Bill Murray

Biography

Surely there has never been a greater springboard to fame than Saturday Night Live. In the years since its 1975 inception it has produced a welter of household names. There was the initial burst with Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner and John Belushi. These were closely followed by Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Belushi, then Martin Short, Dana Carvey and Mike Myers. More recently there were Chris Farley, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell. Spinal Tap stars Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean all made a brief showing, as did Joan Cusack, Randy Quaid and Robert Downey Jr. There were a host of others famed in America yet not brought to world attention by cinematic success.

So intensely creative was the show that its participants generally considered it to be the best job in television, unmatchable in the job satisfaction achieved. When their stints were over, most would seek a similar buzz in Hollywood. Some were successful there, yet very few outgrew their comedic roots to become "serious" actors. Murphy and James Belushi found some joy in roustabout action flicks, but this was short-lived. Cusack, Quaid and Downey were primarily actors anyway. Aykroyd was Oscar-nominated for a straight role in Driving Miss Daisy, but never came close to carrying a straight picture. Sandler would make efforts, but his progress was slow.

Really, only one Saturday Night Live alumnus would rise to filmic prominence, maintain a high profile and attain renown as an actor. This was Bill Murray. Having hit big with gonzo comedies, then moved through increasingly sophisticated projects till receiving widespread respect for the likes of Rushmore and Lost In Translation, he has enjoyed major cinema hits in four separate decades, in the meantime transforming himself from a youth icon to, well, an icon for everyone.