Eddie Murphy Inducted into NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame

Legacy Distribution's Eddie Murphy: Laugh 'Til It Hurts captures the highs and lows of Murphy's career, and well as the triumphs

Photo: Nicole Price

On Saturday night, Eddie Murphy was inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall Of Fame, a deserved honor that is bestowed upon those who are an inspiration in their field and whose influence will be felt for generations to come.

For the celebrated comedian who turns 60 this coming weekend, it is a wonderful tribute to the work that he has done. From his big break and overnight fame as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, to his return as Prince Akeem in Coming 2 America, Murphy is an inspiration to many, including fellow comedians Chris Rock and Tracey Morgan.

Also, now available on Amazon Prime, Legacy Distribution’s Eddie Murphy: Laugh ‘Til It Hurts captures the highs and lows of Murphy’s career, and well as the triumphs and scandals.

Brought up by a single mother in Brooklyn, New York, where he is voted the most popular kid in his high school graduating class, Murphy credits humor for helping him through his humble beginnings.

By age 19, he is on Saturday Night Live, and his unforgettable characters such as Mister Robinson and Buckwheat so revived the show; he is now considered one of SNL’s top cast members of all time. Fast forward to 2020, and Eddie Murphy wins a Primetime Emmy as guest host of one of the most-watched Saturday Night Live shows in its forty-year history.

His 48 Hrs. big-screen debut in 1982 led to the Beverly Hills Cop series, Trading Places, The Nutty Professor, and Dr. Dolittle. By the end of the ’80s, Murphy was one of the biggest Box Office draws in Hollywood.

36 films and almost 7 billion dollars later, Murphy has brought us Shrek’s Donkey, his Academy Award-nominated role of James ‘Thunder’ Early in Dreamgirls, and Rudy Ray Moore in Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name. But Murphy also had his share of flops and failures, compounded with a Hollywood prostitute scandal. A multi-year reset later, Eddie Murphy is back as Zamunda’s Prince Akeem in his long-awaited sequel, Coming 2 America.

On the cusp of his 60th birthday (April 3, 1961), the father of ten, Eddie Murphy, continues to be loved by fans for his infectious smile and goofy laugh. Learn about the many challenges Eddie is faced with along his way to stardom as he continues to make his fans Laugh ‘Til it Hurts.

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