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Bill Murray is perhaps one of the best comedic actors that modern Hollywood ever had the honor of hosting. However, with such seemingly godly talent also comes trouble that often makes geniuses appear more eccentric than rational, level-headed creatures. For Murray, it was a somewhat similar case with a co-star.
Starting as close friends, Bill Murray and Harold Ramis became colleagues and collaborators on several projects along the way after finding their comedic frequency attuned to each other. However, not every Hollywood pairing has been paved with nice experiences like the ones shared by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks or Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio.
After their epic fallout, Murray and Ramis would never go on to share a screen together.
The epic fallout between Bill Murray and Harold Ramis
While best known for his universally lauded film,Ghostbusters,Bill Murrayalso gained international acclaim forGroundhog Day– a film that has etched a permanent place in pop culture as a timeless classic. Starring Murray in the lead andHarold Ramisat the helm as the director of the film, the formidable pair were guaranteed to land a surefire success, if not for an unforeseen event.
Despite their collaboration onGhostbusters, the comedic legends – Bill Murray and Harold Ramis – found themselves at odds with each other on the sets ofGroundhog Day. Even though the film later went on to be a classic hit, the conditions on set were anything but proper. And all the trouble began with the script of the movie.
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Although not much is known about the content of the original or revised script, Murray butted heads with Ramis due to creative differences. The actor and director were each concerned with the direction of the film, and although the theatrical cut of Groundhog Day worked out perfectly well for all parties concerned, the movie itself became ground zero for Murray and Ramis’ lifelong animosity.
Harold Ramis put Bill Murray in his place
As the director of a film, Harold Ramis must have had to make certain tough calls that often warranted hostility from his actors and crew on set. However, none other than Bill Murray had the gall to lash out against his formerGhostbustersco-star. Finding themselves on opposite ends, both Murray and Ramis clashed for a stake in the creative direction of the film.
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However, the professional battle to gain the upper hand took a toll on their personal friendship, too. As Ramis would later go on to recall during an interview withThe New Yorker:
At times, Bill was just really irrationally mean and unavailable; he was constantly late on set. What I’d want to say to him is just what we tell our children: ‘You don’t have to throw tantrums to get what you want. Just say what you want.’
Bill Murray’s relationship with Harold Ramis was permanently affected due to the troubled production of the film. For two decades, the pair were never seen in a room together, nor were they known to be on talking terms. However, according to the accounts shared by Violet Ramis in her autobiographyGhostbuster’s Daughter: Life with My Dad, Harold Ramis, both Murray and Ramis were able to reconcile before the latter’s death in 2014.
Groundhog Dayis available to buy/rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Diya Majumdar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2409
Diya Majumdar is a Senior Content Writer at FandomWire with over 2000 published articles on the website. Since 2022, she has been working as an entertainment journalist with a special focus on films and pop culture.Among the countless genres and themes of Hollywood, the ones that particularly favor Diya’s tastes include Game of Thrones, DC, and well-aged thrillers and classics.
