Wisecracking comedian, respected producer and director, Emmy-winning writer, brilliant character actor, and leading man who can easily “carry” a movie, Bill Murray is a Hollywood fixture who appears to have it all. But what about the dark side…

Ah, yes. We find reports that the young Murray was kicked out of both Boy Scouts and Little League in his native Illinois; that he left pre-med studies at Colorado’s Regis College after a drug possession charge; that there was a period of odd jobs amongst concrete blocks and pizza dough. And we can see for ourselves that he’s not pretty…

He is, though, talented and otherwise charmed and charming. Murray found his calling in comedy performance, joining his older brother in Chicago’s Second City theatre. The National Lampoon Radio Show in New York, and an off-Broadway spinoff, brought the then 27-year-old comedy veteran to the ultimate improv troupe – to television’s Saturday Night Live – for three years (1977-80). Murray was awarded an Emmy, for writing, in his first season with the show.

An obscure film debut – voice, in the cartoon parody Jungle Burger (1979) – was followed by a series of madcap, “slob comedy” hits: Meatballs (1979), Mr. Mike’s Mondo Video (1979), Where Buffalo Roam (1980), Loose Shoes (1980), Caddyshack (1980), and Stripes (1982). Murray’s acting took a more polished turn in Tootsie (1982), and he was both the lead and a co-screenwriter of The Razor’s Edge (1984).

With Ghostbusters (1984), the actor achieved blockbuster film fame, action-figure immortality, and the NATO Star of the Year award. He followed it with Nothing Lasts Forever (1984), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), the highly-acclaimed Scrooged (1988), She’s Having A Baby (1988), Ghostbusters 2 (1989), Quick Change (1990 – Murray produced and directed), Buddy’s Song (1991), What About Bob? (1991), Maniac Warriors (1992), the huge hit Groundog Day (1993), Mad Dog and Glory (1993), Ed Wood (1994), the unfortunate Larger Than Life (1996), Space Jam (1996), Kingpin (1996), The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997), Wild Things (1998), and With Friends Like These (1998). 1998’s third Murray film, Rushmore, netted the thespian, for his sudden subtle comedic turn, Best Supporting Actor wins from three Film Critics’ societies, a Golden Globe nomination, Independent Spirit and American Comedy awards and a Golden Satellite. Murray continued with character, rather than lead, parts in Cradle Will Rock (1999), Hamlet (2000), and Charlie’s Angels (2000).

In the little time he’s had off-camera, Murray has turned to sports: co-writing Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf, creating NBA promotion packages, and buying the St. Paul Saints baseball team. He has two sons by first wife Mickey Kelly and is presently married to Jennifer Murray. In industry news, he has been named one of Entertainment Weekly’s 50 Funniest People Alive and Empire magazine’s Top 100 Movie Stars Of All Time.

Coming up, on the big screen, are Press Your Luck, Sex, Dead Tired, Veeck as in Wreck, and a possible Charlie’s Angels sequel. All of these performances, overstated or understated, in blockbuster picture or quiet independent flick, will be, as always, impeccably timed and skilfully done. There’s an Oscar out there with Bill Murray’s name on it; we (and the film critics) are sure of it.

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