Harold Allen Ramis (November 21, 1944 – February 24, 2014) was an American actor, director, and writer specializing in comedy. His best-known film acting roles are as
Egon Spengler in
Ghostbusters (1984) and
Ghostbusters II (1989) and Russell Ziskey in
Stripes (1981); he also co-wrote those films. As a writer-director, his films include the
comedies Caddyshack (1980),
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983),
Groundhog Day (1993), and
Analyze This (1999). Ramis was the original head writer of the television series
SCTV, on which he also performed, and one of three screenwriters of the film
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978).