By the time he was 19, this quick-witted, sharp-tongued black comedian had achieved stardom as the standout cast member on "Saturday Night Live" (1981-84). Having distinguished himself in TV and nightclubs (where he'd done stand-up comedy since age 16), Murphy's next step was motion pictures. His first break came when a last-minute change of plans caused producers to offer him a costarring part with Nick Nolte in 48HRS (1982). A hastily rewritten script drew on his already familiar smartass personality from television and proved a perfect showcase. He had more of a chance to act in Trading Places (1983), opposite Dan Aykroyd, which confirmed that the earlier film had been no fluke: Murphy was a bona fide movie star. After an overpromoted cameo in the dismal Best Defense (1984), the comedian hit pay dirt with his first solo starring vehicle, Beverly Hills Cop (1984), which originally had been written for Sylvester Stallone.
"Every bad decision I've made has been based on money. I grew up in the projects and you don't turn down money there. You take it, because you never know when it's all going to end. I made Cop III because they offered me $15 million. That $15 million was worth having Roger Ebert's thumb up my ass."
Birth name: Edward Regan Murphy
Gender: Male
Spouse: Nicole Mitchell
Profession: Actor
Marital status: Married