Harold Ramis
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Harold Allen Ramis (November 21, 1944 – February 24, 2014) was an American actor, director, and writer specializing in comedy. His best-known film acting roles are as Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters (1984) and Russell Ziskey in Stripes (1981); he also co-wrote both films. As a writer-director, his films include the comedies Caddyshack (1980), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Groundhog Day (1993), and Analyze This (1999). Ramis was the original head writer of the television series SCTV (in which he also performed), and one of three screenwriters for the film National Lampoon's Animal House (1978).
Ramis' films have influenced subsequent generations of comedians and comedy writers. Filmmakers Jay Roach, Jake Kasdan, Adam Sandler, and Peter and Bobby Farrelly have cited his films as among their favorites.
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Filmography
Acting
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Stripes | Russell Ziskey | Writer |
1981 | Heavy Metal | Zeke | Voice |
1983 | National Lampoon's Vacation | Marty Moose | Voice Uncredited Director |
1984 | Ghostbusters | Dr. Egon Spengler | Writer |
1987 | Baby Boom | Steven Bochner | |
1988 | Stealing Home | Alan Appleby | |
1989 | Ghostbusters II | Dr. Egon Spengler | Writer |
1990 | The Earth Day Special | Dr. Elon Spengler (Brother of Egon) | |
1993 | Groundhog Day | Neurologist | Writer, director, producer |
1994 | Airheads | Chris Moore | |
1994 | Love Affair | Sheldon Blumenthal | |
1997 | As Good as It Gets | Dr. Martin Bettes | |
2000 | High Fidelity | Rob's Dad | Scenes deleted |
2002 | Orange County | Don Durkett | |
2006 | The Last Kiss | Professor Bowler | |
2007 | Knocked Up | Ben's Dad | |
2007 | Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story | L’Chai’m | |
2009 | Year One | Adam | Writer, director, co-producer |
2009 | Ghostbusters: The Video Game | Dr. Egon Spengler | Voice Writer |
Television
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1976–1977 | Second City Television | Various Characters |
1982 | Second City TV Network 90 | Various Characters |
Directing
- Caddyshack (1980)
- National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
- Club Paradise (1986)
- Groundhog Day (1993)
- Stuart Saves His Family (1995)
- Multiplicity (1996)
- Analyze This (1999)
- Bedazzled (2000)
- Analyze That (2002)
- The Ice Harvest (2005)
- The Office (2006) (TV)
- Year One (2009)
Producing
- Second City Television (1976–1979) (TV) – Associate Producer
- The Rodney Dangerfield Show: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (1982) (TV) – Producer
- The Top (1983) (TV) – Executive Producer
- Back to School (1986) – Executive Producer
- Groundhog Day (1993) – Producer
- Multiplicity (1996) – Producer
- Bedazzled (2000) – Producer
- The First $20 Million is Always the Hardest (2002) – Executive Producer
- I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With (2006) – Executive Producer
- Year One (2009) – Co-Producer
Writing
- The National Lampoon Radio Hour (1973–1974)
- The National Lampoon Show (1975) (Stage)
- Second City Television (1976–1979) (TV)
- National Lampoon's Animal House (with Doug Kenney and Chris Miller) (1978)
- Delta House (1979) (TV)
- Meatballs (with Dan Goldberg and Len Blum) (1979)
- Caddyshack (with Doug Kenney and Brian Doyle-Murray) (1980)
- Stripes (with Dan Goldberg and Len Blum) (1981)
- The Rodney Dangerfield Show: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (1982) (TV)
- Ghostbusters (with Dan Aykroyd) (1984)
- Back to School (with Steven Kampmann, Will Porter, and Peter Torokvei) (1986)
- Club Paradise (with Brian Doyle-Murray and Chris Miller) (1986)
- Armed and Dangerous (with Peter Torokvei) (1986)
- Caddyshack II (with Peter Torokvei) (1988)
- Ghostbusters II (with Dan Aykroyd) (1989)
- Rover Dangerfield (with Rodney Dangerfield) (1991)
- Groundhog Day (with Danny Rubin) (1993)
- Analyze This (with Kenneth Lonergan and Peter Tolan) (1999)
- Bedazzled (with Larry Gelbart and Peter Tolan) (2000)
- Analyze That (with Peter Tolan and Peter Steinfeld) (2002)
- Year One (with Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky) (2009)
- Ghostbusters: The Video Game (with Dan Aykroyd) (2009) (Video Game)