Claim: Harold Ramis was an actor.

Harold Allen Ramis -LRB- November 21 , 1944 -- February 24 , 2014 -RRB- was an American actor , director , writer , and comedian . His best-known film acting roles were as Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters -LRB- 1984 -RRB- and Ghostbusters II -LRB- 1989 -RRB- and Russell Ziskey in Stripes -LRB- 1981 -RRB- ; he also co-wrote those films . As a director , his films include the comedies Caddyshack -LRB- 1980 -RRB- , National Lampoon 's Vacation -LRB- 1983 -RRB- , Groundhog Day -LRB- 1993 -RRB- , and Analyze This -LRB- 1999 -RRB- . Ramis was the original head writer of the television series SCTV , on which he also performed , as well as a co-writer of Groundhog Day and National Lampoon 's Animal House -LRB- 1978 -RRB- . His final film that he wrote , produced , directed and acted in was the critical and commercial failure Year one -LRB- 2009 -RRB- .   Ramis ' films influenced subsequent generations of comedians and comedy writers . Filmmakers including Jay Roach , Jake Kasdan , Adam Sandler , and Peter and Bobby Farrelly have cited his films as among their favorites . He won the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay for Groundhog Day .