Eddie Murphy

His mother, Lillian Murphy (née Laney, later Murphy Lynch), was a telephone operator, and his father, Charles Edward Murphy (1940–1969), was a transit police officer and an amateur actor and comedian.

When Murphy's single mother became ill, eight-year-old Murphy and his elder brother Charlie (1959–2017) lived in foster care for one year.

In interviews, Murphy has said his time in foster care was influential in developing his sense of humor.

Later, he and his brother were raised in Roosevelt, New York, by his mother and stepfather Vernon Lynch, a foreman at an ice cream plant.

When Murphy was fifteen, he listened to Richard Pryor's comedy album That Nigger's Crazy, which inspired his decision to become a comedian.

As a child, Murphy developed playing multiple characters in imitation of his acting hero, Peter Sellers.

Other early influences included Bill Cosby, Redd Foxx, Robin Williams, Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee, and Charlie Chaplin.

Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American comedian, actor, and singer.

His father was murdered in 1969.

Murphy later stated:

"My mother and father broke up when I was three and he died when I was eight, so I have very dim memories... He was a victim of the Murphy charm (laughs). A woman stabbed my father. I never got all the logistics. It was supposed to be one of those crimes of passion: 'If I can't have you, no one else will' kind of deal."

On July 9, 1976, the date with which Murphy marks the beginning of his career, he performed in a talent show at the Roosevelt Youth Center, doing an impersonation of singer Al Green as Green's song "Let's Stay Together" played.

This led to work at other clubs within walking distance, and then late-night jobs at locations that required him to commute by train.

To do this, he secretly skipped school, and after his mother discovered this at the end of his senior year, he was required to attend summer school.

He shot to fame on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984.

He is widely recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time.

Murphy has received accolades such as the Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award, and an Emmy Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award.

Murphy broke out as a movie star in the 1980s films 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop.

In the early 1980s, Murphy first earned national attention as a cast member on Saturday Night Live (SNL) and was credited with helping to revitalize the show.

His characters included a grown-up version of the Little Rascals character Buckwheat; a streetwise children's show host named Mr. Robinson (parodying Fred Rogers, who found it amusing); and a morose, cynical Gumby, whose trademark slogan became an SNL catchphrase: "I'm Gumby, dammit!"

According to Joseph Clokey, whose father Art Clokey created Gumby, both of them "thought Eddie was a genius in the way he played that character".

The Buckwheat character was retired in spectacular fashion—assassinated, on camera, in front of 30 Rockefeller Plaza—at Murphy's request, after he grew tired of constant demands from fans to "Do Buckwheat! Do Buckwheat!"

Delirious was filmed in 1983 in Washington, D.C.

As a singer, Murphy has released three studio albums, including How Could It Be (1985), So Happy (1989), and Love's Alright (1993).

He is also known for the hit song "Party All the Time" from 1985.

Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York City, and raised in the borough's Bushwick neighborhood.

He established himself as a leading man with starring roles in: The Golden Child (1986), Coming to America (1988), Harlem Nights (which he also directed) (1989), Boomerang (1992), The Nutty Professor (1996), 'Dr. Dolittle' (1997), Bowfinger (1999), Daddy Day Care (2003) and Norbit (2007).

Due to the popularity of Delirious, his concert film, Eddie Murphy Raw (1987), received a wide theatrical release, grossing $50 million; the movie was filmed in the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Murphy has worked as a voice actor, including Mushu in Disney's Mulan (1998), Thurgood Stubbs in the sitcom The PJs (1999–2001), and Donkey in the Shrek franchise (2001–2010), the latter of which he earned a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role nomination.

Murphy often takes on multiple roles in a single film, such as in Coming to America, the Nutty Professor films, Bowfinger and Norbit. This is intended as Murphy's tribute to one of his idols, Peter Sellers.

Murphy both won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Dreamgirls (2006).

After starring in a string of children's films he had a career resurgence with leading roles in films such as Tower Heist (2011), Dolemite Is My Name (2019), Coming 2 America (2021), You People and Candy Cane Lane (both 2023).

He was honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2015 and the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2023.

In 2015, his films made him the sixth-highest grossing actor in the United States.

In Rolling Stone's February 2015 appraisal of all 141 SNL cast members to date, Murphy was ranked second (behind John Belushi).

"It is customary (and accurate) to say that Eddie Murphy is the only reason SNL survived the five-year wilderness without Lorne Michaels", the magazine noted.

Murphy's early comedy was characterized by copious profanity and sketches lampooning a diverse group of people (including WASPs, African Americans, Italian Americans, overweight people, and gay people).

He released two stand-up specials.

In 2020, he won his first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for hosting Saturday Night Live.

Murphy's films have grossed over $3.8 billion (US$6.5 billion adjusted for inflation) in the United States and Canada box office, and over $6.7 billion worldwide.