|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe-, Screen Actors Guild Award-winning American actor and comedian. Murphy ranks as the number one grossing film star in history, having a total of 33 films to date, his films grossing over $3.4 billion in the US alone, averaging $104 million per film. He was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984, and has worked as a stand-up comedian. He has also enjoyed a minor singing career. Murphy has received Golden Globe nominations for best actor in a comedy or musical for his performances in Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places, and The Nutty Professor. In 2007, he won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of soul singer James "Thunder" Early in Dreamgirls, and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the same role. As the most talented and influential comedic force to emerge from the 1980’s, comedian-actor Eddie Murphy blazed the trail for an entire generation of young black comics to follow. Just as Murphy was inspired by the comedic stylings of the legendary Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx in the 1970’s, Murphy influenced a whole new wave of African-American comedians who came of age in the 1980’s – among them: Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock, Jamie Foxx, and Dave Chappelle. However, it was as a movie star that Murphy made his greatest impact. Hollywood’s first global superstar, Murphy boasted a cumulative lifetime box office of nearly $3 billion by the mid-millennium, making him, by definition, the most successful comedy star of all time. Thanks to a chameleonic knack for reinvention, Murphy’s career also successfully managed to return from the dead more times than Lazarus. From stand-up comic to movie star to voice-over artist to family man, Murphy’s image was in constant flux. In 2006, the 45-year old comedian pulled off his most radical transformation to date by becoming Eddie Murphy – dramatic actor – in the critically acclaimed film adaptation of the hit stage musical, “Dreamgirls” (2006). Murphy's work as a voice actor includes Thurgood Stubbs in The PJs, Donkey in the Shrek series and the dragon Mushu in Disney's Mulan. In some of his films, he plays multiple roles in addition to his main character, which he calls a tribute to one of his idols Peter Sellers (who is famous for playing multiple roles in one film), films which Murphy has played multiple roles include Coming to America, Wes Craven's Vampire In Brooklyn, the Nutty Professor films, where he played much of the Klumps clan, Bowfinger and 2007's Norbit. Another trademark of Murphy is his deep, infectious, and considerably goofy laugh. One other trademark of his is his catchphrase "how you doin'!" Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, Lillian, was a telephone operator, and his father, Charles Edward Murphy, was a transit police officer and amateur comedian. Murphy's father left the family when Murphy was three and was stabbed to death when Murphy was eight. Murphy and his brother Charlie were raised by his mother and stepfather Vernon Lynch, a foreman at an ice cream plant. Around the age of 19, Murphy was writing and performing his own routines, which were heavily influenced by Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor. Born Edward Regan Murphy on April 3, 1961 in Brooklyn, NY, the future comedian was the second born child of New York City police officer, Charles Murphy, and his wife, Lillian. Although Murphy’s parents divorced in 1964, Eddie and his older brother, Charles, Jr., remained in contact with their father until his untimely death four years later. In 1970, Lillian Murphy remarried and moved the family to Roosevelt, Long Island, where her new husband, Vernon Lynch, worked as a foreman at the Breyer’s ice cream plant. A precocious child growing up, young Eddie spent hours in front of the television set, voraciously watching old movies and cartoons. Not surprisingly, the youngster became a gifted mimic. Exhibiting an early flair for entertaining, Murphy enjoyed putting on performances for his family and friends. As he recalled, a vast majority of his repertoire in those days consisted of celebrity impersonations, scatological raps, and mock church sermons. Murphy performed stand-up comedy at the same Bay Area Comedy Club as Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg. His early comedy was racy, akin to Richard Pryor, whom Murphy has credited as his inspiration to enter comedy. Characterized by frequent swearing and homophobia, Murphy became, in a sense, the Pryor of the 1980s, though Pryor wrote in his autobiography, Pryor Convictions, that he always thought Murphy's comedy was excessively insensitive. Murphy's comments about gays and AIDS in his standup routines were considered so vicious that some years later he apologized for them. At the height of his popularity, Murphy appeared in the concert films Delirious (1983) and Raw (1987). Delirious contained an infamous routine in which he depicted characters Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton from The Honeymooners, as well as other notables such as Mr. T, as homosexuals. In 1983, Murphy won a Grammy for his comedy album Comedian. Murphy would get his first taste of celebrity while attending Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School. An extremely bright, but academically indifferent pupil, Murphy spent more time telling jokes than studying. Beloved nevertheless by his fellow students and teachers alike – including those who regularly sent him to the principal’s office – Murphy’s charm and quick wit made a lasting impression and twice won him the superlative of “Most Popular Student.” At the age of 15, Murphy began writing and performing his own comedy routines for school talent shows, youth centers, and local comedy clubs. Upon turning professional at 18, Murphy steadily began to make a name for himself by performing at countless comedy clubs and dive bars in and around New York. Though Murphy openly admitted to ripping off the vast majority of his early material from Richard Pryor, by the late seventies, Murphy had begun to find his own voice. A chance booking at New York’s famed Comic Strip Live comedy club kicked Murphy’s career into overdrive. From there, it was a quick shot to the top – just three years and Murphy would be at the top of his profession. Murphy’s stand-up act continued packing clubs and earned him the respect of his peers. But it was on television where Eddie Murphy became a household name. In the summer of 1980, Murphy’s life was forever changed when he was tapped to join the cast of “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 1975- ). While many young comics might have seen this as a golden opportunity, in truth, the timing of it could not have been worse. By the time Murphy came on board, the six-year-old “SNL” was already in the first of its many death-throes. Once considered progressive and cutting-edge, by the time Murphy was to come on board, “Saturday Night Live” had grown quite stale. To make matters worse, there was a mass exodus of talent at the end of the show’s fifth season – including the last of the original “Not-Ready-for-Primetime-Players,” head writer Michael O’Donoghue and, most importantly, creator-executive producer, Lorne Michaels. Despite the mass exodus, NBC renewed “SNL” for another season – with the one caveat that the budget be slashed. Hastily re-invented and slapped back together, “SNL” returned in the fall of 1980 with a new executive producer, a new cast, a new writing staff, and even a new band. As the new boss, the recently promoted Jean Doumanian’s first and most daunting challenge was to replace the irreplaceable cast. In the most monumental decision of her career, Doumanian chose to replace the legendary Belushi, Aykroyd, Murray, and Radner with a group of unknowns that included Murphy, Charlie Rocket, Denny Dillon, Gilbert Gottfried, and Joe Piscopo. Incredibly enough, Murphy himself just barely made the cut. As revealed in Tom Shales’s 2002 book, Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, Doumanian originally rejected Murphy in favor of comedian Robert Townsend. When Townsend backed out at the last minute, however, a desperate Doumanian grudgingly changed her tune and hired Murphy to be the show’s “token black guy,” as Garrett Morris had been before him. Unanimously considered the worst season in “SNL” history, Doumanian’s offering was embarrassingly unfunny. With ratings growing more and more anemic with each passing week, NBC finally had enough and decided to pull the plug. Once again, however, the show was saved at the 11th hour when longtime NBC sports producer Dick Ebersol agreed to take the reins for one last stab. With this regime change, of course, came another radical housecleaning. NBC axed Doumanian and virtually everyone else who had been associated with the catastrophic sixth season. The only two cast members spared were, not surprisingly, the funniest of the lot – Murphy and Joe Piscopo. In 1980, the then unknown Murphy badgered talent coordinator Neil Levy to give him a shot on Saturday Night Live. Levy repeatedly rejected him, saying that the show already had a full cast. But Murphy continued pleading with Levy, saying that he had several siblings banking on him getting a spot on the show. Levy finally conceded and allowed him an audition. On the basis of the audition performance, Levy then began advocating to new executive producer Jean Doumanian to let Murphy on the show. After seeing Murphy's audition for herself, she too began pleading with the network to allow Murphy on the show. NBC only agreed after it was determined that Robert Townsend had not yet signed a contract, at which point Murphy was cast as a featured player.[citation needed] Murphy made his debut in the second episode of the 1980-1981 season, hosted by Malcolm McDowell, as an extra in a skit called "In Search of the Negro Republican". Two weeks later, Murphy had his first speaking role as Raheem Abdul Muhummad on Weekend Update. He was then called on for more work in later episodes, and was soon raised to the status of full cast member. Despite Murphy's participation, the 1980-1981 season was considered such a disaster that NBC fired Doumanian and everybody in the cast, with the exception of Murphy and Joe Piscopo. Whereas Murphy had rarely been featured during Doumanian's tenure, he became a break-out star under Doumanian's replacement, Dick Ebersol. His well-known character creations include the former child movie star Buckwheat, a life-size version of the Gumby toy character and an inner-city black version of Mr. Rogers known as "Mr. Robinson". Murphy also performed celebrity impressions, such as Stevie Wonder and James Brown. Murphy left the show midway through the 1983–1984 season, appearing in filmed sketches for the remainder of that season. In 1982, Murphy made his big screen debut in the 48 Hrs. alongside Nick Nolte. The movie was perhaps most notable for two scenes: 1) a scene involving Murphy (on a bet with Nolte) terrorizing a redneck bar, and 2) a scene in which Murphy, in a jail cell, sings "Roxanne" by The Police loudly and out of key while listening to the song on headphones. 48 Hrs. proved to be a smash hit when it was released in the Christmas season of 1982. Nolte was scheduled to host the December 11, 1982 Christmas episode of Saturday Night Live, but became too ill to host, so Murphy took over. He became the only cast member to host while still a regular. Murphy opened the show with the phrase, "Live from New York, It's the Eddie Murphy Show!" The following year, Murphy co-starred with fellow alumnus Dan Aykroyd in Trading Places. The movie marked the first of Murphy's collaborations with director John Landis (who also directed Murphy in Coming to America and Beverly Hills Cop III) and proved to be an even greater box office success than 48 Hrs. In 1984, Murphy starred in the successful action film Beverly Hills Cop. The film was Murphy's first full-fledged starring vehicle, originally intended to star Sylvester Stallone. Beverly Hills Cop grossed over $200 million at the box office and is the 38th highest-grossing film of all time as of 2008, and is the third highest grossing "R" rated film of all-time (after The Exorcist and The Godfather), when both figures are adjusted for ticket price inflation. Also in 1984, Murphy appeared in Best Defense, co-starring Dudley Moore. Murphy, who was credited as a "Strategic Guest Star", was added to the film after an original version was completed but tested poorly with audiences. Best Defense was a major financial and critical disappointment. When he hosted SNL, Murphy joined the chorus of those bashing Best Defense, calling it "the worst movie in the history of everything". Murphy has also been rumored to be initially a part of hits such as Ghostbusters (featuring his Trading Places co-star Dan Aykroyd and fellow SNL alumnus Bill Murray). The part that was originally written with Murphy in mind ultimately went to Ernie Hudson. Murphy was also offered a part in 1986's Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, a role that, after being heavily re-written from comic relief to love interest, ultimately went to future 7th Heaven star Catherine Hicks. By this point[7] Murphy's near-exclusive contract with Paramount Pictures rivaled Star Trek as Paramount's most lucrative franchise. Also in 1986, Murphy starred in the supernatural comedy, The Golden Child. The Golden Child was originally intended to be a serious adventure picture starring Mel Gibson. After Gibson turned the role down, the project was offered to Murphy as it was subsequently rewritten as a partial comedy. Although The Golden Child (featuring Murphy's "I want the knife!" routine) performed well at the box office, the movie was not as critically acclaimed as 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop. The Golden Child was considered a change of pace for Murphy because of the supernatural setting as opposed to the more "street smart" settings of Murphy's previous efforts. A year later, Murphy reprised his role of Axel Foley in the Tony Scott-directed Beverly Hills Cop II. Although the film was panned by critics, it was still a box office smash, grossing over $150 million. Producers reportedly wanted to turn the Beverly Hills Cop franchise into a weekly television series. Murphy declined the television offer, but was willing to do a film sequel instead. Murphy 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. Under Ebersol’s three-season tenure, “SNL” regained some of its former glory. While not as irreverent as it had been in its heyday, the show was at least consistently funny and allowed Murphy to blossom into the star he was destined to become. Between 1981 and 1985, the cast of “SNL” also included Jim Belushi, Brad Hall, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and Mary Gross. But for all intents and purposes, the program had largely become the Eddie Murphy Show. Spontaneous, irreverent, and frequently brilliant, Murphy especially shined in sketches that showed off his impersonation skills. Among Murphy’s best-known routines were “Mister Robinson's Neighborhood” (a brutally funny inner city take-off of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”), “James Brown Celebrity Hot Tub,” and the gut-bustingly funny “Ebony & Ivory” sketch (starring Murphy as Stevie Wonder opposite Joe Piscopo’s Frank Sinatra). Murphy’s other memorable characters included the oleaginous pimp, Velvet Jones, and the bitter kiddie TV show icon, Gumby ("I'm Gumby, damn it!"). But Murphy’s most celebrated “SNL” character had to be the beloved” Buckwheat” – a parody of the fictional black character from the Depression-era “Our Gang” series. Infused with Murphy’s trademark charm and nostalgic voice characterization (“Hiii… Ah’m ‘Uckwheat, Ahmembah me?”), Buckwheat became a national sensation. After several appearances, however, Murphy decided to retire the character. Making his swan song farewell in a sketch aptly titled “Buckwheat Dead” – which Murphy also co-wrote – a stunned America watched Buckwheat be gruesomely assassinated on live television by a Lee Harvey Oswald-like gunman. Murphy would go on to leave the show midway through the 1983-84 season, but during his short “SNL” tenure, managed to secure his legend as one of the most talented comics to grace the stages of Studio 8-H. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood came knocking on Murphy’s door. In 1982, Murphy segued effortlessly to feature stardom as a wisecracking convict teamed with a world-weary cop (Nick Nolte) in Walter Hill's uneven, but commercially successful "48 Hrs." The following year, Murphy teamed with former “SNL” alum Dan Aykroyd in director John Landis’s rags-to-riches comedy, “Trading Places” (1983). Though critically derided, the film was a colossal hit when it was released that summer . Made on a budget of $28 million, it went on to gross over $90 million in the U.S. alone. More importantly, “Trading Places” officially cemented Murphy’s status as a major movie star. The following year, Murphy hit paydirt yet again with the release of his first starring role in “Beverly Hills Cop” (1984). Originally conceived as a vehicle for Sylvester Stallone, the script underwent a radical re-write once Murphy came on-board. Another enormous hit, the $15 million comedy grossed a whopping $234 million domestically. In between hit films, Murphy managed to squeeze in his first live comedy special – the definitive concert film, “Eddie Murphy, Delirious." Taped before a live audience in Washington, D.C., “Delirious” became a breakout hit and officially trumpeted Murphy’s arrival as the new face of comedy. His act, however, was not without its detractors. Some critics (among them, one of Murphy’s childhood heroes, Bill Cosby), found the young comic’s signature usage of sexual innuendo and profanity highly objectionable. Murphy was also taken to task for being sexist and homophobic, referring to gays as “faggots” and making jokes about AIDS. This early act of political incorrectness, combined with Murphy’s unapologetic stance afterwards, ultimately resulted in a boycott call from the gay community – the first of many. Much later in his career, Murphy would come to regret his insensitive remarks and eventually apologized. Due to his unparalleled box office success, Murphy received a lucrative multi-picture deal with Paramount Pictures. His first project under this new banner – the action-comedy, "The Golden Child" (1986) – performed well at the box office, but lacked some of the title’s signature luster. Murphy also scored big with his next project, the scatological concert film "Eddie Murphy Raw" (1987), and displayed his charisma as a bride-hunting African prince in "Coming to America" (1988). By this point, however, some were starting to suspect that Murphy’s ego was beginning to eclipse his comedic sensibilities. Murphy, unfortunately, only proved these naysayers right with his next project – “Harlem Nights” (1989). Making a less-than-auspicious debut as a screenwriter-director, “Nights” signaled the beginning of the end for the first chapter of Murphy’s illustrious career. Overdone and underfunny, the film’s extravagantly expensive production showed Murphy at the peak of his Hollywood clout – as well as his self-absorption. Nowhere was this growing hubris more evident than in the film’s opening credits, wherein Murphy’s name prominently appeared no less than five times (a display of narcissism that reportedly elicited unintended laughter at a number of reviewer screenings). Dismissed as little more than a pricey vanity project, “Harlem Nights” wound up earning just $60 million when all was said and done – less than half the take of his last project, “Coming to America.” Around the same time, Murphy also briefly flirted with a singing career. This short-lived vogue as a recording star led to one hit single – the infectious but cheesy "Party All the Time" – but Murphy’s limitations as a musician and songwriter cut short any hopes for a lasting career. Hoping to diversify, Murphy turned to television and oversaw a handful of sitcom pilots via his production company, Eddie Murphy Productions. Among his only successes was a comedy series Murphy created and executive produced as a vehicle for Redd Foxx and Della Reese (both of whom he had cast in “Harlem Nights”) titled "The Royal Family" (CBS, 1991-92). A modest ratings hit, the sitcom was eventually felled midway through the first season when star Foxx died of a sudden heart attack. Murphy is also a singer and musician, having frequently provided background vocals to songs released by the The Bus Boys. As a solo artist, Murphy had two hit singles, "Party All the Time" (which was produced by Rick James) and "Put Your Mouth on Me" in the mid-1980s (although he actually started singing earlier in his career, with the songs "Boogie In Your Butt" and "Enough Is Enough", the latter being a parody of Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer's 1979 song, "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)". They both appear on his 1982 self-titled comedy album.) "Party All the Time" was featured on Murphy's 1985 debut album How Could It Be, which also included a minor follow-up R&B hit in the title track, a duet with vocalist Crystal Blake. This track was written by Rusty Hamilton and was produced by Stevie Wonder's cousin Aquil Fudge after a brief falling out and bet with Rick James. In 2004, VH-1 and Blender voted "Party All the Time" number seven among the "50 Worst Songs of All-Time." Sharam used a sample of the song for the UK #8 hit "PATT (Party All The Time)" in 2006. Murphy recorded the album Love's Alright in the early 1990s. He performed in a music video of the single "Whatzupwitu", featuring Michael Jackson. In 1999, the "Whatzupwitu" video, which featured Murphy and Jackson in a technicolor-like dream world, was voted as number three among the 25 worst music videos in the MTV era. He also recorded a duet with Shabba Ranks called "I Was a King", which was similarly panned. In 1992, Murphy also appeared in Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" video alongside Magic Johnson and Iman. Although uncredited, Murphy provided vocal work on SNL castmate Joe Piscopo's comedy single, "The Honeymooners Rap." Piscopo impersonated Jackie Gleason on the single, while Murphy provided an imitation of Art Carney. In Coming to America, Murphy imitated Jackie Wilson when he sang "To Be Loved," but because the character he was playing had a thick accent, he had to sing it in character. In later years, Murphy performed several songs in the Shrek film franchise. In the first film, he performed a version of "I'm a Believer" in the film's final scene; in Shrek 2 he performed Ricky Martin's hit "Livin' La Vida Loca" along with co-star Antonio Banderas. 1985, King Broder claimed Murphy had signed an "indefinite contract" with him when Murphy was 19 and sued him for $30 million for breach of contract when Murphy was worth an estimated $50 million dollars. Broder even claimed Murphy got his 'Buckwheat' character from an idea he had for 'The Identical Triplets.' In court papers filed in State Supreme Court in Mineola, New York, Murphy said he and Broder had verbally agreed to dissolve the relationship before the end of 1980. Murphy stated, at the time, "[He] was working as a shoe salesman and had very limited professional experience when [he] signed the agreement." He also charged that Broder misrepresented himself as the agent for singers Tina Turner, Neil Sedaka and comedian Andy Kaufman. As Murphy was in the process of filming Beverly Hills Cop II at the time of the suit, Paramount Pictures ended up settling the case out of court and paying Broder an undisclosed amount so that they would not lose any more money in production costs. According to Murphy's childhood friend Harris Haith in his book, Growing Up Laughing With Eddie, “ Long before Murphy did any writing for Coming to America, Art Buchwald had approached Paramount Pictures with the idea for a similar film. His material was rejected, but the information was retained by Paramount. They liked Buchwald's idea but did not see fit to pay him and saved it for use later down the road. Some years later, Paramount presented the idea of Coming to America to Eddie and gave him the contract. Murphy wrote a screenplay that came to light exactly as it aired on the silver screen. In 1988, Buchwald sued Murphy and Paramount Pictures, but Murphy was not found liable because Paramount had received the material and plagiarized it before giving it to Eddie. He did not know the origins of the piece, he just took the idea and expounded on it to bring about the final version of the movie. ” However, Buchwald and his partner Alain Bernheim did win the suit against Paramount Pictures, were awarded damages, and then accepted a settlement from Paramount. The case was the subject of a 1992 book, Fatal Subtraction: The Inside Story of Buchwald V. Paramount by Pierce O'Donnell and Dennis McDougal. From 1989 until the mid-1990s, box office results for Murphy's films dropped, hitting a low point with the critically- panned Beverly Hills Cop III (a movie Murphy would ultimately denounce during an appearance on Inside the Actors Studio), although he did find minor box office success with The Distinguished Gentleman, Boomerang, Another 48 Hrs.. His directorial debut, Harlem Nights, is widely seen as a vanity project and the first step in Murphy's career slump. Harlem Nights featured Murphy (who had previously been known only as a performer) as director, producer, star, and co-writer, as well as supporting roles for Murphy's comic idols Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor. During this period Murphy was also criticized by filmmaker Spike Lee for not using his show business stature to help black actors break into film, despite Murphy giving several future stars roles in his films, for example Damon Wayans in Beverly Hills Cop, Halle Berry and Martin Lawrence in Boomerang, Samuel L. Jackson and Cuba Gooding Jr in Coming to America and Raw, Dave Chappelle in The Nutty Professor and Chris Rock in Beverly Hills Cop II and Boomerang. David Spade poked fun at Murphy's career slump on his Hollywood Minute segment on Saturday Night Live. With an image of Murphy on screen, Spade said "Look children, a falling star...make a wish!" Although Murphy has enjoyed commercial success since Saturday Night Live, he has never attended cast reunions, anniversary specials, or participated in the making of the Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live retrospective book by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller (2002). Murphy's box office results began to recover in 1996, starting with The Nutty Professor. He followed with a series of very successful family-friendly movies like Mulan, Dr. Dolittle and its sequel, the Shrek series, Daddy Day Care, and The Haunted Mansion, along with Nutty Professor II. However, most of his movies meant for more adult audiences performed moderately; Metro, I Spy, and Showtime all ended to gross less than $40 million domestically, Holy Man performed badly grossing less than $13 million, and The Adventures of Pluto Nash is on record as one of the biggest theatrical money-losers of all time, grossing just $7 million worldwide on a reported $110 million budget. A notable exception to this run of poorly received adult -themed films was the Frank Oz comedy Bowfinger, also starring Steve Martin. The film garnered generally positive critical reviews, and grossed a respectable $66 million at the box office. Murphy's feature career continued its downward freefall in the 1990’s, as he starred in a string of inevitable but unnecessary sequels, such as “Another 48 Hrs” (1990) and “Beverly Hills Cop III” (1994). Eager to stay relevant, Murphy opted to re-invent his onscreen persona for the first time, shifting from comedian to more suave leading man roles. The experiment yielded mixed results with some modest hits – most notably the romantic comedy "Boomerang" (1992) and the Capitol Hill farce, "The Distinguished Gentleman" (1992); but even more memorably – huge stinkers, including the worst of the bunch – "A Vampire in Brooklyn " (1995), a light horror-comedy directed by Wes Craven. Fortunately, by mid-decade, Murphy went back to what he knew best –specifically, broader comedy – starting with the 1996 remake of "The Nutty Professor" (1963). Making brilliant use of Murphy’s diverse characterization skills, director Steve Oederkerk once again had Murphy playing multiple roles as he did in “Coming to America.” The results were delightfully refreshing. Taking a less manic approach than progenitor Jerry Lewis, Murphy juggled multiple parts, personalities, prosthetics, and even genders, with dizzying aplomb. Of his myriad roles, the most impressive was that of title character, Professor Sherman Klump. Locating the heart of his character beneath pounds of heavy latex, Murphy simultaneously touched and tickled audiences and managed to strike a deep emotional chord few had expected. Arguably even braver was Murphy’s portrayal of Klump’s alter ego, the charismatic Buddy Love – a vain, arrogant, and thoroughly obnoxious egomaniac. While many viewed the Buddy Love character as nothing more than an over-the-top villain, those looking deeper saw something more – as though Murphy were issuing a mea culpa in the form of a game self-parody. Whether or not this was Murphy’s true intent, the audience seemed to buy it just the same. “Professor” earned $128 million at the box office and resurrected Murphy’s ailing career just in the nick of time. This comeback proved short-lived, however, as evidenced by the disappointing receipts for his follow-up films, “Metro” (1998) and “Holy Man” (1999). Murphy did, however, win critical praise for his dual role as a paranoid action film star and his dim-witted brother in the sharply written, though commercially unsuccessful, Steve Martin comedy "Bowfinger” (1999). Murphy followed up by re-teaming with "Boomerang" co-star Martin Lawrence in the jailhouse comedy, "Life” (1999), but that film fizzled. Murphy continued his box office slide with roles in several less-than-worthy projects including the insipid sci-fi comedy, "The Adventures of Pluto Nash" (2002) – a film which was so bad, it became the defining stinker of his career and the go-to example for late night comics and writers. Losing confidence in Murphy’s bankability as a solo act, Hollywood next attempted to sell Murphy as the black half of two separate “salt-and-pepper” buddy comedies released in 2002 – the dreadful “I Spy” (with Owen Wilson) and “Showtime” (opposite Robert DeNiro). Both projects tanked. The prognosis once again, did not look good for Murphy. Strangely enough, just as his appeal was starting to wane again with adult moviegoers, Murphy started to gain momentum with children. Experiencing an unexpected career renaissance as a voice actor in Disney movies, Murphy re-invented himself yet again. This transformation would easily be his most ironic, being that he was originally known for his profane “adults-only” brand of humor. Murphy kicked off this new chapter in his career with a non-musical remake of the talking-with-the-animals romp, "Dr. Dolittle” (1998). He then followed up with a memorable turn as a wisecracking miniature dragon in Disney's "Mulan" (1998). Rediscovering his aptitude for voice work, Murphy played yet another animated character – this time an ornery donkey – in the immensely popular CGI tale, "Shrek" (2001). Murphy's hilarious turn as Donkey proved so popular with young viewers that he was invited back for its two sequels, “Shrek 2” (2004) and “Shrek the Third” (2007). Murphy’s next undertaking, "Daddy Day Care" (2003), was decried by critics as a transparent “Mr. Mom” rehash – but as evidenced by its $27 million opening, it was clear few remembered the 1982 Michael Keaton film. Ironically, Murphy’s newfound career as America’s favorite family-friendly film star was nearly destroyed before it had begun. In 1997, on the eve of his comeback, Murphy became embroiled in a bizarre and salacious scandal that made the comic his own punchline on late-night talk shows for weeks. On May 13, during the shooting of “Doctor Dolittle,” Murphy was pulled over by West Hollywood police around 4 a.m. for suspicion of soliciting (what turned out to be, a transsexual) prostitute. Though Murphy was never charged with a crime, gossip columnists had a field day when the story broke. Notoriously press-shy since the early nineties, Murphy initially kept mum, but his silence only exacerbated the situation. Deeply humiliated and upset by what he claimed were media distortions of the truth, a shamed Murphy eventually broke his silence to defend himself on national TV, claiming that the only thing he was guilty of was trying to be a good Samaritan; that all he did was offer a young woman (or so he thought) a lift home. As expected, Murphy’s explanation was roundly ridiculed. Nevertheless, that was Murphy’s story and he was sticking to it. Whether the public believed his story or not, Murphy eventually got a pass (due in part to his relatively scandal-free past) and the brouhaha soon faded. Seemingly putting his personal troubles behind him, Murphy’s career continued along unabated. Finally, after wrapping his latest project (the misguided Disney offering, "The Haunted Mansion,") in 2003, Murphy announced he was taking a sabbatical from acting to spend more time with his family. Unfortunately, this decision proved to have come too little, too late. By 2005, Murphy's 12-year marriage to former model Nicole Mitchell Murphy had sadly come to an end. The couple officially divorced in early 2006, but agreed to joint custody of their five young children. Once again a single man, Murphy wasted no time playing the field. Soon after his split from Mitchell, Murphy was linked in the tabloids to a bevy of beautiful women, including former “Boomerang” co-star Robin Givens and music producer Tracey Edmonds. In late 2006, another of Murphy’s paramours, singer Melanie Brown (a.k.a. Scary Spice” of the ‘90’s band, the Spice Girls) happily broke the news that she was pregnant with Murphy’s baby. However, in early December 2006, just weeks after their relationship went public, Murphy reportedly dumped Brown, who was by then four months pregnant. The ugly feud escalated in January of 2007, when Murphy publicly questioned the baby’s paternity. At this same tumultuous time, Murphy began dating Tracey Edmonds, ex-wife of music producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. The couple were engaged July 25, 2007 and exchanged vows Jan. 1, 2008 on a private island off Bora Bora in French Polynesia. Thankfully this was not a legal union, due to it taking place in a foreign country, because just two weeks later, the pair split, professing in an official statement that they would "remain friends." In 2006, he starred in the motion picture version of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls as soul singer James "Thunder" Early. Murphy won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award in that category. Several reviews for the film highlighted Murphy's performance while he received some pre-release Academy Awards buzz. Murphy was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor on January 23, 2007, but lost to Alan Arkin for his performance in Little Miss Sunshine. Dreamgirls was the first film distributed by Paramount Pictures to star Murphy (who once signed an exclusive contract with the studio) since Vampire in Brooklyn in 1995. As a result of Viacom's acquisition of Dreamworks SKG, Paramount distributed his other 2007 releases: Norbit and Shrek the Third. He is currently filming NowhereLand for Paramount Pictures. His tumultuous personal life notwithstanding, Murphy’s career continued to take off into still more uncharted territory. Well into his fourth decade in show business by 2006, Murphy enjoyed yet another career triumph that would propel him back to the heights he had once enjoyed as a comedic superstar. This time around, Murphy’s latest comeback came in the form of more grown-up fare – specifically, the big screen adaptation of the 1981 Tony-winning musical, "Dreamgirls" (2006). In his meatiest role to date, Murphy made an impressive dramatic debut as R&B singer James "Thunder" Early, joining Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, and newcomer Jennifer Hudson. Loosely based of the story of the Motown supergroup, the Supremes, the film adaptation of “Dreamgirls” was warmly received. Murphy, along with Hudson (as the tragic Effie White), were specially singled out by critics and fans alike for their show-stopping performances. Showing incredible range comically and dramatically – to say nothing of mastering his incomparable singing and dancing routines – Murphy was honored for his performance in “Dreamgirls” with a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. The role also won Murphy an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor. Never one to sit idle, the hotter-than-ever Murphy maintained a full plate in 2007, beginning with the release of “Norbit,” a comedy in which he again played multiple roles, including that of an overweight black woman. Murphy is expected to begin work on Beverly Hills Cop IV sometime in the near future, and it is expected that producer Jerry Bruckheimer will not participate in the fourth installment of the series. Murphy recently told The Sun Online that “the new script is looking good.”, In 2007, Murphy was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Murphy began a longtime romantic relationship with Nicole Mitchell after meeting her in 1988 at an NAACP Image Awards show. They lived together for a year and a half before getting married at the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel in New York City on March 18, 1993. In August 2005, Mitchell filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences." The divorce was finalized on April 17, 2006. On May 2, 1997, Eddie Murphy picked up pre-op transsexual prostitute Atisone Seiuli on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. This area was to be inside a "prostitution abatement zone" designated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Deputies pulled over Murphy's Toyota Land Cruiser, arrested his passenger for outstanding warrants, and released Murphy. The incident made tabloids and late night talk show monologues for months afterwards. The scandal prompted several other sex workers to come forward to the media about their alleged meetings with the actor. Paul Barresi, a private investigator allegedly hired by Murphy for damage control when the scandal broke, told a source: “I called Marty ‘Bull Dog’ Singer Murphy's attorney and told him I could round up all the transsexuals alleging sexual dalliances with Murphy.” Within 10 days, Barresi said, "I got them all to sign sworn, videotaped depositions, stating it wasn't Murphy himself, but rather a look-alike, who they'd encountered - with the exception of Seiuli." Following his divorce from Mitchell, he dated Spice Girl Melanie B or Melanie Brown, who stated that her child is Murphy's. Mitchell has considered arguing that Murphy breached their prenuptial agreement. When questioned about the pregnancy in December 2006, Murphy told a reporter, "I don't know whose child that is until it comes out and has a blood test. You shouldn't jump to conclusions, sir". Brown gave birth to a baby girl, Angel Iris Murphy Brown, on Murphy's 46th birthday, April 3, 2007. On June 22, 2007, representatives for Brown announced in People that a DNA test had confirmed that Murphy was the father. Brown's daughter is Murphy's seventh child; he has four daughters, Bria, Shane Audra, Zola Ivy, and Bella Zahra and one son, Miles Mitchell from his previous marriage to Nicole Mitchell, and another son, Christian from a previous relationship. Murphy exchanged marriage vows with film producer Tracey Edmonds, former wife of Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, on January 1, 2008 in a private ceremony on an island off Bora Bora. It was announced on January 16, 2008 that they never legally wed, had decided to forgo legalizing their union and had instead chosen to remain friends. Murphy has donated money to the AIDS Foundation, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, various cancer charities and $100,000 to the Screen Actors' Guild's strike relief fund. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Celebrities Guide 
| WhoABC
Home : Disclaimer
: Terms
: Privacy
Policy : Contact
Us : Links All original content Copyright Celebrities Guide, WhoABC.com © 2004 - 2008. All Rights Reserved |