The man behind some of my all-time favorite movies has died at 69. In all the talk of a possible Ghostbusters 3 in recent years, I don't remember hearing that he was sick. I'm reading now that he even lost the ability to walk and had to re-learn a few years ago.

I was able to meet Mr. Ramis once in 2004, and while he made my day by meeting me, I made his day when I asked him to sign my National Lampoon Gold Turkey album. You should have seen the look on his face when he saw that record! It was made in '75, the year I was born, so he hadn't seen that bit of his own past in quite some time.



Looking back at old blog entries, I see that I actually saw him in person twice that year. From 8/20/2004:

Chan and I were driving back from the city, where I lived the dream of seeing Ghostbusters outside in Washington Square Park at dusk. It's one of my all time favorites, and Harold Ramis was there to introduce the movie. I guess the guy who puts on these events is friends with Ramis, and that's how he gets him to come. Ramis rules. GB rules. F the yanks.

And from the month before, I made mention of the autograph, though I terribly didn't get into the Gold Turkey story:

I went to New York Wednesday to see a screening of Groundhog Day, with special guest, Harold Ramis, whose autograph I got.

Note: This was the year before I moved TO New York City. Which I later left. So this was the pre-NYC me "going to New York." From Danbury.