Harold Ramis wrote.
Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy-comedy film directed by Harold Ramis , starring Bill Murray , Andie MacDowell , and Chris Elliott . Harold Allen Ramis ( November 21 , 1944 -- February 24 , 2014 ) was an American actor , director , writer , and comedian . His best-known film acting roles were as Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters ( 1984 ) and Ghostbusters II ( 1989 ) and Russell Ziskey in Stripes ( 1981 ) ; he also co-wrote those films . Ramis was the original head writer of the television series SCTV , on which he also performed , as well as a co-writer of Groundhog Day and National Lampoon 's Animal House ( 1978 ) . His final film that he wrote , produced , directed and acted in was the critical and commercial failure Year one ( 2009 ) .