Who was Charlie Murphy? Eddie Murphy reveals the reason for skipping his late brother’s funeral

American actor, singer, and comedian Eddie Murphy recently revealed why he skipped his older brother Charlie Murphy’s funeral. Speaking to USA Today, the Dreamgirls star shared:

“The whole ritual of a funeral is just too much for me. I’ve paid for a lot of funerals, but I don’t go to funerals… When I start talking about my brother, that was emotional. A little flicker, though, just enough that you feel it.”

Charlie Murphy was a stand-up comedian and actor. He passed away in New York City in April 2017 after a prolonged battle with leukaemia at the age of 57.

According to Eddie Murphy, the first funeral he attended was that of his father, Charles Edward Murphy, who was fatally stabbed when he was eight years old. That left a permanent mark on him. Later, attending his stepfather Vernon Lynch Sr’s funeral brought back the haunting memories. Eddie said of his stepfather’s funeral,

“They shouldn’t even have funerals. I’m like, ‘This funeral is morbid.’ The whole people (in attendance) and seeing your loved one out there, and just emotionally, the whole ritual is too much.”

Elsewhere, the Oscar nominee also mentioned that when his time comes, he doesn’t want a funeral service that would traumatize his loved ones. Instead, he wants to be “cremated.”

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All about Eddie Murphy’s late brother, Charlie Murphy

Charlie Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1959, to Lillian Murphy and Charles Edward Murphy. His full name was Charles Quinton Murphy. Two years later, his younger brother Eddie Murphy was born.

Charlie was incarcerated as an adolescent. However, the day he was released from prison, he enlisted in the United States Navy for six years. Speaking with PR.com in December 2007, Charlie Murphy stated:

“When I was a teenager, my whole thing was... I was a street guy. I hung out with street people, and when you hang out with a crowd like that, you will end up in trouble.”

The late comedian shared that his “best move” was joining the military because the majority of the guys he grew up with were either dead or behind bars, while he wanted to make a life for himself and have a career.

Later, after retiring from the Navy, Charlie Murphy began comedic writing. He told the publication,

“I took it upon myself when I went to Hollywood to work for my brother, to say, 'You know what, I want to try writing'.”

Charlie Murphy’s debut movie script was sold to Paramount for $150,000 in 1986, with the promise that his brother Eddie Murphy would act in it. However, it did not go into production. Charlie stated,

“The movie was about [crime boss] Nicky Barnes, and the only reason the movie didn’t get made is because back then, you had dudes that were not visionaries. They were happy with my brother doing the same thing over and over again because they didn’t know what they were doing.”

The older Murphy brother later gained national fame in 2003 when he joined Comedy Central’s sketch-comedy series Chappelle’s Show as a writer and cast member. However, the gig soon ended as he was not under contract and only got paid “SAG minimum.”

Charlie Murphy later called it a “fun thing” that had “good energy” despite his financial difficulties. He also appeared on the sitcom Black Jesus and was one of the scriptwriters for his brother’s 2007 film Norbit. His other acting credits included Harlem Nights, The Players Club, Jungle Fever, Night at the Museum, Lottery Ticket, Three Days to Vegas, and The Hustle.

Charlie and Eddie Murphy also had a stepbrother named Vernon Lynch Jr, who was the son of their mother, Lillian, and her second husband, Vernon Lynch Sr.

Charlie, who was once Eddie’s bodyguard, was married to Tisha Taylor Murphy from 1997 until her death from cervical cancer in December 2009. They shared two children. The New Jersey resident also had another kid from a past relationship.

Upon his death in 2017, the premiere episode of season 3 of Black Jesus paid him tribute. Eddie Murphy’s 2019 film Dolemite Is My Name was also dedicated to Charlie's memory.

The Murphy family also shared a public message via Variety, which read:

“Our hearts are heavy with the loss today of our son, brother, father, uncle and friend Charlie. Charlie filled our family with love and laughter, and there won’t be a day that goes by that his presence will not be missed. Thank you for the outpouring of condolences and prayers. We respectfully ask for privacy during this time of great loss for all of us.”

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In his November 2025 Netflix documentary Being Eddie, Eddie Murphy fondly remembered his late brother.

“There's nobody like Charlie. Nobody was funnier. And some of my biggest laughs in my life are with Charlie. I miss my brother,” Eddie stated.

He was also seen getting emotional while looking at the archival footage of Charlie included in the documentary, where the latter shared how “proud” he was of Eddie. The Golden Globe winner later told Entertainment Weekly that it was the “only time” in his decade-long career that he got emotional on camera.

“I think about Charlie every day. He's a constant presence,” Eddie continued.

On why he decided to include Charlie’s old clips in Being Eddie, the award-winning actor shared that his late older brother was a “huge part” of his life who had a significant impact, just like his father.