Harold Ramis dead at 69

[Ninjinister]

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/ghostbusters-star-writer-harold-ramis-dies-69/story?id=22651174

This is... quite distressing, to say the least. He'd been having health issues for a while, and had to re-learn how to walk, but I was always hopeful for another Ghostbusters out of the entire original crew.

[ObiWanFan4life]

I....have nothing. This is just heartbreaking. I loved Groundhog Day, he was a very talented comedy director. R.I.P.

[Gin Rummy]

So Sad. I loved him In Stripes & Ghostbusters. He was a Brilliantly funny actor & a even funnier writer. RIP.

[TheCanadiandrome]

very sad news. RIP

[the fixer]

This is just heartbreaking...
RIP, mr. Ramis...

[Leo656]

Unbelievably sad and upset by this. "Ghostbusters" was one of those life-changing things in my life. When I was a kid, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I'd say "a Ghostbuster", and Egon was always my favorite. As I got older and saw other films he'd directed and acted in, I became a much bigger fan of him as a creative genius in general, although those two movies are still my favorites of his.

Nobody wanted Ghostbusters 3 more than I did, but I really hope they drop it, now. It simply can't work without him. I'm sure eventually they'll reboot it or remake it, but it simply can't continue in the same universe, or at least it shouldn't. The game was the "third movie" and that's good enough.

[Candy Kappa]

This is sad news, 69 isn't that old. I kinda feel a bit selfish thinking there won't be any Ghostbusters 3 now that he is gone, but besides Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day, I don't have all that big of a relationship with his career compared to other actors. But that doesn't make his passing any less sad.

[triplexxx]

Another great comedic talent in this world I'm going to miss, RIP Harold

[The Fifth Turtle]

He will always be known as Egon to me. Other than GB I really didn't follow his line of work. Rest in peace my fellow Chicago an.

[BubblyShell22]

Man, this sucks. R.I.P., Egon.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Agreed. Egon is- gone. RIP, good sir. Another comedic talent gone too soon- so sad.

[blindturtle02]

Aw no. RIP, sir. Very sad to hear this as Ghostbusters is one of my favorite movies ever. Too many childhood favorites passing away lately.

[Leo656]

Earlier today someone on Facebook asked me why all the good celebrities are passing away. I told him it was because they can't stand to live in a world where Seth Rogen is considered a comedic genius.

[TheCanadiandrome]

Earlier today someone on Facebook asked me why all the good celebrities are passing away. I told him it was because they can't stand to live in a world where Seth Rogen is considered a comedic genius.

bwahahahahahaha :lol:

[Wildcat]

I just saw this on IMDb. Very shocking. I didnt know he had health problems.

I dont wanna come off as a jerk but I hope Bill Murray feels guilty about holding GB3 now.

I still think it can happen and probably will but now it can't have a big focus on the original team. I mean I always pictured Ray and Egon as the ones that continued the business and recruited new members.

[Leo656]

Egon was the most competent and the one who developed the equipment. Even in the Extreme Ghostbusters spin-off, Egon was the only original member to stay. He's irreplaceable. Nobody wanted GB3 more than I did but it's officially time to let it go. Give it a few years, a respectful grace period, and then start waiting for the inevitable reboot. Leave the original universe alone. The guy who created most of it is gone.

[Wildcat]

Well Ive read some ideas about either having a new team somewhere else and just mentioning the original one with maybe a cameo by Dan...or...the original team has long since broken up and new scientists want to restart the business so they track down Ray for help.

I think that second idea is pretty good actually. Wouldn't have to go in depth about what happened to the others.

I don't mind a remake if they wanna do that instead.

[Raph's Girl]

https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t1/q71/s720x720/400667_656350337756298_1020995343_n.jpg

[Wingnut]

When I was a kid, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I'd say "a Ghostbuster"

Right there with you man.

Harold Ramis was a true genius. His influence will be seen in comedy/film for decades, whether future generations realize it or not.

What I would give for some Ecto Cooler right now...

RIP

[Jester]

Earlier today someone on Facebook asked me why all the good celebrities are passing away. I told him it was because they can't stand to live in a world where Seth Rogen is considered a comedic genius.
Didn't Ramis work with Rogan?
Yeah...Knocked Up...thanks IMDb!

[Leo656]

Wise men say, "The Sun even shines on a dog's ass some days."

Okay, it was Wesley Snipes in "White Men Can't Jump." But still, it's brilliant.

[TheBlueTurtle1]

I am gutted, RIP man.:cry:

[Wildcat]

Wow, that drawing...too soon. Some have even mentioned him being a ghost for part 3. Terrible idea.

On a side note am I only one that feels "R.I.P." is like the least heartfelt thing you could say? Ive seen it so many times when a celebrity dies. Like either spell out the whole thing or say something else.

This is real life not a cartoon tombstone.

[shuriken]

It totally sucks, big Ghostbuster fan and would have loved to see a third.
Animal house was also pretty great.
As a fellow Chicagoan I'm pretty saddened, but he left a hell of a legacy.

[BubblyShell22]

Wow, that drawing...too soon. Some have even mentioned him being a ghost for part 3. Terrible idea.

On a side note am I only one that feels "R.I.P." is like the least heartfelt thing you could say? Ive seen it so many times when a celebrity dies. Like either spell out the whole thing or say something else.

This is real life not a cartoon tombstone.

What's wrong with saying R.I.P? It means the same thing as if you'd spell it out. Not horrible at all if the intention behind it is good. Get over it.

[Leo656]

I think, in-context, the artwork of Egon as a ghost is both appropriate and clever. I can see how some might think otherwise. It's among the most popular tribute pieces circulating right now, so I'm assuming most fans are sincere in viewing it as a tribute rather than a parody. It fits the Ghostbusters humor.

Harold Ramis, to my knowledge, was a skeptic as far as things like ghosts and the afterlife, so I honestly think he would get a big laugh out of it.

[Pterobat]

Jeez.

I heard about this yesterday afternoon, and I'm still crushed.

Ghostbusters is one of my favourite movies, and Egon my favourite Ghostbuster. Ramis's Egon was just such a brilliant deadpan character, not to mention the extensive work Ramis did on getting the movie out and making it as excellent as it was.

I'm just a big ol' Ghostbusters nerdburger, but of course Ramis's contribution to modern comedy movies was powerful, and another reason he'll be missed.

R.I.P.

[Jay $tarkiller]

So sad..first James Avery and now this. Two of my child hood heroes passed. 2014 is off to a bad start :tsad:

[Wildcat]

What's wrong with saying R.I.P? It means the same thing as if you'd spell it out. Not horrible at all if the intention behind it is good. Get over it.It just feels generic and impersonal to me, especially when really nothing else is said. I mean you don't say it at a funeral. Oh Im so sorry for your loss...may "person" RIP.

As for the drawing I could see it as a tribute but my gosh it hadn't even been 1 day and someone made that. Thats why I said too soon.

[Raph's Girl]

As for the drawing I could see it as a tribute but my gosh it hadn't even been 1 day and someone made that. Thats why I said too soon.

There's a whole bunch of art tributes to his passing.

Also, people are leaving flowers and twinkies and stuff at the firehouse in NYC.

[Leo656]

Someone left a box of Cheez-Its. That's just super.

[Wildcat]

There's a whole bunch of art tributes to his passing.Ya Ive seen some others. Some are nice. I just find the ones where hes a ghost a little off-putting.

[Leo656]

Apparently they're still going to do GB3, and simply removing Ramis's cameo role.
http://www.superherohype.com/news/292883-ghostbusters-iii-script-being-reworked

Do. Not. Want. The best they could do would be like the Karate Kid remake and sever all ties to the original. Don't even pretend it's in the same universe. They're just going to put someone like Seth Rogen or Jonah Hill in it and f*cking ruin it. I can accept it if it's something on its own that I can ignore, but not something connected to the original series that I'm more or less going to have to at least acknowledge.

Ugh. F*cking Hollywood.

[MikeandRaph87]

I did not realize the diversity of roles in his comedic talent as I only know him as an actor. He seemed to be a very private person which I respect. Not many Hollywoodpeople get that ability. Did not realize he had a rare disease and am sad to see him go. This means no Ghostbusters 3 which is fine. 5he 2nd film was lacking in comparison to the original and we don't need to see them elderly or a new genration anyway. Its inteeresting tbat Obama commented on his passing. Its rare a sitting president would send a message of mourning about an actor or any celbrity for that matter. Having a president as a fan nd being touched personally by someone like you or I have never met is surprising and touching.

[ToTheNines]

Apparently they're still going to do GB3, and simply removing Ramis's cameo role.
http://www.superherohype.com/news/292883-ghostbusters-iii-script-being-reworked

Do. Not. Want. The best they could do would be like the Karate Kid remake and sever all ties to the original. Don't even pretend it's in the same universe. They're just going to put someone like Seth Rogen or Jonah Hill in it and f*cking ruin it. I can accept it if it's something on its own that I can ignore, but not something connected to the original series that I'm more or less going to have to at least acknowledge.

Ugh. F*cking Hollywood.

Yeah, **** that.

[Leo656]

This means no Ghostbusters 3 which is fine. 5he 2nd film was lacking in comparison to the original and we don't need to see them elderly or a new genration anyway.

See above. They're still doing GB3 and focusing on the "next generation" of Ghostbusters. Akroyd and the rest may still have small cameos, as that was apparently all that was planned, anyway.

Bad idea. But now they get to push it as a "tribute to the co-creator of the franchise"... while most likely pissing all over what was good about it.

[Wildcat]

Pissing all over it? If they were only gonna have cameos I dont see how they can push it as a tribute. This was the supposed plot since last year or the year before.

Besides we shouldnt be deprived of a part 3 just because of this. It was mostly Murray and the rights issues that held it back. If they can finally move on I say good.

Also I doubt the rights are cleared up. I thought production was to start this spring or last fall. Its been delayed so much who knows. I want a GB3. Just be respectful on how you write out Egon. Don't shove it in our face and dont make him a ghost.

[Leo656]

I feel like it can't be any good since the guy who was such a huge part of WHY it was good is gone forever. It's like when George Reeves died, and the "Adventures of Superman" producers immediately tried to produce spin-off shows using old footage and body doubles. WHY would you even think of doing anything like that? Not only is it sick, it's pointless. I know they'd never go THAT far in making a third Ghostbusters, but again, without the co-creator, I can't see any way it just won't be shameful.

I absolutely know the franchise is worth too much money to lay dormant forever. I know they'll do another movie one day. But I'm not going to be happy unless it completely breaks free of the original. At least have it take place so many years later that you don't even have to mention the originals or address them in any way. Even attempting to have it take place in the same universe, you're exposing it as a pale, hollow imitation of the originals.

I'll be re-playing the video game soon, to enjoy the "real" GB3 and the final appearance of the original characters. That's good enough for me, and should be for anyone else. The game brings back lots of great memories and created some nice new ones. Another film, sloppily thrown together by the soulless Hollywood machine just for the sake of money, and sickeningly tagged with an "In Memory Of..." graphic to draw in the marks, is only going to make me feel depressed and possibly angry, depending on how bad it turns out to be. :ohwell:

[Wildcat]

A pale, hollow imitation of the originals could be said about a new team in general...yet youre ok with a remake.

Theres nothing wrong with it being in the same universe/continuity. They could just use Dan as the only cameo. Then they would have to explain the other 3 being gone. This way it wouldn't seem so out of place that only Egon is missing. The focus was always about a new team anyway.

Even so as long as they didnt rub it in and almost glamorize it then its the same difference as before as far as story goes.

You say its sick and soulless to go through with a sloppy mess and a "In loving memory of..." tag but I gotta say that sounds like alot of what I see on IMDb. The whole cliche of "Hollywood sucks, they dont care about quality" thing. If it were already in production would you want them to cancel it?

[ToTheNines]

As recently as a year ago, there were reports of the movie being CG animated, but I don't the the studio has decided yet. I wouldn't hate it if they did that and had Maurice Lamarche voice Egon, but that's the only option I'd want to ever see at this point.

I'll be re-playing the video game soon, to enjoy the "real" GB3 and the final appearance of the original characters. That's good enough for me, and should be for anyone else. The game brings back lots of great memories and created some nice new ones. Another film, sloppily thrown together by the soulless Hollywood machine just for the sake of money, and sickeningly tagged with an "In Memory Of..." graphic to draw in the marks, is only going to make me feel depressed and possibly angry, depending on how bad it turns out to be. :ohwell:

Do play the "realistic" version, or the "cartoon" version on the Wii?

[Leo656]

I wouldn't be "OK" with a remake, but they're going to do something eventually anyway. I just feel like you can't rightly use the originals without ALL of them, but especially without Egon.

I can totally get why others can be OK with it, and I'll end up seeing whatever they do, but I just wish they wouldn't. So much of Ghostbusters was always his thing, and no matter what, it wouldn't be at all "his thing" in any way and that bothers me. It wouldn't feel right. I'm OK that other people aren't bothered by it as much or at all. I also confess, I have always, always taken Ghostbusters entirely too f*cking seriously, but I don't apologize for that at all. It's just that *I* feel it would be better off left alone.

It just feels almost like, in a sick way, Ramis dying "gives them a reason" to finally do it, so they can boost interest by calling it a "tribute", when an even better tribute would have been for everyone involved to get off their collective asses and do the f*cking thing 15 years ago when everyone really wanted it. For years, everyone was all "maybe/maybe not", and then not even a day after the main guy dies, the very first thing everyone on the project says is, "That sucks, but guess what? We're still doing that movie we always said we might not do, except now we're definitely doing it." That bothers me. Maybe just because it was too soon, I don't know. :ohwell:

ToTheNines: I have both, but only played the XBox 360 version so far. It's great.

[Wildcat]

They haven't decided to do it because Ramis passed away. It has literally been on/off every year since like the mid 2000s. Even further. That plot is the same one announced like a year ago. Theyve gone through this so many times...giving an estimated filming date, plot etc...then nothing happens and like 5 months later again.

Ive been following every update possible since like 2005.

Plus its not about getting off their asses to finally do it. Dan has always wanted to do it, Hudson has said he would do it whenever hes asked and Ramis would have done it...Bill Murray is the one that has rejected every script and refuses to either sign off or agree.

There was talk they could do it without him but yet they kept holding out. I don't know how true that was because they were still waiting around. Hes never wanted to do a GB3 anyway.

[BubblyShell22]

It just feels generic and impersonal to me, especially when really nothing else is said. I mean you don't say it at a funeral. Oh Im so sorry for your loss...may "person" RIP.

As for the drawing I could see it as a tribute but my gosh it hadn't even been 1 day and someone made that. Thats why I said too soon.

Whatever. I think it's more of a sign of respect when you say that to someone even if you may not say it at a funeral.

[Memphis]

It's definitely a shame about Ramis and I agree that there shouldn't be another Ghostbusters after his passing. I don't care who of the four it is, but if one isn't returning for a third, none of them should.

And I pray there isn't a reboot because, like it's been said, they'll end up casting people like Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill to star and make pot jokes for two hours. No thanks. Let the franchise die with dignity.

[Gooseatello]

I thought this was nice. Its up on IDW's facebook. https://www.facebook.com/idwpublishing

https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/1653736_10152211736078279_684102380_n.jpg

[BubblyShell22]

Oh, man, that is beautiful.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I completely agree. That is really cool. Love all the little touches.

[TheCanadiandrome]

awesome mention by Bill Murray Sunday night at the Oscars!