The American actor, writer and director Harold Ramis has died at the age of 69.
For more than 40 years, he was a leading figure in American comedy.
Harold Ramis Photo: AFP
He wrote or co-wrote the scripts for National Lampoon's Animal House, Ghostbusters, Stripes, Groundhog Day, Caddyshack and Ayalyze This and directed many of them as well.
He also had acting roles in Stripes, Ghostbusters and As Good as it Gets.
Ramis' films were some of the most influential and highest-grossing comedies of recent decades and latterly he was a mentor to many comedians and writers.
His representatives say his death was caused by complications related to autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, a condition Ramis battled for four years.
Ramis is survived by his wife, Erica Mann Ramis, three children and two grandchildren.
