What the Hell Happened to Rick Moranis?

The last few celebrities I have spotlighted all had pretty dramatic stories which resulted in the end of their A-list status.  But Rick Moranis didn’t fall prey to the usual celebrity excesses.  This is the story of a guy who basically walked away from it all and never looked back.

What the hell happened?

Rick Moranis - SCTV - 1980-1981
SCTV – 1980-1982


Rick Moranis first rose to prominence on SCTV alongside John Candy, Eugene Levy and Martin Short.  Moranis was best known for playing Doug McKenzie in the Great White North sketches which would later serve as the source material for the film Strange Brew.

moranis - strange brew
Strange Brew – 1983


Strange Brew tells the story of the McKenzie brothers played by Moranis and Dave Thomas (no relation to the founder of Wendy’s).  The McKenzie’s are idiots in the Wayne and Garth and/or Bill and Ted tradition.  Only Canadian.

When I was a kid, Strange Brew ran on cable roughly every 6 hours.  As a result, my friends and I were constantly ending sentences with “eh” and calling each other “hosers”.  Strange Brew was a modest hit in 1983.  And has since developed a cult following.

moranis - wild life
The Wild Life – 1984


1984 was a big year for Moranis.  First he appeared in a movie I had completely forgotten about.  The Wild Life was a Fast Times at Ridgemont High knock-off from the makers of Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
I have never seen this movie, but I am going to have to hunt it down.  It was actually written by Fast Times writer (and future auteur) Cameron Crowe.  In a desperate bid to confuse fans of Fast Times, they actually cast Sean Penn’s brother, Chris Penn, in the lead role!

The movie actually has an impressive ensemble.  In addition to Moranis and Penn, there’s Eric Stoltz, Lea Thompson, and a pre-Twin Peaks Sherilyn Fenn!  Damn it, Netflix!  Why isn’t this movie available?  (Probably because it was dismissed as a Fast Times knock off and instantly forgotten.)

Moranis - Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters – 1984


In 1984, Moranis also appeared in a little film called Ghostbusters.  In a small role as an accountant who has an unrequited crush on his neighbor and is turned into a dog, Moranis just about steals the show from comedy heavyweights, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.
Ghostbusters was originally written with a completely different cast in mind.  Dan Aykroyd wrote his original draft as a vehicle for himself and his buddy, John Belushi.  He also wrote roles with Eddie Murphy and John Candy in mind.  The original concept was heavy on fantastical elements with the Ghostbusters traveling through time and space to fight huge ghosts.  For budgetary reasons, the script was reworked by Aykroyd and Harold Ramis.

But additional changes were needed.  Belushi died of a drug overdose and Murphy and Candy were unavailable.  So Bill Murray stepped in for Belushi, Ernie Hudson took the part written for Murphy and Moranis replaced Candy.  Originally, Louis Tully was conceived as a stuffy business man.   But the character was reenvisioned as a nerd for Moranis.
Ghostbusters was a smash hit and established Moranis as the go-to guy in Hollywood for loveable nerds.  A sequel, cartoon series, comics, video games and toys followed.

Moranis - Streets of Fire
Streets of Fire – 1984


Rounding out 1984, the busy Moranis also appeared in Streets of FireStreets of Fire starred Michael Pare.  Who’s Michael Pare?  He’s the guy who would have been a star if Streets of Fire had been a hit. Streets of Fire was a billed as a “rock and roll fable” and was intended to launch a trilogy.  But instead it bombed and the sequels never got made.


Continuing his string of scene-stealing cameos, Moranis appeared in Brewster’s Millions as the self-proclaimed King of the Mimics, Morty King.  The joke was that he walked around repeating everything Richard Pryor said without making any effort at all to sound like Richard Pryor.

Rick Moranis - Little Shop of Horrors - 1986
Little Shop of Horrors – 1986


Moranis made the move to leading man in 1986’s adaptation of the off-Broadway musical, Little Shop of Horrors.  The film, directed by Frank Oz, was a critical darling and a moderate hit.  But it has since developed a cult following.  Steve Martin and Bill Murray had memorable cameos as a sadistic dentist and his masochistic patient respectively. 

Moranis - Club Paradise
Club Paradise – 1986


Moranis was had a supporting role in the Robin Williams bomb, Club Paradise.  Moranis reteamed with former SCTV co-star Eugene Levy to play tourists at a Club Med-style resort run by Williams.

moranis-space-balls
Spaceballs – 1987


In 1987, Moranis was once again part of an ensemble in Mel Brooks’ Star Wars parody, Spaceballs.  Moranis played the evil, Dark Helmet.  Whereas Darth Vader is a big, imposing presence, Dark Helmet is a little guy with a really, really over-sized helmet.

The movie isn’t a classic by any means.  But it has a few laugh-out-loud funny moments.  Spaceballs was a moderate success at the box office and received mostly negative reviews.  But it continues to have a strong cult following and actually launched a short-lived cartoon.

1989 was another big year for Moranis’ career.  So, it’s only fitting that he returned to the role that made him a star in Ghostbusters 2.

Ghostbusters 2 – 1989


Ghostbusters 2 is one of those sequels I try to pretend doesn’t exist.  It’s not that it’s terrible.  It’s just that it’s completely unnecessary. The sequel amps up the special effects, but forgets to bring along the jokes.  Not even Bill Murray can elicit more than a chuckle.

Reviews were mostly negative, but Ghostbusters 2 made a lot of money.  Which is why everyone but Bill Murray and Rick Moranis are still trying to make Ghostbusters 3.

moranis - honey I shrunk the kids
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids – 1989


In the summer of 89, Moranis also starred in Honey, I Shrunk the KidsHoney was a Disney film in the tradition of The Absent Minded-Professor.  Moranis was cast as Wayne Szalnski, an inventor who accidentally shrinks his kids.  (I know, it’s right there in the title).

Honey, which was originally titled Teenie Weenies, was written with Chevy Chase in mind.  But Chase was busy filming Christmas Vacation and couldn’t commit to Honey.  John Candy was next in line for the role, but he turned it down.  Candy recommended Moranis for the role.  The family friendly comedy was a hit with critics and audiences.  It went on to inspire two sequels, a Disney theme-park attraction and a TV series!

Rick Moranis - Parenthood - 1989
Parenthood – 1989


Completing a trifecta, Moranis also appeared in Ron Howard’s dramedy, Parenthood.  Moranis plays Steve Martin’s brother-in-law who’s trying to raise a brilliant child.  Kind of like my two kids…

Parenthood was an ensemble film with Martin at the center.  But Moranis’ role was heavily featured.  Parenthood got mostly good reviews and did very well at the box office.
Proving that no one launches TV series like Rick Moranis, Parenthood has been adapted to TV twice!

Rick Moranis - My Blue Heaven - 1990
My Blue Heaven – 1990


Moranis re-teamed with Steve Martin the following year for My Blue Heaven.  Martin played a mobster in the witness protection program and Moranis played the federal agent assigned to watch over him.

Originally, the film was set to star Steve Martin and Arnold Swarzenegger with the future governor playing the gangster and Martin playing the federal agent.  Then the Governator left to star in Kindergarten Cop.  Martin switched roles and Moranis came on board.
The film did so-so box office and wasn’t a big hit with critics either.

Rick Moranis - LA Story - 1991
LA Story – 1991


In 1991, Moranis had a cameo as the gravedigger in Steve Martin’s LA Story.  His part is so small, I wouldn’t have mentioned it save for the fact that it is another re-teaming of Martin and Moranis and it’s a movie worth checking out.

moranis - honey I blew up the kid
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid – 1992


In 1992, Moranis starred in the obligatory sequel to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.  The sequel had the unfortunate name of Honey, I Blew Up the Kid.

The first movie was really an adventure about a bunch of kids in a backyard that took on the proportions of a jungle.  The sequel lacked that element of adventure.  While it performed at the box office, it didn’t fare as well with critics.

Rick Moranis - Splitting Heris - 1993
Splitting Heris – 1993


In 1993, SCTV met Monty Python as Moranis co-starred opposite Eric Idle and John Cleese in the comedy, Splitting Heirs.  Idle, who also wrote the script, played the lost heir to an English fortune.  Through a comedy of errors, an American played by Moranis is mistaken for the long-lost baby and given the inheritance.   Barbara Hershey and Catherine-Zeta Jones co-starred.

Unfortunately, the pairing didn’t live up to its comedic potential.  Splitting Heirs was trashed by critics and bombed at the box office.

moranis - the flintstones
The Flintstones – 1994


In 1994, Moranis played Barney Rubble in the live-action version of The FlintstonesThe Flintstones was a summer juggernaut.  It was everywhere.  In spite of the fact the movie wasn’t very good, there was no way it could fail.  It was more of a Happy Meal commercial than a movie. 


Danny DeVito was the first choice to play Barney.  But DeVito thought he was “too gruff” to fit the part and suggested Moranis despite the fact he looks nothing like the cartoon character.  Once again, Moranis inherited a role intended for someone else based on that actor’s recommendation.


The Flintstones was a big enough hit to inspire a prequel, Viva Rock Vegas.  But none of the original cast returned.  The role of Barney was played by Stephen Baldwin.  Talk about a step down!  A lesser Baldwin.

Rick Moranis - Little Giants - 1994

Little Giants – 1994


Later that yearMoranis co-starred opposite Ed O’Neil in the football comedy, Little Giants.
Moranis and O’Neil played brothers.  Moranis’ character has grown up in his older brother’s shadow.  In the movie, he coaches a team of misfit kids that challenge’s the elite peewee football team coached by his brother.

The movie was inspired by a fast food commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.  After seeing the commercial for McDonald’s, Steven Spielberg contacted the people who put it together and demanded. “I want that commercial made into a movie. I want my Home Alone.”


Little Giants didn’t match the success of Home Alone.  Or even Home Alone 2.  It received mostly negative reviews and disappointed at the box office.

Rick Moranis and Robin Williams - Epcot


Moranis returned to the role of Wayne Szalinski for a Disney theme park attraction based on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.  The 3-D movie was called Honey, I Shrunk the Audience and it ran for several years on both coasts.

Moranis can still be seen in pictures as Szalinski in the Imagination Pavilion at Epcot in Walt Disney World.  He is joined by his Club Paradise co-star, Robin Williams and Splitting Heirs co-star, Eric Idle.

moranis bully
Big Bully – 1996


In 1996, Moranis appeared in Big Bully with Tom Arnold.

Big Bully had to be a wake-up call for Moranis.  As he said in an interview:

“On the last couple of movies I made—big-budget Hollywood movies—I really missed being able to create my own material. In the early movies I did, I was brought in to basically rewrite my stuff, whether it was Ghostbusters or Spaceballs. By the time I got to the point where I was “starring” in movies, and I had executives telling me what lines to say, that wasn’t for me. I’m really not an actor. I’m a guy who comes out of comedy, and my impetus was always to rewrite the line to make it funnier, not to try to make somebody’s precious words work.”

moranis honey 3
Honey We Shrunk Ourselves – 1997


In 1997, Moranis returned to the Wayne Szalinski role for the 3rd time (4th if you could Honey, I Shrunk the Audience at Disney theme parks) for the direct-to-video sequel, Honey We Shrunk Ourselves.


Originally, the third Honey film was intended for a theatrical release.  However, Disney had some luck with their direct-to-video sequels to animated films like Aladdin.  They wanted to see if they could duplicate that success with live action sequels.

The experiment was not a success.  Reviews were mostly negative and the sales were disappointing.  Disney did not continue making direct-to-video sequels to their live action films.  In fact, they glutted the market with direct-to-video sequels to their animated films to the point where they stopped making those too.

So, What the hell happened?

Sadly, Rick Moranis’ wife died of live cancer in 1991.  In 1997, Moranis decided to take a break from film-making.  As Moranis himself explained, “I’m a single parent and I just found that it was too difficult to manage raising my kids and doing the traveling involved in making movies. So I took a little bit of a break. And the little bit of a break turned into a longer break, and then I found that I really didn’t miss it”.


So that’s it.  That’s the answer to the question, What the hell happened to Rick Moranis?  It’s a lot cleaner than the answer I usually come up with in these articles.


But Moranis wasn’t completely done with showbusiness.  He dabbled in voice-over work in 2001’s Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys, 2003’s Brother Bear and 2006’s direct-to-video Brother Bear 2.

Rick Moranis - Brother Bear - 2003
Brother Bear – 2003


The Brother Bear films fittingly reuinted Moranis with his Strange Brew co-star Dave Thomas.  The two played a pair of moose with more than a passing resemblence to the McKenzie brothers.

Moranis also released a comedy album of country songs in 2005 titled The Agorophobic Cowboy.  The album was nominated for a Grammy and has lead to a second career in music.


Since then, Moranis has dabbled in show biz beyond his music career.  He contributed to Dave Thomas’ 24th anniversary special for the McKenzie Brothers.  It eventually lead to another cartoon based on a Moranis project.  Moranis declined to reprise his role, but was involved in the cartoon as an exec producer.


There have been rumors that Moranis might return to the big screen for a Ghostbusters or Spaceballs revival.  But so far, that’s all they are.  Rumors.  Despite prodding from Dan Aykroyd and Mel Brooks, there is nothing to suggest that Moranis intends to return to the spotlight.

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Geo
Geo
12 years ago

Rick Moranis is the only subject in this series who made their own decision to leave it all behind, and for the right reason too – his children. Bravo!
New subject: Ray Liotta
I just saw Street Kings 2 (brand new direct-to-dvd release), and while the movie was highly flawed, LIOTTA STILL FREAKING HAS IT! Why is he not making big films anymore?!! Dig deep LeBeau, I need answers.

Geo
Geo
12 years ago

Agree with everything you’ve said, BUT when you covered Alicia Silverstone you opened up Pandora’s Box ; )

Caleb
12 years ago

I was just thinking “where has Rick Moranis been?” today, funny that you covered his story so recently.
It was very informative; I knew about most of his movies but I’d never really sat down and looked at them in order. He was a great “nerdy good guy.” I’m a 80’s/90’s kid so I think Louis Tully from Ghostbusters is my favorite of his roles.
Interesting to see he left it all behind for the sake of his children, that was very cool of him.

Greekfreak
Greekfreak
12 years ago

Love your run-downs. A perfect choice for your blog would be Steven Seagal or Wesley Snipes, who looked like he was going to be the next Denzel before “One Night Stand” (still a lark) and “Blade: Trinity”. Not to mention his going into the hoosegow.

Andymovieman
Andymovieman
12 years ago

i miss snipes and seagal too. i miss their theatrical films than this straight to video bullshit. kurt russell you should mention as well like i said.

Greekfreak
Greekfreak
12 years ago

I’m a pop culture nut–what stories are you looking for specifically?

JediJones
JediJones
11 years ago

There’s a little more to explaining Rick Moranis’ career status than giving him a complete pass with the face-saving excuse that he wanted to spend time with his kids. Let’s face it, the career trajectory on his most recent films was pretty clearly heading downward. I’ve seen an interview saying he was disappointed with the type of roles he was being offered. He said he liked his earlier roles where he had more freedom to ad lib, and didn’t enjoy working on the “Honey” movies so much because he was just there to read lines off a script. To me… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)
Reply to  lebeau

It’s in that case, kind of ironic that Rick Moranis’ career arguably went into decline so to speak when he became more of a leading man actor instead of a character actor in the early part of his career.

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)
Reply to  lebeau

Movies remembered for one thing:
http://officialfan.proboards.com/thread/527187/movies-remembered-thing?page=1
Streets of Fire (1984) – Ever hear the song “I Can Dream About You”? That’s pretty much the only thing anyone remembers from this bizarre Escape from New York-meets-West Side Story hodge-podge, despite featuring before-they-were-stars performances from Diane Lane, Willem Defoe, and Rick Moranis. (That is, unless you live in Japan, where this movie was popular enough to partially inspire the video games Final Fight and Streets of Rage.)

JediJones
JediJones
11 years ago

Yeah, he basically was offered the apple by the snake and had no choice but to take it. Little Shop of Horrors and Spaceballs were either too much fun to do or too perfect as showcases for his lovable nerd character for him to pass them up. But doing those so soon after Ghostbusters clearly typecast him. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids basically sealed the deal for him but it was too lucrative an opportunity to pass up even if he knew he’d be typecast. You’re absolutely right that the McKenzie Brothers showed he could do other types of comedic… Read more »

conneeconehead
11 years ago

This is on comic actor that I truly do miss. Rick is/was naturally funny and amusing to watch.

Truck Turner
Truck Turner
11 years ago

The peculiar thing about Moranis is that although he wound up typecast as a nerdy, nebbish tool, by all accounts (particularly Dave Thomas’s book chronicling the history of SCTV) he was actually more alpha than beta in real life, particularly early in his career: Thomas paints a picture of a supremely confident writer and performer whose pitch sessions for sketch ideas were best described as “blitzkrieg”. That comes across much more frequently on SCTV than it ever did on the big screen, no doubt owing to the two-fold advantages of A) being afforded the luxury of playing a much wider… Read more »

Greekfreak
Greekfreak
11 years ago

I suggested Liotta but you may be correct in that he’s never really been considered “A-List”, and he has popped up in big films every so often. “Narc” was the last film I saw him in, and he should have won an oscar for it.
I think Ben Stiller should be given his own section along with Janeane Garofalo, both of whom are movie poison. Stiller has made all kinds of bad movies, most of which make money but I can’t fathom why.

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)
Reply to  lebeau

S40.E00: The 40th Anniversary Special: http://forums.previously.tv/topic/22241-s40e00-the-40th-anniversary-special/page-9#entry844763 I have no doubt that Shearer is hard to work with (even Christopher Guest confirmed that) and his complaints have always been self-serving. What I found unique and interesting was how Lorne Michaels dealt with him. You don’t just talk to Michaels about uncomfortable things. You make an office appointment. Then after waiting an hour or two past the time of your meeting, you get into his office but Michaels is still busy doing important work and only half-listens to you. Other have confirmed that Michaels used same wait-for-an-hour ploy to convey their complaints… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
11 years ago
Reply to  Greekfreak

Janeane Garofalo somehow, strikes me as more of a character actress than a full-fledged leading lady? Has she ever headlined a mainstream movie besides “The Truth About Cats and Dogs”?

Terrence Michael Clay
11 years ago

The Lost Roles of Janeane Garofalo: http://splitsider.com/2011/08/the-lost-roles-of-janeane-garofalo/ Janeane Garofalo has done it all. She’s an accomplished stand-up whose influence continues to resonate today. She was also a key player in The Ben Stiller Show, The Larry Sanders Show and Wet Hot American Summer, three major works in the comedy nerd canon, and she’s guest starred on Seinfeld, NewsRadio, Mr. Show, and Stella. Garofalo has balanced an eclectic array of positions in the entertainment industry, having worked as a radio host, an author, a movie star, and lately, a dramatic actress. Over the years, Garofalo has drawn admiration for her work… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
11 years ago

25 A-List Hollywood Actors Who Fell the F Off: http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/02/25-a-list-hollywood-actors-who-fell-the-f-off/rick-moranis Rick Moranis Best Known For: Ghostbusters (1984), Spaceballs (1987) Most Recent Project: Big Bully (1996) Goofy glasses-face Moranis had one of the busiest decades of comedy stardom in recent memory, landing plum roles in Ghostbusters, Spaceballs and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. But he quickly grew tired of Hollywood. After losing his wife to breast cancer in 1991, Moranis found himself the single father of two children. The demands of raising his kids combined with his distaste for the attitudes of studio executives made his decision easy: He walked away.… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

8 Great Actors Whose Bad Experiences Caused Them To Quit Hollywood: http://whatculture.com/film/8-great-actors-whose-bad-experiences-caused-quit-hollywood.php/5 Fed Up Of Executives Telling Him What To Say – Rick Moranis The name Rick Moranis was never going to be synonymous with acting range – best remembered for a run of popular comedies, his background as a comedian in some way guaranteed he’d become typecast in a certain kind of role. But it’s still fair to say that he embodied that role perfectly, and for a while his stardom was floating high. The control the studios began to exercise over the material he could use increased in… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

Actors Who Disappeared After Hit Movies http://screenrant.com/actors-who-disappeared-after-hit-movies-brea5 Akout-roles-retired/ RICK MORANIS – LAST SEEN IN 2007 IN BOB & DOUG MCKENZIE’S TWO-FOUR ANNIVERSARY Rick Moranis is considered to be one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood history, so where on Earth did he go? Early on, the comedian captivated us in shows like SCTV and Saturday Night Live. His blockbusters that were to follow made him one of our favorite faces to see grace the big screen. Ghostbusters (both the original and the sequel), Little Shop of Horrors, Spaceballs, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Parenthood; and those were only some… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
11 years ago

The Lost Roles of Rick Moranis: http://splitsider.com/2013/02/the-lost-roles-of-rick-moranis/ The only cast member of seminal sketch show SCTV who wasn’t a performer at the Second City theater, Rick Moranis joined the show late at the start of its third season in 1980. He quickly proved himself on the series, though, showcasing his abilities to play a diverse array of characters. From smooth-talking radio DJ Gerry Todd to cover song crooner Tom Monroe, from a member of the clean-cut ’50s vocal group 5 Neat Guys to his impeccable impressions of Woody Allen and Michael McDonald, Moranis demonstrated a versatility that went underused after… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Whatever Happened To…?: http://www.bigthoughtsfromasmallmind.com/2010/07/whatever-happened-to_28.html Rick Moranis Of all the SCTV alumni I find it odd that Rick Moranis is not prominent in front of the camera anymore. Heck, Eugene Levy is still managing to mix his big budget works with all those straight-to-DVD American Pie movies. Could Rick Moranis not do the same? The latter part of Rick Moranis’ career has consisted of family friendly movies. He has consistently shown that his comedic timing can provide good laughs to even the weakest feature. I think it would be hilarious to see Moranis in a comedy where he plays against type.… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Rick Moranis Is Ready to Return to the World: http://www.vulture.com/2013/05/rick-moranis-return.html Rick Moranis. Rick … Moranis. He starred in your childhood, then disappeared from your life. You looked him up a few years ago to verify that the absence you felt was real; Google suggested results for “Rick Moranis dead,” “Rick Moranis death,” and “Rick Moranis retired.” Only the latter was true, as you discovered in posts like “Where’d Rick Moranis Go?” and “What the Hell Happened to Rick Moranis?” You learned that Moranis’s wife died of liver cancer in 1991 and he retired from the screen in 1997. Sometime later,… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

5 Roles That Prove Rick Moranis Needs To Start Acting Again:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/louispeitzman/5-roles-that-prove-rick-moranis-needs-to-start-acting-again
Retired actor Rick Moranis is releasing a brand new album, which we hope means an imminent return to acting. Here are some of the roles that made him a star in our hearts.

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Honey, We Love Rick Moranis: Celebrating the (Hopeful) Return Of Our Favorite Hollywood Dad and Nerdy Best Friend:
http://www.pajiba.com/seriously_random_lists/honey-we-love-rick-moranis-celebrating-the-hopeful-return-of-our-favorite-hollywood-dad-and-nerdy-best-friend.php

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

17 Career Comebacks We’d Love To See: http://www.hitfix.com/galleries/overlay/17-career-comebacks-wed-love-to-see/11.js Rick Moranis Best known for: “Ghostbusters,” “Little Shop Of Horrors,” generally being awesome Last seen in: the straight to video “Honey We Shrunk Ourselves” Comeback plan: I think “universally beloved” is a good way to describe the amazingly talented Moranis, and I can’t think of an audience member who wouldn’t be thrilled to see him show up in anything at this point. Sure, I hope they make good use of him if they end up making “Ghostbusters 3,” but more than that, I’d love to see him create some new characters. There… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

RICK MORANIS IS WILLING TO RETURN FOR GHOSTBUSTERS 3: http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/rick-moranis-is-willing-to-return-for-ghostbusters-3 Rick Moranis retired from acting back in 1997 after the untimely loss of his wife to cancer. Moranis has since been a single parent and enjoyed doing voicework for some animated films but mainly staying out of the limelight. In a very rare interview with Empire, Moranis was asked about the still in development GHOSTBUSTERS 3. The man who played the bumbling accountant/lawyer friend to the Ghostbusters, Louis Tully, gave a very surprising answer to whether he would come back for the second sequel. “I haven’t talked to Danny (Aykroyd)… Read more »

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

Disappointing Childhood Movies Vol. 3 – Ghostbusters II: http://znculturecast.wordpress.com/2013/11/17/disappointing-childhood-movies-vol-3-ghostbusters-ii/ In June of 1984 Columbia Pictures released Ghostbusters into theaters, where it became one of the highest grossing films of all time and a beloved 1980s classic. The incredibly talented main cast, including Bill Murray (one of the most beloved actors of all time), Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver (who served as a sort-of Sci Fi queen in the 80s), and Harold Ramis, combined with highly successful director Ivan Reitman to form a zeitgeist seen only a few times per decade at most. The film spawned a hit soundtrack, a glut of… Read more »

Terrence Michael Clay
10 years ago

Rick Moranis Opens Up About Retiring From Acting To Be A Stay-At-Home Dad In Rare Interview:
http://www.uproxx.com/tv/2013/07/rick-moranis-the-best-celebrity-dad-of-all-time-opens-up-about-his-retirement-from-acting/

Terrence Clay (@TMC1982)

What Ever Happened To Rick Moranis? http://www.cinemablend.com/new/What-Ever-Happened-Rick-Moranis-42231.html Bless Rick Moranis. The prolific comedian-actor had an incredible run in the 80’s, moving from SCTV to Ghostbusters, moving on to Walter Hill’s Streets Of Fire, Little Shop Of Horrors, Spaceballs, Parenthood and ultimately his own franchise, Honey I Shrunk The Kids. Ultimately, the roles dried up and Moranis was demeaning himself in a series of demeaning sidekick and wimp roles. And ultimately, six years after his wife’s passing, Rick Moranis fled filmmaking entirely, leaving behind an unimpeachable legacy. While Rick Moranis has popped up sporadically in film and television, he’s mostly stayed… Read more »

Salvador
10 years ago

He did a great interview in The Nerdist podcast, the guy is amazing.

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