With news coming in last night that veteran comedy actor / director Harold Ramis had passed away, we thought it was only befitting the man that we talk about his impressive body of work. Ramis, together with his long-time colleague Bill Murray, produced some of the finest comedic films in the past fifty years. Many actors and directors, such as Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow, Dan Harmon and more owe a debt to Ramis' work. Here are five of his best scenes...

5. STRIPES - "Hey, we're walking..."

Although Bill Murray eclipses pretty much everyone else in Stripes, it's a great example of ensemble comedy and how the best comedy comes when you don't know he's going to be the funniest person in the scene. Stripes is loaded with little nuggets of off-the-cuff remarks that are as clever, sharp and witty as anything we've seen since. This scene feels like it was shot simply as a way to make up time. Unrehearsed and done in a few seconds, Harold Ramis leads his fellow soldiers in a rousing rendition of 'Do Wah Diddy'.

 

4. KNOCKED UP - "An earthquake is a disaster."

It's only one small scene, but it's a great scene. The warmth and the charisma just oozes out of Ramis and it's infectious. Seth Rogen's character is telling his father that he's gotten a girl pregnant and is unsure of what to do next. Ramis' fatherly advice is mixed with a discussion about smoking pot "only in the evenings, and the weekends".

 

3. NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION - "You'll be whistling zippidy-do-da outta your assholes!"

As well as a gifted comedic actor, Harold Ramis would become more widely known for directing some of the best comedies ever made. His second film as a director, National Lampoon's Vacation, is owed in large part to Chevy Chase's talents. This scene, however, is perfectly timed and edited. Tired, wet and on the verge of giving up, Clark Griswold loses the plot and starts screaming at his wife and kids. It teeters just on the edge of darkness, but it shows how far Ramis was willing to push the boundaries of convention.

 

2. CADDYSHACK - "DOG FOOD?!?"

Harold Ramis' first directorial effort, Caddyshack is an anarchic mix of cartoon-style comedy mixed with broad improvisational pieces from Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase and Bill Murray. Ramis is clever enough a director to know that it's better to let the comedy flow naturally than try and put his foot in. Still, this particular scene works brilliantly from a directing standpoint. Dangerfield's ranting about "low-grade beef" and says he can "still see the marks where the jockey was hitting it" - followed by a jump-cut to a chef waving a cleaver. It's the kind of jump-cut edit that Family Guy and most comedies now use on a regular basis.

 

1. GROUNDHOG DAY - "I am a god. Not THE god."

Groundhog Day is, far and away, one of the finest comedies ever made and is probably one of the greatest films ever made. It's the perfect blend of comedy, warmth, drama and mind-bending philosophical dilemmas. One of the best scenes is when Murray's character has effectively reached the end of his rope and confesses what's happening to him to Andy McDowell. In three minutes, he talks about being trapped inside Puxsatawney, knowing the particulars of everyone in the town and that he's most likely falling for McDowell as well. Perfectly edited and set up with minimal fuss, the entire film is the perfect example of clever editing and direction. Ramis' greatest work, without a shadow of a doubt.