November 21, 1944 (1944-11-21) (age 62)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Spouse(s)
:
Erica Mann
Official site
:
www.haroldramis.com
Notable roles
:
Dr. Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II
Harold Ramis Trivia -
N/A
Harold Ramis Detailed Biography -
Harold Allen Ramis (born November 21, 1944) is an American actor, director, and writer. His best known acting roles are as "Egon Spengler" in Ghostbusters and "Russell Ziskey" in Stripes as well as being one of three authors to pen the screenplay for the film National Lampoon's Animal House.
Ramis was born in Chicago, Illinois to Ruth Cokee and Nate Ramis, and had a Jewish upbringing. After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri his first job was as a mental-ward orderly. Ramis was a member of the Alpha Xi chapter of Zeta Beta Tau fraternity at Washington University, and it is reputed that some of his own experiences in ZBT helped inspire Animal House.
Ramis worked as joke editor for Playboy magazine. He later was associated with the "guerrilla video" commune TVTV, headed by Michael Shamberg. He performed with Chicago's Second City improvisational comedy troupe and the Broadway revue National Lampoon's Lemmings. Ramis was also a writer and performer on the SCTV television series. Memorable characterizations by Ramis on SCTV include corrupt Dialing for Dollars host Moe Green, amiable cop Officer Friendly, exercise guru Swami Banananda, board chairman Allan 'Crazy Legs' Hirschman and home dentist Mort Finkel. Celebrities impersonated by Ramis on SCTV include Kenneth Clark and Leonard Nimoy.
In 2004 he was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
