Eddie Murphy is an American actor, screenwriter, singer, and also a film producer. Such movies as 48 Hrs., Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places, Coming to America, Doctor Dolittle and many others made him a world-known actor. In addition, he is a talented musician who recorded several solo albums and a stand-up comedian, known for his witty sense of humour and inspiring characters.
Background
Eddie Regan Murphy was born on April 3, 1961, in Brooklyn, New York, United States. His mother, Lillian, was a telephone operator, and his father, Charles Edward Murphy, was a New York police officer and an amateur actor and comedian. Murphy's brother was Charlie Murphy, Chappelle's Show writer and star.
His parents got divorced when Eddie Murphy was three. His father died in 1969 when Murphy was eight.
five years later, his father died and his mother became very ill and went into the hospital for an extended period. As a result, he and his elder brother lived in a foster family for a year.
When Eddie Murphy was 9 years old, his mother married Vernon Lynch, a foreman at a Breyer's ice cream plant, and their family moved to the primarily African-American suburb of Roosevelt, Long Island.
Education
As a kid, Eddie Murphy used to watch a lot of television and impersonated characters such as Bugs Bunny and Bullwinkle. Although he was never a dedicated student, Murphy was popular with classmates and even teachers, excelling in the popular game of "ranking" - trading witty insults with classmates. Hosting a talent show at the Roosevelt Youth Center at age 15, Murphy delighted his young audience with an impersonation of Al Green. It was during that period of time that he first gained recognition as a stand-up comedian.
His early success ignited a passion for showbiz, and Murphy started to work on his comedy routines after school and performing stand-up at local bars, clubs, and "gong shows." His schoolwork suffered, however, and, as a result, Murphy had to repeat the 10th grade. When Eddie Murphy eventually completed his school studies, he was voted the "most popular" boy in his graduating class.
Responding to the pleas of his mother, Murphy enrolled in Nassau Community College and worked part-time as a shoe store clerk. He continued to perform in local clubs and bars and eventually worked his way into such New York City venues as the Comic Strip, becoming a disciple of the great comedian Richard Pryor.
When Murphy learned that the producers of NBC's popular late night comedy show, Saturday Night Live, were seeking a black cast member for the 1980-1981 season, he auditioned for a role six times. Finally, earned a place as an extra on the show.
He performed periodically throughout the season, until one night when a few minutes of airtime was left without any material. Eddie Murphy was asked to fill it with his stand-up performance. His improvised performance was called "masterful" by Rolling Stone, and Murphy became one of the main comedians in the show for the next season.
Eddie Murphy became Saturday Night Live' s strongest comedic presence, creating such memorable characters as Mister Robinson, an urban version of TV's Mister Rogers; as well as an older version of the Little Rascals character, Buckwheat, and an illiterate convict and poet known under the name of Tyrone Green.
Murphy also continued his skilful impersonations, adding such characters as Bill Cosby, James Brown, Muhammad Ali, Jerry Lewis, and Stevie Wonder to his repertoire. Murphy received criticism for his satirical characterizations based on black stereotypes. He defended his performances, claiming that his characters were far too absurd and abstract to be taken seriously.
Concurrently with his career as an actor, he is also a singer, having frequently provided background vocals to songs released by The Bus Boys. For instance, his song "(The Boys Are) Back in Town" was featured in 48 Hrs. and Murphy's comedy special Eddie Murphy Delirious. As a solo artist, Eddie Murphy had two hit singles, "Party All the Time" (which was produced by Rick James) and "Put Your Mouth On Me" during the 1980s, which was featured on Murphy's 1985 debut album How Could It Be, which included a minor follow-up R&B hit in the title track, a duet with vocalist Crystal Blake.
Returning to acting, In 1982 Eddie Murphy got his first major motion picture role in 48 Hours, alongside Nick Nolte. He approached the role with confidence and ingenuity, convincing director Walter Hill to adjust some of the dialogue to more genuinely depict a black speaker. The film was a commercial success and Eddie Murphy was highly appreciated for his great performance in it.
Murphy followed this success with his next successful movie venture Trading Places in 1983. Murphy's next film, Beverly Hills Cop, hit No. 9 on the list of all-time box-office hits. He played bad boy/good cop Axel Foley, a role originally slated for Sylvester Stallone. His performance was a hit with fans. Taking advantage of his status as a hot commodity, Eddie Murphy released his first album How Could it Be?, which was produced by a music legend, Rick James.
He went on the make Beverly Hills Cop II in 1987, which received mixed reviews from critics, but major rewards from the box office. His other projects of this period, including The Golden Child (1986) and his directorial debut, Harlem Nights (1989), were deemed failures by critics and audience.
A real highlight of his career during this time was the romantic comedy Coming to America (1988) with Arsenio Hall. In the movie, both actors were able to demonstrate their comedic versatility by playing multiple characters within one movie.
In 1990 Eddie Murphy starred in a sequel to his popular film, 48 Hours called Another 48 Hours. The second part was a failure, and Murphy decided to take a break from the Hollywood scene. He focused on his music and recorded the album Love's Alright in the early 1990s. Murphy performed in a music video of the single Whatzupwitu, featuring Michael Jackson. Moreover, he recorded a duet with Shabba Ranks called I Was a King. In 1992, Murphy appeared in Michael Jackson's Remember the Time alongside Magic Johnson and Iman.
Upon his return to the film industry in 1992, he did several movies which were also commercially unsuccessful. In 1996, he appeared in the comedy The Nutty Professor which was a great success at the box-office. He also voiced the role of Donkey in the animated Shrek movie franchise which became extremely popular with the audience.
Later on, Murphy appeared in a variety of family films. He played the voice of Mushu the Lizard in Disney's animated picture Mulan (1998) to enormous critical praise, and starred in the family film, Doctor Doolittle (1998).
In 1999, Murphy starred in the comedy Bowfinger, co-starring Steve Martin, who also wrote the screenplay. Nutty Professor II: The Klumps was released in the summer of 2000, with Murphy featured as all six lead characters. He also voiced the lead character, superintendent Thurgood Stubbs, on The PJs, an animated TV show. In the summer of 2001, Eddie Murphy had two more big box-office successes, starring in Dr. Doolittle 2.
He starred in another family comedy, this time as a babysitter in Daddy Day Care, in 2003. The following year, he revived Donkey for the sequel Shrek 2. His next positively acclaimed performance was in the movie Dreamgirls in 2006. After that, he appeared in movies such as Meet Dave (2008), Imagine That (2009) and Tower Heist (2011).
The actor was titled as the most overpaid and unprofitable Hollywood star in 2012. It turns out that the actor brings the film companies the least income comparing to his colleagues. According to Forbes magazine, which compiled this list, the films left studios with $2.30 for every $1 they paid Eddie Murphy. In 2012 it was announced that the actor would host the 84th Oscar ceremony, but later Eddie Murphy flatly refused to do it. Perhaps, his refusal to host the ceremony was the main reason to top the list of overpaid celebrities.
In 2013 he released his first single in years titled "Red Light", a reggae song featuring Snoop Lion. He is also working on a new album titled 9.
Eddie Murphy returned to the screen in 2016, starring in the drama Mr. Church. The film is a screen version of the story by an American writer and video blogger, Susan McMartin, who has written scripts for several episodes of popular TV series Californication, Two and a Half Men and others.
The film received negative reviews from film critics. Viewers saw problems both in the plot and in the storytelling. Nonetheless, Eddie Murphy got positive reviews for his acting.
In 2017 there were rumours that Eddie Murphy started filming the biographical movie Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? and the comedy Triplets.
Achievements
Eddie Murphy one of the most famous actors and comedians of today. He did one of the finest works of his career in the 1996 comedy The Nutty Professor gaining worldwide popularity and appreciation.
His endearing performance as the soul singer in the 2006 movie adaptation of the musical, Dreamgirls, was highly praised and admired by the public.
In 1982, Murphy received a Grammy nomination for a live album of fresh stand-up material called Eddie Murphy: Comedian. The album eventually went gold. Eddie Murphy's first single off the album How Could it Be?, titled Party All the Time, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Murphy received a number of awards for his acting career, including the Image award in 1983; the Blockbuster Entertainment award in the nomination Favorite Lead Actor - Comedy in 1997; the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice award in 2002; the African-American Film Critics Association award in 2006; the Golden Globe award in 2007, among others.
Box-office takes from Eddie Murphy's movies make him the 4th-highest grossing actor in the United States. As of 2014, films featuring Murphy have grossed over $3.8 billion in the United States and Canada box office, and $6.6 billion worldwide.
In 2015, Murphy was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Eddie started the Yeah! Foundation to benefit a variety of causes including helping the homeless and scholarships for school.
Murphy supports the Martin Luther King, Jr., Center for Nonviolent Social Change as well as the AIDS Foundation and cancer charities.
Quotations:
I started out as a stand-up comedian. And that's what I'm most comfortable doing.
The advice I would give to someone is to not take anyone's advice.
I haven't read a newspaper in 20 years. I don't look at the computer or anything. You have to have a filter on what you let in.
I've always had confidence. It came because I have lots of initiative. I wanted to make something of myself.
The thing about kids is that they express emotion. They don't hold back. If they want to cry, they cry, and if they are in a good mood, they're in a good mood.
If I don't die in a plane crash or something, this country has a rare opportunity to watch a great talent grow.
The economy in Ireland has been rampaging ahead for the last 15 years. Barring an international, political or natural catastrophe, things can only get better for the Irish.
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.
I leave my house all the time! But I'm not at all the Hollywood parties. I'm grown, and where else am I supposed to be? I'm supposed to be home.
I started out as an impressionist and that's all about observing - how people move, their voice quality, their attitudes and quirks.
I'm relaxed about my career. I've been making movies for over 20 years, so I've earned at least the right to relax.
I don't think more concentration is required for Robert De Niro to do what he does as for Jim Carrey to do what he does.
Personality
In May of 1997, Murphy earned some unfortunate publicity when he was discovered by L.A. police with a transsexual prostitute. He claimed he was merely trying to give the prostitute a ride. The incident made him the target of jokes nonetheless.
Quotes from others about the person
“Eddie’s impact on comedy is immeasurable,” said Casey Patterson, Executive Vice President of Event Production for Viacom Media Networks Entertainment Group. "At 19, he changed the face of sketch comedy forever on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and within four years released “48 Hrs,” “Delirious,” and “Beverly Hills Cop” making him one of the biggest stand-up and movie stars in the world, all before the age of 24 and he’s never stopped evolving, innovating and entertaining."
Connections
Murphy began a longtime romantic relationship with Nicole Mitchell in 1988. They lived together for almost two years before getting married. Murphy and Mitchell had five children together. In August 2005, Mitchell filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences". The divorce was finalized on April 17, 2006.
In 2006 Murphy began dating former Spice Girl Melanie Brown, who became pregnant. Brown had stated in an interview that Murphy has not sought a relationship with Angel, although it was later reported in 2010 that Murphy was getting to know her.
Murphy exchanged marriage vows with film producer Tracey Edmonds on January 1, 2008, in a private ceremony on an island off Bora Bora. On January 16, 2008, the couple released a statement saying, "After much consideration and discussion, we have jointly decided that we will forgo having a legal ceremony as it is not necessary to define our relationship further," and called the Bora Bora wedding a "symbolic union". The two had planned on having a legal ceremony upon their return to the U.S. but did not, and their wedding was never official.
It is assumed that he and Tracy Edmonds broke up at some point, as Eddie Murphy began dating Paige Butcher in 2012.
Father:
Charles Murphy
Mother:
Lillian Murphy
Brother:
Charlie Murphy
Charles Quinton Murphy (1959-2017) was an American actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known as a writer and cast member of the Comedy Central sketch-comedy series Chappelle's Show, and as the costar of the sitcom Black Jesus.
ex-wife:
Nicole Mitchell
Nicole Mitchell Murphy (born January 5, 1968) is an American model, designer, actress, and businesswoman. She is best known for her international modelling career and participation on reality television show Hollywood Exes.
Ex-girlfirend:
Melanie Brown
Melanie Janine Brown (born 29 May 1975), known as Mel B, is a British television personality, actress, singer, and writer. Brown received recognition in the 1990s as a member of the group Spice Girls, in which she was known under the nickname Scary Spice.
ex-fiancée:
Tracey Elaine Edmonds
Tracey Elaine Edmonds (born February 18, 1967) is an American businesswoman, television personality and producer. Edmonds is the CEO of Edmonds Entertainment Group Inc and COO of Our Stories Films. She is a host on the television show Extra. She currently sits on the national board of directors for the Producers Guild of America.
