Harold Ramis dies of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis at 69

Harold Ramis, best known for the films Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day, has died aged 69.

The actor found fame as bespectacled ghost-hunter Egon Spengler in the Ghostbusters franchise in 1984.

But he was also a talented writer and director, whose credits included Caddyshack and Analyze This.

Harold Ramis died of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, a rare disease that involves swelling of the blood vessels.

Born in Chicago to convenience store owners Ruth and Nathan, Harold Ramis studied at Washington University in Missouri and, on graduation, briefly worked in a psychiatric ward.

He started his career as a writer by penning arts stories for his local newspaper and editing Playboy magazine’s “party jokes” section.

Harold Ramis developed his career behind the camera, directing Bill Murray in Groundhog Day and Robert De Niro in the mobster spoof Analyze This.

His other films included The Ice Harvest, Bedazzled and prehistoric comedy Year One, his final movie, in 2009.

In addition to his wife, Erica,

Harold Ramis is survived by his wife Erica, sons Julian and Daniel, daughter Violet and two grandchildren.