Jason Reitman Remembers Daniel Goldberg: "One Of The Kindest, Most Gentle Souls"

Daniel Goldberg tribute by Jason Reitman — Daniel Goldberg. 'Stripes' and 'Six Days Seven Nights' Getty Images; Everett Collection

Director, producer and screenwriter Jason Reitman, son of director Ivan Reitman, is paying tribute to his late father’s dear friend, writer-producer Daniel Goldberg, who died today at 74. Goldberg was a writer and/or producer on several of Ivan Reitman’s films and a father figure to Jason. Here is his first-person remembrance.

Dan Goldberg is the writer and producer of some of your favorite films. He made a career of dangerous outsider comedies that often-challenged comfort zones, yet he was one of the kindest and most gentle souls I’ve ever known. This morning, he passed away in Los Angeles.

Dan and my father met at McMaster University in 1966. By the time they graduated, they founded a film society, made several short films with classmate Eugene Levy, and shot a short film that received national distribution. Additionally, they financed and completed a feature adaptation of My Secret Life, for which they subsequently were arrested on arcane obscenity charges. They were convicted. Just a couple movie-loving Canadian kids — with criminal records and parole officers. That’s how their careers started.

Dan went on to build a filmography defined by protagonists who fought the system. Unlikely heroes. Meatballs, Stripes, Private Parts, Road Trip, Old School, Space Jam and all three Hangover films with Todd Phillips.

Dan Goldberg co-wrote both Meatballs and Stripes with another college friend, Len Blum. After finishing their handwritten first draft of the iconic sleep-away camp film, they left their pages with a typist and went to grab a sandwich. They returned hours later to find no manuscript. Just a handwritten note. The typist was so offended by the pages, they refused to type a single word.

When I think of the characters from all of these films — whether it’s Bill Murray and Harold Ramis or Howard Stern and Robin Quivers or Mitch and Frank the Tank — the two guys I really see are Danny and my dad. Two Jewish kids with equally floppy hair who could convince their college buddies to stay up all night making a movie instead of studying for finals. Story goes, the night of the moon landing, they were listening on the car radio. They were driving out to the Ontario lakeside to make a movie where they convinced their classmates to disrobe for a naked bonfire scene. When everyone got cold feet, Dan and my dad were the first to strip down.

Dan loved movies as much as any person I’ve ever met. Even after my father tired of the conversation, Danny would still talk films with me through dinner, drinks, dessert and coffee. He abhorred spoilers and refused to watch trailers. He worshipped the movie theater experience and couldn’t wait to talk after the credits.

He read every script I ever wrote. Even the really bad ones that didn’t deserve the light of day. He offered me nothing but insight and kindness. I fear I never thanked him enough for this generosity. He offered me encouragement as much as anyone I ever met and gave me confidence when I needed it most.

When my father passed in 2022, I would hug Danny every chance I got, because he felt like my father. Same kind eyes. Same build. Same shoulders to rest my head on.

He is survived by his wife, Ilona Herzberg. An extraordinary partner and producer of great note. Together, they told stories, saw movies and traveled the world. In many ways, I have always felt that my sisters and I were their children. I can only hope they felt the same way.

Please watch one of Dan Goldberg’s movies this week and laugh so loud that he hears you in heaven.