Charlie Murphy, older brother of Eddie Murphy and a comedy stand-up and performer in his own right, has died.
Murphy died Wednesday, April 12, 2017 in New York of leukemia, according to his representative, Domenick Nati. Murphy was 57.
His family issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter asking for privacy. Eddie remembered his brother in a statement later that day.
“Our hearts are heavy with the loss today of our son, brother, father, uncle and friend Charlie, the Murphy family said. “Charlie filled our family with love and laughter and there won’t be a day that goes by that his presence will not be missed. Thank you for the outpouring of condolences and prayers. We respectfully ask for privacy during this time of great loss for all of us.”
He was perhaps best-known for his appearances on Chappelle’s Show on Comedy Central.
In the recurring segment “Charlie Murphy’s True Hollywood Stories,” Murphy would recount how his brother’s fame brought him into the orbit of the biggest stars, such as Rick James and Prince, who died nearly a year ago. Murphy’s versions of the experiences, played out by him, Chappelle and others, became enduring hits.
He collaborated with writing his brother’s starring films, Norbit and Vampire in Brooklyn. He voiced roles in animated TV series that include The Boondocks and Black Jesus.
Murphy’s feature films include Our Family Wedding, King’s Ransom and CB4.
He is credited with appearances to air later this year on the TV drama series Power.
The article first appeared on USA Today.
