My first few films were institutional comedies, and you're on pretty safe ground when you're dealing with an institution that vast numbers of people have experienced: college, summer camp, the military, the country club.

Later Ramis became a performer on and head writer of the late-night sketch-comedy television series SCTV during its first three years (1976–1979). I wrote a spec piece and submitted it to the Chicago Daily News the Arts & Leisure section and they started giving me assignments [for] entertainment features. And not just with actors; it was good training for just living in the world.

Harold Allen Ramis (born November 21 1944) is an American actor director and writer specializing in comedy. His best-known film acting roles are as Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters (1984) and Russell Ziskey in Stripes (1981) both of which he co-wrote. As a writer/director his films include the comedies Caddyshack (1980) Groundhog Day (1993) and Analyze This (1999).