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6:36 AM
Hamisi Kumbuka
Eddie Murphy was born in Brooklyn New York, in 1961, the youngest son of Lillian Murphy, a widow who married Vernon Lynch, the step-father of Eddie, his brother Charles Q. Murphy, and Vernon Jr. Eddie himself had aspirations of being in show business since he was a child. A bright kid growing up in the streets of New York, Murphy spent a great deal of time on impressions and comedy stand-up routines rather than academics. His sense of humor and wit made him a stand out amongst his classmates at Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School. By the time he was 15, Murphy worked as a stand-up comic on the lower part of New York, wooing audiences with his dead-on impressions of celebrities and outlooks on life.
In the early 1980s, at the age of 19, Murphy was offered a contract for the Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time Players of "Saturday Night Live" (1975), where Murphy exercised his comedic abilities in impersonating African American figures and originating some of the shows most memorable characters: Velvet Jones, Mr. Robinson, and a disgruntled and angry Gumby.
Murphy made his feature film debut in 48 Hrs. (1982), alongside Nick Nolte. The two's comedic and antagonistic chemistry, alongside Murphy's believable performance as a streetwise convict aiding a bitter, aging cop, won over critics and audiences. The next year, Murphy went two for two, with another hit, pairing him with John Landis, who later became a frequent collaborator with Murphy in Coming to America (1988) and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994). Beverly Hills Cop (1984) was the film that made Murphy a box-office superstar and most notably made him a celebrity worldwide, and it remains one of the all-time biggest domestic blockbusters in motion-picture history. Murphy's performance as a young Detroit cop in pursuit of his friend's murderers earned him a third consecutive Golden Globe nomination. Axel Foley became one of Murphy's signature characters. On top of his game, Murphy was unfazed by his success, that is until his box office appeal and choices in scripts resulted into a spotty mix of hits and misses into the late 1980s and early 1990s. Films like The Golden Child (1986) and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) were critically panned but were still massive draws at the box office.
In 1989, Murphy, coming off another hit, Coming to America (1988), found failure with his directorial debut, Harlem Nights (1989). Another 48 Hrs. (1990) and his turn as a hopeless romantic in Boomerang (1992) did little to resuscitate his career. However, his remake of Jerry Lewis's The Nutty Professor (1996) brought Murphy's drawing power back into fruition. From there, Murphy rebounded with occasional hits and misses but has long proven himself as a skilled comedic actor with applaudable range pertaining to characterizations and mannerisms.
Though he has grown up a lot since his fast-lane rise as a superstar in the 1980s, Murphy has lived the Hollywood lifestyle with controversy, criticism, scandal, and the admiration of millions worldwide for his talents. As Murphy had matured throughout the years, learning many lessons about the Hollywood game in the process, he settled down with more family-oriented humor with Doctor Dolittle (1998), Mulan (1998), Bowfinger (1999), and the animated smash Shrek (2001), in a supporting role that showcased Murphy's comedic personality and charm. In spite of being vocal in interviews about his career, Eddie Murphy continues to live a happy life with his wife and kids and has said that if his career would to end tomorrow he would be content just being with his family.
Spouse
| Nicole Mitchell Murphy | (18 March 1993 - 17 April 2006) (divorced) 5 children |
Trade Mark
His laugh
Often plays multiple characters in one movie
His moustache
Trivia
Was cast by "Saturday Night Live" (1975) and NBC in 1980 when he was 19 years old.
Ranked #78 in Empire (UK) magazine's Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list (October 1997).
Born at 1:30pm-EST.
In a TV commercial never shown in the USA, Eddie Murphy kissed the front bumper of a Toyota sedan.
Has eight children: His first and oldest child was by 'Paulette McNeely': son Eric Murphy (born on 10 July 1989). He also has a child by 'Tamara Hood': son Christian Murphy (born on 29 November 1990) Murphy also fathered five children with Nicole Mitchell Murphy: daughter Bria L. Murphy (born on 18 November 1989 in Sacramento); son Miles Mitchell (born on 7 November 1992); daughter Shayne Audra (born on 10 Ocotber 1994); daughter Zola Ivy (born on 24 December 1999 in Los Angeles); and daughter Bella Zahra (born on 29 January 2002); and, One child with ex-girlfriend Melanie Brown a daughter, Angel Iris Murphy Brown (born on 3 April 2007).
Attended Nassau Community College in Garden City, New York, before beginning his acting career.
Did stand-up comedy at the same Bay Area Comedy Club as Robin Williams and Caryn Johnson (whose stage name eventually became Whoopi Goldberg) before getting into acting.
Was voted Most Popular while attending Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School in Roosevelt, New York, due to the stand-up comedy routines he would perform in the school's auditorium and jokes he would tell classmates during lunch.
Older brother Charles Q. Murphy is also an actor. Younger brother Vernon Jr. was half of the hip-hop group K-9 Posse, which released two albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Turned down the role of Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters (1984).
Idolized Richard Pryor and was inspired by him to do comedy. Went on to cast Pryor in his directorial debut Harlem Nights (1989).
At the height of his popularity in the mid 1980s, he began a music career, spawning the popular song "Party all the Time," which he recorded with Rick James. Also recorded an album in the early 90s, entitled "Whazzupwitu," in which he performs in a video of the single of the same name, alongside Michael Jackson. Murphy appeared in Jackson's "Remember the Time" video in 1992 alongside fellow celebrities Magic Johnson and Iman.
Close friends with former late night talk show host Arsenio Hall
Paid for the funeral of comedic inspiration Redd Foxx.
Was criticized tremendously by Spike Lee for not using his show business stature to help black actors break into film.
Named one of E!'s Top 20 Entertainers of 2001.
His wife Nicole Mitchell Murphy gave birth to their daughter Bella Zahra(30 January 2002).
Is the only cast member of "Saturday Night Live" (1975) to host while still a cast member. Nick Nolte was to host but fell ill and Eddie replaced him.
Was in a relationship with singer Whitney Houston before she married former husband, Bobby Brown.
Former wife, Nicole Mitchell Murphy, is an Associate with Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
In 1997, he and his late-night encounter with Shalimar Seiuli was ranked #61 on E! TV's The Greatest Shocking Moments In Entertainment History.
His brother Charles Q. Murphy is a regular performer on the hit sketch comedy show "Chappelle's Show" (2003) on Comedy Central.
Has a house in Englewood, New Jersey.
Scored two hits on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts with "Party All the Time" (US #2, 1985) and "Put Your Mouth on Me" (US #27, 1989).
Although arguably the biggest movie star ever to come out of "Saturday Night Live" (1975), he has never attended a cast reunion and is not known to even talk about having been on the show.
Chosen as #10 in Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comics of All Time.
Stepson of Vernon Lynch.
Hosted the MTV Movie Awards in 1993
At one time, was considered to play The Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000).
Met Nicole Mitchell Murphy in 1988 at an NAACP Image Awards show. They lived together for a year and a half before they married. They were married at the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel in New York City.
Was one of the last movie actors to sign an exclusive contract with a studio. In this case, it was Paramount Pictures, which released all of his early films.
Chris Rock is an admirer of Murphy and considers him his role model and inspiration to become an actor and comedian.
His favorite TV show is "Star Trek" (1966).
Nephew of Uncle Ray Murphy.
The first actor to receive $1,000,000 for his first film.
Huge fan of Elvis Presley.
Is mentioned, along with Vanessa Redgrave, and Joe Piscopo in the song "Jammin' Me", by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
He and his ex-wife, Nicole Mitchell Murphy, celebrated their first wedding anniversary in Montego Bay, Jamaica where they stayed for one week.
Ex-girlfriend Melanie Brown gave birth to a daughter, Angel Iris Murphy Brown, on 3 April 2007.
One of 115 people invited to join AMPAS in 2007.
A huge fan of the bands "Ratt" and "Cinderella", particularly the former as can be seen in The Golden Child (1986) where their song "Body Talk" (from their 1986 album "Dancing Undercover") is featured.
Got the idea of playing multiple roles in one film after watching another one of his idols, Peter Sellers, in one of his all time favorite films Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964).
Married Tracey E. Edmonds in a private ceremony on an island off Bora Bora on 1 January 2008, but their nuptials were not legal in the U.S. They initially decided to renew their vows in America, but eventually separated 2 weeks after their island wedding.
After picking up a pre-op transsexual prostitute on Santa Monica Boulveard in West Hollywood, he was arrested by LAPD deputies, but finally released (2 May 1997).
Was heavily influenced by Bill Cosby.
Born to Charles Edward Murphy, a transit police officer, and his wife Lilian, a telephone operator, his father left the family when Eddy was three years old and was stabbed five years later.
He is an avid fan of professional wrestling, with Hulk Hogan as his all time favorite wrestler.
Supports Senator Barack Obama's bid to win the Democratic nomination for the 2008 presidential election.
Was considered for the move Star Trek: The Voyage Home (1986) as a UFO-file who gets involved with Captain Kirk's search for a hump back whale.
Set a new Razzie Award record for most nominations by one person in a single year, with five nominations total. All of which were for the movie Norbit (2007). Murphy was nominated for Worst Actor (as the character Norbit), Worst Supporting Actor (as the character Mr. Wong), Worst Supporting Actress (as the character Rasputia), Worst Screen Couple (Eddie Murphy as Norbit and either Eddie Murphy as Mr. Wong or Eddie Murphy as Rasputia) and Worst Screenplay. He went on to "win" all three of the acting nominations, becoming the first person to ever "win" in both male and female acting categories in one year.
Although he frequently plays multiple characters in films and television, and has lent his voice to a dozen animated projects, he has never once voiced more then one character in the same animated project.
Was considered for the role of Furious Styles in Boyz n the Hood (1991).
Is a huge fan of Kylie Minogue.
At first denied that he was the father of Melanie Brown's daughter Angel until a DNA-test proved that he was.
Does an excellent impersonation of Stevie Wonder. This can be seen and heard on Saturday Night Live; Best of Eddie Murphy (last scene).
He doesn't drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and the only drug he takes is caffeine.
Sold his Granite Bay vacation home, near Sacramento, for $6.1 million shortly after divorcing ex-wife, Nicole. [2008]
Vacations in Hawaii nearly every year, almost always staying at Maui's Four Seasons Hotel.
Was considered for the title role in Candyman (1992).
The first (and so far only) actor to receive a BAFTA nomination for a voiceover performance - Best Supporting Actor for Shrek (2001).
Was only 19 years old when He joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live" (1975).
Personal Quotes
[in 1985] I'd like to produce, direct, write, score, and star in a film in exactly the way [Charles Chaplin] did. I'll do that before I'm thirty.
Every bad decision I've made has been based on money. I grew up in the projects and you don't turn down money there. You take it, because you never know when it's all going to end. I made ['Beverly Hills Cop III (2002)_ (v)] because they offered me $15 million. That $15 million was worth having Roger Ebert's thumb up my ass.
I started out as an impressionist and that's all about observing - how people move, their voice quality, their attitudes and quirks.
[on why he accepted a part in Best Defense (1984)] The door opened and four guys came in carrying a check.
That's my idol, Elvis Presley. If you went to my house, you'd see pictures all over of Elvis. He's just the greatest entertainer that ever lived. And I think it's because he had such presence. When Elvis walked into a room, Elvis Presley was in the fucking room. I don't give a fuck who was in the room with him---[Humphrey Bogart], Marilyn Monroe.
If you're involved in with something that's original, you know, you'll always go back and try to rehash it.
The advice I would give to someone is to not take anyone's advice.
I keep telling people I'll make movies until I'm fifty and then I'll go and do something else. I'm going to be a professional gentleman of leisure.
The only reason I did Showtime (2002) was Robert De Niro. I definitely consider him to be in the top 5 all time best actors.
[on rumours he will play The Riddler in the next Batman movie] I would love to be in one of those Batman movies. Jim Carrey did The Riddler once and he did a wonderful job. Egghead, I could be Egghead.
[on Dan Aykroyd] Robotic the way he handles people: "Ah, yes, good to meet you." Very straightforward, very clean-cut, very polite, real nice guy.
[on Richard Pryor, Charles Chaplin, Bill Cosby and George Carlin being his greatest influences] I feel like those are the most brilliant comic minds ever. You can draw a line from them to anyone who's trying to do comedy - or just be funny - today, including me.
I know what I'm capable of doing and what I'm capable of not doing. To be perfectly honest, I'm a little afraid of doing a straight dramatic film. I'm not saying I couldn't do it. I'm saying I'm afraid to. Everyone is afraid of failure.
With the success that I've had and the money that I make, if I and a white man went out to get a cab together, the cab wouldn't stop for me. It would stop for the white man.
Salary
| Tower Heist (2011) | $7,500,000 |
| Shrek Forever After (2010) | $4,000,000 (Back end bonus) |
| Shrek 2 (2004) | $10,000,000 |
| The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002) | $20,000,000 |
| Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) | $20,000,000 |
| Shrek (2001) | $3,000,000 |
| Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000) | $20,000,000 (and 20% of the gross) |
| Doctor Dolittle (1998) | $17,500,000 |
| The Nutty Professor (1996) | $16,000,000 |
| Beverly Hills Cop III (1994) | $15,000,000 |
| Coming to America (1988) | $8,000,000 |
| Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) | $8,000,000 |
| Beverly Hills Cop (1984) | $14,000,000 |
| Best Defense (1984) | $1,000,000 |
