>>96981847>Wasn't this Murray's doing and not so much Columbia?The Time/Life DVDs kinda explained everything in interviews. Murray was the main reason Columbia had the no-likenesses mandate, because they were afraid he'd sue them since they didn't have his likeness rights, but they were jumping the gun. Murray actually complained that Peter DIDN'T sound like him, which is why they recast with Dave Coulier in the second season, since his Bill Murray impression was a famous part of his standup act.
Ray being made skinny in season 2 was also a change made to appease Dan Aykroyd. He complained about Ray being fat in an interview that was done for a Real Ghostbusters documentary in the UK. He likely brought the complaint to Columbia/DiC and that's why they slimmed Ray down in season 2.
In the DVD interview, Maurice Lamarche talked about the no-likeness mandate. They initially made him audition for Egon by using his Woody Allen impression, but everyone agreed it wasn't working. He then did a Harold Ramis impression and everyone loved it enough that they decided to go with it regardless of the mandate.
Meanwhile, poor Ernie got the shaft.
