9:30 Coffee Break: A Playlist for Harold Ramis
February 24, 2014
Harold Ramis — the highly accomplished actor, writer and director behind such classic comedies as Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day — died at home Monday in Chicago at age 69.
His wife, Erica Mann Ramis, tells the Chicago Tribune that her husband "was surrounded by family when he died at 12:53 a.m. [Monday] from complications of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, a rare disease that involves swelling of the blood vessels."
The Associated Press also confirmed the news with Ramis's attorney, Fred Toczek.
Stephanie Curtis, MPR's Movie Maven and one of MPR's Cube Critics, praises Ramis's contributions to cinema. "For a lot of people I grew up with, their comedy touchstone was Monty Python," Curtis says. "But for me, it's always been Harold Ramis.
"When you look back on his filmography, from Animal House to Meatballs to Stripes, then on to Ghostbusters — the popcorn movies that he made when he was younger are great, but they're all a proving ground to actually put together something that I think should be acknowledged as an American film masterpiece, Groundhog Day.
"Not only is Groundhog Day a comedy masterpiece, it's also really romantic and wise and smart. It doesn't have one wrong step; it is utterly re-watchable. That touch of both the silly, goofy humor that I grew up with — such as the way Stephen Tobolowsky keeps stepping in the same puddle over and over and over, which I love — but then the real pathos and the real heart behind it, Groundhog Day is just a perfect film.
"If Harold Ramis only made Groundhog Day, his career would have been complete. But since he also brought us the Delta House, what a man! I just love him and I love his work."
As a tribute to Ramis, we're asking you to help us build tomorrow's 9:30 Coffee Break with your song suggestions.
Songs Played:
Ray Parker Jr. - "Ghostbusters"
Sonny and Cher - "I Got You Babe"
The Crystals - "Da Do Run Run"
Kenny Loggins - "I'm Alright"
Sam Cooke - "Twisting the Night Away"
Lindsay Buckingham - "Holiday Road"