TMZ reported that comedian Charlie Murphy died in New York on Tuesday. Murphy was the older brother of funnyman Eddie Murphy. He co-starred with his younger sibling in "Harlem Nights." The elder Murphy was also in "CB4," and "Night At The Museum." He was most famous for working on the "Chappelle Show." His wife Tisha died of cervical cancer in December of 2009. The couple had been married since 1997, and have 2 children. Today on her talk show, Wendy Williams said that Murphy's family was in shock. They knew he was getting treatment for Leukemia, but had no idea he was so close to death.
His own man
While he did not enjoy the same high level of mega stardom as his younger sibling, Charlie Murphy was successful in his own right. In addition to being a regular on the "Chappelle Show," Murphy was in the movie "Harlem Nights" with brother Eddie. He did voice over work on "The Boondocks," and for the video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." Murphy also worked behind the scenes with the hip hop group, K9 Posse. Murphy was once a part of his brother Eddie's entourage, and used his misadventures in comedy routines. In 2005, he co-starred with Anthony Anderson in the movie "King's Ransom." He also helped Eddie write the script for the movie "Norbit." They say imitation is the best form of flattery, and clearly the late singer Rick James was flattered with Murphy's impersonation of him.
James once said that Charlie Murphy was a better Rick James than he was.
No record of sibling rivalry
From all published reports, there was no record of sibling rivalry between Charlie and Eddie. Each man stayed in his own lane, and occasionally their paths crossed in the business world. There are quite a few pictures online of the brothers standing with each other.
Clearly they loved and respected each other. Eddie Murphy's family released a statement, indicating that they appreciated the support sent their way from fans. It was also expressed that his family desired their privacy at this time.
The Murphy brothers are to be commended for their separate and joint ventures in the world of entertainment.
It is clear that Charlie Murphy had his own legacy, and was not riding on the coattails of his more successful younger sibling. Murphy had his own brand of comedy, and his own fans. His legacy speaks for itself, and he will be missed by those who enjoyed what he brought to the table.
