The Comedian List / Comedians / Eddie Murphy

Stand-up comedian

Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American comedian, actor and singer, and one of the most influential comics of all time.

Born
April 3, 1961
SNL
Cast member 1980–1984
Stand-up films
Delirious · Raw
Mark Twain Prize
2015
Wikipedia
Eddie Murphy
Photo: David Shankbone, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
01

Who is Eddie Murphy?

Eddie Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American comedian, actor and singer, and one of the most influential comics of all time. He broke out as a teenage stand-up and became the star of Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984.

His stand-up films Delirious and Eddie Murphy Raw (1987) set the template for the arena-comedy era; Raw grossed $50 million in theaters. On screen he went from 48 Hrs. (1982), Trading Places (1983) and Beverly Hills Cop (1984) to Coming to America (1988), The Nutty Professor (1996) and the voice of Donkey in Shrek.

He won a Golden Globe and earned an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls (2006), came back strong with Dolemite Is My Name (2019), and received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2015), the Cecil B. DeMille Award (2023) and the AFI Life Achievement Award (2026).

02

Timeline

  1. 1961Born April 3.
  2. 1980Joins the cast of Saturday Night Live.
  3. 1982Film debut in 48 Hrs.
  4. 1983Trading Places.
  5. 1984Beverly Hills Cop; leaves SNL.
  6. 1987Eddie Murphy Raw, filmed at Madison Square Garden's Felt Forum, grosses $50 million.
  7. 1988Coming to America.
  8. 1996The Nutty Professor.
  9. 1998Voices Mushu in Disney's Mulan.
  10. 2001Voices Donkey in Shrek.
  11. 2006Dreamgirls: Golden Globe win, Oscar nomination.
  12. 2015Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
  13. 2019Dolemite Is My Name; hosts SNL for the first time since 1984.
  14. 2023Cecil B. DeMille Award.
  15. 2026AFI Life Achievement Award.
03

Stand-up specials

HBO · 1983DeliriousStand-up special
Concert film · 1987Eddie Murphy Raw$50M box office
04

Movies & TV

NBC · 1980–1984Saturday Night LiveCast member
Film · 198248 Hrs.Film debut
Film · 1983Trading Places
Film · 1984Beverly Hills CopAxel Foley
Film · 1988Coming to America
Film · 1996The Nutty Professor
Disney · 1998MulanVoice of Mushu
DreamWorks · 2001–ShrekVoice of Donkey
Film · 2006DreamgirlsGolden Globe win
Netflix · 2019Dolemite Is My NameRudy Ray Moore
05

Eddie Murphy FAQ

How old is Eddie Murphy?

He was born April 3, 1961, so he is 65 (as of October 2026).

What are Eddie Murphy's stand-up specials?

Delirious and the concert film Eddie Murphy Raw (1987), which grossed $50 million in theaters.

When was Eddie Murphy on SNL?

He was a cast member from 1980 to 1984 and came back to host in December 2019.

What awards has Eddie Murphy won?

A Golden Globe for Dreamgirls, plus Grammy and Emmy awards, the Mark Twain Prize (2015), the Cecil B. DeMille Award (2023) and the AFI Life Achievement Award (2026).

06

If you like Eddie

More comics on the list who share stages and mics with Eddie.

Adam SandlerAdam SandlerMark NormandMark NormandSam MorrilSam MorrilChris FarleyChris FarleyJoe ListJoe ListRichard PryorRichard Pryor

Photos: Adam Sandler: Raph_PH, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Mark Normand: Neal Brennan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Sam Morril: Raph_PH, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Chris Farley: Edgewood High School, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Joe List: Lisa Gansky from New York, NY, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Richard Pryor: NBC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

WikipediaIMDb ProfileYouTubeAll comedians A–Z

Photo: David Shankbone, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Facts checked Oct 30, 2026.

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