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, 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., 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 and Beverly Hills Cop III. Beverly Hills Cop 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 and Beverly Hills Cop II were critically panned but were still massive draws at the box office.

In 1989, Murphy, coming off another hit, Coming to America, found failure with his directorial debut, Harlem Nights. Another 48 Hrs. and his turn as a hopeless romantic in Boomerang did little to resuscitate his career. However, his remake of Jerry Lewis's The Nutty Professor 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, Mulan, Bowfinger, and the animated smash Shrek, 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.


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

Was cast by "Saturday Night Live" (1975) and NBC when he was 19 years old. Born at 1:30pm-EST. 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). 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. 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 Ghost Busters (1984). 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. Dated Robin Givens. Paid for the funeral of comedic inspiration Redd Foxx. Named one of E!'s Top 20 Entertainers of 2001. 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. Former wife, Nicole Mitchell Murphy, is an Associate with Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. His brother Charles Q. Murphy is a regular performer on the hit sketch comedy show "Chappelle's Show" (2003) on Comedy Central. 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). Chosen as #10 in Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comics of All Time. Hosted the MTV Movie Awards in 1993 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. Chris Rock is an admirer of Murphy and considers him his role model and inspiration to become an actor and comedian. Nephew of Uncle Ray Murphy. Huge fan of Elvis Presley. He and his ex-wife, Nicole Mitchell Murphy, celebrated their first wedding anniversary in Montego Bay, Jamaica where they stayed for one week. One of 115 people invited to join AMPAS in 2007. 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). 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). 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. Supports Senator Barack Obama's bid to win the Democratic nomination for the 2008 presidential election. 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. Was considered for the role of Furious Styles in Boyz n the Hood (1991). At first denied that he was the father of Melanie Brown's daughter Angel until a DNA-test proved that he was. He doesn't drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and the only drug he takes is caffeine. Vacations in Hawaii nearly every year, almost always staying at Maui's Four Seasons Hotel.