In honor of his 54th birthday, I bring you 54 of my favorite Bill Murray moments through the years.
1. Star Wars lounge singing on SNL. Only he could pull off the lounge lizard doing that song.
2. Barber of York segment on SNL. Though he had only a small part in that sketch, when the Barber of York tells him all he needs is a “Good bleeding,” his reply of “But I’m bleeding already” gets me every time.
3. The Dalai Lama speech from Caddyshack. “So I’ve got that goin’ for me.”
4. The battle between himself and the gopher in Caddyshack. It was later imitated by Tiger Woods, but the original is by far the best. Nobody carries grudges against varmints quite like he did.
5. He and Chevy Chase smoking the doobie in Caddyshack. Light it up, and wash it down with some Carlo Rossi. “Cannonball!! Cannonball comin’!”
6. Leading the cadence in Stripes. Boom shacka-lacka-lacka boom shacka-lacka-lacka boom shacka-lacka-lacka boom.
7. Talking to the group of women at the party in Tootsie. “I wish I had a theater that was only open when it rained.”
8. The test from Ghostbusters. “I am studying the effect of negative reinforcement on ESP ability.”
9. Slime collecting in Ghostbusters. “Someone blows their nose and you want to keep it?”
10. Venkman selling Ray the idea of going into business for themselves in Ghostbusters. “For whatever reason, Ray, call it fate, call it luck, call it karma. I believe everything happens for a reason.”
11. Venkman investigating Dana’s Apartment in Ghostbusters. “They hate this.”
12. The showdown between Slimer and the Ghostbusters. “Wait, wait… I’ve always wanted to do this. And… THE FLOWERS ARE STILL STANDING!!”
13. Venkman talking down Dana/Zuul in Dana’s apartment in Ghostbusters. “Oh, Zuul-ie, you nut, now come on…”
14. Going over the history of the Gozer worshippers in prison in Ghostbusters. “No studying…”
15. Creeping out the other prisoners in Ghostbusters. “So be good, for goodness sake. Whoa, somebody’s comin’…”
16. Witnessing the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man’s wrath in Ghostbusters. “Nobody steps on a church in my town!!”
17. Throwing down with Gozer in Ghostbusters. “Let’s show this prehistoric bitch how we do things downtown.”
18. Emergin unscathed, and marshmallow free at the end of Ghostbusters.
19. The dentist scene from Little Shop of Horrors. Jack Nicholson was the original, but Bill’s take on the role was priceless.
20. On the set for the Christmas Special in Scrooged. “Did you try staples?”
21. When he meets Carol Kane in Scrooged. “The bitch hit me with a toaster.”
22. The new man at the end of Scrooged. “The catch is that you need to shower. You are RIPE.”
23. Venkman taking pics of Vigo in Ghostbusters 2. “Show me angry…”
24. Investigating at Dana’s apartment in Ghostbusters 2. “I’d like to run some gynecological tests on the mother.” “Who wouldn’t?”
25. Venkman hosting the psychic show in Ghostbusters 2. “Until next time, this is Peter Venkman saying __________.”
26. Venkman on the stand in Ghostbusters 2. “Kitten, I think what I am saying, is that sometimes, shit happens, someone has to deal with it, and who ya gonna call?”
27. Venkman admiring the Statue of Liberty in Ghostbusters 2. “She is French. You know that.”
28. Piloting the Statue of Liberty in Ghostbusters 2. They used an NES Advantage, for crying out loud. I still have one.
29. Doing the weather in Groundhog Day. “Out in California, they’re going to have some warm weather tomorrow, gang wars, and some very overpriced real-estate.”
30. Ned Ryerson interactions in Groundhog Day. “Bing!!”
31. Robbing the bank in Groundhog Day. “Fix your bra, Doris.”
32. Talking to the operator in Groundhog Day. “What if there is no tomorrow? There wasn’t one today!!”
33. Eating cake in Groundhog Day. “What?”
34. Driving drunk in Groundhog Day. “Too early for flapjacks?”
35. Spending the loot he stole from the bank in Groundhog Day. “Call me Bronco.”
36. The bar scene from Groundhog Day. “Sweet vermouth, on the rocks, with a twist, please?” I’ve tried it, and it isn’t too good.
37. Driving with the groundhog in Groundhog Day. “Don’t drive angry.”
38. When he snaps before driving off with the groundhog in Groundhog Day. “There is no way this winter is ever going to end as long as that groundhog keeps seeing his shadow. I don’t see any way out of it. He’s got to be stopped. And I have to stop him.”
39. Explaining his dilema in Groundhog Day. “I am a god. I’m not the God… I don’t think.”
40. Grieving for Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood. “Let’s hear you call Boris Karloff a cocksucker.”
41. Going over his costume and makeup in Ed Wood. “What about glitter? When I was a headliner in Paris, audiences always liked it when I sparkled.”
42. In the zone while bowling in Kingpin. “Believe me, as a bowler, I know that right about now, your bladder feels like an overstuffed vacuum cleaner bag and your butt is kinda like an about-to-explode bratwurst.”
43. The interaction between him and the truck driver in Larger Than Life.
44. Any scene that he’s a part of in Wild Things, not to mention the fact that he makes out like a bandit in the end.
45. Giving a speech in Rushmore (see quote above)
46. In the pool in Rushmore.
47. Sumo wrestling with Tim Curry in Charlie’s Angels.
48. Locked in the prison cell in Charlie’s Angels.
49. Interacting with Dudley in The Royal Tenebaums. “How interesting. How bizarre!!”
50. Relaying information about Dudley to an audience in The Royal Tenebaums. “Can the boy tell time?” “Oh, my Lord, no.”
51. Talking to his wife in The Royal Tenebaums. “Well then I just want to die.”
52. Interacting with the camraman in Lost in Translation. “He drinks martinis, but okay.”
53. The scene with the sexual fantasy lady in Lost in Translation. “Hey, lip them?”
54. Talking about being a father in Lost in Translation. “Your life, as you know it… is gone. Never to return. But they learn how to walk, and they learn how to talk… and you want to be with them. And they turn out to be the most delightful people you will ever meet in your life.”
Happy Birthday, Bill.