Harold Ramis

Formerly a jokes editor for Playboy, Ramis entered show business by writing for and performing with the Second City comedy troupe, later collaborating with many of its stars. He cowrote Animal House (1978, which launched John Belushi as a star), Meatballs (1979), Caddyshack (1980; also Ramis's directorial debut), Stripes (1981, in which he acted opposite Bill Murray), and the enormously popular Ghostbusters (1984; he also played the role of Dr. Egon Spangler) and its sequels. Recently he appeared in As Good As It Gets (1997). His latest directing effort is The Gift (2000).