Harold Ramis died today. Although he had a fair amount of success on-screen as a comedic actor, where Ramis truly made his mark was as a writer and a director. As the writer of comedies that have influenced everything that came afterward, Ramis is, in large part, responsible for the direction taken by filmed comedy from the 1980s forward. Ramis is probably best known for his roles in Ghostbusters (a movie that he co-wrote with Dan Aykroyd), and Stripes (a movie that he also co-wrote), but he also wrote or co-wrote Animal House, Caddyshack, Meatballs, Groundhog Day, and Analyze This, as well as several other movies. Ramis was also a comedic director, helming numerous movies including several of the movie he wrote as well as National Lampoon's Vacation. In short, comedy owes Ramis a great debt.
In Ramis' honor, Musical Monday this week is Ray Parker, Jr.'s theme song to one of the high points in Harold's career. So, to the man who gave us silly summer camp CITs and lazy malingering GIs. The man who gave us a near infinite number of February seconds. The man who gave us neurotic mob bosses. The man who gave us insanely funny fraternity members, a Dean who is the foot that will be put down, and the Deathmobile. The man who gave us backpack particle accelerators, the Keymaster, the Gatekeeper, and a giant Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. For all these things and all the other silly, funny, and incredible work that Ramis gave us, I am saying thank you. And we'll miss you Egon.
Subsequent Musical Monday: Your Brains by Jonathan Coulton
Ray Parker, Jr. Musical Monday Home
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