Profile of the Day: Bill Murray

Happy birthday to Bill Murray! Today the legendary comedian turns 73.

Image: Bill Murray / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Murray was born on September 21, 1950 in Evanston, Illinois to Lucille Collins, a mailroom clerk, and Edward Joseph Murray, II, a lumbar salesman. One of nine children, Murray was a bit of a troublemaker growing up.

He got his start in comedy after joining his older brother at Chicago’s Second City, an improv comedy troupe. In 1976, he joined the second season of Saturday Night Live. The sketch comedy show was the perfect opportunity to showcase his comedic talents in front of millions of viewers.

Murray next successfully transitioned to film, including hits Meatballs, Groundhog Day, and Ghostbusters. A versatile actor, Murray showed off his dramatic skills in the 2003 film, Lost in Translation, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

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