Charles Quinton Murphy was an American actor, comedian, and writer. Murphy was best known as a writer and cast member of the Comedy Central sketch-comedy series Chappelle's Show, and as the co-star of the sitcom Black Jesus. He was the older brother of comedian Eddie Murphy.
Murphy had minor roles in several films in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and worked behind the scenes with the hip hop group K-9 Posse, a duo composed of his half-brother Vernon Lynch, Jr., and Wardell Mahone. On their 1988 self-titled debut, Murphy was credited as the album's executive producer as well as songwriter on the songs "Somebody's Brother" and "Say Who Say What." He also made an appearance in the video for the duo's first single "This Beat Is Military." Murphy's first major role in a motion picture was in the 1993 filmCB4, in which he portrayed the antagonist Gusto. Murphy gained national attention as a recurring performer on Chappelle's Show, particularly in the Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Storiessketches. In these, Murphy recounts his misadventures as part of his brother Eddie's entourage, including encounters with various celebrities such as Rick James and Prince. After Chappelle's Show host Dave Chappelle left the show, Murphy and Donnell Rawlings hosted the "lost episodes" compiled from sketches produced before Chappelle's departure. In 2005, he appeared in King's Ransom. In the film, Murphy portrayed "Herb," a gay ex-con who is hired by King to kidnap him in a fake kidnapping. Murphy also did voiceovers for Budweiserradio commercials, provided the voice for Iraq War veteran/criminal Ed Wuncler III on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim series The Boondocks, and the voice for a pimp named Jizzy-B in Rockstar Games' video game. Murphy provided the voice for Spock on the G4TV's Star Trek 2.0 shorts, and the dog in his younger brother Eddie's 2007 film, Norbit. On March 20, 2009, his own sketch comedy series Charlie Murphy's Crash Comedy began on Crackle. A stand-up special, Charlie Murphy: I Will Not Apologize premiered on Comedy Central in late February 2010. Murphy also made special appearances in 1000 Ways to Die and the TBS sitcom Are We There Yet? as Frank Kingston. In 2014–15, Murphy played Vic on the Adult Swim live action show Black Jesus.
Personal life
Murphy was a resident of Tewksbury Township, New Jersey. He was married to Tisha Taylor Murphy from 1997 until her death from cervical cancer in December 2009. The couple had two children together, and Murphy had another child from a previous relationship. He was a karate practitioner.
