William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an Irish-American comedian, producer, film director, and actor. He was raised in Wilmette, Illinois and graduated from Loyola Academy. With an invitation from his brother Brian Doyle Murray, Bill got his start with Second City Chicago whose cast roster at the time also included John Candy and David Rasche (later of Sledge Hammer fame). The improvisational troupe was a perfect fit for Murray's clever dry wit and ad-libbing, which Murray later revisited the troupe with the TV special Bill Murray Live From the Second City (1980).
Murray initially rose to prominence as a cast member of and a writer for NBC's Saturday Night Live television series from 1977 to 1980. He had previously been a featured player on the National Lampoon Radio Hour, aired nationally on some 600 stations between 1973 and 1975. Other cast members included John Belushi, Gilda Radner, and his older brother, Brian Doyle-Murray. Former SNL writer Margaret Oberman has said Murray and Eddie Murphy are the two most talented people in the history of the show.
Most of his roles have been comedic, featuring Murray's dry wit. However, he has also played serious (or at least semi-serious) roles in films such as Mad Dog and Glory, The Razor's Edge, Rushmore, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and Broken Flowers. He also garnered considerable acclaim (an Academy Awards nomination, and Golden Globes and BAFTA awards) as the lead in the 2003 film Lost in Translation. One of Murray's most recognised roles is that of Peter Venkman from the Ghostbusters movies, a role originally intended for John Belushi, who died before production began.
Murray is the fifth of nine children in a large, Irish Catholic family. Three of Murray's siblings are also actors: John Murray, Joel Murray, and Brian Doyle-Murray. All four Murray brothers appeared in the 1988 film Scrooged. He is a partner with his brothers in "Murray Bros. Caddy Shack", a Florida and South Carolina restaurant chain managed by a former chief operating officer of the Hard Rock Cafe. The chain's theme reflects both Murray's memorable performance as the Carl the groundskeeper in the 1980 film Caddyshack and his longtime love of golf. Murray is an avid golfer who often plays in celebrity tournaments.
Most recently Murray starred in the critically acclaimed, Jim Jarmusch-directed adult comedy Broken Flowers.
In 2005 he announced that he would take a break from acting, as he had not had the time since his new breakthrough in the late-1990s.
Murray co-authored the 1999 book Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf, part autobiography and part essay on his love of golf.
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