HAROLD RAMIS MADE COMEDY LOOK EASY

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If after co-writing and directing Caddyshack, Harold Ramis had donned a hair shirt, moved to the desert, and never cracked wise again, he could still be considered a monumental contributor to comedic cinema.  Of course even without trying, Ramis would probably end up churning some chuckles out of an ascetic life.  The man was plain funny, his films quoted almost as much as Scripture, and certainly for much greater laughs.  Given how much Ramis’s lines are dropped seamlessly into everyday conversation, it’s impossible to imagine any film writer who has achieved greater immortality through his work.  As the world celebrates Ramis this week, here’s a standout piece I’ve seen circulated, a 2006 interview full of insight, rumination, and of course, humor. Three cheers, for the late, great Harold Ramis.

HAROLD RAMIS (1944-2014), here as Russell Ziskey in "Stripes".

HAROLD RAMIS (1944-2014), here as Russell Ziskey in “Stripes”

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2004 – CATCH THE CLARK, HOLD THE GRISWOLD

                                                                                                                                                                                           

Proofs of the cover and inside of the ’04 edition, inspired — and autographed by — the great Walter Iooss, Jr.  If you never have, you really should catch him.

THE SKINNY LOWDOWN

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My work as a Senior Producer at NFL Films has gotten me backstage at Radio City Music Hall ; into fly-fishing waders in a Montana stream ; in the halftime locker room of a Notre Dame-Miami game ; to the White House, to the Belmont, to the clubhouse batting cage at Yankee Stadium ; into the starting gate at Hollywood Park, to the 17th at TPC Sawgrass ; to Tiffany’s in New York City, Rembrandt Square in Amsterdam, the tomb of King Gustaf in Sweden ; to Hawaii, to Seattle’s EMP Museum, onto the field at Lambeau for an overtime playoff Packer win.

Along the journey I’ve gotten to interview the likes of Walter Iooss, Frank Deford, Spike Lee, Chuck Klosterman, Derek Jeter, Deacon Jones, Michael Strahan, Styx’s Tommy Shaw, Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, General Raymond Odierno, Kelly Ripa, Larry King, Roger Staubach, Cheryl Tiegs, Cal Ripken, Ray Lewis, Carl Lewis, Bill Parcells, a horse called Tebowing, and the world famous Fish Throwers of Seattle’s Pike Place Market.

All that’s been part of writing, directing, editing, and producing films on subjects such as Randy Pausch, Phish, Zubaz, The Kennedy Assassination, the History of the American Football League, Tom Coughlin, the Football Forrest Gump, Ricky Williams, Pete Rozelle, Michael Strahan, Lawrence Taylor, Wellington Mara, and Wynton Marsalis,  who was featured in the first ever NFL Films animated series, which I co-produced.

After 17+ years, I have countless memories and 12 Emmys to show for the work.  And when the work is through, I write, draw, and design the stuff that’s collected on this site – where any views expressed are mine alone.  For all the original work I’ve created, all rights are reserved.  For all of it, I hope you enjoy.  Thanks for visiting.

Cheers,

Email to: pc@tweedtypewriter.com

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