Eddie Murphy

Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy (born April 3, 1961, Brooklyn, New York) is an American comedian and actor.

Saturday Night Live

On an autumn morning in 1980, the phone of talent coordinator Neil Levy began ringing off the hook. A young man at the other end of the line begged the producer to give him a shot on the show, but was constantly rejected by the show having already booked a full cast. The man pleaded with Levy that he had several siblings banking on him getting a spot on the show. Levy finally conceded and allowed the man an audition. The caller was a 19-year-old named Eddie Murphy, and his audition performance had Neil Levy begging with new executive producer Jean Doumanian (who succeed Lorne Michaels after the 1979-1980 season) to let him on the show. Doumanian refused, citing that another actor named Robert Townsend had already been selected as the cast's "token black guy," and that the show's shrunken budget could not allow for any more actors. Doumanian changed her mind after watching Murphy's audition and also began pleading with the network to allow him on the show. NBC only agreed after it was determined that Townsend had not yet signed a contract, and Murphy was cast as a featured player.

Related Topics:
1980 - Jean Doumanian - Lorne Michaels - Robert Townsend - NBC

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In the second episode of the 1980-1981 season hosted Malcolm McDowell, Murphy made his network television debut as an extra in a skit called "In Search Of The Negro Republican". Murphy had his first speaking role two weeks later as Raheem Abdul Muhummad on Weekend Update. He made such a positive impression that he would be called on for more in later episodes. Murphy would soon be raised to the status of full cast member.

Related Topics:
Malcolm McDowell - Weekend Update

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The 1980-1981 season would ultimately prove to be such a disaster that NBC fired Jean Doumanian and everybody in the cast with the exception of Murphy and Joe Piscopo. Where as Murphy had rarely been featured during Doumanian's tenure, he became a break-out star under Doumanian's replacement, Dick Ebersol. Murphy's soaring popularity helped restore the show's ratings. He created some of the period's best characters, including the empty-headed former child movie star Buckwheat and an irascible, life-size version of the Gumby toy character, complete with life-size star ego. Murphy could also pull off an uncanny impression of Stevie Wonder (who, sportingly, appeared in a fake ad for Polaroid cameras). SNL was mostly a two-man show from 1981?1984, with Murphy and Piscopo playing a bulk of the lead characters. All other cast members played supporting roles and were treated with very little patience by the producers.

Related Topics:
Joe Piscopo - Dick Ebersol - Ratings - Buckwheat - Gumby - Stevie Wonder - Polaroid

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