Eddie Murphy
“Nineteen on SNL, Axel, Raw — then a quiet, then Dolemite, then the hour again.”
Hired by 'Saturday Night Live' in 1980 at age 19, Murphy is widely credited with saving the struggling show. By 1982 he leapt to film with '48 Hrs.,' and 1984's 'Beverly Hills Cop' became the year's highest-grossing release, making him a global box-office superstar.
Brooklyn Beginnings
Edward Regan Murphy was born in 1961 in Brooklyn and raised in Bushwick. The son of a transit officer who was also an amateur comedian, he began doing stand-up as a teenager after discovering Richard Pryor's albums.
Saving SNL, Conquering Film
Murphy joined 'Saturday Night Live' in 1980 at nineteen and became its breakout star. His film debut in '48 Hrs.' (1982) and the blockbuster 'Beverly Hills Cop' (1984) made him one of the decade's biggest box-office draws.
Reinvention and Honors
Murphy reinvented himself with family hits like 'The Nutty Professor' and 'Shrek,' then earned an Oscar nomination for 'Dreamgirls.' He received the Mark Twain Prize in 2015 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2026.
Career Timeline
- 1961Born in Brooklyn. Raised in Roosevelt.
- 1980Saturday Night Live.
- 1984Beverly Hills Cop.
- 1987Raw.
- 2019Dolemite Is My Name. The door back in.
Biggest Hits
- Murphy is widely credited with saving 'Saturday Night Live' from cancellation during the early 1980s.
- Hearing Richard Pryor's comedy at age fifteen inspired his decision to become a comedian.
Portrait: David Shankbone · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons