Bill Murray to receive Mark Twain Prize: How he's influenced film comedy
Bill Murray, who recently starred in 'The Jungle Book,' 'Angie Tribeca,' and 'A Very Murray Christmas,' will receive the award this October.
Bill Murray attends the premiere of the film 'Rock the Kasbah' in New York in 2015.
Lucas Jackson/Reuters
Actor Bill Murray will receive this year鈥檚 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, following in the footsteps of comic legends including Eddie Murphy, Jay Leno, and Carol Burnett.聽
Mr. Murray has recently starred in such projects as 鈥淭he Jungle Book,鈥� 鈥淎ngie Tribeca,鈥� and 鈥淎 Very Murray Christmas.鈥� He will get the prize at an event in October in Washington, D.C.聽
The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was first awarded in 1998 to comedian Richard Pryor. Murray, a former cast member of NBC鈥檚 鈥淪aturday Night Live,鈥� is one of several 鈥淪NL鈥� personalities to have received the award, including Billy Crystal, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Mr. Murphy, and 鈥淪NL鈥� creator Lorne Michaels.聽
Some of Murray鈥檚 earliest work was on 鈥淪NL,鈥� and since then he has appeared in such comedies as 鈥淢eatballs,鈥� 鈥淐addyshack,鈥� 鈥淪tripes,鈥� 鈥淕hostbusters,鈥� and 鈥淕roundhog Day.鈥� He was nominated for a best actor Oscar for a more dramatic turn in the 2003 film 鈥淟ost in Translation.鈥澛�
He has been praised for his impact on film comedy over the decades, with writing, 鈥淵ou just don鈥檛 get them better than Bill Murray. A born comedian with a dramatic range, his relaxed demeanor, easy delivery, and wiseacre nature make him a natural for whatever role you鈥檇 want him to take on.鈥�
Meanwhile, , who聽has called 鈥淕roundhog Day鈥� 鈥渢he perfect comedy,鈥� wrote that much of that film鈥檚 success can be attributed to its star. When Mr. Gilbey rewatched the film at a movie theater, the audience 鈥渉ung on Murray鈥檚 every poisonous putdown,鈥� he wrote.
鈥淗is performances since then, from his collaborations with Wes Anderson 鈥� to his Oscar-nominated turn in Sofia Coppola鈥檚 鈥楲ost in Translation,鈥� each have as their springboard 鈥楪roundhog Day.鈥� Before that, Murray was seen largely as a clown. After it, he was a complex actor with range.鈥澛�
And writes that Murray鈥檚 comedic chops are often on display when the camera isn鈥檛 rolling as well. 鈥淢urray transforms even the most mundane interactions into opportunities for improvisational comedy."