‘80s comedy stars Ivan Reitman, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis came together for Stripes in 1981, with Murray as the lead actor alongside Ramis, who also handled writing. Stripes was a hit, but unknown to fans, it almost got replaced by Cheech and Chong Join the Army.
Like the trio, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong were an equally popular comedy duo named Cheech and Chong. They already had acclaim as one of the biggest names of the genre, thanks to their albums and Up In Smoke.
The ‘Cheech and Chong’ movie would have replaced Bill Murray’s
Being a fan of Cheech and Chong, Ivan decided to direct a movie starring them both in the Army. He admitted during a 2021 interview that he considered his idea grand, as it came after the US and Vietnam War, so it would have escaped the protest movie label.
Sadly, neither of the comedy duo was interested in his offer, leading him to focus on directing Stripes. Like Cheech and Chong Join The Army was envisioned to be, Stripes was about new army enlistees who display comedic chemistry amid their platoon tasks and adventures.
Bill Murray starred in ‘Stripes’ on one condition
Bill agreed to play John Winger only if Ivan brought Ramis on board as his sidekick, Russell Ziskey. Judge Reinhold, who had a small part in the comedy classic, recalled how Bill and Ramis would retreat to a trailer on set, and return with new material. Their chemistry contributed to the success of Stripes, which became a box office hit making more than 8 times the $10 million budget.
Bill and Ramis remained close pals until 1993 while filming Groundhog Day. Bill allowed his personal issues, including a rough divorce, affect his performance on set, as he would often turn up late and resist Ramis’ direction. He cut off communication with Ramis for about two decades; however, they reunited before the latter died of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis in 2014.