IVAN REITMAN

One would have to go back hundreds of years to find a monarch who reigned longer than Queen Elizabeth II.

In a memoir Anne Heche worked on last year, the actor shared candid thoughts on her 3-year relationship with Ellen DeGeneres in the late 1990s, when they were among Hollywood’s first openly gay couples.

He also produced “Animal House” and made the Bill Murray comedies “Meatballs” and “Stripes.”

Ivan Reitman had his army of well-known, frequent collaborators but the filmmaker and producer’s influence extended beyond that too, as evidenced by the tributes that poured in at the news of his sudden passing at age 75.

From “Meatballs” and “Ghostbusters” to “Stripes” and “Twins,” the director created the “I love you, man” generation.

Reitman has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His movies often blended elements of comedy, horror and drama — a mix that was tricky to perfect.

Reitman, who also produced "Animal House," was behind many of the most beloved comedies of the late 20th century.

Ivan Reitman, the influential filmmaker and producer behind beloved comedies from “Animal House” to “Ghostbusters,” has died.

Ivan Reitman, the influential filmmaker and producer behind beloved comedies from “Animal House” to “Ghostbusters,” has died. “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. Known for big, bawdy comedies that caught the spirit of their time, Reitman’s big break came with the raucous, college fraternity sendup “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” which he produced.

The 1984 film thrived on irreverence. Its new sequel does the opposite.

Anthony Harvey/Getty Images(CNN) - Paul Rudd may be the most trustworthy man in Hollywood. The actor, who appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Thursday, would not reveal the secret to his seemingly endless youth and refused to dish about his upcoming "Ghostbusters" movie. "I just finished about two weeks ago," Rudd told Kimmel, adding that the director is Jason Reitman, who is the son of Ivan Reitman, the director of the original "Ghostbusters." "There's something special about that," Rudd said. But Rudd did talk about his new Netflix show, "Living With Yourself," in which he plays a man who gets cloned in a spa mishap.