As of this story today….we have 5500+ vintage videos posted here in our ImaSportsphile museum….and we still have another 6,000 to post….in which we have some 120 complete episodes of the super popular live comedy show Saturday Night Live….from the earliest days of the show that premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975….as our recorded videos of the program span from 1977 to 1991….which features the original cast of Not Ready For Prime Time Players…. featuring Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner and Laraine Newman…..who represented the gold standard of comedy troupes for all time. The truth of the matter is that we have tons of footage of each and every NRFPTP in the troupe….but the problem is that we have had only a few of the hundreds of SNL videos that we have in our library currently posted….cuz YouTube won’t allow us to post the majority of our SNL videos due to “possible” copyright infringement….while the balance of our 5500+ videos currently posted are of the same ilk as SNL’s….as they all are recordings of copyright material….which we at ImaSportsphile openly admit that we are not the originators of this content….but there will come a day when we are able to post all of the 12,000 videos that was recorded from 1977 to 1991. All that being said….today’s story is about Bill Murray….who was a member of the original SNL cast….who brought comedic genius from a different angle from the rest of the cast….for the truth be known, the entire NRFPTP troupe were all comedic geniuses in their own right….with each having their own unique style…..albeit Murray genius and style carried him all the way to the present in 2020….so, I picked him first out of the troupe to tell his story as follows.
Comedy – 1974 To 2020 & Beyond – Biography Special – Bill Murray: The Best Documentary Ever
Bill Murray is an American actor, comedian and writer….who is known for his deadpan delivery…..as he first rose to fame on Saturday Night Live…..which was a series of performances that earned him his first Emmy Award…..and then later he starred in comedy films including Meatballs in 1979…..Caddyshack in 1980….Stripes in 1981…. Tootsie in 1982….Ghostbusters in 1984….Scrooged in 1988…. Ghostbusters II in 1989…..What About Bob? in 1991….and Groundhog Day in 1993)…..as he also co-directed Quick Change in 1990. Murray later starred in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation in 2003…. which earned him a Golden Globe and a British Academy Film Award….as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Actor….plus, he received Golden Globe nominations for his roles in Ghostbusters in 1984….Rushmore in 1998…..Hyde Park on Hudson in 2012…..St. Vincent in 2014….and the HBO miniseries Olive Kitteridge in 2014….for which he later won his 2nd Primetime Emmy Award. Murray also received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2016.
Comedy – 2017 – Watch Mojo Special – Top 10 Most Awesome Real Life Bill Murray Moments
With an invitation from his older brother, Brian…..Murray got his start at The Second City in Chicago….which was an improvisational comedy troupe….which was studying under Del Close….then in 1974, he moved to New York City….and was recruited by John Belushi as a featured player on The National Lampoon Radio Hour…..when in 1975, an Off-Broadway version of a Lampoon show led to his first television role as a cast member of the ABC variety show Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell….and then that same season, another variety show titled NBC’s Saturday Night premiered….while Cosell’s show lasted just one season….while being canceled in early 1976. After working in Los Angeles with the “guerrilla video” commune TVTV on several projects, Murray rose to prominence in 1976….when he officially joined the cast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live for the show’s 2nd season….which was following the departure of Chevy Chase. Murray was with SNL for three seasons from 1977 to 1980….when a Rutland Weekend Television sketch that Monty Python’s Eric Idle brought for his appearance on SNL developed into the 1978 mockumentary All You Need Is Cash….with Murray (alongside other SNL cast members) appearing as “Bill Murray the K”….which was a send-up of New York radio host Murray the K….which was a segment of the film that is a parody of the Maysles Brothers’s documentary The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit…..when during the first few seasons of SNL, Murray engaged in a romantic relationship with fellow cast member Gilda Radner.
Comedy – 1978 – Saturday Night Live Skit – Coneheads Vs Mets Family Feud – With Host Richard Dawson (Bill Murray)
Murray landed his first starring role with the film Meatballs in 1979…. then he followed this with a portrayal of Hunter S. Thompson in 1980’s Where the Buffalo Roam…..which was followed by a string of box-office hits including Caddyshack, Stripes and Tootsie. Additionally, Murray was the 1st guest on NBC’s Late Night with David Letterman when it debuted on February 1, 1982…..then he later appeared on the 1st episode of the Late Show with David Letterman on August 30, 1993….when the show moved to CBS. Thirty years after his 1st appearance on Letterman, on January 31, 2012, Murray appeared again on his talk show as his final guest when the host retired on May 20, 2015.
Comedy – 1982 – Late Night With David Letterman – Featuring Bill Murray And The Heckler
Murray began work on a film adaptation of the novel The Razor’s Edge. The film, which Murray co-wrote, was his first starring role in a drama film. He later agreed with Columbia Pictures to star in Ghostbusters—in a role originally written for John Belushi—to get financing for The Razor’s Edge…..as Ghostbusters became the highest-grossing film of 1984….and the highest-grossing comedy of all-time. The Razor’s Edge, which was filmed before Ghostbusters but not released until after, was a box-office flop.
Comedy – 1982 – TV Special Skit – “It Ain’t Easy Being Me” – With Bill Murray As Rodney Dangerfield’s Psychiatrist
Frustrated over the failure of The Razor’s Edge, Murray stepped away from acting for four years to study philosophy and history at Sorbonne University, frequent the Cinémathèque in Paris and spend time with his family in their Hudson River Valley home. With the exception of a cameo appearance in the 1986 film Little Shop of Horrors, he did not make any appearances in films, though he did participate in several public readings in Manhattan organized by playwright/director Timothy Mayer….and in a stage production of Bertolt Brecht’s A Man’s a Man…..then Murray returned to films with Scrooged in 1988 and Ghostbusters II in 1989.
Comedy – 2015 – Special – Bill Murray: Seriously Funny
In 1990, Murray made his first and only attempt at directing when he co-directed Quick Change with producer Howard Franklin…..while his subsequent films What About Bob? in 1991 and Groundhog Day in 1993 were box-office hits. After Groundhog Day, he appeared in a series of well-received supporting roles in films like Ed Wood, Kingpin, and Space Jam (where he appeared as himself….however, his starring roles in Larger than Life and The Man Who Knew Too Little were not as successful with critics or audiences. In 1998, he received a great deal of critical acclaim for Wes Anderson’s Rushmore….for which he won Best Supporting Actor awards from the New York Film Critics Circle, the National Society of Film Critics and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
Comedy – 1993 – Excerpt From Movie “Mad Dog and Glory” – With Bill Murray Stand Up Routine On Mafia
Murray decided to take a turn towards more dramatic roles and experienced a resurgence in his career….while taking on roles in Wild Things, Cradle Will Rock, Hamlet (as Polonius), and The Royal Tenenbaums. In 2003, he appeared in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation….and went on to earn a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award and an Independent Spirit Award….as well as Best Actor awards from several film critic organizations. He was considered a favorite to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, but Sean Penn ultimately won the award for his performance in Mystic River. In an interview included on the Lost in Translation DVD, Murray states that it is his favorite film in which he has appeared. Also in 2003, he appeared in a short cameo for Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee and Cigarettes….in which he played himself “hiding out” in a local coffee shop.
Comedy – 1981 – Excerpt From Movie “Stripes” – Graduation Drill Scene With Bill Murray
During this time Murray still appeared in comedic roles such as Charlie’s Angels and Osmosis Jones. In 2004, he provided the voice of Garfield in Garfield: The Movie….and again in 2006 for Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties. Murray later said that he only took the role because he was under the mistaken impression that the screenplay, co-written by Joel Cohen, was the work of Joel Coen. In 2004, he made his 3rd collaboration with Wes Anderson in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou….and in 2005 his 2nd collaboration with Jim Jarmusch in Broken Flowers. That same year, Murray announced that he was taking a hiatus from acting as he had not had the time to relax since his new breakthrough in the late 1990’s. He did return to the big screen for brief cameos in Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited and in Get Smart as Agent 13, the agent in the tree. In 2008, he played an important role in the post-apocalyptic film City of Ember.
Comedy – 1982 – Special – Bill Murray Rant On Technology – “Who Thinks This Stuff Up!?!”
In 2009, Murray starred in the independent film Get Low alongside Robert Duvall, and Sissy Spacek. The film is loosely based on a true story about a Tennessee hermit in the 1930’s….who throws his own funeral party while still alive….as both Murray and Duvall received critical praise….and the film received the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. Also in 2009, Murray had a memorable cameo role as himself in the zombie comedy Zombieland starring Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Jesse Eisenberg. Murray provided the voice for the character Mr. Badger another Wes Anderson movie the 2009 animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox. The film went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.
Comedy – 1988 – Animated Special Interview By T J English – Bill Murray On “Being Obnoxious”
In 2012, Murray starred in Roger Michell’s historical comedy Hyde Park on Hudson….where he played Franklin D. Roosevelt opposite Laura Linney who played Roosevelt’s cousin Margaret Suckley and Olivia Williams who portrayed Eleanor Roosevelt….as the film focuses on the 1939 visit at Hyde Park of that of the Roosevelts with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth portrayed by Samuel West and Olivia Colman respectively. Murray received praise from critics with Roger Ebert writing, “Murray, who has a wider range than we sometimes realize, finds the human core of this FDR and presents it tenderly.” Murray also received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor In Motion Picture Musical or Comedy nomination for his performance.
Comedy – 1979 – Excerpt From Movie “Meatballs” – With Bill Murray On “It Just Doesn’t Matter”
Since 2010, Murray has continued to appear in multiple films with Wes Anderson including the coming of age comedy Moonrise Kingdom in 2012….which also starred Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, and Tilda Swinton. The film premiered at the 65th Cannes Film Festival….where it competed for the Palme d’Or…..as the film was a box office and critical success. In 2016, the BBC included the film in its list of greatest films of the twenty-first century.
Comedy & Music – 2016 – SNL Skit – Bill Murray + Cubs Rizzo ,Fowler Ross Sing “Go Cubs Go”
Murray also made a brief comic turn in The Grand Budapest Hotel in 2014…..where he played, M. Ivan, Gustave’s friend and one of several concierges affiliated with the Society of the Crossed Keys. The film competed at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival….where it received rousing reviews…..while becoming Wes Andersons most financially successful film by making $172 million. The film received 9 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture….while ultimately receiving 4 for Costume Design, Production Design, Makeup/Hair and Original Score. Murray himself along with the cast won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for his ensemble work in The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Comedy – 2014 – Special – Bill Murray: “No One Will Ever Believe You”
In 2014, Murray starred in George Clooney’s world war II ensemble drama also starring Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Jean Dujardin, and Bob Balaban….when the film received mixed reviews from critics….while being a modest box office success. Later that year Murray also starred St. Vincent alongside Melissa McCarthy and Naomi Watts….from which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance. He also played a music manager in 2015’s Rock the Kasbah….then in 2016, he was the voice of Baloo the Bear in the live-action adaptation of Disney’s The Jungle Book, directed by Jon Favreau. The film earned a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes…..and Murray was nominated to for Favorite Animated Movie Voice at the People’s Choice Awards….which he lost to Ellen DeGeneres. In 2018, Murray portrayed Steve Bannon on Saturday Night Live alongside Fred Armisen as Michael Wolff. That year he was also a part of Wes Anderson’s ensemble cast of the animated film Isle of Dogs….which premiered at the 68th Berlin International Film Festival. In 2019, Murray was part of the ensemble cast of the zombie-comedy The Dead Don’t Die directed by Jim Jarmusch.
Comedy – 2015 – Interview With Charlie Rose – Bill Murray Gives A Surprising And Meaningful Answer You Might Not Expect
On February 2, 2020, a Jeep commercial starring Murray aired during the Super Bowl referencing his role in the film Groundhog Day as Phil, with him stealing the groundhog and driving him to various places in the orange Jeep Gladiator. Murray then reunited with Sofia Coppola for the comedy-drama On the Rocks opposite Rashida Jones when the film premiered at the 58th New York Film Festival….where it received positive reviews with many critics praising Murray’s performance….as critic David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote of his performance that “Murray has seldom been better”….as the film was scheduled to be released in a limited theatrical release on October 2, 2020, by A24, followed by digital streaming on October 23, 2020, by Apple TV+.
Comedy – 2013 – London Press Red Carpet News – Bill Murray Admits A Painting Saved His Life
Murray will next appear in a small role in The French Dispatch…. thus reuniting him with Wes Anderson for the 9th time. It was set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 12, 2020….and get a wide release on July 24….but due to the COVID-19 pandemic that locked the USA down starting in April 2020, the festival was cancelled and the film was pulled from the schedule on April 3, 2020. The film was rescheduled for release on October 16, 2020 before being pulled from the schedule again on July 23, 2020. He will also reprise his role as Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters: Afterlife directed by Jason Reitman.
Comedy – 1977 – SNL Skit – Bill Murray’s Apology For Not Being Funny
When you consider that Bill Murray has been entertaining folks since 1974….and he is still doing so in 2020….that simply covers a span of 46 years….and albeit he has been stapled with a great deal of acting talent along the way since 1978….it is his unique comedic genius from a different angle that sets him aside in the history of great comedians and comedy ….as evidenced by the wonderful Bill Murray video footage in this story herewith….as we a “tickled pink” to showcase this extremely talented man.
Comedy – 1987 – SNL’s 500th Show Anniversary – Featuring Bill Murray’s “American Humor” Monologue
