Murray, Bill

▪ American actor

in full  William James Murray 

born Sept. 21, 1950, Wilmette, Ill., U.S.

      American actor best known for his trademark deadpan humour on television's Saturday Night Live and for his film roles.

      Murray, one of eight children, began his acting career on the National Lampoon Radio Hour (1975) alongside fellow comedians John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. From 1977 to 1980 Murray performed on NBC's Saturday Night Live comedy sketch show, where he popularized a seedy, shifty comedic persona. He launched his film career with a string of commercial hits, including Meatballs (1979), Caddyshack (1980), and Stripes (1981). In 1984 Murray starred with Aykroyd and Harold Ramis in Ghostbusters, which became one of the highest-grossing films of the decade.

      A run of unsuccessful films led Murray into a self-imposed hiatus until he directed and starred in Quick Change (1990). After playing a burned-out weatherman in Groundhog Day (1993), Murray began tackling more thoughtful and challenging film roles, including supporting roles in Ed Wood (1994) and Rushmore (1998).

      In addition to earning an Academy Award nomination, Murray won a Golden Globe Award and a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for his role as a washed-up American actor visiting Japan in the acclaimed film Lost in Translation (2003). The depth and sensitivity of his performance surprised critics and solidified his place as an accomplished dramatic actor. Murray also earned critical acclaim for his performance as a longtime bachelor who reexamines his romantic choices in Broken Flowers (2005).

      Murray later reteamed with Rushmore director Wes Anderson in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) and The Darjeeling Limited (2007). In 2008 he played the corrupt mayor of a city on the brink of destruction in the family film City of Ember.

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