Today is Bill Murray Day, or as some people refer to it, Groundhog Day. People around the world have been watching, and re-watching, and re-watching, “Groundhog Day” on February 2nd for close to two decades.
The famous movie was released in 1993 and has dramatically increased the popularity of the century old tradition at Gobblers Knob. More than 15,000 people made the trip to Gobblers Knob today to watch Punxsutawney Phil check for his shadow ( he saw it ). Before the movie was released, the centuries old tradition was witnessed by a few hundred people.
Here are a few facts about Bill Murray’s iconic “Groundhog Day.”
1.) “Groundhog Day” is largely responsible for why there hasn’t been a “Ghostbusters 3.” Harold Ramis and Bill Murray had a huge falling out after the movie.
2.) The movie was filmed in Woodstock, Illinois, not Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. In Woodstock, there is a sign that reads “Bill Murray Stepped Here” on the corner where Bill Murray’s character repeatedly steps into a puddle.
3.) Tori Amos was almost cast as Rita. Luckily the part went to Andie Macdowell.
4.) Tom Hanks, John Travolta, Chevy Chase, and Steve Martin were all considered for the lead role but Harold Ramis thought they were all “too nice” for the part.
5.) Bill Murray was bitten twice by the groundhog during filming.
6.) According to Harold Ramis, Murray spent about 10-years trapped inside February 2nd. Some bloggers speculate that Murray relived the same day for much longer, saying that it would be impossible to become an ice sculptor, classical pianist, and poetry extraordinaire in just 10 years.
7.) Harold Ramis said that the idea for the movie did not come from the 1905 novel “The Strange Life of Ivan Osokin” by P.D. Ouspensky. Ramis says that he was inspired by Friedrich Nietzche’s book “The Gay Science,” which describes a man who lives the same day over and over again.
8.) The main groundhog official is Bill Murray’s brother Brian Doyle Murray.
9.) Rita slaps Phil 10 times during the movie.
10.) Bill Murray and Harold Ramis have both served as Grand Marshalls at the Groundhog Day parade in Punxsutawney, PA.
Do you celebrate Bill Murray Day? Here’s the original trailer from “Groundhog Day.”