Who is Bill Murray? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: William James Murray

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Jennifer Butler (m. 1997–2008), Margaret Kelly (m. 1981–1996)

father: Edward Joseph Murray II

mother: Lucille Murray (née Collins)

siblings: Andy Murray, Brian Doyle-Murray, Edward Murray III, Joel Murray, John Murray, Laura Murray, Nancy Murray, Peggy Murray

children: Cal Murray, Cooper Murray, Homer Murray, Jackson Murray, Lincoln Murray, Luke Murray

Born Country: United States

Quotes By Bill Murray Actors

Height: 6'2" (188 cm), 6'2" Males

Ancestry: Irish American

Notable Alumni: Regis University

City: Evanston, Illinois

U.S. State: Illinois

More Facts

education: Regis University

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Childhood & Early Life

William James "Bill" Murray was born on September 21, 1950, to Lucille Collins, a mail room clerk, and Edward Joseph Murray II, a lumber salesman. Murray had eight siblings.

He attended St. Joseph grade school and Loyola Academy. In order to fund his education at the Jesuit high school, he worked as a golf caddy in his teens.

As a teen, he was the singer of a band called the Dutch Masters and performed in high school and community theatre. He attended Regis University, Denver but dropped out and returned to Illinois.

In 1970, he was arrested at Chicago's O'Hare Airport for trying to smuggle cannabis. He was convicted and sentenced to probation.

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Career

He joined his brother in the cast for the improvisational comedy ‘The Second City’ in Chicago and got to study under Del Close. This gave direction to his life and he took up acting.

In 1975, he was cast in the short-lived ABC variety show, Saturday Night Live. Two years later, NBC invited him to their Saturday Night Live. He was with it for three seasons.

In 1979, he landed his first movie role in the box-office hit, ‘Meatballs’. It was followed by ‘Where the Buffalo’s Roam’ in which he portrayed Hunter S. Thompson. However, the movie flopped.

In 1980, he restored his image as an actor with the cult classic ‘Caddyshack’. The following years saw him act in box-office hits such as ‘Stripes’, and ‘Tootsie’.

In 1984, he co-wrote and acted in ‘The Razor’s Edge’. The movie did not do very well and he was so disappointed that he took four years off, appearing in only cameo roles.

He took time off from movies, except for a cameo appearance in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ in 1986, to be with his family and to study philosophy and history at the Sorbonne.

In 1988, he returned to movies with ‘Scrooged’. It was followed by the sequel ‘Ghostbusters II’, the next year. He even co-directed the movie ‘Quick Change’ with Howard Franklin.

In 1999, he wrote a semi-autobiographic book ‘Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf’, explaining his love for the game of golf.

Once he decided to take up dramatic roles, his career started sky-rocketing with roles in ‘Wild Things’, ‘Cradle Will Rock’, ‘Hamlet’, and in the 2001 critically acclaimed movie ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’.

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In 2004, he provided the voice-over for the cartoon character Garfield in ‘Garfield: The Movie’ and two years later for ‘Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties’.

In 2004, he worked in Wes Anderson’s ‘The Aquatic Life’. He also starred in Jim Jarmusch's ‘Broken Flowers’. The next year, he appeared in cameo roles in ‘The Darjeeling Limited’ and ‘Get Smart’.

After a break from acting, he appeared in a notable role in the movie ‘City of Ember’ in 2008. In the next year, he appeared in a cameo role in the comedy ‘Zombieland’.

In 2012, he took up the role of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the movie ‘Hyde Park on Hudson’. He also starred in Wes Anderson’s ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

He starred alongside Johnny Depp and Jude Law in Wes Anderson’s next film ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’, which released in 2014. He is also renonwed for his voicing work that include 'The Jungle Book,' 'Garfield: The Movie,' 'Isle of Dog,' 'Fanatstic Mr. Fox,' and more.

Quotes: Like, I

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Major Works

In 1984, he made a deal with Columbia Pictures to star in ‘Ghostbusters’. Murray stars as one of the three eccentric ghost-catching parapsychologists. ‘Ghostbusters’ was a huge hit.

The early 1990s, saw him act in movies such as ‘What About Bob?’ and ‘Groundhog Day’. He won critical acclaim for both movies which went on to become box-office hits.

Awards & Achievements

In 1998, for his role in Wes Anderson's ‘Rushmore’, he won Best Supporting Actor awards from the New York Film Critics Circle, National Society of Film Critics, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

In 2003, he acted in Sofia Coppola's ‘Lost in Translation’. He won a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and an Independent Spirit Award. He lost the Academy Award to Sean Penn.

He bagged in a 'Primetime Emmy Award' for his role in 'Olive Kitteridge.' In 2016, he also earned the 'Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.'

Quotes: You, Life

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1981, he married Margaret Kelly on Super Bowl Sunday. They had a marriage ceremony later in church with family on March 25. They had two sons, Homer and Luke.

Murray and Kelly divorced after Murray’s affair with Jennifer Butler came to light. He married Butler in 1997. They had four sons: Caleb, Jackson, Cooper and Lincoln. Butler filed for divorce on the grounds of domestic violence, infidelity and addiction to sex, marijuana and alcohol. They were granted divorce in 2008.

Trivia

This prominent actor was the M.C. for Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival on July 28, 2007. He dressed in various guises of Clapton as he appeared through the years.

This famous actor won the Pro-Am championship at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2011, when he played with tournament champion D. A. Points.

2015	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie	Olive Kitteridge (2014)
1977	Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series	Saturday Night Live (1975)

Bill Murray Biography