Eddie Murphy's Greatest Characters

Eddie Murphy's funniest characters.

Gumby - Eddie Murphy has created several memorable and hilarious characters. When he started on Saturday Night Live in the eighties, he began doing impressions and characters, including the old school Jewish sounding Gumby. (Photo: NBC)

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Gumby - Eddie Murphy has created several memorable and hilarious characters. When he started on Saturday Night Live in the eighties, he began doing impressions and characters, including the old school Jewish sounding Gumby. (Photo: NBC)

Buckwheat - Another one of Eddie's funniest characters on SNL was Buckwheat from The Little Rascals, who he immortalized by singing popular songs in the distinctive Buckwheat style. Buckwheat would wind up getting shot on SNL, but his songs lived on.  (Photo: NBC)

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Buckwheat - Another one of Eddie's funniest characters on SNL was Buckwheat from The Little Rascals, who he immortalized by singing popular songs in the distinctive Buckwheat style. Buckwheat would wind up getting shot on SNL, but his songs lived on.  (Photo: NBC)

Photo By Photo: NBC

Mr. Robinson - "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood" was an SNL parody of the children's show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, but instead of living in the neighborhood of make believe, he lived in the projects. (Photo: NBC)

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Mr. Robinson - "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood" was an SNL parody of the children's show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, but instead of living in the neighborhood of make believe, he lived in the projects. (Photo: NBC)

48 Hrs. (1982) - In his big screen debut, Murphy plays a convict who is teamed up with a cop (Nick Nolte) in order to track down a cop killer within — you guessed it — forty-eight hours. The film was a massive hit, earning Murphy a Golden Globe nomination and spawning the genre of "buddy cop" movies.(Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Reggie Hammond - Eddie Murphy's movie career took off after he played smooth talking, quick thinking convict Reggie Hammond in 48 Hours with Nick Nolte. Hammond will forever be remembered for his take on the Police's "Roxanne." (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Billy Ray Valentine - In Trading Places, Murphy played Billy Ray Valentine, a down on his luck con man who becomes a corporate executive thanks to the help of some conniving businessmen...who return later in Coming to America. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Billy Ray Valentine - In Trading Places, Murphy played Billy Ray Valentine, a down on his luck con man who becomes a corporate executive thanks to the help of some conniving businessmen...who return later in Coming to America. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Photo By Photo: Paramount Pictures

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Eddie Murphy, Beverly Hills Cop (1984) - With Raw, Murphy turned being a comedian into rock star status. The heat couldn't have been hotter around the bad boy comic by the time this film came out. And boy did he deliver. Beverly Hills Cop launched a box office streak second only to Will Smith's.  (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Axel Foley - Axel Foley was a Detroit cop who went to Los Angeles to investigate the death of his friend in Beverly Hills Cop. Foley showed Murphy at his slick talking, people tricking best. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

(Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Prince Akeem Joffer - In Coming to America, Eddie Murphy played Akeem, the prince of Zamunda, an African prince trying to find a wife in America. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Clarence the Barber - Not only did Eddie play the lead role in Coming to America, he also played several other roles as well, including Clarence the Barber and Saul, the Jewish guy at the barber shop. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Clarence the Barber - Not only did Eddie play the lead role in Coming to America, he also played several other roles as well, including Clarence the Barber and Saul, the Jewish guy at the barber shop. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Randy Watson - One of Eddie Murphy's most memorable musical performances was as Randy Watson, who played Joe the Policeman onThat's My Mama. His performace of Whitney Houston's "The Greatest Love of All" in Coming to America will live forever. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Randy Watson - One of Eddie Murphy's most memorable musical performances was as Randy Watson, who played Joe the Policeman onThat's My Mama. His performace of Whitney Houston's "The Greatest Love of All" in Coming to America will live forever. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Harlem Nights (1989) - In this 1989 cult classic, Murphy played the part of Jimmy, one of Sugar Ray's henchman.  (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Vernest "Quick" Brown - Eddie played Vernest "Quick" Brown in the 1930s Harlem gangster story Harlem Nights. The film featured a who's who of Black comedy, including Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, Robin Harris and Della Reese. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Boomerang  - Second only to Angela Bassett's fury in Waiting to Exhale, Halle Berry pulls out the best line (followed by a slap) uttered by a woman to her cheating man in Black rom-com history: "Love should've brought your a** home last night!" Eddie Murphy's cheek must have been hurting for years after.(Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Marcus Graham - In Boomerang, Eddie played the suave and smooth businessman Marcus Graham. In the movie, the player becomes the played and learns about love. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

The Nutty Professor, Saturday at 7:30P/6:30C - Eddie Murphy's growing by the minute. Encore presentation on Sunday at 2:30P/1:30C.(Photo: Universal Pictures)

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Professor Klump - Eddie Murphy played both the mild-mannered and obese Professor Klump and his evil alter ego Buddy Love in the remake of the Jerry Lewis film, The Nutty Professor. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Photo By Photo: Universal Pictures

Nutty Professor 2, Saturday at 4:30P/3:30C - Eddie Murphy's definitely showing his true character.Take a look at some of his best characters in films.(Photo: Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment)

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The Klumps - Eddie played almost the whole Klump family, including the mother father, grandmother and brother, in Nutty Professor II: The Klumps. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Photo By Photo: Universal Pictures

Thurgood Stubbs - In Eddie Murphy's animated sitcom The PJ's, he did the voice for Thurgood Stubbs, the super of the projects and the show's main character. (Photo: FOX)

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Thurgood Stubbs - In Eddie Murphy's animated sitcom The PJ's, he did the voice for Thurgood Stubbs, the super of the projects and the show's main character. (Photo: FOX)

Jefferson "Jiff" Ramsey - In the hilarious, underrated comedy Bowfinger, Eddie Murphy played Jiff Ramsey, the nerdy, awkward brother of Hollywood superstar Kip Ramsey. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

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Jefferson "Jiff" Ramsey - In the hilarious, underrated comedy Bowfinger, Eddie Murphy played Jiff Ramsey, the nerdy, awkward brother of Hollywood superstar Kip Ramsey. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

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Donkey - In the Dreamworks animated movie series Shrek, Eddie played the voice of Shrek's sidekick Donkey. (Photo: Dreamworks/Paramount Pictures)

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Donkey - In the Dreamworks animated movie series Shrek, Eddie played the voice of Shrek's sidekick Donkey. (Photo: Dreamworks/Paramount Pictures)

Photo By Photo: Dreamworks/Paramount Pictures

Dreamgirls (2006) - Nearly 15 years after his big screen debut, Murphy is nominated for an Oscar for his role as R&B singer James "Thunder" Early, his first dramatic role, in this musical drama loosely based on the rise of Motown Records and The Supremes. The musical blockbuster hit brought it droves of supporters due to its A-list cast, which included Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Hudson.(Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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James "Thunder" Early - Eddie Murphy recieved a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar nomination for his role as James "Thunder" Early in the musical Dreamgirls. His character was based on soul legends Marvin Gaye and James Brown. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Photo By Photo: Paramount Pictures

Norbit (2007) - Once again playing multiple characters, Murphy starred as a mild-mannered guy who attempts to ditch his monstrous wife to be with the woman of his dreams. The film became his fourteenth number one at the box office.(Photo: DreamWorks SKG)

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Rasputia Latimore-Rice - In Norbit, Eddie Murphy once again played multiple characters, including the abrasive, obese wife of his character Norbit, Rasputia. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)