Bill Murray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Murray
Murray at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival
Born	William James Murray (1950-09-21) September 21, 1950 (age 74) Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Education	Regis University
Occupation	Actor comedian
Years active	1973–present
Spouse(s)	Margaret Kelly ​ ​ (m. 1981; div. 1996)​ Jennifer Butler ​ ​ (m. 1997; div. 2008)​
Children	6, including Luke
Relatives	Brian Doyle-Murray (brother) Joel Murray (brother)
Awards	Full list

William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is a famous American actor and comedian. He is known for his calm, funny style in many movies, from big comedies to smaller dramas. He has won many awards, including a BAFTA Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards. He was also nominated for an Academy Award. In 2016, Murray received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, a special award for comedians.

Murray became well-known on the TV show Saturday Night Live from 1977 to 1980. He won an Emmy Award for writing on the show. He became a movie star in popular comedies like Meatballs (1979), Caddyshack (1980), Stripes (1981), and Groundhog Day (1993). He also played Dr. Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989). He has returned to this role in other Ghostbusters projects. Murray has also lent his voice to animated films such as Garfield (2004), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), and The Jungle Book (2016).

He often works with director Wes Anderson, appearing in ten of his films. These include Rushmore (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). He also starred in Sofia Coppola's movie Lost in Translation (2003). For this role, he won Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Early Life and Education

Bill Murray was born on September 21, 1950, in Evanston, Illinois. His mother, Lucille, worked in a mail room, and his father, Edward, was a lumber salesman. Bill and his eight brothers and sisters grew up in an Irish Catholic family. Three of his brothers, John, Joel Murray, and Brian Doyle-Murray, are also actors.

As a young person, Murray enjoyed reading biographies of American heroes. He attended St. Joseph's grade school and Loyola Academy. During his teenage years, he worked as a golf caddy to help pay for his high school education. He also sang in a rock band called the Dutch Masters and acted in school plays.

After high school, Murray went to Regis University in Denver to study medicine. However, he soon left college and returned to Illinois. In 2007, Regis University gave him an honorary degree.

Career Highlights

Starting in Comedy and Saturday Night Live

Bill Murray began his comedy career at The Second City in Chicago, an improvisational comedy group. His older brother, Brian, invited him to join. In 1974, Murray moved to New York City. He became a cast member on The National Lampoon Radio Hour.

In 1975, he joined the TV show Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell. The next year, he joined NBC's Saturday Night Live for its second season. He was on SNL for three seasons, from 1977 to 1980. During this time, he became very popular. His first main movie role was in Meatballs (1979).

Working with Harold Ramis and Ghostbusters

Murray (right) with Paul Binder in 1989

In the early 1980s, Murray worked with writer and director Harold Ramis. They made several successful movies together. These included Caddyshack (1980) and Stripes (1981). He also had a role in Tootsie (1982).

Murray starred in Ghostbusters (1984), which became a huge hit. It was the highest-grossing film of 1984 and the highest-grossing comedy at that time. After this, Murray took a break from acting for four years. He studied history and philosophy in Paris and spent time with his family. He returned to movies with Scrooged (1988) and Ghostbusters II (1989).

In 1990, Murray co-directed his only film, Quick Change. He then starred in What About Bob? (1991) and the popular fantasy comedy Groundhog Day (1993). Critics praised his performance in Groundhog Day. He also starred in Mad Dog and Glory (1993) with Robert De Niro.

Comedy and Serious Roles

Murray has worked with Wes Anderson in 10 of his films since 1998.

After Groundhog Day, Murray appeared in supporting roles in films like Tim Burton's Ed Wood (1994) and Kingpin (1996). He also played himself in Space Jam (1996) with Michael Jordan.

He received great praise for his role in Wes Anderson's comedy Rushmore (1998). This role helped him take on more serious parts. In 2000, he played Polonius in Hamlet. He also reunited with Wes Anderson in The Royal Tenenbaums (2001).

Murray acted in many Sofia Coppola films since 2003.

In 2003, Murray starred in Lost in Translation, directed by Sofia Coppola. He played an aging movie star in Tokyo who forms an unexpected friendship. Critics loved his performance. He won several awards and was nominated for an Academy Award. Murray has said this is his favorite film he has been in.

He voiced Garfield in Garfield: The Movie (2004) and its sequel. He continued to work with Wes Anderson in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004). In 2005, he starred in Broken Flowers. He also had small roles in The Darjeeling Limited (2007) and Get Smart (2008). In 2009, he played himself in the comedy Zombieland. He also voiced Mr. Badger in Anderson's animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009).

Recent Work

Murray at Berlinale in 2014.

In 2012, Murray played Franklin D. Roosevelt in Hyde Park on Hudson. Critics praised his portrayal of the former president. He continued to appear in Wes Anderson's films, including Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). The cast of The Grand Budapest Hotel won a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Murray at the premiere of The Monuments Men (2014)

Murray starred in the World War II drama The Monuments Men (2014) with George Clooney. He also played the main role in St. Vincent (2014), earning another Golden Globe nomination. In 2015, he starred in a Sofia Coppola-directed musical holiday special for Netflix called A Very Murray Christmas.

Murray at Berlinale in 2018.

In 2016, he voiced Baloo in Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book. He also appeared in the 2016 Ghostbusters movie and Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), reprising his role as Peter Venkman. In 2018, he was part of Wes Anderson's animated film Isle of Dogs. He also appeared in Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) and The Dead Don't Die (2019).

Murray and Naomi Watts at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024.

In 2020, Murray reunited with Sofia Coppola for On the Rocks, which received positive reviews. He also appeared in Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch (2021). In 2023, he joined the cast of the superhero film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In 2024, he starred in The Friend and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. He will appear in Wes Anderson's tenth film, The Phoenician Scheme, in 2025.

Other Activities

Bill Murray at Pebble Beach Pro Am

Bill Murray is a partner with his brothers in Murray Bros. Caddy Shack, a restaurant with two locations. He has also been involved in Minor League Baseball teams. He was a part-owner of the St. Paul Saints and has invested in other teams. In 2012, he was inducted into the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame for his contributions to baseball.

In 2016, Murray and his brother Joel launched a clothing brand called William Murray Golf. In 2017, Murray released a music album called New Worlds, where he sang and recited literature with classical musicians.

Personal Life

Bill Murray is known for being private and not having a traditional agent or manager. He often receives scripts through a personal voicemail. He has homes in several places, including Los Angeles and Charleston, South Carolina.

Murray is the godfather to Wes Anderson's daughter, Freya.

Family Life

Bill Murray married Margaret Kelly in 1981. They had two sons, Homer and Luke. They divorced in 1996. In 1997, he married Jennifer Butler. They had four sons: Caleb, Jackson, Cooper, and Lincoln. They divorced in 2008. Jennifer Butler passed away in 2021.

Sports Fan

Murray cheering for the Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team at the 2005 Final Four in St. Louis

Murray is a big fan of several Chicago sports teams, especially the Chicago Cubs baseball team. He was at the Cubs' historic Game Seven victory in the 2016 World Series. He has even sung "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at Wrigley Field. He also supports the Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team. His son, Luke, is an assistant coach for the UConn Huskies men's basketball team, and Murray often attends their games.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Recognition

Bill Murray has received many awards for his acting. These include a BAFTA Award, two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and two Independent Spirit Awards. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lost in Translation (2003).

In 2015, Murray was added to the Caddie Hall of Fame. In 2017, he and actor Martin Sheen were inducted into the Irish-American Hall of Fame.

Images for kids

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  Eric Clapton and Murray kicking off the Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2007

See also

In Spanish: Bill Murray para niños