Harold Ramis: Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd pay tribute to their fellow Ghostbusters star (RIP: Harold Ramis)

Actor turned director Ramis, who played Dr Egon Spengler in the 1984 classic, died aged 69 at his home in Chicago following a long illness,
Ghostbusters stars Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd have paid tribute to fellow cast member Harold Ramis who has died aged 69.
The actor turned director died while surrounded by his family at his home in Chicago after battling a long illness.
He found global fame playing bespectacled doctor Egon Spengler in the 1984 box office hit Ghostbusters.
"Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my brilliant, gifted, funny friend, co-writer/performer and teacher Harold Ramis," tweeted Aykroyd.
Ramis played Dr. Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters which also starred Murray.
"Harold Ramis and I together did 'The National Lampoon Show' off-Broadway, 'Meatballs,' 'Stripes,' 'Caddyshack,' 'Ghostbusters' and 'Groundhog Day.' He earned his keep on this planet. God bless him," Murray said in a statement.

Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my brilliant, gifted, funny friend, co-writer/performer and teacher Harold Ramis.
Comedian Billy Crystal wrote on Twitter: “Sad to hear my friend Harold Ramis passed away. A brilliant, funny, actor and director. A wonderful husband and dad. Big loss to us all.”
Off screen Ramis wrote some of the highest grossing comedy blockbusters including the 1980 film Caddyshack, Groundhog Day in 1993 and the National Lampoon series.

His health problems began in mid-2010, after surgery for the digestive disease diverticulitis which brought on complications related to his autoimmune disease.
He spent four months learning to walk again at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, before transferring to a rehabilitation facility in Chicago.
However after undergoing gruelling physiotherapy he relapsed 18 months later and never completely recovered.

Ramis, known for being one of “Hollywood’s true gentlemen” grew up in Chicago idolising the Marx Brothers.
After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri in 1967, he became the jokes editor for Playboy magazine.

Two years later he joined the comedy group Second City, which at the time featured such young talents as Blue Brother star John Belushi, Bill Murray and John Candy.
"The moment I knew I wouldn't be any huge comedy star was when I got on stage with John Belushi for the first time," he said in 1999.

"When I saw how far he was willing to go to get a laugh or to make a point on stage, the language he would use, how physical he was, throwing himself literally off the stage, taking big falls, strangling other actors, I thought: I'm never going to be this big."
His big break came when he wrote "National Lampoon's Animal House" in 1978.
His last work was for a 2009 movie "Year One," in which he wrote, directed and was featured in alongside Jack Black and Olivia Wilde.

Born in Chicago he was an avid baseball fan supporting his local team the Chicago Cubs.
Ramis leaves behind three children, two grandchildren and his second wife.
His daughter Violet to his first wife, Anne, and sons Julian Arthur and Daniel Hayes with his second wife, Erica Mann.
Actor and Ghostbusters co-star Bill Murray is Violet Ramis's godfather.