Bill Murray
Details
- Date of Birth:
- September 21, 1950
- Height:
- 6' 2"
- Hometown:
- Wilmete
Bio:
Bill Murray (born William James Murray on September 21, 1950 in Evanston, Illinois) is an American actor and comedian. Bill grew up in Wilmette, a northern suburb of Chicago, where he lived with his family. During his teen years, Bill worked as a golf caddy to fund his enrollment at Loyola Academy. After graduating, Murray attended school at Regis University, taking pre-med courses before dropping out. Murray began his career in comedy by studying with The Second City, the legendary Chicago-based improv comedy troupe. In 1974, he moved to New York City and was recruited by John Belushi to be a player on The National Lampoon Radio Hour. In 1976, Bill joined the cast of Saturday Night Live and stayed with the show until 1980. Bill’s first starring film role was in 1979’s Meatballs, which led to a string of box-office hits including Caddyshack, Stripes and Ghostbusters. Bill co-wrote and starred in The Razor’s Edge but its failure led him to take four years off from acting. During that time, Bill studied philosophy and history in Paris. He returned to acting with hits Scrooged, Ghostbusters II and Groundhog Day. In 1998, Bill starred in Wes Anderson‘s Rushmore, beginning a lengthy working relationship between the two. Bill’s attempt at serious dramatic roles included Wild Things and Sofia Coppola‘s Lost In Translation. His role in that movie earned Bill the Golden Globe, BAFTA and Independent Spirt Award for Best Actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance but lost to Sean Penn. Bill has since made some notable cameos in such films as City of Embers, Get Smart and Zombieland, but has reduced his film appearances.
Best Known For:
Bill Murray is best know for his comedic roles in classic 80’s comedies as well as his appearances in many Wes Anderson films.
Personal Life:
Bill married Margaret Kelly in 1981. Together, they have two sons, Homer and Luke. The two divorced in 1996. Bill married Jennifer Butler in 1997 and the two have four sons: Caleb, Jackson, Cooper and Lincoln. In 2008, the two divorced. Murray is an avid sports fan. He’s part-owner of multiple minor league baseball teams. He is also a known golfer and has appeared in many pro-am golf tournaments. Bill has eight siblings, three of which are also actors – John Murray, Joel Murray and Brian Doyle-Murray.