It is with a heavy heart that we bring you news of yet another passing: comedy great Harold Ramis. He died of complications of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis at the age of 69 in his Chicago home.
Harold Ramis might best be known for his role as Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II, but he also excelled as a writer and director. He hit it big with the co-written script for Animal House and he continued onward, co-writing both Ghostbusters films with Dan Aykroyd and Groundhog Day with Danny Rubin. He also ventured into directing, with Caddyshack, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and Groundhog Day among the classics. In recent years, he directed several episodes of The Office, Analyze This and Analyze That, the remake of Bedazzled, and Year One, all of which he also had a hand in writing.
I personally knew him best as Spengler, a role which he stayed with as the movies gave way for a multi-platform video game sequel back in 2009, and I also enjoyed Groundhog Day. The Analyze films were good for a laugh, thanks to the casting of Billy Crystal and Robert de Niro. Otherwise, I hate to say that I am lacking in some of Ramis’s other notable work, which I will now have to bump up on my mental queue.
Harold Ramis will be dearly missed, and remember to heed his warning to not cross the streams.
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