When you hear about Eddie Murphy's childhood, it's amazing he looks as calm and self-assured as he does in this picture. He was barely eight years old when his father passed away. Not long after that, his mother was struck down by a serious illness, and was left with no option but to place her young son in foster care. He took solace in stand-up comedy, and was mesmerized by the work of Richard Pryor. Following in Pryor's footsteps, he started out in the entertainment business as a stand-up comedian when he was fifteen years old.
It didn't take long for the talented Murphy to gain attention from television producers, and he was recruited for 'Saturday Night Live,' which gave him his first big break. He took the ball and ran with it, converting TV fame into movie fame by landing parts in 'Beverly Hills Cop,' and then more child-orientated comedies like 'Dr. Doolittle.' There's still a whole generation of people in their early 20s out there who only know him as 'The Nutty Professor,' but that's better than not being known at all!