Ghostbusters Star and Writer Harold Ramis Dies at 69

Ghostbusters star and prolific writer/director Harold Ramis has died, Variety reports. He was 69.

Ramis died Monday from complications related to autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, a rare disease that involves swelling of the blood vessels. 

Born in Chicago, Ramis got his start working alongside John Belushi at Second City. After leaving the comedy troupe, he wrote a script with National Lampoon magazine's Douglas Kenney, which later became National Lampoon's Animal House. He went on to co-write Meatballs,followed by Caddyshack, which he also directed.

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In 1984, Ramis and Dan Aykroyd co-wrote Ghostbusters, in which both also starred. The two co-wrote and reprised their roles in the 1989 sequel as well. Ramis' other film credits include Groundhog Day (1993), High Fidelity (2000) and Knocked Up (2007). His final film, in which he appeared and directed, was 2009's Year One starring Jack Black and Michael Cera.  

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