Harold Ramis Biography

Harold Ramis, Actor
Born asHarold Allen Ramis
Occup.Actor
FromUSA
BornNovember 21, 1944
Chicago, Illinois, USA
DiedFebruary 24, 2014
Glencoe, Illinois, USA
Aged69 years
Early Life
Harold Allen Ramis was born on November 21, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was the child of Ruth and Nathan Ramis, who owned an alcohol shop. He grew up in a Jewish family and went to Stephen K. Hayt Elementary School and Nicholas Senn High School. Ramis went on to study at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he earned a degree in English literature in 1967.

Early Career
After graduating, Ramis started his career in comedy as a joke author, working with the popular publication Playboy. He then moved to Chicago and signed up with the improvisational funny group Second City, where he carried out and directed from 1969 to 1976. It was here he met and dealt with future partners such as John Belushi, Gilda Radner, and Dan Aykroyd.

Movie Career: Actor, Writer, and Director
Harold Ramis made his screenwriting debut with the extensively effective comedy film "National Lampoon's Animal House" in 1978, starring John Belushi. His on-screen acting debut came in 1981 when he starred as Dr. Egon Spengler in the renowned and precious film "Ghostbusters", which he co-wrote with Dan Aykroyd. The film was an enormous success both at the box office and amongst critics, and it resulted in the follow up "Ghostbusters II" in 1989.

In 1980, Ramis scored another hit with "Caddyshack", a movie he co-wrote and directed, starring Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, and Rodney Dangerfield. Ramis continued his streak of funny success when he co-wrote and directed the highly-acclaimed "Groundhog Day" in 1993, starring Bill Murray. The film has given that achieved a cult following and is frequently regarded as one of the very best comedies of perpetuity.

Some of Harold Ramis's other notable movies as a writer, director, and actor included "Stripes" (1981), "National Lampoon's Vacation" (1983), "Analyze This" (1999), and "Analyze That" (2002). Throughout his profession, Ramis was known for his flawless comedic timing and his ability to produce remarkable moments on screen.

Personal Life and Legacy
Harold Ramis was wed two times. He initially wed Anne Plotkin in 1967, and the couple had a child, Violet Stiel. They ultimately divorced in 1984. In 1989, Ramis wed his second spouse, Erica Mann, with whom he had two boys, Julian and Daniel Ramis.

Ramis was likewise involved in philanthropy, supporting various charities such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

On February 24, 2014, Harold Ramis passed away at the age of 69 from problems associated with autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, a rare illness that affects blood vessels. His death was a fantastic loss to the entertainment industry, with associates and fans alike mourning the loss of a funny legend. Ramis' impact on American funny can still be felt today, as his movies continue to make audiences laugh and motivate future generations of comics and filmmakers.

Our collection contains 31 quotes who is written / told by Harold.

Related authors: Gilda Radner (Actress), Chevy Chase (Comedian), Rodney Dangerfield (Comedian), Bill Murray (Actor), Michael J. Fox (Actor), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete), John Belushi (Comedian), Dan Aykroyd (Comedian)

Filmography:
Source / external links:

31 Famous quotes by Harold Ramis

Small: My characters arent losers. Theyre rebels. They win by their refusal to play by everyone elses rules
"My characters aren't losers. They're rebels. They win by their refusal to play by everyone else's rules"
Small: Im not a believer in the pratfall. I dont think its funny just to have someone fall down
"I'm not a believer in the pratfall. I don't think it's funny just to have someone fall down"
Small: Id like to think Id never do a gratuitous fart joke
"I'd like to think I'd never do a gratuitous fart joke"
Small: I feel a big obligation to the audience, almost in a moral sense, to say something useful. If Im going
"I feel a big obligation to the audience, almost in a moral sense, to say something useful. If I'm going to spend a year of my life on these things, I want something that I feel that strongly about"
Small: The first comedy screenplay that I wrote was Animal House and I always thought I could and should be a
"The first comedy screenplay that I wrote was Animal House and I always thought I could and should be a director but no one was about to give me that opportunity on Animal House"
Small: The cutting room is where you discover the optimal length of the movie
"The cutting room is where you discover the optimal length of the movie"
Small: If Chevy Chase had not been an actor, he might have been a very popular guy in advertising or whatever
"If Chevy Chase had not been an actor, he might have been a very popular guy in advertising or whatever field he would have gone into, because of his charisma"
Small: We all wish we could be in more than one place at the same time. People with families feel guilty all t
"We all wish we could be in more than one place at the same time. People with families feel guilty all the time-if we spend too much time with our family, we feel we're not working hard enough"
Small: My first few films were institutional comedies, and youre on pretty safe ground when youre dealing with
"My first few films were institutional comedies, and you're on pretty safe ground when you're dealing with an institution that vast numbers of people have experienced: college, summer camp, the military, the country club"
Small: I never work just to work. Its some combination of laziness and self-respect
"I never work just to work. It's some combination of laziness and self-respect"
Small: I never read Playboy before I started working there and stopped reading it the day I quit
"I never read Playboy before I started working there and stopped reading it the day I quit"
Small: I always claim that the writer has done 90 percent of the directors work
"I always claim that the writer has done 90 percent of the director's work"
Small: With both Caddyshack and Vacation, its not like the subjects were serious enough that they engaged my i
"With both Caddyshack and Vacation, it's not like the subjects were serious enough that they engaged my interest for another round. I love the characters, and the actors were great, but I didn't see the need to make another Vacation movie"
Small: We are all several different people. There are different aspects of our nature that are competing
"We are all several different people. There are different aspects of our nature that are competing"
Small: I had a lot of fun working with John Candy. We had a pretty good rapport
"I had a lot of fun working with John Candy. We had a pretty good rapport"
Small: First and foremost, you have to make the movie for yourself. And thats not to say, to hell with everyon
"First and foremost, you have to make the movie for yourself. And that's not to say, to hell with everyone else, but what else have you got to go on but your own taste and judgment?"
Small: As much as wed like to believe that our work is great and that were infallible, were not. Hollywood mov
"As much as we'd like to believe that our work is great and that we're infallible, we're not. Hollywood movies are made for the audience. These are not small European art films we're making"
Small: Theres a personal story of my own that I will write at some point, and its a film that I will happily m
"There's a personal story of my own that I will write at some point, and it's a film that I will happily make. It could very well be the next thing I do, unless someone shows me something great"
Small: Thats one of the great things about DVD: In addition to reaching people who didnt catch the movie in th
"That's one of the great things about DVD: In addition to reaching people who didn't catch the movie in theaters, you get to have this interaction of sorts"
Small: My job is to come up with something that you like and you agree with that you would play wholeheartedly
"My job is to come up with something that you like and you agree with that you would play wholeheartedly. If we disagree, I may not be doing my job correctly"
Small: I used to be married to a woman who pursued every spiritual trend with tremendous passion and dragged m
"I used to be married to a woman who pursued every spiritual trend with tremendous passion and dragged me along. I don't believe in anything. I'd seen mediums and readers"
Small: I believe things happen that cant be explained, but so many people seem intent on explaining them. Ever
"I believe things happen that can't be explained, but so many people seem intent on explaining them. Everyone has an answer for them. Either aliens or things from the spirit world"
Small: A psychologist said to me, there are only two important questions you have to ask yourself. What do you
"A psychologist said to me, there are only two important questions you have to ask yourself. What do you really feel? And, what do you really want? If you can answer those two, you probably can leave your neuroses behind you"
Small: No matter what I have to say, Im still trying to say it in comedic form
"No matter what I have to say, I'm still trying to say it in comedic form"
Small: Multiplicity was a movie that tested really well. People seeing the movie really liked it, but then the
"Multiplicity was a movie that tested really well. People seeing the movie really liked it, but then the studio couldn't market it. We opened on a weekend with nine other films"
Small: Its like the old rule-if you introduce a gun into the first act of a play, its going to be used in the
"It's like the old rule-if you introduce a gun into the first act of a play, it's going to be used in the third act. So if you do a movie about criminals, you have to accept there's going to be Some action"
Small: Billy Crystal knows how to make people laugh. Hes got 30 years on stage... theres no telling him whats
"Billy Crystal knows how to make people laugh. He's got 30 years on stage... there's no telling him what's funny"
Small: Acting is all about big hair and funny props... All the great actors knew it. Olivier knew it, Brando k
"Acting is all about big hair and funny props... All the great actors knew it. Olivier knew it, Brando knew it"
Small: Nothing reinforces a professional relationship more than enjoying success with someone
"Nothing reinforces a professional relationship more than enjoying success with someone"
Small: Ive been directing for 25 years almost, and Ive only directed nine films in that time because I like to
"I've been directing for 25 years almost, and I've only directed nine films in that time because I like to be careful"
Small: How one handles success or failure is determined by their early childhood
"How one handles success or failure is determined by their early childhood"