Bill Murray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Murray
Murray in 2024
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, serious way of delivering funny lines, which is called "deadpan" humor. Bill Murray has starred in many different kinds of movies, from big comedies to smaller, more serious films.

He became well-known on the TV show Saturday Night Live from 1977 to 1980. After that, he became a movie star in many popular comedies. These include Meatballs (1979), Caddyshack (1980), Stripes (1981), and Groundhog Day (1993). He also played Dr. Peter Venkman in the hit movies Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989). He has returned to this role in other Ghostbusters projects.

Bill Murray has worked a lot with director Wes Anderson. Their movies together 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 a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. In 2016, Bill Murray received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which is a big award for comedians.

Early Life and Family

Bill Murray was born on September 21, 1950, in Evanston, Illinois. His mother, Lucille, worked as a mail-room clerk. His father, Edward, was a lumber salesman. Bill grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb near Chicago.

He was one of nine children in an Irish Catholic family. Many of his relatives came from Ireland. Three of his brothers, John Murray, Joel Murray, and Brian Doyle-Murray, are also actors. His father passed away when Bill was 17 years old.

As a young boy, Bill enjoyed reading stories about American heroes. He went to St. Joseph's grade school and Loyola Academy. To help pay for his high school, he worked as a golf caddy. He also sang in a rock band called the Dutch Masters and acted in school plays. After high school, he briefly attended Regis University in Colorado. He later received an honorary degree from the university in 2007.

Bill Murray's Acting Journey

Starting in Comedy (1970s)

Bill Murray began his comedy career at The Second City in Chicago. This is a famous group that performs improv comedy. In 1974, he moved to New York City. There, he joined The National Lampoon Radio Hour.

Saturday Night Live (1977-1980) In 1975, Bill Murray got his first TV job on a show called Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell. Then, in 1976, he joined the cast of NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL). He replaced Chevy Chase on the show. Bill Murray was on SNL for three seasons, from 1977 to 1980. During his time on SNL, he was in a relationship with fellow cast member Gilda Radner.

Big Movie Roles (1980s)

Murray (right) with Paul Binder in 1989

Bill Murray got his first main movie role in Meatballs in 1979. He then played Hunter S. Thompson in Where the Buffalo Roam (1980). In the early 1980s, he worked with writer-director Harold Ramis. They made several popular movies together. These included Caddyshack (1980), Stripes (1981), and Tootsie (1982).

Bill Murray was the very first guest on Late Night with David Letterman in 1982. He also appeared on Letterman's first show when it moved to CBS in 1993. He was even Letterman's final guest when the host retired in 2015.

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

Continued Success (1990s)

In 1990, Bill Murray tried directing a movie for the first time. He co-directed Quick Change. In 1991, he starred in the comedy What About Bob? with Richard Dreyfuss. This movie was a big hit. In 1993, he starred in another comedy, Groundhog Day. This film was very popular with critics and audiences. Many people consider it one of his best movies.

After Groundhog Day, Murray took on many well-liked supporting roles. He appeared in Tim Burton's Ed Wood (1994) and the comedy Kingpin (1996). In 1996, he also played himself in the movie Space Jam with Michael Jordan. In 1998, he earned a lot of praise for his role in Wes Anderson's film Rushmore. Critics loved his performance. He won several awards for Best Supporting Actor for this movie.

New Challenges (2000s)

Murray at the Get Low premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009

In the 2000s, Bill Murray started taking on more serious roles. This helped his career become even more successful. He appeared in movies like Wild Things and Hamlet. In 2003, he starred in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation. For this role, he won a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Bill Murray has said that Lost in Translation is his favorite movie he has been in.

He continued to do funny roles too. He voiced Garfield in Garfield: The Movie (2004) and Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2006). He later said he thought the script was written by the famous Coen brothers, but it was a different writer with a similar name! In 2009, he had a memorable small role as himself in the zombie comedy Zombieland. He also voiced Mr. Badger in Wes Anderson's animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Recent Work (2010s and 2020s)

Murray in 2014

In 2012, Bill Murray played Franklin D. Roosevelt in the movie Hyde Park on Hudson. Critics praised his performance. He also continued to work with Wes Anderson. He appeared in Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). The Grand Budapest Hotel was a huge success. The cast, including Murray, won an award for their great teamwork.

In 2014, he was in George Clooney's World War II movie, The Monuments Men. He also starred in St. Vincent and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. In 2016, he voiced Baloo in Disney's live-action The Jungle Book.

Bill Murray has returned to the Ghostbusters series several times. He appeared in the 2016 Ghostbusters movie and Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2021. In 2020, he reunited with Sofia Coppola for the movie On the Rocks. He also had a small role in Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch (2021). In 2023, he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Other Interests and Activities

Bill Murray at Pebble Beach Pro Am

Bill Murray is involved in many things outside of acting. He and his brothers own a restaurant called Murray Bros. Caddy Shack. They have locations in Florida and Illinois.

He is also a big fan of baseball. He used to be a part-owner of the St. Paul Saints, a Minor League Baseball team. He also owns parts of other minor league teams. In 2012, he was honored for his work in baseball.

On his birthday in 2016, Bill and his brother Joel started a clothing brand called William Murray Golf. In 2017, Murray released a music album called New Worlds. On the album, he sings and recites poems with classical musicians.

Personal Life

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

Bill Murray is known for being hard to reach in Hollywood. He doesn't have a regular agent or manager. Instead, he uses a special phone number with a voicemail that he checks sometimes. This means he has missed out on some movie roles. But he doesn't mind, saying that a good script is more important than finding him easily.

He has homes in several places, including Los Angeles, California, and Charleston, South Carolina. Bill Murray has talked about dealing with feelings of sadness. He says that art and music have helped him feel better. He is also the godfather to Wes Anderson's daughter, Freya.

Family Life

Bill Murray has been married twice and has six sons. He first 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.

Sports Fan

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

Bill Murray is a huge fan of Chicago sports teams. He especially loves the Chicago Cubs baseball team, the Chicago Bears football team, and the Chicago Bulls basketball team. He was at the 2016 World Series when the Cubs won, which was a historic moment for the team. He often attends games to cheer on his favorite teams.

He also loves basketball and supports the Quinnipiac University basketball team. His son, Luke, is an assistant coach for the UConn Huskies men's basketball team. Bill Murray often attends their games, including their championship win in 2023.

In 2008, he performed a tandem skydive with the U.S. Army Parachute Team. He has also been the host for Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival several times.

Beliefs

Bill Murray has said he is a religious person. He has talked about his Catholic upbringing. He has also shared his thoughts on changes in the Catholic Mass, preferring some older traditions.

He has also shown support for political candidates in the past. In 2018, he commented on tax cuts, saying they were good for businesses.

Helping Others

Bill Murray has also used his success to help others. In 1987, he donated money to build the Nathalie Salmon House. This place provides affordable homes for older people who don't have a lot of money. The founders of the organization said Bill Murray performed "miracles" for them.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Radio

Music Videos

Awards and Honors

Bill Murray has won 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 an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lost in Translation (2003). In 2017, he was added to the Irish-American Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame in 2015.

See also

In Spanish: Bill Murray para niños

• The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned from a Mythical Man, a film about several fun stories and rumors about Bill Murray.
• List of film roles for which Bill Murray was considered