Home Random Page



Origins of Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil, and Other Famous Groundhogs By Albrecht Powell, About.com Guide


The first official Groundhog Day was celebrated on February 2, 1886 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, with a proclamation in The Punxsutawney Spirit by the newspaper's editor, Clymer Freas: "Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow." The legendary first Groundhog Day trip to Gobbler's Knob was made the following year by a group of spirited groundhog hunters who dubbed themselves "The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club." Clymer, a member of the club, used his editorial clout to proclaim that Phil, the Punxsutawney Groundhog, was the one and only official weather prognosticating groundhog.

Phil's fame began to spread and newspapers from around the world began to report his predictions. Growing legions of fans started making the trek to Punxsutawney every February 2, and with the release of the 1993 movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, the crowds began to number in the tens of thousands. Phil's yearly Groundhog Day predictions are actually even entered into the Congressional Record!

Questions and Answers About Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney:

Where does the name Punxsutawney come from?
Punxsutawney was first settled by the Delaware Indians in 1723 and its name comes from the Indian name for the location "ponksad-uteney" which means the "town of the sandflies." The name woodchuck also has Indian origins, coming from the legend of "Wojak, the groundhog."

Where exactly is Punxsutawney?
Punxsutawney is located in Western Pennsylvania, about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

How did Phil get his name?

How do you know it is really Phil at Gobbler's Knob?

How old is Phil anyway?

Was the 1993 film Groundhog Day really filmed in Punxsutawney?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Columbia Pictures decided to film the movie in a location more accessible to a major metropolitan center. Punxsutawney is located in a very rural area with few highways, so Woodstock, Illinois was chosen as the site for the movie. As a result adjustments had to be made for the production. The actual Gobbler's Knob is a wooded hill with a beautiful view; the Gobbler's Knob in the movie is moved to the town square though it is recreated to scale based on detailed notes and videos the crew made on its visit to Punxsutawney.

I can't make it to Gobbler's Knob this year? Is the ceremony going to be on TV?
Most major television stations across the country, as well as the big screen in Times Square, broadcast the official Groundhog Day ceremony.

What can I expect at the Punxutawney Groundhog Day celebration?
Plan to arrive in Punxutawney no later than 6am in time to catch one of several shuttles providing transportation to Gobbler's Knob (there is no parking at the Knob). Or, arrive a day or two earlier for a weekend of action-packed events including a chili cook-off, ice carving exhibitions, trivia contests, a Prognosticators Ball, groundhog day weddings, sleigh rides, woodchuck whittling, the Phil Phind Scavenger Hunt, music, food, fun and games. If you happen to be celebrating a birthday on February 2nd, then you are invited to join others who share the special day for Phil's Birthday Celebration and a free souvenir.

What about all of those other weather predicting groundhogs out there?
Alan Freed, Webmaster for Punxsutawneyphil.comand Groundhog.org, says "We'll take 'em seriously just as soon as a major motion picture is created in their honor!"


Groundhog Day (1993)


Not filmed in Punxsutawney, but actually in Woodstock, Illinois (just 45 miles from "Bill Murray's hometown of Wilmette). There is a small plaque that reads "Bill Murray stepped here" on the curb where Murray continually steps into a puddle. There is another plaque on the building wall at the corner that says "Ned's Corner" where Bill Murray was continually accosted by insurance salesman Ned Ryerson.





Early drafts of the script explained the cause of Phil Connors' weird experience: a disaffected ex-lover called Stephanie cast a spell on him to teach him a lesson.

The French poem Phil recites in the German restaurant was written by Danny Rubin, based on the lyrics of Jacques Brel's "Bachelor's Dance". Translated into English the poem reads: The girl I will love / is like a fine wine / that gets a little better / every morning.

In the penultimate encounter between Connors and annoying insurance salesman Ned Ryerson, Bill Murray was ad-libbing when he tells Ned, "I don't where you're headed, but can you call in sick?" and causes Ned to run away.

Tori Amos was considered for the role of Rita.


Bill Murray was bitten by the groundhog twice during shooting.

Bill Murray and Harold Ramis have both been honorary grand marshals for the Groundhog Day celebrations in Punxsatawney, PA.












The song that plays over parts of the opening and closing credits is "Weatherman", co-written by 'George Fenton (I)' and director Harold Ramis.







According to an interview with Harold Ramis, he and Bill Murray argued over the tone of the film. Murray wanted the film to be more philosophical while Ramis wanted it to be more comedic. The two argued throughout the production and have not spoken to each other since.






Chosen to be preserved by the National Film Registry in 2007.

The "clocks" restaurant in Woodstock, IL is now a Starbucks.




Following the film's success, the term Groundhog Day has now entered into common parlance.



The concept has since been borrowed in other films, including the Disney cartoon Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas, the TV show Day Break and the Adam Sandler comedy, 50 First Dates.








A family of groundhogs was actually raised for the production.



Harold Ramis kept Bill Murray's overcoat.


One of Roger Ebert's Great Movies.

In the scene just before Phil avoids stepping in the puddle, you can see a lady walk past him in the background holding a sign that says, "Phil".

In 2003, this movie was the opening night film in the Museum of Modern Art's "The Hidden God: Film and Faith" series. A December 7, 2003, New York Times article called "Groundhog Almighty" discussed both the seeming incongruity of Groundhog Day being curated alongside such "serious" films as Luis Buñuel's _Nazarin (1959)_, Federico Fellini's 8½, Ingmar Bergman's Nattvardsgästerna, and Andrei Tarkovsky's _Andrei Rublev_ and the opinions of different clergy-people and religious adherents (including rabbis, Jesuit priests, Buddhists, practitioners of Falun Dafa, and Wiccans) about how the movie is applicable to or actually about their respective religion.

They shot 25 takes of the closing scene when Bill Murray wakes up next Andie MacDowell as they were unsure of the tonality of the scene. Rita slaps Phil ten times during the course of the film.

Date: 2015-02-16; view: 1054

<== previous page | next page ==>
Groundhog Day_about the film | Web surfing, email and memory downloads take an environmental toll
doclecture.net - lectures - 2014-2021 year. Copyright infringement or personal data (0.006 sec.)