California.
14. Grandfather of Josephine Reitman (aka Josie).
15. Uncle of Joseph D. Reitman.
16. He has produced two films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) and Ghost Busters (1984). He has also directed one film that is in the registry: Ghostbusters.
17. His mother was an inmate at Auschwitz Concentration Camp and his father was an underground resistance fighter against the Nazi's.
18. Started three production companies after leaving Cinépix: Ivan Reitman Productions (from 1977 until 1991), Northern Lights Entertainment (from 1991 until 1998) and The Montecito Picture Company (from 1998 onwards).