The Day I Met Harold Ramis
Chicagoans have a love for those who make good in Hollywood, especially those who comeback. No Hollywood A-lister represented that better than Harold Ramis, who was and will forever be, one of the most beloved Chicagoans. People came up to him on the streets where he lived, his entire life, and the gracious actor, writer, director accepted it with a smile.
While working my first job out of college, I walked into the elevator at the same time as a man who looked a great deal like Mr. Ramis. Turns out, he lived close by and was seeing a friend in the same office. Star-struck, he surprised me by starting a conversation asking who I am. What did I do here? where had I gone to school? And where did I live? And when we arrived at the office, walking down the hall, he showed the same interest in everyone in the office. He was as unassuming, unglamorous as could be, but there was a familiar charisma that made him the most entertaining guy in the room.
I was starstuck because Ramis’s credits read like a master class in post-SNL comedy; Animal House, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Stripes, Back to School, Groundhog Day, Analyze This. His work will always be remembered for his collaborations with Bill Murray, knowing exactly the kind of ironic tone needed for the comic genius, and how to balance character, story, and that Murray personality. But on screen, Ramis himself had presence which was often overlooked, whose talents as a performer could have been used far more than the unassuming comic every allowed.
Personally, I don’t think there has ever been a funnier performance than his best friend of Bill Murray, Russell in Stripes. Despite having to compete with the biggest names in comedy at the time; John Candy and Bill Murray, his performance is just as funny as his bigger than life peers. From his razor sharp lines and animated reaction shots, he made me laugh out loud. Watch his reactions to John Candy during his “lean mean fighting machine monologue” or his commentary watching Bill Murray’s push-ups, and you’ll see a comic actor in his prime.
Harold Ramis leaves behind his wife Erica, 3 children, and a comedy resume which will leave an impression for generations to come. He died today, February 24th, in the city where he was born.
Latest posts by Lesley Coffin (see all)
- Can a Cartoon be a Trojan horse in Politics? Our Cartoon President Uses Lightness to Deliver Truth - June 11, 2019
- Tom Rhodes New 3 Hour Album Covers Something Pretty Big: The World - March 25, 2019
- Ari Shaffir’s Renamed Storyteller Show: An Oral History - February 19, 2019
