Set in the 1930s, Harlem Knights tells the story of Sugar Ray (Richard Pryor) and his adopted son, Quick (Murphy), who operate a nightclub called Club Sugar Ray. Sugar Ray, Quick, and their crew must outsmart Italian mobsters who are trying to extort them. In his directing debut, Murphy amassed a cast of legends including Pryor, Redd Foxx, Della Reese, Arsenio Hall, Lela Rochon, Jasmine Guy, Robin Harris, and his brother Charlie Murphy.

Eddie Murphy went back to his raw comedic roots in Dolemite Is My Name. The film was a reminder of Murphy’s pure genius as a comedic actor. He brilliantly portrays the late Rudy Ray Moore’s rise from obscurity to stardom during the 70s blaxploitation era. Although Murphy was snubbed by the Oscars, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor.

In Dreamgirls, Eddie Murphy showed his range as an actor with this compelling dramatic performance. Playing soul singer James “Thunder'' Early, Murphy revealed that not only could he still bring the laughs but he could also captivate and enrapture his audience at will. For his role, Murphy won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Pairing Eddie Murphy with Martin Lawerence in Life proved to be a comedy combination for the ages. Murphy and Lawrence played two New Yorkers wrongfully convicted of murder. The unlikely duo had to navigate their lives as innocent men incarcerated for life. The chemistry between Murphy and Lawrence is undeniable and Life is another comedic gem in Murphy’s vast filmography.

After a hiatus from constant box office hits, Eddie Murphy returned to his A-game with The Nutty Professor. Murphy’s modern take on the role featured rotund Professor Klump who falls for Carla Purty (Jada Pinkett). To win her, he invents a concoction to help him get thin. The drink brings out the cocky, slender Buddy Love as Professor Klumps’s alter ego.  Murphy raised the performance bar yet again in The Nutty Professor by playing five members of the Klump family including everybody’s favorite grandma. It’s easily one of his most underrated yet beloved performances.

In his film debut, 48 Hours saw Eddie Murphy transition from the small to the big screen in a seemingly effortless leap.  Playing inmate Reggie Hammond opposite Nick Nolte, the duo had only two days to capture some gangsters from Hammond’s old gang. Bringing a special combination of laughs and action, for his performance, Murphy was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Acting Debut - Male.

When it comes to romantic comedies, Boomerang is in a class of its own. Eddie Murphy stars as Marcus Graham, a high-powered advertising executive, and womanizer, who has the tables turned on him when falls head over heels for his boss Jacqueline (Robin Givens) who beats him at his own game. With an all-star cast featuring Halle Berry, Martin Lawerence, David Alan Grier, Grace Jones, Eartha Kitt, John Witherspoon, and Chris Rock, Boomerang still is the all-time, creme de la creme of rom-coms.

In Trading Places, Murphy plays Billy Ray Valentine, a hustler who is down on his luck who switches places with Louis Winthorp (Dan Akroyd), a wealthy investment broker. Due to a dirty bet by finance moguls, the brothers Duke, Akroyd’s Louis Winthorp III is turned out on the streets and becomes a vagrant while Valentine is given Winthorp’s brokerage job. When Valentine and Winthorp discover the Duke’s dirty dealings, they hatch their own plot to get even. Again, Murphy outshines everybody in this Christmas classic which features a small role from SNL alum and future Senator Al Franken.

Coming To America is by far one of the greatest comedies of all-time. Murphy plays Prince Akeem, heir to the throne of the kingdom of Zamunda who comes to America to find his true love. Along with trusted aide Semmi (Arsenio Hall), Murphy began experimenting by playing several characters including Randy Watson, Clarence, the owner of My-T Sharp barbershop, and Saul, the wisecracking Jewish man. Without question, Coming To America is vintage Eddie Murphy and Coming 2 America (2021), is like its equally histerical, long-lost cousin. 

RELATED: ‘Coming 2 America’: Watch An Exclusive Clip Of The Eddie Murphy Sequel

In his first film as the sole headliner, Eddie Murphy gave an unforgettable performance in Beverly Hills Cop. When his childhood friend is murdered while visiting Detroit, Detective Axel Foley (Murphy) follows the leads to Beverly Hills, Calif., under the disguise of a vacation. The film spun off two more sequels, but the original is in a class of its own. Murphy displayed the talent that catapulted him as one of the biggest stars of the 80s and beyond.
It’s customary to add another candle to the cake, so we’ll add another film to the list for the birthday man to grow on!

It’s tradition to add another candle to the cake for luck, so we’ll add another film to the list for the birthday man to grow on!

Perhaps Murphy’s most underrated film, The Golden Child is a supernatural comedy in which Murphy plays a PI who is known for finding missing children. A beautiful and curious woman finds Chandler Jarrell (Murphy) to tell him he’s the “chosen one,” who must return with her to Tibet and rescue the Golden Child from the evil forces who have stolen him.

Aside from the cross-cultural fish out of water story, this film marked Murphy taking on science-fiction while still ruling the comedy part. This film is not lost, but it’s definitely a forgotten cinema gift! 

Happy 62nd, Eddie!