Bill Murray Movies Spotlight

Enjoy ten of the “Bear Necessities” of Bill Murray movies before The Jungle Book swings into theaters!

Bill Murray is one of the rare actors to go from TV performer to movie star to national treasure. There’s so much love for Murray that no one seems to mind if he crashes their wedding party or photobombs them. Because he’s Bill Murray, he gets to do whatever he wants to do. And that extends to his career decisions as well.

Murray’s breakthrough gig was his run on Saturday Night Live in the late ‘70s, but he’s far better known for his numerous feature films. Several of Murray’s films in his peak period are considered to be among the all-time cinema classics, including the original Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day. Murray is still actively starring in movies, although he’s no longer the box office draw that he once was.

Director Jon Favreau’s upcoming live-action adaptation of Disney’s The Jungle Book features Murray as the voice of Baloo, the beloved bear who protects and mentors Mowgli (Neel Sethi). 

Ahead of The Jungle Book’s release on April 15, ComingSoon.net is looking back at Murray’s ten most memorable films. And if you’re a true Bill Murray fan, you’ve probably already seen them all!

Bill Murray Movies Spotlight: Meatballs (1979)

Everyone remembers Ghostbusters, but the origins of Murray’s involvement with that movie started with Meatballs. This was Murray’s first leading role in a film, and it was co-written by Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman, both of whom would later reunite with Murray on Ghostbusters and other projects.

Murray’s character was Tripper Harrison, the head counselor of Camp North Star, a summer camp largely made up of underdogs. Meatballs actually spawned a comedy franchise and three sequels, none of which involved Murray at all.

Bill Murray Movies Spotlight: Caddyshack (1980)

Ramis and Murray reunited on the golf-themed comedy film, Caddyshack; which was also Ramis’ debut as a director. Appearing alongside Murray were Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, and Michael O’Keefe.

Because of his Saturday Night Live schedule, Murray had only a small role in Caddyshack as Carl Spackler, a greenskeeper tasked with eliminating a particularly hard-to-kill gopher. Although he originally spent only six days on set, Murray was called back to film more material for Caddyshack, including the only scene that he has ever shared with his former SNL castmate, Chase.

Bill Murray Movies Spotlight: Ghostbusters (1984)

If John Belushi had lived, Murray wouldn’t have been involved with Ghostbusters. But because Belushi passed away before Ghostbusters was written, his role, Dr. Peter Venkman, went to Murray. Ramis co-starred as Dr. Egon Spengler, with Dan Aykroyd as Dr. Ray Stantz, Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore, Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett, and Rick Moranis as Louis Tully.

Ghostbusters spawned a franchise that included a very popular animated series and Ghostbusters 2, which isn’t quite as beloved as the first film. Murray’s refusal to come back for Ghostbusters 3 prevented that sequel from ever happening, but almost all of the original cast (including Murray) lent their voices and likenesses to the 2009 Ghostbusters video game.

Bill Murray Movies Spotlight: The Razor’s Edge (1984)

Part of the reason that Murray joined Ghostbusters was to get financing for his passion project, The Razor’s Edge, an adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham‘s novel. Murray even co-wrote the script for The Razor’s Edge and starred as the main character, Larry Darrell, an ambulance driver in World War I who searches for meaning in his life after the war ends.

This was Murray’s first stab at drama, and it was savaged by critics and considered to be a disappointing flop. Because of this movie, Murray took an extended hiatus from feature films.

Bill Murray Movies Spotlight: Scrooged (1988)

Scrooged was Bill Murray’s comeback film, and someone in Paramount’s marketing team deserves a lot of credit for the following tagline: “Bill Murray is back among the ghosts, only this time, it’s three against one.” As the name suggests, Scrooged was an updated version of Charles Dickens‘s A Christmas Carol, with Murray starring as Frank Cross, a very Scrooge-like network executive who gets the whole “three ghosts of Christmas” treatment on the way to redemption.

Bill Murray Movies Spotlight: Quick Change (1990)

Quick Change made this list because it was the first and only time that Murray has ever directed a film, a credit that he shared on this movie with its screenwriter, Howard Franklin. Murray portrayed Grimm, a bankrobber who successfully pulls off a heist with his girlfriend Phyllis (Geena Davis) and their friend, Loomis (Randy Quaid). But their getaway is complicated by increasingly comedic obstacles in their path.

Although Murray got great reviews for Quick Change, he has never attempted to direct a movie again.

Bill Murray Movies Spotlight: Groundhog Day (1993)

Groundhog Day is one of the most fondly-remembered films of Murray’s career. He played Phil Connors, a newscaster who was forced to relive a single day countless times until he finally got it right. Murray reunited with Ramis, who directed this film, but the two men reportedly had a falling out while making Groundhog Day. Despite receiving critical raves for the film, this was the last time that Murray and Ramis worked together.

Bill Murray Movies Spotlight: Rushmore (1998)

While Rushmore gave Murray some indie cred, it significantly boosted the career of director Wes Anderson. Rushmore was also the feature film debut of Jason Schwartzman. In the film, Schwartzman’s Max was a student who was befriended by Herman Blume (Murray) before they clashed over their mutual love for Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams), a teacher at Max’s school.

Murray has subsequently appeared in all of Anderson’s follow up films in at least a cameo role.

Bill Murray Movies Spotlight: Lost in Translation (2003)

Lost in Translation gave Murray some of the best reviews of his career and a nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards. Within the film, he played Bob Harris, an over-the-hill actor who becomes unexpectedly close to a much younger woman named Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson).

The complexity of Bob and Charlotte’s relationship drove Lost in Translation into becoming an unexpected critical and financial hit. The ambiguous nature of Bob’s final whispered words for Charlotte was also part of the film’s staying power.

Bill Murray Movies Spotlight: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

While Murray had only a supporting role in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums, he was once again in the lead for Anderson’s next film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. This movie was a bizarre parody of the adventures of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, a very famous French diver. Within the film, Murray played the title character, Steve Zissou, as he attempted to avenge himself on the “jaguar shark” that killed his former partner.