Charlie Murphy has passed away. The legendary Comedian had been in a bout with leukemia, which he ultimately ended up losing. Known for his stand-up work and his time on "Chappelle's Show" - as well as being the brother of Eddie Murphy - Charlie was just 57 years old. His representative, Domenick Nati, was the first to announce the tragic news on Wednesday afternoon.
Acting credits
Murphy was perhaps best known for being a writer and cast member of "Chappelle's Show," one of the most critically-acclaimed shows to ever air on Comedy Central. His "True Hollywood Stories" sketches detailed his life as a member of his brother's entourage, where he would meet random celebrities.
Most famous was the stories he would tell about the late musician Prince, who the comedian supposedly once played basketball with while the musician was dressed in anything but sporting garb.
It was far from his only acting credit, though. The comedian starred in his own series on Crackle and as Vic in "Black Jesus," which aired on Adult Swim. He made an appearance in "Harlem Nights," which was his first credit of his career. He also worked on the story and screenplay of "Norbit." While the career of Charlie Murphy was always destined to pale in comparison to that of his brother, his own contributions cannot be forgotten.
The world reacts
Hollywood was devastated by the passing of Charlie Murphy.
Famed music mogul Russell Simmons referred to him as his "biggest comedy idol." Actors/comedians Ice Cube and Chris Rock also sent out heartfelt tweets. Meanwhile, people from across the globe tweeted out some of the best clips and GIFs from his time on "Chappelle's Show" and his other notable television and movie appearances.
People were most curious, however, about the reaction of Eddie. He and his family released a very simple statement, saying how upset they were, how much they'll miss Charlie, and asking for privacy during this sensitive time. In the past, however, Eddie has made extremely endearing statements about his brother fellow comedian.
He has said that Charlie was his best impression, an incredible ode for somebody clearly trying to give praise to someone arguably as funny as himself, if not more so.
Charlie's wife passed away in 2009 from cervical cancer. He is set to appear in an episode of "Power" posthunously and is survived by his three children.
