Happy Birthday, Harold Ramis! Born today in 1944 as Harold Allen Ramis, this American comedian, actor, writer and director's films have influenced subsequent generations of comedians, comedy writers and actors.
Filmmakers and actors including Peter and Bobby Farrelly ('There's Something About Mary'), Jay Roach ('Meet the Parents'), Jake Kasdan, and Adam Sandler have cited Ramis' films as among their favorites.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Ramis had a Jewish upbringing. In his adult life, however, Ramis did not practice any religion.
Upon graduation from high school and university, Ramis worked in a mental institution in St. Louis, Missouri for seven months.
He later said of his time working there that the experience "…prepared me well for when I went out to Hollywood to work with actors.
People laugh when I say that, but it was actually very good training. And not just with actors; it was good training for just living in the world. It's knowing how to deal with people who might be reacting in a way that's connected to anxiety or grief or fear or rage.
As a director, you're dealing with that constantly with actors. But if I were a businessman, I'd probably be applying those same principles to that line of work."
Ramis had begun writing parodic plays in college, saying years later, "In my heart, I felt I was a combination of Groucho and Harpo Marx, of Groucho using his wit as a weapon against the upper classes, and of Harpo's antic charm and the fact that he was oddly sexy—he grabs women, pulls their skirts off, and gets away with it."
Ramis later avoided the Vietnam War military draft by taking methamphetamine to fail his draft physical.
Following his work in St. Louis, Ramis returned to Chicago, where by 1968, he was a substitute teacher at schools serving the inner-city Robert Taylor Homes.
He also became associated with the guerrilla television San Francisco-based video collective TVTV.
This was headed by his college friend, American film producer and former Time Life correspondent Michael Shamberg, and wrote freelance for the Chicago Daily News.
Ramis said: "Michael Shamberg, right out of college, had started freelancing for newspapers and got on as a stringer for a local paper, and I thought, 'Well, if Michael can do that, I can do that.'
I wrote a spec piece and submitted it to the Chicago Daily News, the Arts & Leisure section, and they started giving me assignments [for] entertainment features."
Additionally, Ramis had begun studying and performing with Chicago's Second City improvisational comedy troupe.
Ramis' newspaper writing led to his becoming joke editor at Playboy magazine.
"I called…just cold and said I had written several pieces freelance and did they have any openings. And they happened to have their entry-level job, party jokes editor, open.
He liked my stuff and he gave me a stack of jokes that readers had sent in and asked me to rewrite them.
I had been in Second City in the workshops already and Michael Shamberg and I had written comedy shows in college." Ramis was eventually promoted to associate editor.
In 1967, Ramis married his first wife. This was American actress and San Francisco-based artist Anne Plotkin.
After leaving Second City for a time and returning in 1972, having been replaced in the main cast by John Belushi, Ramis worked his way back as Belushi's deadpan foil.
In 1974, Belushi brought Ramis and other Second City performers, including Ramis' frequent future collaborator Bill Murray, to New York City, New York to work on The National Lampoon Radio Hour.
During this time, Ramis, Belushi, Murray, Gilda Radner, Christopher Guest and American actor, writer and comedian Joe Flaherty starred in the revue The National Lampoon Show, the successor to National Lampoon: Lemmings.
Later, Ramis became a performer on, and head writer of the Canadian late-night sketch comedy show Second City Television (commonly shortened to SCTV) during its first three years (1976–1979).
Created as an offshoot of Toronto's Second City troupe, the series ran until 1984.
During this time, Ramis and Plotkin had a daughter together in 1977. This was American actress Violet Ramis Stiel. However, this "family secret" was kept from the general public.
Ramis was soon offered work as a writer at the American late-night television variety show Saturday Night Live (1975–present) for NBC, but chose instead to continue with SCTV.
Characterizations by Ramis on SCTV include corrupt Dialing for Dollars host/SCTV station manager Maurice "Moe" Green, amiable cop Officer Friendly, exercise guru Swami Bananananda, board chairman Allan "Crazy Legs" Hirschman and home dentist Mort Finkel.
His celebrity impressions on SCTV included Leonard Nimoy.and British art historian, museum director and broadcaster Kenneth Clark.
In the late 1970s, Ramis co-wrote John Landis' ('An American Werewolf in London') 1978 American comedy/romance film 'National Lampoon's Animal House'.
On AFI's 100 Years... 100 Quotes list, the line "Toga! Toga!" ranked in at #82.
The following year, Ramis was first hired to write a draft for Steven Spielberg's 1979 American war/comedy action film '1941'.
However, Ramis was fired due to creative differences between Spielberg and American screenwriter, director, and producer of motion pictures John Millius.
Despite this, Ramis went on to co-write his first film credit. This was for the 1979 Canadian-American comedy film 'Meatballs'.
It starred Murray while Czechoslovak-Canadian film and television director, producer and screenwriter Ivan Reitman directed.
After 'Meatballs' Ramis would go on to frequently collaborate with Reitman on other projects.
One year later, Ramis co-wrote and directed the 1980 American sports comedy film 'Caddyshack'.
On AFI's 100 Years... 100 Quotes list, the line "Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac...It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!" ranked in at #92.
The following year, Ramis co-wrote the 1981 American comedy/war film 'Stripes'. He also appeared in the film as Russell Ziskey, the best friend of New York City cab driver John Winger (Bill Murray).
In 1984, Ramis executive produced the American music/comedy/variety television show The Top.
Ramis later got involved after the mysterious death of his friend. This was American musician, songwriter and television personality Peter Ivers, of whom had hosted Jove's underground show "New Wave Theater."
Ramis had called Jove and offered to help. Flattery and Jove pitched him the idea for The Top, and Ramis was instrumental in getting it on the air.
The show was a mixture of live music, videos, and humor. Performers on the show included Cyndi Laupner, of who performed "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and "True Colors".
The show also featured the British rock group The Hollies, of whom performed "Stop in the Name of Love"; and the American rock band The Romantics, of whom performed their two hits at the time, "Talking in Your Sleep" and "What I Like About You."
Guest stars included Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Rodney Dangerfield. Ramis got Chevy Chase to host but, because since the filming of 'Ghostbusters' had run late, he did not make it to the taping.
Chase came out dressed as a "punk" of the time and somehow got into a physical altercation with an audience member (also a punk) during the opening monologue. He immediately left the taping, and Flattery and Jove carried on with the show.
Ramis later got Andy Kaufman to fill in for Chase and recorded the host segments at a separate, later, session. It was to be the last professional appearance by Kaufman before his death on May 16, 1984.
One month later, Ramis co-wrote and co-starred in the film of which he is best known. This was the 1984 American supernatural comedy/fantasy film 'Ghostbusters' as Dr. Egon Spengler.
The following year, Ramis and American film director Amy Heckerling ('Fast Times at Ridgemont High', 'Clueless') had daughter and American actress Mollie Heckerling.
During this time, Ramis had no involvement with his Heckerling's 1985 American comedy/family film 'National Lampoon's European Vacation', as he was busy working on 'Ghostbusters'.
Four years later, Ramis married his second wife in May 1989. This was American actress Erica Mann. She would be married to Ramis until his death.
One month later, Ramis reprised his role as Spengler in the 1989 American supernatural comedy/fantasy film 'Ghostbusters II'.
Reitman had directed both 'Ghostbuster' films. Unlike the first, however, 'Ghostbusters II' received generally negative reviews from critics upon release.
Four years later, Ramis wrote and directed the film of which he is best known. This was the 1993 American fantasy comedy/romance film 'Groundhog Day'. Ramis has a cameo appearance as a neurologist.
The following year, Ramis (along with co-writer Danny Rubin) won a BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay. This occurred at the 47th British Academy Film Awards in mid-April 1994.
In 2001, the United States Library of Congress deemed 'National Lampoon's Animal House' "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.
On May 16, 2004, Ramis was awarded a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. It is located on 6338 Delmar Boulevard in St Louis, Illinois.
In 2005, he received the Austin Film Festival's Distinguished Screenwriter Award.
In 2006, the United States Library of Congress selected 'Groundhog Day' for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
In 2009, Ramis said that he planned to make a third Ghostbusters film for release either in mid-2011 or for Christmas 2012.
In April 2010, Ramis received a lifetime achievement award from the 13th Chicago Improv Festival.
One month later, Ramis contracted an infection that resulted in complications from autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis and lost the ability to walk. After relearning to walk, he suffered a relapse of the disease in late 2011.
Three years later, Ramis passed of complications of the disease on February 24, 2014. This was at his home on Chicago's North Shore in Glencoe, Illinois. Ramis was 69.
After not speaking to each other for a number of years, Murray reportedly visited Ramis before his death and they both made their peace with each other.
Prior to this, Ramis and Murray had such intense creative disagreements that one day Ramis grabbed Murray by the shirt collar and threw him against a wall.
After that, Murray didn't speak to Ramis for over two decades. Ramis had pretty much lost his ability to speak by that point, so Murray did most of the talking.
In 2015, the Writers Guild of America posthumously honored him with their lifetime achievement award, the Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement.
Also, in 2015, the Library of Congress elected 'Ghostbusters' for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The following year, the third Ghostbusters of which Ramis planned to make in 2009 was made and released in 2016.
However, it was co-written and directed by American actor and filmmaker Paul Feig ('Bridesmaids'), with the Ghostbusters this time being women.
'Ghostbusters' was posthumously dedicated to Ramis, and a bust of his head appears in the film. Unfortunately, 'Ghostbusters' was released to mixed reviews and financial failure.
Also, in 2016, the Second City founded the Harold Ramis Film School in his honor, the first film school to focus solely on film comedy.
Two years later, Violet revealed that she was Ramis' other daughter. This was in her book Ghostbuster's Daughter: Life with My Dad, Harold Ramis (2018). Murray is Violet's godfather.
A second, direct sequel, 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' is scheduled for release on June 11, 2021. It will be directed by Canadian-American film director, screenwriter, and producer Jason Reitman. Ramis had also co-written the film.
As an actor, Ramis is best known for appearing in 'Heavy Metal' (1981) [voice], 'National Lampoon's Vacation' (1983) [voice, uncredited 'Airheads' (1994), 'As Good as It Gets' (1997), 'High Fidelity' (2000) [scenes deleted], 'Orange County' (2001), 'Knocked Up' (2007), 'Walk Hard: The Dewy Cox Story' (2007), and 'Year One' (2009).
As a director, Ramis is best known for 'Caddyshack' (1980), 'National Lampoon's Vacation' (1983), 'Multiplicity' (1996), 'Analyze This' (1999), and 'Analyze That' (2002).
According to Ramis' trademarks, this included using a deep resonant voice, frequently casting himself in small roles and also frequently casting fellow Second City alumnus Murray.
According to Ramis' personal life, he was widely known to be a very private man.
Despite this, he was a Chicago Cubs fan and attended games every year to conduct the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley Field.
His pastimes included fencing, ritual drumming, acoustic guitar, and making hats from felted fleece; additionally, he taught himself skiing by watching skiers on television.
Throughout his career, Ramis had helped set the tone for an entire generation of comic performers who were as hilarious as they were radical.
Ramis had been active from 1968–2012.
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