Rick Moranis is 72! 5 Things You Never Knew About the Comedy Great
Born on April 18, 1953, Rick Moranis turns 72 today. The Canadian actor and comedian became a household name in the ’80s and ’90s thanks to hilarious roles in movies like Ghostbusters, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Spaceballs. However, after losing his wife in 1991, Moranis stepped away from Hollywood to raise their two children. He didn’t announce a formal retirement, but he quietly shifted his focus to fatherhood and later reflected that he didn’t miss the spotlight. Still, he has periodically returned for a few roles, mainly voice work, in the past few decades.
In honor of his birthday, here are five fun facts you might not know about him:
1 He replaced a famous face in Ghostbusters
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Moranis wasn’t originally supposed to play Louis Tully in Ghostbusters. That role was actually written for John Candy. When Candy dropped out, Moranis was brought in as a last-minute replacement and made the role entirely his own. Interestingly, he, Candy, and co-star Harold Ramis were all part of SCTV, which launched many of the era’s biggest comedic talents.
2 He’s a chart-topping musician—sort of
In 1982, Moranis and fellow SCTV cast member Dave Thomas released the comedy single “Take Off” as their characters Bob and Doug McKenzie. The song featured Rush frontman Geddy Lee and, surprisingly, became a Billboard Top 40 hit.
3 He turned down City Slickers for a heartbreaking reason
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Moranis had been cast in the 1991 film City Slickers as Phil, but his wife, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, saw her health worsen just before filming began. He chose to pull out of the movie to be with his family. Daniel Stern took over the role, and Moranis began stepping away from acting soon after his wife passed away.
4 He once wrote a letter to MAD Magazine
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Long before he was famous, a young Rick Moranis had a letter published in the July 1968 issue of MAD Magazine. He signed it “Ricky Moranis,” and the subject was frogs. It’s a funny little time capsule — especially considering how Moranis would later dedicate his career to making people laugh.
5 He survived a random attack in 2020
Warner Bros./Everett Collection
While walking near Central Park in New York in 2020, Moranis was unexpectedly assaulted by a stranger. The attacker knocked him down and then casually walked away. Moranis suffered injuries to his head, back and hip, but still managed to get to the police station and hospital on his own. He later thanked the public for concern and focused on recovering privately. 30-year-old Marquis Ventura was eventually found and charged with second-degree assault.
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