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William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor, voice actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter, known for his deadpan speech delivery. He is perhaps best known for portraying Peter Venkman in the Ghostbusters films (along with playing Dr. Martin Heiss in the 2016 film reboot), as well as voicing the titular character of the live-action Garfield films and Clive Badger in the 2009 stop-motion adaptation of Fantastic Mr. Fox. He is also well-known for starring in various comedy films, such as Meatballs, Caddyshack, Stripes, Little Shop of Horrors, Scrooged, and Groundhog Day. Additionally, he is known as a member of The Not Ready for Prime Time Players on NBC's Saturday Night Live (1977–1980).
His Disney roles include playing Bob Wiley in the 1991 Touchstone Pictures film What About Bob?, Bunny Breckinridge in Ed Wood, Herman Blume in Rushmore, Tommy Crickshaw in Cradle Will Rock, and the titular character of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. He also voiced Baloo in the 2016 live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book with a new performance of "The Bare Necessities" song, and was mentioned in The Muppets episode "A Tail of Two Piggies". Additionally, he portrayed Arthur Howitzer Jr. in the 2021 Searchlight Pictures film The French Dispatch and Krylar in the 2023 Marvel film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. He will reprise his role as Baloo in the upcoming live-action sequel The Jungle Book 2.
Murray was born in Evanston, Illinois, to Lucille Murray (née Collins), a mail-room clerk, and Edward Joseph Murray II, a lumber salesman. He was raised in Wilmette, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago. Murray and his eight siblings grew up in an Irish Catholic family. His paternal grandfather was from County Cork, while his maternal ancestors were from County Galway. Three of his siblings, John Murray, Joel Murray, and Brian Doyle-Murray, are also actors. A sister, Nancy, is an Adrian Dominican nun in Michigan; she has traveled the United States in two one-woman programs, portraying Catherine of Siena and Dorothy Stang. His brother Ed Murray died in 2020. Their father died in 1967 at the age of 46 from complications of diabetes when Bill was 17.
As a youth, Murray read children's biographies of American heroes, like Kit Carson, Wild Bill Hickok, and Davy Crockett. He attended St. Joseph's grade school and Loyola Academy. During his teen years, he worked as a golf caddy to fund his education at the Jesuit high school, and was the lead singer of a rock band called the Dutch Masters and took part in high school and community theater. One of his sisters had polio and his mother suffered several miscarriages.
Roles[]
(What About Bob?)
(Ed Wood)
(Rushmore)
(The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou)
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Murray was considered for the roles of Indiana Jones and Han Solo, but both roles went to Harrison Ford.[1]
- He was also considered for the role of Wayne Szalinski in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Amusingly enough, it was his idea to cast his fellow Ghostbusters alumni Rick Moranis for the role instead.[citation needed]
- He was also considered for the role of Allen Bauer in Splash. However, after reading the script, Murray showed his disgust by throwing it across the room.[1] The role later went to Tom Hanks.
- He was also one of several actors considered for the voice role of Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story, along with Billy Crystal, Jim Carrey, Chevy Chase, Bruce Willis, and Phil Hartman. However, Tim Allen was cast in the end.[2][3]
- He was also considered for the role of Scott Calvin in The Santa Clause. However, because he didn't enjoy the filming of Scrooged (1988) and didn't want to be cast in another Christmas movie, he turned down the role which later went to Tim Allen.[1]
- He was also considered for the voice roles of Pacha and James P. Sullivan in The Emperor's New Groove and Monsters, Inc. (respectively). However, John Goodman was cast in the end.[2][3]
- He was originally considered for the role of Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, along with several other actors, but he missed out on it due to his method of receiving offers for roles. The regret he felt from missing the opportunity led to him taking on a cameo role in the Warner Bros. hybrid film Space Jam.[citation needed]
- He was also considered for the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. However, the role was ultimately given to Ewan McGregor.[citation needed]
- He was also considered for the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl before the role went to Johnny Depp.[citation needed]
- He is the second member of his family to voice Baloo after his brother Brian Doyle-Murray voiced Baloo in The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story.
- He was also set to star in the cancelled Searchlight Pictures film Being Mortal.
