Comedy
Synopsis
Parapsychologists (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis) with nuclear guns go into business ridding New York of poltergeists.
Cast: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, William Atherton, Ernie Hudson
Producer(s): Columbia Pictures, Black Rhino Productions
Crew: Director - Ivan Reitman, Writer - Dan Aykroyd, Writer - Harold Ramis, Executive Producer - Bernie Brillstein, Associate Producer - Michael C. Gross, Associate Producer - Joe Medjuck, Producer - Ivan Reitman, Original Music - Elmer Bernstein, Original Songs - Ray Parker, Cinematographer - László Kovács, Film Editor - David Blewitt, Film Editor - Sheldon Kahn, Casting - Karen Rea, Production Designer - John DeCuir, Art Direction - John DeCuir Jr., Set Decoration - Robert Drumheller, Set Decoration - Marvin March, Costume Designer - Theoni Aldredge, Makeup Artist - Leonard Engelman
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: 06/08/1984
Running Time: 107 minutes
OFFICIAL SITE
| PG | Parental Guidance Suggested |
Production Notes:
-Notes provided by Columbia Pictures-
AN IVAN REITMAN FILM
"GHOSTBUSTERS"
BILL HURRAY
DAN AYKROYD
SIGOURNEY WEAVER
HAROLD RAMTS
Produced & Directed by IVAN REITMAN
Screenplay by DAN AYKROYD & HAROLD RAMIS
"GHOSTBUSTERS"
Preliminary Production Information
New York City has a problem: paranormal occurrences have been plaguing the city in increasing numbers and the only ones who know this are three extraordinarily bright, slightly off-beat N.Y.U, parapsychologists who have lost their research grant, are forced out of academia and start their own business--"Ghostbusters."
Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver and Harold Ramis star in Columbia Pictures' new comedy, "Ghostbusters," produced and directed by Ivan. Reitman.
In a virtual soup combining in one film the consummate comic talents of our time, "Ghostbusters" pairs Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd together on screen for the first time, and reunites Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis ("Animal House," "Meatballs" and "Stripes"),
The unique talents of Murray, Aykroyd, Ramis and Reitman are brought together in combination to create a contemporary, new generation comedy in "Ghostbusters." Murray, Aykroyd and Ramis portray characters who, because of their advanced intelligence, walk that fire line between genius and lunacy--that they are parapsychologists adds yet another ingredient to this fine comic stew.
Columbia Pictures presents an Ivan Reitman Film, "Ghostbusters,." starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver and Harold Ramis, produced and directed by Ivan Reitman from a screenplay by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis.
About the Cast...
BILL MURRAY stars as Venkman in "Ghostbusters," which marks his third outing with director Ivan Reitman (after the successful "Meatballs" and "Stripes"). Back in an all-out comedy after his portrayal of Larry Darrell in the Just-completed "The Razor's Edge," Murray is right at home with his co-stars and director, alumni of "Saturday Night Live" and/or the National Lampoon, in-varied combinations.
Murray was born in Evanston, Illinois, and raised in nearby Wilmette. He won a scholarship to Chicago's Second City Workshop and later went to New York, where he joined "The National Lampoon Radio Show." In 1975 he joined the off-Broadway satirical revue "The National Lampoon Show" along with John Belushi, Harold Ramis, Gilda Radner and brother Brian Doyle-Murray. After a stint on "Saturday Night Live with Howard Cose11," Lorne Michaels chose him for his "NBC's Saturday Night Live."
After four years as one of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" with, among others, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, Murray took his first feature role as Tripper in "Meatballs," which was directed by Ivan Reitman and co-written by Harold Ramis. Murray also starred as journalist Hunter Thompson in "Where the Buffalo Roam" and with Chevy Chase in "Caddyshack," also co-written and directed by Harold Ramis.
Murray's re-teaming with Reitman in Columbia's "Stripes" (which also starred Harold Ramis) was enormously successful and firmly established Murray as one of America's finest comic actors. Most recently, Murray starred as Dustin Hoffman's roommate in "Tootsie" and as Larry Darrell in "The Razor's Edge."
DAN AYKROYD, one of the original and brightest stars of "NBC's Saturday Night Live," continues his string of motion picture comedy roles as Stantz in "Ghostbusters."
In one of the smash hit films of 1983, Aykroyd starred with yet another "SNL" player, Eddie Murphy, ~n "Trading Places," in which he played an arrogant, wealthy snob stripped of his riches.
Born and raised in Canada, Aykroyd was not a rich kid but, rather, a rebellious youth who dropped out of school and joined the Toronto company of the Second City improvisational troupe, where he developed his comedic talents. While a member of Second City, Aykroyd was spotted by "Saturday Night Live" executive producer Lorne Michaels and cast as an actor and waiter for five seasons of "SNL." Aykroyd's uncanny impressions of Tom Snyder, Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, as well as scores of original creations including the Coneheads and the Blues Brothers (with John Belushi)~, propelled him to stardom.
After winning an Emmy Award in 1977 for his work on "Saturday Night Live,." Aykroyd made his film debut in 1979 with Steven Spielberg's "1941." His next film was John Landis' international success "The Blues Brothers" with John Belushi, which was followed in 1982 with another Belushi collaboration, John Avildsen's "Neighbors."
Most recently, Aykroyd starred in "Dr. Detroit," appeared in "The Twilight Zone" and starred with Eddie Murphy in "Trading (laces."
For HAROLD RAMIE, who stars as Spengler in "Ghostbusters," the film reunites him with old friends and colleagues. Having previously teamed with Bill Murray and Ivan Reitman on screen and performed with "SNL" players such as Bill Murray, John Belushi and Gilda Radner during his National Lampoon days, this is his first time in tandem with Dan Aykroyd, which, in a way, completes the overall picture.
In his most recent directorial outing, Ramis presided over a cast including "SNL" alumnus Chevy Chase in "National Lampoon's Vacation," one of 1983's summer hits.
Although Ramis is better known as a writer and director (having cp-written "Animal House," "Meatballs" and "Caddyshack" rd having directed "Caddyshack" and "National Lampoon's Vacation"), he has solid acting credentials. His first film role was opposite Bill Murray in "Stripes," though he performed with the Second City TV troupe and also toured with the Second City Road Company from 1976 to 1978. In 1975 he appeared in the satirical "The National Lampoon Show."
"Ghostbusters," which Ramis co-wrote and in which he stars, marks his fourth film association with Bilk Murray and his fourth film association with Ivan Reitman.
Beautiful and talented SIGOURNEY WEAVER is Dana in "Ghostbusters." Born in New York City to former NBC president Sylvester "Pat" Weaver and English actress Elizabeth Inglis, Miss Weaver changed her first name from Susan to Sigourney after an F. Scott Fitzgerald character. Miss Weaver studied English at Stanford University and then received her M.F.A. from the
Yale University School of Drama. Her first professional job was as understudy in Sir John Gielgud's production of "The Constant Wide" starring Ingrid Bergman. She subsequently appeared1n several productions for Joseph Papp in New York, as well as in the off-Broadway productions "Gemini," "Marco Polo Sings a Solo" and "New Jerusalem."
Following roles on television in "The Best of Families" and the daytime drama "Somerset," Miss Weaver broke into films with Ridley Scott's "Alien." Next came the part of the newscaster in "Eyewitness" for director Peter Yates opposite William Hurt, after which Australian director Peter Weir tapped her for the lead opposite Mel Gibson in "The Year of Living Dangerously." Most recently, Miss Weaver starred with Chevy Chase in William Friedkin's "Deal of the Century."
ERNIE HUDSON is Winston .in "Ghostbusters." A Michigan native, Hudson is an accomplished actor, writer and theatrical producer who spent nearly a decade after high school in the academic community studying, acting and producing plays at Wayne State University, Yale University and the University of Minnesota. He Won excellent notices for his performance in "The Great White Hope," which, first performed in Minneapolis, was brought to Los Angeles for a successful run.
His first screen role was in the film "Leadbelly," followed by featured roles in "The Main Event" with Barbra Streisand, "The Jazz Singer" with Neil Diamond, "Penitentiary II," "Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone," "National Lampoon's Joy of Sex" and "Two of a Kind" opposite John Travolta. For television,
Hudson has made decent appearances on "The A Team" and "Webster," and has done several telefilms, including "Roots II," "White Mama," "King" and "The Women of San Quentin."
Emmy Award-winner RICA MORANIS is Louis in "Ghostbusters." Within less than two years, Moranis, who joined "SCTV" in 1980, had created with fellow SCTV-er Dave Thomas the now-famous Canadian "hosers," the McKenzie Brothers, cut an album which went gold and wrote, directed and starred in the film "Strange Brew." While
still in high school in his native Toronto, Moranis began working part time at a radio station, which led to a job with the. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (C$C) in which he engineered and produced radio shows, as well as wrote material for the disc jockeys. He began writing and acting for CBC on radio and television, wrote and performed in, two pilots for CBC and appeared nationally 4n CBC on "The Alan Hamel Show" and "90 Minutes Live."
On ''SCTV," Moranis earned acclaim for his portrayals of such personalities as Woody Allen, Dick Cavett and Merv Griffin. The program went network on NBC in 1981 and Moranis earned Emmys for comedy writing in 1981 and 1982 for his contributions to the show.
Kentucky-born .ANNIE POTTS is Janine in "Ghostbusters." After studying drama in high school, she attended Stephens College in Missouri, where she majored irk drama. After graduation, she performed in summer stock, did Shakespeare and larded local radio and TV bit parts. A car accident interrupted her career, but while she was recuperating with two broken legs, Miss Potts became involved in Community theatre designing sets and costumes in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she lived with her husband. Moving to California,
where she attended the California Institute of the Arts, Miss Potts appeared with the L.A. Globe Theatre Shakespeare Society in "Richard III" and "Cymbeline." In 1976 she joined the road company of "Charley's Aunt" starring Vincent Price. For television, she has appeared in the CBS movies "Flatbed Annie and Sweetiepie" and "Cowboy" with James Brolin and Ted Danson, and in the ABC comedy series "Goodtime Girls" with Lorna, Patterson. Miss Potts includes among her film credits "Corvette Summer," "King of the Gypsies" and "Heartaches."
About the Filmmakers...
IVAN REITMAN continues to deliver hit films, one after another.. He has been involved in every aspect of entertainment: producing and directing plays, distributing films, writing and producing for television and making motion pictures.
A native Czech whose family fled to Canada when he was 4, Reitman accomplished much at an early age. After winning a music prize in a national student competition for the Canadian Bicentennial and producing and directing several shorts in college which were aired on Canadian television, Reitman started the New Cinema of Canada, a non-theatrical film distribution company which is still active.
Reitman produced a live television variety show, "Greed, which was basted by a young comedian, Dan Aykroyd. Shortly thereafter, he produced "Spellbound" for the Toronto stage, which evolved into "The Magic Show," a five-year hit on Broadway and the 13th longest-running show in Broadway history.
After "The Magic Show," Reitman produced the off-Broadway hit, "The National Lampoon Show," and its subsequent year-long tour. The success of this show and the rapport established with National Lampoon magazine editor Matty Simmons led to the development And production of "National Lampoon's Animal House." Released in 197$, this wild comedy became one of the 15 top-grossing films of all time.
Reitman followed this success with another summer release the next year, "Meatballs," starring Bill Murray, which Reitman directed and Harold Ramis co-wrote. In 1981 Reitman hit paydirt twice, first with the surprise hit of that summer, "Stripes" (again with Bill Murray and co-starring Harold Ramis, who also co-wrote), followed by the critically acclaimed feature-length animated hit, "Heavy Metal."
In,early 1983 Reitman returned to the Broadway stage, producing and directing the hit musical magic show, "Merlin," starring Doug Henning.
Director of photography LASZLO KOVACS has a most impressive list of film credits, including "Easy Rider," "Five Easy Pieces," "What's Up Doe?," "Paper Moon," "New York, New York," "Paradise Alley," "Butch and Sundance: The Early Days," "Heart Beat,," "Inside Moves," "The Legend of the Lone Ranger," "Francis" and "Crackers,"
Academy Award-winning editor SHELDON F. KAHN has edited such 'films as "The Electric Horseman," "Same Time, Next Year," "Bloodbrothers," "Enemy of the People," "A Time for Love" and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," for which he won the Oscar.
JOHN DE CUIR, production designer for "Ghostbusters," is one of the tops in his field, with credits including such memorable films as "South Pacific," "Cleopatra, " "The Agony and the Ecstasy," "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever," "The Great White Hope," "Hello, Dolly I," "Once. Is Not Enough," "That's Entertainment," "The Other Side of Midnight" and, most recently, "Raise the Titanic," "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" and "Monsignor." De Cuir has received 10 Academy Award nominations and has won three Oscars for art direction -of "The King and I" (1956), "Cleopatra" (1963) and "Hello, Dolly!" (1969).
RICHARD EDLUND, a graduate of U.S.C. Film School, has been involved in special visual effects for some of the most successful science fiction motion pictures and television shows in history, including "The Outer Limits," "Twilight Zone" and "Star Trek" for television, and such hit films as "The China Syndrome," "Poltergeist," "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark," the latter three of which garnered Academy Awards for Edlund. Most recently, Edlund was co-supervisor of special effects for the third in the "Star Wars" trilogy, "Return of the Jedi."
Costumer THEONI V. ALDREDGE has designed for several films, from the visually rich "The Great Gatsby" (for which she won the Oscar for best costume -design in 1974) to "Harry and Walter Go to New York," "The Cheap Detective," "Network," "The Champ," "The Rose" and "Semi-Tough."
Columbia Pictures presents an Ivan Reitman Film, ''Ghostbusters," starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver and Harold Ramis, produced aced directed by Ivan Reitman from a screenplay by Dan Aykroyd aid Harold Ramis.
"GHOSTBUSTERS"
Production Information
New York City has a problem: paranormal .occurrences have .
beenplaguing the city in increasing numbers and the only ones
who know this are three extraordinarily bright, slightly off-beat
University parapsychologists who lose their research grant, are
forced out of academia and start their own business-- "Ghostbusters.
Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis and hick Moranis star in Columbia Pictures' new comedy, "Ghostbusters," produced and directed by Ivan Reitman, co-written by Aykroyd and Ramis.
In a virtual coup, combining the consummate comic talents of our time in one film, "Ghostbusters" pairs Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd together on screen for the first time, and reunites Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis ("Animal House," "Meatballs" and "Stripes").
The unique talents of Murray, Aykroyd, Ramis and Reitman are brought together in combination to create a contemporary, new-generation comedy. In "Ghostbusters~," Murray, Aykroyd and Ramis portray cosmic crusaders who, because of their advanced intelligence, walk that fine line between genius and lunacy--that
they are parapsychologists adds yet ;mother ingredient to this fine comic stew.
"The 'ghostbusters' and I go way back," says director Reitman.
"I first worked with Dan when I was directing television in
Toronto. The show was called 'Greed,' and Dan was the announcer. The show had so little money that Dan had to kick back half of his salary to us each week. I started working with Bill- and Harold on a stage revue I directed in New York called "The National Lampoon Show," which also starred Gilda Radner and John Belushi. Since then, of course, I've worked with Bi11 and Harold on a number of features and am pleased to finally be working with Dan again."
"The opportunity to do a comedy with Bill, Dan, Harold and Rick Moranis, who plays my weird neighbor, was part of the great appeal the film had for me," adds co-star Sigourney Weaver. Her character, Dana, calls the ghostbusters For help. "I knew the work would be loose, crazy and spontaneous. I've worked on the stage-, so-I've done a lot of improvisation, but this was a different atmosphere for film. Having come out of Second City, the guys were all very generous. There was no ego on this show. It was all very giving, which was wonderful."
"We approaches 'Ghostbusters' from the point of view of a team," says co-writer/co-star Harold Ramis. "My character, Spengler, is the brains because I tend to be rationalistic. Danny's character, Stan, is the heart because he tends to be enthusiastic and sincere, and Bill's character, Venkman, is the mouth because he really can talk. Together, we add up to a whole person."
"Ghostbusters" is: the brainchild of Dan Aykroyd. After
writing the first draft of the script himself, Aykroyd brought
in Ramis, Reitman and Murray. A card-carrying member of the
American Society for Psychical Research, Aykroyd believes that
gnosts and American humor are linked forever in film history by
groups like Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, the Bowery
Boys, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and Bob Hope. "All comedy per
formers have dealt with ghosts in some of their work," says
Aykroyd. "We're just doing the modern version of the old-time
ghost movies. The only difference is that we have a little more
theory, perhaps a little more science and a lot more technology
than our predecessors."
In June of 1983, Ivan Reitman began assembling his production cam. Production designer John De Cuir and visual effects supervisor Richard Edlund were brought in not only because of their impeccable credentials but because of their unique experience .pith large-scale productions. De Cuir has won Academy Awards ~or "The King and I," "Cleopatra'.' and "Hello, Dolly!," Edlund nor "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back," "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Return of the Jedi." The well-respected cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs joined the group, as did the talented and prolific costume designer Theoni V, Aldredge. Michael Gross and Joe Medjuck came on board as associate producers.
"Ghostbusters" presented its filmmakers with some unusual design problems--from a rooftop temple to the exotic equipment the ghostbusters would carry,. "Part of the package that Dan delivered to me with that first draft was a series of illustrations that showed some of the equipment he felt the ghostbusters
would use to apprehend the vari.aus, ghosts, what some of the
ghouls would look like and what their vehicle would look like.
Says Reitman. "Although these elements have evolved a great
deal since then, the original ideas were Dan's. There's none
of that 'Star Trek' gloss to the equipment. It may look crude and dirty,
but it looks like it works."
"Dan had a friend of his make the proton pack (the back pack)," elaborates Harold Ramis. "The first one was made out
of styrofoam and old radio parts. He bought a jumpsuit, put all the stuff on in his house and videotaped himself trapping a ghost. When Dan turned all the stuff over to the special affects department, I think everyone was surprised. The designs are amazing. We wear very sophisticated backpacks, and we carry neutrona wands that throw a particle stream. We drive the first functional Ectomobile in the world, 'Ecto 1.' It's a very elegant 1959 Cadillac ambulance outfitted with a variety of electronic devices to allow the ghostbuszers to locate any large psychokinetic disturbance, remove the ectoplasmic material and then store it before returning to the ectobase. I might add that Dan loved driving it around New York with the sirens going."
Production began in October of 1983 in New York City. For its month-long stay, "Ghostbusters" utilized locations that included the New York Public Library, City Hall, Columbia University, Tavern on the Green, Central Park West, Columbus Circle and the old New York Police Department lock-up, among ethers.
Shooting on Central Park West, the location for Dana and
Louis' ghost-infested apartment building, was not only a complicated proposition for the filmmakers but for the city of New York
as well. "At times we had tour or five hundred extras working," says associate producer Joe Medjuck. "As if blocking the traffic on Central Park West wasn't bad enough, we also ended up blocking the crosstown traffic coming through Central Park. At one time, think we had the whole upper-third of Manhattan in gridlock. the police department and the film commission gave us all the necessary permits, but they also put restrictions on us--the biggest of which was that we could only work until midnight. however, because we were under the gun, a kind of excitement drew, and I think you can see it in the footage we have of those huge crowd scenes."
"Ivan had good preparation for those scenes--particularly for the physical side of it," adds Ramis. "When we were doing 'Stripes' you could see how Ivan loved to call out the tanks when we were shooting at Fort Knox. He had 700 soldiers, as many tanks as he needed, heavy artillery, mortars. He was like a kid in a toy store."
Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles, John De Cuir's crew was
nearing completion of the temple set at The Burbank Studios.
Standing over 60 feet tall, the set covered an entire sound
stage and cost over $1 million to build. It was surrounded by
a backlit, 360-degree panorama of New York City. "The top of the
Central Park West building is probably one of the most complicated
sets we've ever built," comments production designer John De Cuir.
"We've had some like 'Cleopatra' where we built cities and barges
all over the world, and we've had 'The Agonv and the Ecstasy'
where we had to construct the Sistene Chapel. But with this one,
Ivan's played it against the great tapestry of New York -- the real New York--so, of course, we had to live up to it in Hollywood on the studio sets."
Despite blowing up streets and having close to 500 extras, cast and crew members running around, we got out o£ New York two and a half days ahead of schedule," remembers associate producer Michael Gross. "Then we went right on to Stage 16 in Burbank, where the big set was, and it immediately ground us to a halt. We figured it would be simple to shoot because we were on the safety of a set, but the set was so big! It required so much light that Laszlo Kovacs had to use 14 of the existing 16 largest spotlights ever built in Hollywood. The whole studio has the capacity to supply 80,000 amps, and we needed 50,000. They actually had to shut down other stages when we shot. Stage 16 was surrounded by huge generators; we had 12 separate vehicles generating power whenever we turned on the lights."
The interior of Dana's apartment and a partial hotel set were built on a second sound stage. Additional Los Angeles shooting was done at a downtown firehouse, MacArthur Park, the Biltmore Hotel and The Burbank Studios' ranch, where a two-story facade of Dana's Central Park West apartment building was re-created.
All the while, Richard Edlund and his staff at Entertainment Effects Group (in conjunction with Boss Film Corporation) had been creating the 200 special effects shots required for "Ghostbusters.' Working at their shop in Marina del Rey and on the sound stages at The Burbank Studios, they created creatures and ghosts with stopmotion, rotoscoping and cell animation. Using miniatures, they
re-created the Central Park West apartment building and brought to life the various fates that befall it. By injecting dyes and pigment into the water of a cloud tank, they were able to generate rolling skies and assorted atmospheric conditions. In addition,
'terror dogs" (stone manifestations of ancient apparitions) were
created in various sizes, each with different capabilities. Back
at the studio, the sets had to be built six feet off the stage
floor so that puppeteers and technicians could get underneath
the animals to operate them. These large dogs required people
inside them, while ethers required 10 people to operate all the
mechanisms.
"Quite apart from the visual effects," explains director
Reitman, "there are the mechanical effects, under Chuck Gasper's
direction. The audience will think a lot of what they are seeing
in the movie is visual effects, but much of it will have occurred
live on camera. Whenever possible, I try to do the effects right
on camera. This gives the actors the opportunity to respond to
something immediate and real."
After 15 weeks of shooting, "Ghostbusters" wrapped in
February. "We had dearly 200 special effects shots that had
to be put into the film," says Joe Medjuck. "And the majority
of the work could only be done after we finished shooting. 'that's
when the hard work really began."
The music for "Ghostbusters" is being supplied by some of the hottest acts in music today. In addition to the score by Elmer Bernstein and the title song by Ray Parker Jr., there is original music from Laura Branigan, the Thompson Twins, Air Supply,
the Alessi Brothers, the Bus' Boys and Mick Smiley. There is also a music video, directed by Ivan Reitman and featuring Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, with Ray Parker Jr, performing the "Ghostbusters" title song. The soundtrack album is available on Arista Records.
Columbia pictures presents an Ivan Reitman Film, "Ghostbusters," starting Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis and Rick Moranis, produced and directed by Ivan Reitman from a screenplay by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis.
About the Cast...
BILL MURRAY stars as Venkman in "Ghostbusters," which marks his third outing with director Ivan Reitman (after the successful "Meatballs" and "Stripes"). Back in an all-out comedy after his portrayal of Larry Darrell in the soon-to-be-released "The Razor's Edge," Murray is right at home with his co-stars and director, alumni of "Saturday Night Live," "The National Lampoon Show" and/or SCTV in varied combinations.
Murray was born in Evanston, Illinois, and raised in nearby
Wilmette. He won a scholarship to Chicago's Second City Worshop .and latex went to New York, where he joined "The National Lampoon
Radio Show." In 1975 he joined the off-Broadway satirical revue
"The National Lampoon Show," along with John Belushi, Harold Ramis,
Giida Radner and brother Brian Doyle-Murray. Following a stint on
"Saturday Night Live With Howard Cosell," Lorne Michaels chose
him for his "NBC's Saturday Night Live."
After four years as one of the "Not Ready for Prime Time
Players" with, among others, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, Murray
took his first feature role as Tripper in "Meatballs," which was directed by Ivan Reitman and co-written by Harold Ramis.
Murray's re-teaming with Reitman and Ramis in Columbia's "Stripes" was enormously successful and firmly established Murray as one of America's finest comic actors. More recently, he starred as Dustin Hoffman's roommate in "Tootsie" and as Larry Darrell in "The Razor's Edge," a film which he co-wrote with its director John Byrum.
DAN AYKROYD, one of the original stars of "NBC's Saturday Night Live," continues his string of motion picture comedy roles as Stantz in "Ghostbusters."
In one of the smash-hit films of 1983, Aykroyd starred with yet another "SNL" player, Eddie Murphy, in "Trading Places," in which he played an arrogant, wealthy snob stripped of his riches.
Born and raised in Canada, Aykroyd was a rather rebellious youth who dropped out of school and joined the Toronto company of the Second City improvisational troupe, where he developed his comedic talents. While a member of Second City, Aykroyd was spotted by "Saturday Night Live" executive producer Lorne Michael and cast as an actor and writer for five seasons of "SNL." Aykcoyd'S uncanny impressions of Tom Snyder, Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, as well as scores of original creations, including the Coneheads and the Blues Brothers (with John Belushi), propelled him to stardom.
After winning an Emmy Award in 1977 for his work on "Saturday Night Live," Aykroyd made his film debut in 1979 with Steven Spielberg's "1941:" His next film was John Landis' international
success "The Blues Brothers" with John Belushi, which was followed
in 1982 with another Belushi collaboration, John Avildsen's
"Neighbors."
More recently, Aykroyd starred in "Dr. Detroit," appeared in "Twilight Zone--The Movie" and starred with Eddie Murphy in "Trading Places." Together with Harold Ramis, Aykroyd co-wrote the screenplay for "Ghostbusters."
SIGOURNEY WEAVER is Dana in "Ghostbusters." Born in New York
city to former NBC president Sylvester "Pat" Weaver and English
actress Elizabeth Inglis, Miss Weaver changed her first name from
Susan to Sigourney, a minor character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's
"The Great Gatsby." She attended the Brearley, Chapin and Ether
Walker schools before going to Stanford University, where she
studied English literature. Upon graduation, she enrolled in the
Yale University School of Drama, from which she received an M
