Harold Ramis
Highest Rated: 97% Ghostbusters (1984 Original) (1984)
Lowest Rated: 4% Caddyshack II (1988)
Birthday: Nov 21, 1944
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
His long and fruitful association with Canada's Second City comedy troupe has led some to assume that Harold Ramis was Canadian; actually he hailed from the original "Second City," Chicago. After college, Ramis worked as editor of the Party Jokes page of Playboy magazine. He later performed with Chicago's Second City aggregation, and was a cast member of the Broadway revue National Lampoon's Lemmings, a major spawning ground of most of Saturday Night Live's cast. Ramis didn't join the SNL folks, but instead headed for Edmonton, where he was a writer/performer on the weekly Second City TV sketch comedy series. Like the rest of his talented co-stars, Ramis played a rich variety of roles on the series, the most prominent of which was TV station manager Moe Green (a character name swiped from the second Godfather movie); his other characters tended to be nerdy or officious types. Ramis' film activities have included screenwriting (National Lampoon's Animal House) and directing (1980s Caddyshack and 1984's Club Paradise). His best remembered screen appearance was as paranormal troubleshooter Egon Spengler in the two Ghostbusters flicks. Retaining close ties with his Second City compadres (on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border), Ramis directed the 1993 Bill Murray vehicle Groundhog Day and the 1995 Al Franken starrer Stuart Saves His Family. Though Groundhog Day was generally lauded as one of the most fresh and original comedies to come down the pipe in quite some time, Stuart Saves His Family didn't prove any where near as successful despite some generally positive critical nods. To be fair, audiences had certainly had their fill of SNL spinoff movies by this point and the movie did have a somewhat hard time balancing its drama with comedy, but with well written characters and a smart script many eventually succumbed to its charm when the film was released on home video shortly thereafter. Where Stuart Saves His Family had scored with critics and bombed with the masses, Ramis' next film, the Michael Keaton comedy Multiplicity, did almost the exact opposite. Generally regarded as only a mediocre effort by the press, audiences seemed to enjoy the idea of multiple Keatons and the film performed fairly well at the box office. It seemed that Ramis was a director in need of balancing critical and mass reception, and with his next film he seemed to do just that. An inventive comedy that paired Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal as a troubled mob boss and his tentative psychiatrist respectively, Analyze This seemed to get a fair shake from just about everybody. As one of DeNiro's first straight comedies, audiences had a cathartic blast watching him gleefully deconstruct the hardened, fearsome persona he had been perfecting since the early days of his career. Ramis next stepped behind the camera for Bedazzled - a remake of the beloved Dudley Moore/Peter Cooke comedy classic. Unfortunately the film proved to be one of the director's biggest failures to date. Opting next to stick with more familiar, but again not altogether original ground, Ramis headed up the sequel to Analyze This - amusingly titled Analyze That - in 2002. Though it may not have been the most necessary sequel in the history of film, fans were generally pleased and the film proved a moderate success. Sure all of Ramis' work as a director left little time for other endeavors, but the busy filmmaker somehow found time to serve as a producer on many of his own projects (in addition to such non-Ramis directed films as The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest) as well as step in front of the camera for such efforts as As Good As It Gets (1997), Orange County (2002), Knocked Up (2007), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), and Year One (2009), which he also wrote and directed. Ramis died at age 69 in 2014.
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
Movies
| Credit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Score Yet | Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters | Actor | — | 2019 |
| No Score Yet | We Are One (I Am You) | Actor | — | 2017 |
| 55% | Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance | Executive Producer | — | 2012 |
| 57% | Archie's Final Project | Producer | — | 2011 |
| 14% | Year One | Adam Producer Screenwriter Director | $43.4M | 2009 |
| No Score Yet | Comic Relief: The Greatest...and The Latest | Actor | — | 2008 |
| 74% | Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story | L' Chai'm | $18.4M | 2007 |
| 90% | Knocked Up | Ben's Dad | $148.8M | 2007 |
| 46% | The Last Kiss | Professor Bowler | $11.6M | 2006 |
| 73% | I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With | Executive Producer | — | 2006 |
| 47% | The Ice Harvest | Director | $8.9M | 2005 |
| No Score Yet | American Storytellers | Director Actor | — | 2003 |
| No Score Yet | American Storytellers | Actor | — | 2003 |
| 27% | Analyze That | Director Screenwriter | $32.1M | 2002 |
| 11% | The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest | Executive Producer | — | 2002 |
| 46% | Orange County | Don Durkett | $41.1M | 2002 |
| No Score Yet | I'm with Lucy | Lucy's Dad | — | 2002 |
| 49% | Bedazzled | Screenwriter Director Producer | — | 2000 |
| 70% | Analyze This | Screenwriter Director | — | 1999 |
| No Score Yet | The Yearbook: An 'Animal House' Reunion | Actor | — | 1998 |
| 85% | As Good as It Gets | Dr. Bettes | — | 1997 |
| 43% | Multiplicity | Producer Screenwriter Director | — | 1996 |
| 30% | Stuart Saves His Family | Director | — | 1995 |
| 30% | Love Affair | Sheldon Blumenthal | — | 1994 |
| 21% | Airheads | Chris Moore | — | 1994 |
| 96% | Groundhog Day | Neurologist Producer | — | 1993 |
| No Score Yet | Rover Dangerfield | Screenwriter | — | 1991 |
| 53% | Ghostbusters 2 | Screenwriter Dr. Egon Spengler | — | 1989 |
| 20% | Stealing Home | Alan Appleby at 38 | — | 1988 |
| 4% | Caddyshack II | Screenwriter | — | 1988 |
| No Score Yet | Will Rogers: Look Back in Laughter | Executive Producer Actor | — | 1988 |
| 74% | Baby Boom | Steven | — | 1987 |
| 11% | Armed and Dangerous | Executive Producer Screenwriter | — | 1986 |
| 11% | Club Paradise | Director Screenwriter | — | 1986 |
| 85% | Back to School | Screenwriter Executive Producer Producer | — | 1986 |
| 97% | Ghostbusters (1984 Original) | Dr. Egon Spengler Screenwriter | — | 1984 |
| 93% | National Lampoon's Vacation | Screenwriter Director | — | 1983 |
| 60% | Heavy Metal | Zeks | — | 1981 |
| 86% | Stripes | Screenwriter Russell Ziskey | — | 1981 |
| 74% | Caddyshack | Director Screenwriter | — | 1980 |
| 76% | Meatballs | Screenwriter | — | 1979 |
| 90% | National Lampoon's Animal House | Screenwriter | — | 1978 |
TV
| Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 97% |
Atlanta 2016-2018 |
Director |
2018 2016 |
| No Score Yet |
American Masters 2001 |
Executive Producer Producer |
2012 |
| 88% |
The Office 2005-2013 |
Director |
2010 2009 2007 2006 |
| No Score Yet |
SCTV 1976-1981 |
Performer |
QUOTES FROM Harold Ramis CHARACTERS
Egon Spengler says: Don't cross the streams!
Ben's Dad says: If any of us get laid tonight, it's because of Eric Bana in "Munich."
Ben's Dad says: [to bartender] You're going to be embarrassed when you realize I'm Wilmer Valderama.
Ben's Dad says: I love you. You're the best thing that ever happened to me.
Ben Stone says: I'm the best thing that's ever happened to you?
Ben's Dad says: Yes.
Ben Stone says: Now I'm starting to feel a little sorry for YOU...
Janine Melnitz says: You are so kind to take care of that man. You know, you're a real humanitarian.
Egon Spengler says: I don't think he's human.
Russell Ziskey says: my father always told me never hit another person in anger unless you were absolutely sure you could get away with it.
Russell Ziskey says: My father always told me never hit another person in anger unless you were absolutely sure you could get away with it.
Russell Ziskey says: If we die, my blood is on your hands
Russell Ziskey says: If we die, my blood is on your hands.
John Winger says: just dont get it on my shoes.
John Winger says: Just dont get it on my shoes.
L'Chai'm says: Cox and Lil' Nutsack, its a good combination.
Egon Spengler says: Don't cross the streams.
Peter Venkman says: Why?
Egon Spengler says: It would be bad.
Peter Venkman says: I'm fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing. What do you mean, "bad"?
Egon Spengler says: Try to image all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.
Raymond Stantz says: Total protonic reversal.
Peter Venkman says: Right. That's bad. Okay. Alright, important safety tip. Thanks Egon.
Raymond Stantz says: You know, it's just occurred to meâ?¦we really haven't had a completely successful test of this equipment.
Raymond Stantz says: You know, it's just occurred to me we really haven't had a completely successful test of this equipment.
Egon Spengler says: I blame myself.
Peter Venkman says: So do I.
Raymond Stantz says: No sense in worrying about it now.
Peter Venkman says: Why worry? Each of us is wearing an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back.
Louis Tully says: Your honor ladies and gentlemen of the audience. I don't think it's fair to call my clients frauds. Ok so the blackout was a big problem for everybody ok, I was stuck in an elevator for two hours and i had to make the time, but i don't blame them cause one time i turned into a dog and they helped me. Thank you.
Louis Tully says: Your honor ladies and gentlemen of the audience. I don't think it's fair to call my clients frauds. Okay so the blackout was a big problem for everybody okay, I was stuck in an elevator for two hours and I had to make the time, but i don't blame them cause one time I turned into a dog and they helped me. Thank you.
Egon Spengler says: Very good louis, short but pointless.
Raymond Stantz says: You never even had a Slinky?
Egon Spengler says: We had part of a Slinky, but i straightened it.
Janine Melnitz says: Do you want some coffee mister Tully?
Louis Tully/The Key Master says: Do i?
Louis Tully/The Key Master says: Do I?
Egon Spengler says: Yes have some.
Louis Tully/The Key Master says: Yes have some!
Raymond Stantz says: Ok i'm opening the trap, don't look directly at the trap!
Egon Spengler says: I looked at the trap Ray!
Raymond Stantz says: I think we better split-up.
Egon Spengler says: Ya, good idea.
Peter Venkman says: Ya we can do more damage that way.
Janine Melnitz says: I read a lot myself, some people think i'm too intelectual but i think it's a fabulous way to spend your time. I also play Racket ball. Do you have any hobbies?
Janine Melnitz says: I read a lot myself, some people think I'm too intelectual but I think it's a fabulous way to spend your time. I also play Racket ball. Do you have any hobbies?
Egon Spengler says: I collect Spores, Moldes, and Fungus.
Egon Spengler says: I collect spores, moldes, and fungus.
Egon Spengler says: I collect spores, molds, and fungus.
Peter Venkman says: Egon this reminds me of the time you tried to drill a hole through your head.
Peter Venkman says: Egon, this reminds me of the time you tried to drill a hole through your head.
Egon Spengler says: That would have worked if you wouldnt have stopped me [nods]
Egon Spengler says: That would have worked if you hadn't stopped me.
Raymond Stantz says: Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!
Egon Spengler says: Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes...
Winston Zeddmore says: The dead rising from the grave!
Peter Venkman says: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!