10 Year Celebration of Life for Harold Ramis:
“Groundhog Day” Movie Cast to Reunite in Chicago
Prognosticating woodchuck Chicago Harry to make downtown debut
in reenactment of Groundhog Day movie scene
What:
Cast members from the movie Groundhog Day join Erica Mann Ramis in a reunion to honor the 10-year anniversary of Harold Ramis’ passing with a Groundhog Day Celebration.
Where:
Harry Caray’s Tavern Navy Pier
700 East Grand Avenue, Chicago
(312) 527-9700 | harrycarays.com
When:
Groundhog Day | Friday, Feb. 2, 2024
Ceremony Time: 3:00 p.m. CST
CHICAGO – Fans are invited to join in the celebration of Harold Ramis’ extraordinary life and career with an official Groundhog Day Celebration on Feb. 2 honoring the 10th anniversary of Harold’s passing, at Harry Caray’s Tavern Navy Pier. (Harold was a partner in the restaurant.)
To commemorate Chicago’s officially declared Harold Ramis Day, cast members from the celebrated 1993 comedy Groundhog Day (co-written and directed by Ramis) will join Erica Mann Ramis (wife of Harold Ramis) in a special public event on Navy Pier.
Cast members scheduled to appear include: Brian Doyle-Murray (Buster Green), Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned Ryerson), Marita Geraghty (Nancy Taylor), Robin Duke (Doris the Waitress), David Pasquesi (the Psychiatrist), Peggy Roeder (the Piano Teacher) and Richard Henzel (the DJ). Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell’s participation is pending based on availability. This will be the first time the memorable cast has officially reunited since the film’s release.
When the alarm clock flips from 2:59 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and “I Got You Babe” plays, all will gather to commemorate Harold Ramis’ life and accomplished career in film. Erica Mann Ramis and various cast members will share a few words about Harold and the film. Buster Green (Brian Doyle-Murray), as “President of the Chicago Groundhog Club,” will initiate the Groundhog Day Ceremony where Chicago Harry, the live groundhog, will emerge from his tree stump to reveal if he sees his shadow (meaning 6 more weeks of winter is expected).
Chicago Alderman Brendan Reilly will close out the ceremony by reading a City of Chicago proclamation declaring it Harold Ramis Day in Chicago.
Harry Caray’s Tavern will transform into a truly immersive Groundhog Day experience, featuring food and beverages inspired by Groundhog Day’s Tip Top Café, a snowman, and large ice sculptures, similar to those seen in the movie. Several artifacts from Harold’s storied career will be on display including the Armani coat Bill Murray wore in Groundhog Day, the bust of Harold Ramis that appeared in the 2016 version of Ghostbusters, the jumpsuits worn by Harold Ramis and Bill Murray in Ghostbusters, and several of Harold’s leather-bound shooting scripts including Groundhog Day.
Navy Pier will also participate in the festivities. The film and soundtrack will play inside the Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion and an image of a groundhog will be featured as the centerpiece of the Centennial Wheel. Various restaurants on the Pier will be doing Groundhog Day specials, and Navy Pier’s Sable Hotel will be calling itself the “Pennsylvanian Hotel” for the day in honor of the hotel featured in the movie.
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES
- Erica Mann Ramis
- Movie cast members TBD
- Grant DePorter (CEO of Harry Caray’s Restaurants and organizer of the event)
- Chicago Harry, the groundhog, will be available for photo opportunities from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
ABOUT HARRY CARAY’S TAVERN NAVY PIER
Located near the main entrance to Navy Pier, Harry Caray’s Tavern’s waterfront location, family friendly menu, and extensive collection of sports and pop culture memorabilia combine to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience for guests of all ages. The mahogany paneled walls and beautifully crafted display cabinets feature a rotating collection of museum-quality sports and pop culture treasures, including an extensive collection of artifacts, photographs and vintage newspapers celebrating Chicago sports legends, cinematic classics, and pop culture icons past and present.
PARKING
$20 discounted parking at Navy Pier is available for the celebration with validation.
ABOUT HAROLD RAMIS
Born and raised in Chicago, Harold Ramis was a screenwriter, director and actor whose films include some of the most popular and influential comedies of our time–Animal House, Caddyshack, Stripes, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Ghostbusters, Back to School, Groundhog Day, Multiplicity, Analyze This, Bedazzled, Analyze That, The Ice Harvest and Year One. He got his start in comedy in 1969 at Chicago’s famed Second City Improvisational Theatre Troupe, while still employed as Associate Editor at Playboy Magazine. Ramis’ Hollywood breakthrough came in 1978 when he co-wrote the blockbuster comedy National Lampoon’s Animal House. Having received his BA from Washington University in St. Louis, Ramis was awarded honorary Doctorates in Arts from both Columbia College Chicago and Washington University, and was a former member of the Washington University Board of Trustees. Among his numerous professional honors and awards, Ramis was the recipient of the American Comedy Award, the British Comedy Award, and the BAFTA (British Academy) award for screenwriting (Groundhog Day) and The Just for Laughs Lifetime Achievement Award. Four of his films were listed among the American Film Institutes’ “100 Funniest Movies” and Groundhog Day was named as one of the “101 Greatest Screenplays” by the Writers Guild of America. Ramis also directed several episodes of television’s acclaimed series The Office.
Harold Ramis died on Feb. 24, 2014. His work is still celebrated by fans worldwide.
ABOUT GROUNDHOG DAY
Groundhog Day is a 1993 American comedy directed by Harold Ramis and written by Harold Ramis and Danny Rubin. Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott, it tells the story of Phil Connors (Murray), a cynical television weatherman covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He becomes trapped in a time loop, forcing him to relive Feb. 2 repeatedly.
In the years since its release, the film has grown in esteem. It is often considered to be among one of the greatest films of the 1990s and one of the greatest comedy movies ever. The film has had a significant effect on popular culture: the term Groundhog Day, meaning a monotonous, unpleasant, and repetitive situation, has become part of the English lexicon.
ABOUT NAVY PIER
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the top nonprofit tourism destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and typically welcoming nearly 9 million annual guests. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more. The Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016 with the unveiling of the iconic Centennial Wheel, Polk Bros Park, Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion and Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. In 2021, Navy Pier continued to usher in its second century with ongoing Pier-wide redevelopment efforts—including Sable, a 223-room Hilton hotel, new restaurants and partnerships, and thrilling additions to Pier Park. The Pier is also proud to continue providing free, year-round arts and cultural programming designed to inspire, educate and connect communities across the city and globe. Click here to donate to Navy Pier, a mission-driven 501(c)(3) organization, in support of the organization’s post-pandemic revival and free public programming. For more information, visit www.navypier.org.
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