'Ghostbusters' director Ivan Reitman has died at 75

• Ivan Reitman was best known for producing and directing the 1984 comedy classic "Ghostbusters."
• Reitman died on Saturday night at the age of 75, the Associated Press reported.

Ivan Reitman, the director and producer behind the classic comedy "Ghostbusters," died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday night at the age of 75, his family told the Associated Press.

"Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father, and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life," children 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, became a comedy icon when he directed the original "Ghostbusters," which was a box office smash in 1984, Insider previously reported. The film grossed close to $300 million worldwide and earned two Oscars.

Reitman's son Jason directed a spinoff: "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," which premiered in November 2021.

The AP reported that Reitman was born in Komarmo, Czechoslovakia, in 1946. His father, the owner of the country's largest vinegar factory, decided to escape when the communists began imprisoning capitalists when Reitman was only 4 years old.

"I remember flashes of scenes," Reitman told the AP in 1979. "Later they told me about how they gave me a couple of sleeping pills so I wouldn't make any noise. I was so knocked out that I slept with my eyes open. My parents were afraid I was dead."

Reitman is also known for films including "National Lampoon's Animal House," "Stripes," and "Meatballs."