By Kelley Forrester, Larry King Now
Today we celebrate Eddie Murphy's birthday and look back at some of the great moments in his career. The triple threat - comedian, actor, and singer - began his stand-up comedy career as a teenager and later landed a spot as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. He attracted mass attention and remained on the comedy show from 1980 to 1984.
Following his success on SNL, Murphy starred in 48 Hours and continued on to star in a variety of comedy hits: Daddy Day Care, the Nutty Professor and Doctor Dolittle film franchises. Murphy also took a stab at voice acting for animation, most prominently as Donkey from the Shrek series.
The five-time Golden Globe nominee also released music throughout the years. In the late 1980's Murphy's single "Party All the Time" became widely popular and was followed up by two albums. He also combined his acting and singing careers in the 2006 version of Dreamgirls.
In 2015, Murphy was presented with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. According to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which presents the award, the prize "recognizes people who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th century novelist and essayist best known as Mark Twain."
Al Roker talks to Larry King about his interview with Eddie Murphy for SNL 40 and his appearance on the show.
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