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R.I.P. Charlie Murphy - Comedian Dead At 57


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Charlie Murphy, Comedian and 'Chappelle's Show' Star, Dead at 57

 

 

Actor, famous for "Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories," succumbs to leukemia.

 

 

 

 

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Charlie Murphy, comedian and 'Chappelle's Show' star, has died at age 57. Tim Knox/eyevine/Redux

 

 

 

 

By Daniel Kreps

 

1 hour ago

 

 

 

 

 

Charlie Murphy, the older brother of Eddie Murphy, a Chappelle's Show star and an accomplished comedian in his own right, died Wednesday in New York City. He was 57. Murphy's publicist confirmed the comedian's death to Rolling Stone, adding that the cause of death was leukemia.

 

 

After making his big screen debut in 1989's Harlem Nights, directed by his younger brother Eddie, and appearing in bit roles in Spike Lee films like Mo' Better Blues and Jungle Fever, Murphy's big break came as a cast member on Chappelle's Show, where "Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories" resulted in a pair of that series' most memorable sketches. Both sketches featured Murphy reminiscing about he and Eddie's celebrity encounters in the Eighties, with Dave Chappelle portraying Rick James and Prince in the now-legendary sketches. Charlie Murphy also co-wrote Vampire in Brooklyn, another film directed by Eddie, as well as 2007's Norbit. Murphy also appeared in 1998's The Player's Club, directed by Ice Cube. The rapper paid tribute to Murphy on Twitter.

 

 

Growing up in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn, Charlie often stuck up for his younger brother; in defending Eddie, Charlie joked about fearing his mom's wrath if bullies picked on Eddie more than the bullies themselves. That guardian role made Charlie a natural to serve as Eddie's security guard as the comedian quickly ascended to stardom. Charlie's propensity towards overreacting while guarding his brother – "Whoever say something, I almost gave this old man a heart attack on a plane because he asked us if we were a basketball team. I took that personally," Murphy said in a Chappelle's Show outtake – forced Murphy to embark on his own career.

One night at an Eddie Murphy stand-up performance, Charlie went after one heckler "who tried to squeeze the lemon." "I took it as a personal crusade until they were like, 'You're a little overzealous in how you're performing your job.' So that's how I ended up not doing [security] anymore," Murphy said.

 

 

In 2016, Murphy took part in the Comedy Get Down tour alongside Cedric The Entertainer, Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley and George Lopez. His recent credits include voice roles in the animated series Black Dynamite and Black Jesus and an appearance in the 2016 film Meet the Blacks.

 

In 2009, Tisha Taylor Murphy, Murphy's wife of 12 years, died following her own battle with cervical cancer.

 

In a Facebook message posted Tuesday night, Murphy wrote, "One to Sleep On: Release the past to rest as deeply as possible."

http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/charlie-murphy-comedian-and-chappelles-show-star-dead-at-57-w476365

 

Tributes, tweets and YouTube-videos are in the article link, but feel free to share in this topic nevertheless.

 

 

I saw pictures of him recently and was shocked by his appearance and thought he was sick. This is not a surprise, but it's still a shock. Was hoping it was something he could come back from. Charlie Murphy was an important and hilarious part of my childhood, not only through his role on Chappelle's Show, but also as Ed Wuncler III on The Boondocks. This really saddens me. R.I.P.

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It's crazy how much impact this guy had just from the couple episodes of Chappelle show that he did. I mean...I know he was a comedian in his own right, but those episodes of Chappelle show are where most people know him from.

 

Anyway, RIP.

 

Condolences to Eddie and the rest of the Murphy family.

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