It was a typical evening at a quiet suburban library in Highland Park last Tuesday – well, except for the standing-room-only crowd in between Fiction and Reference, packed in to hear Steve Edwards from WBEZ Radio interviewing Harold Ramis, screenwriter, film director and actor.
Harold Ramis
You know, Harold Ramis, as in Animal House, Caddyshack, Stripes, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Ghostbusters, Back to School, Groundhog Day, Multiplicity, Analyze This, Bedazzled, Analyze That, The Ice Harvest and Year One. Yes, the Harold Ramis, the only Hollywood big shot who lives on the North Shore. (If you are a different Hollywood big shot living on the North Shore, please leave an outraged comment on this post.)
(from an earlier interview June 19)
TRIB LOCAL: What keeps you in Glencoe?
HAROLD RAMIS: As opposed to Highland Park?
TRIB LOCAL: No, I mean as opposed to L.A. or even being in the city?
HAROLD RAMIS: Well, it’s not what keeps me there. I’ve lived everywhere.
TRIB LOCAL: Or what makes you want to be there now?
HAROLD RAMIS: Well, it’s not like I want to be there full time. I like it there…It’s safe, people are good, it’s pretty. And we love Chicago. It’s a great city to be associated with and be near.
Steve Edwards, Acting Program Director, Chicago Public Radio
Ramis, looking resplendent in beard and black coat, spoke of growing up in a hard working, loving Jewish family in Chicago. His parents owned a grocery store and “worked all the time.” His close family literally surrounded him with “a circle of adoration” at family dinners and holidays. Young Harold was particularly prized as a good eater.
His mother told him “You can do anything you want to in life. Except banking, because the Goyim won’t let you. Or real estate. Or…” You get the idea. Better you should go into Law or Medicine.
After dropping out of grad school, Ramis worked in a hospital psychiatric ward in St. Louis, where he saw a lot of unusual behavior, an experience that came in handy when he was working in Hollywood. Asked what the most unusual behavior he witnessed on a movie set was, Ramis said by way of explanation: “I made six movies with Bill Murray!”
Ramis answered questions from the audience which included some young aspiring screenwriters looking for agents, talked about the writing process, directing and some of the people he’s known and worked with at Second City, Playboy (where his day job in 1969 was joke editor), National Lampoon and in the movies.
This is what we learned at the library last Tuesday: Harold Ramis, not surprisingly, has a lot of good stories to tell. He moved back to Chicago from LA after an earthquake. He wanted his kids to know their grandparents. He loves his family and wants to be a good father and husband. And Harold Ramis is building his own acoustic guitar. From a kit.
And yes, there is a Ghostbusters lll in the works.
Watch this:
Why would anyone want his kids to know their grandparents? That man’s obviously insane.
Just!
Kidding!
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