By Lucy Santiago
FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American comedian, actor, and singer. He shot to fame on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time. Murphy has received accolades such as the Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award, and an Emmy Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. He was honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2015 and the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2023.
Murphy broke out as a movie star in the 1980s films 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop. He established himself as a leading man with starring roles in: The Golden Child (1986), Coming to America (1988), Harlem Nights (which he also directed) (1989), Boomerang (1992), The Nutty Professor (1996), Dr. Dolittle (1997), Bowfinger (1999), Daddy Day Care (2003) and Norbit (2007). Murphy both won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Dreamgirls (2006).
Murphy has worked as a voice actor, including Mushu in Disney‘s Mulan (1998), Thurgood Stubbs in the sitcom The PJs (1999–2001), and Donkey in the Shrek franchise (2001–2010), the latter of which he earned a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role nomination. Murphy often takes on multiple roles in a single film, such as in Coming to America , the Nutty Professor films, Bowfinger and Norbit. This is intended as Murphy’s tribute to one of his idols, Peter Sellers. After starring in a string of children’s films he had a career resurgence with leading roles in films such as Tower Heist (2011), Dolemite Is My Name (2019), Coming 2 America (2021), You People and Candy Cane Lane (both 2023).
In 2020, he won his first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for hosting Saturday Night Live. Murphy’s films have grossed over $3.8 billion ($6.5 billion adjusted for inflation) in the United States and Canada box office, and over $6.7 billion worldwide. In 2015, his films made him the sixth-highest grossing actor in the United States. As a singer, Murphy has released three studio albums, including How Could It Be (1985), So Happy (1989), and Love’s Alright (1993). He is also known for the hit song “Party All the Time” from 1985.
TODAY’S ALMANAC
Question of the Day
Where does dust come from and what is it?
Advice of the Day
Home Hint of the Day
Word of the Day
Dominical letter
Puzzle of the Day
How much is a skunk worth?
Born
- Washington Irving (author) –
- John Burroughs (naturalist) –
- Leslie Howard (actor) –
- Doris Day (actress & singer) –
- Marlon Brando (actor) –
- Wayne Newton (singer) –
- Alec Baldwin (actor) –
- David Hyde Pierce (actor) –
- Eddie Murphy (actor) –
- Amanda Bynes (actress) –
Died
- Jesse James (outlaw) –
- Johannes Brahms (composer) –
- Sarah Vaughn (jazz singer) –
- Graham Greene (writer) –
Events
- James Carrington patented a coffee mill–
- The Pony Express began postal service–
- The outlaw Jesse James was shot and killed by Robert Ford, a member of James’ gang–
- During the gold rush, a deadly avalanche occurred along Chilkoot Pass in Alaska–
- Writer F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre were married–
- Bruno Hauptmann was executed for the kidnap-murder of the Lindbergh baby–
- The first national issue of TV Guide was published–
- First mobile phone call made–
- Woody Allen’s film Annie Hall won four Academy Awards, including that for Best Picture–
- A French train broke the world speed record for conventional rail trains, reaching 357.2 mph–
- The Tsawwassen First Nation Final Agreement with Canada and British Columbia went into effect–
Weather
- A little more than 10 inches of snow fell in New York City–
- On this day and into April 4, 148 tornadoes touched down in a total of 13 U.S. states.–
- Boston, Massachusetts, was soaked with 2.91 inches of rain. Steuben County in New York State got half a foot of snow.–
COURTESY www.almanac.com
