Charles Quinton Murphy (July 12, 1959 – April 12, 2017) was an American actor, comedian, and writer. He was best known as a writer and cast member of the Comedy Central sketch-comedy series Chappelle’s Show and as the co-star of the sitcom Black Jesus. He was the older brother of actor and comedian Eddie Murphy.
Early life
Murphy was born on July 12, 1959, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. His mother Lillian was a telephone operator and his father, Charles Edward Murphy, was a transit police officer, actor, and comedian.
As an adolescent, Murphy spent ten months in jail. In 1978, on the day of his release he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years as a boiler technician.
Career
Murphy had minor roles in several films in the late 1980s and early 1990s and worked behind the scenes with hip hop group K-9 Posse, a duo composed of his half-brother Vernon Lynch, Jr. and Wardell Mahone. On their 1988 self-titled debut, Murphy was credited as the album’s executive producer as well as songwriter on “Somebody’s Brother” and “Say Who Say What.” He also made an appearance in the video for the duo’s first single, “This Beat Is Military.” Murphy’s first major role in a motion picture was in the 1993 film CB4, playing the antagonist Gusto.
Murphy gained national attention as a recurring performer on Chappelle’s Show, particularly in the Charlie Murphy’s True Hollywood Stories sketches. In these, Murphy recounts his misadventures as part of his brother’s entourage including encounters with various celebrities such as Rick James and Prince. After Chappelle’s Show host Dave Chappelle left the show, Murphy and Donnell Rawlings hosted the “lost episodes” compiled from sketches produced before his departure.
In 2005, he appeared in King’s Ransom (alongside Anthony Anderson and Jay Mohr). In the film, Murphy portrayed Herb, a gay ex-con who is hired by King (Anderson) to fake his kidnapping. Murphy also did voiceovers for Budweiser radio commercials, provided the voice for Iraq War veteran/criminal Ed Wuncler III on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim series The Boondocks, and the voice for a pimp named Jizzy-B in Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas video game. Murphy provided the voice for Spock on the G4TV’s Star Trek 2.0 shorts, and the dog in his younger brother Eddie’s 2007 film, Norbit.
On March 20, 2009, his own sketch comedy series Charlie Murphy’s Crash Comedy began on Crackle. A stand-up special, Charlie Murphy: I Will Not Apologize premiered on Comedy Central in late February 2010. Murphy also made special appearances in 1000 Ways to Die and the TBS sitcom Are We There Yet? as Frank Kingston. In 2014–15, Murphy played Vic on the Adult Swim live action show Black Jesus.
Personal life
Murphy was a resident of Tewksbury Township, New Jersey. He was married to Tisha Taylor Murphy from 1997 until her death from cervical cancer in December 2009. The couple had two children together, and Murphy had one child from a previous relationship. He was a karate practitioner.
Death
Murphy died from leukemia on April 12, 2017, aged 57 in Brooklyn.
Filmography
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Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Harlem Nights | Jimmy The Muffin Man | |
| 1990 | Mo’ Better Blues | Eggy | |
| 1991 | Jungle Fever | Livin’ Large | |
| 1993 | CB4 | Gusto | |
| 1995 | Vampire in Brooklyn | Writer | |
| 1996 | The Pompatus of Love | Saxophone Man | |
| 1998 | The Players Club | Brooklyn | |
| 1999 | Unconditional Love | Detective | |
| 2002 | Paper Soldiers | Johnson | Also writer |
| 2003 | Death of a Dynasty | Dick James/Dukey Man/Sock Head | |
| 2005 | Lovesick | Damian | |
| 2005 | King’s Ransom | Herb Clarke | |
| 2005 | Roll Bounce | Victor | |
| 2006 | Night at the Museum | Taxi Driver | Cameo |
| 2007 | Three Days to Vegas | Andre | |
| 2007 | Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe | Griss | |
| 2007 | Norbit | Lloyd the Dog | Voice cameo / also writer Nominated — Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay |
| 2007 | Unearthed | Hank | |
| 2007 | Twisted Fortune | Angel Robbins | |
| 2007 | Universal Remote | Various | |
| 2007 | The Perfect Holiday | J-Jizzy | |
| 2008 | Bar Starz | Clay the Doorman/Arnie | |
| 2008 | The Hustle | Junior Walker | |
| 2009 | Frankenhood | Franklin | |
| 2010 | Our Family Wedding | T.J. | |
| 2010 | Lottery Ticket | Semaj | |
| 2012 | Moving Day | Cedric | |
| 2016 | Meet the Blacks | Key Flo | Last film role |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | The Kid Who Loved Christmas | TV movie | |
| 1995 | Martin | Big Bro | 1 episode |
| 1995 | Murder was the Case: The Movie | JC | Direct-to-video |
| 2003–2006 | Chappelle’s Show | Various | 14 episodes, also writer |
| 2004 | One on One | Senator Larry Eldrige | |
| 2005 | Denis Leary’s Merry F#%$in’ Christmas | Himself | TV Special |
| 2005–2010 | The Boondocks | Ed Wuncler III (voice) | 10 episodes |
| 2006 | Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness | Big Kid (voice) | TV movie |
| 2006 | Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-Roc’s Street | Big Kid (voice) | TV movie |
| 2006 | Wild ‘n Out | Himself | |
| 2007 | Beef IV | Himself/Narrator (voice) | Video documentary |
| 2007 | We Got to Do Better | Host | Unknown episodes |
| 2007 | Pauly Shore’s Natural Born Komics | Himself | Direct-to-video |
| 2009 | Nite Tales: The Series | Samson | |
| 2010 | Freaknik: The Musical | Al Sharpton, Perminator (voice) | TV movie |
| 2010 | Charlie Murphy: I Will Not Apologize | Himself | Video documentary |
| 2010 | Lopez Tonight | Himself | |
| 2010–2012 | Are We There Yet? | Frank Kingston | 5 episodes |
| 2010 | 1000 Ways to Die | Himself | |
| 2011 | The Cookout 2 | Coach Ashmokeem | TV film |
| 2012–2014 | Black Dynamite | A Cat Named Rollo (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Hawaii Five-0 | Don McKinney | |
| 2014–2015 | Black Jesus | Vic | Main cast 21 episodes |
| 2016 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Bellybomb | Episode: “Journey to the Center of Mikey’s Mind” |
| 2017 | Power | Marshal Clyde Williams | 5 episodes |
| 2017 | The Comedy Get Down | Himself | Posthumous release 5 episodes |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Jizzy B. | |
| 2006 | Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure | White Mike |
Music Videos
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Murder Was the Case | Passenger beside the driver |