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Joel Murray is an American actor who is popular in television shows and films. Mad Men, Grand, Love & War, Dharma & Greg, Still Standing, and Shameless are some of the productions he has been a part of. He also did voice work. He gave the voice to a Cheetos mascot, Chester Cheetah, between 1986 and 1997. Pete Stacker took over the position in the year 1997.
His work can be singled out from sitcoms to dark dramas. This list presents to you nine of his finest performances that you need to watch. The TV shows and films of Murray present the new perspective of his acting style and the narratives he assists in creating.
Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.
Here is the list of the 9 best Joel Murray movies and TV shows you need to add to your watchlist:
9. Shameless (2011)
Shameless is a comedy-drama that is based on the dysfunctional Gallagher family that dwells in the South Side of Chicago. It is a show about six children and Frank Gallagher, who also follows the adventures of an alcoholic father who educates his children on how to take care of themselves. Lip, the youngest and the eldest daughter, Frank, and Emily Rossum star in the series: William H. Macy, Frank, and Emmy Rossum, respectively. Joel Murray took up the role of Eddie Jackson, the authoritative father of Karen Jackson.
Eddie had a wife, Sheila Jackson, and used to beat his family. Eddie appeared to be self-pitying at one point in the season finale. He felt like a failure as a father after a viral video of Karen with Frank was uploaded and shared by his colleagues. The humiliated and depressed Joel Murray hit the faces of the viewers, as a man (Eddie) walked to his ice fishing hut, where he tied a cinder block around him and threw himself full into the frozen water, where he drowned to commit suicide. This mock grave and funny death were the reasons why Shameless was an innovative television series.
8. Still Standing (2002)
Still Standing is a family sitcom of a working-class couple, Bill and Judy Miller. They reside in Chicago, and they attempt to bring their three children up to be responsible, but also to make their marriage enjoyable. Mark Addy acted as Bill Miller, a toilet salesman. Jami Gertz was portraying the wife of Bill Miller, who was a dentist. Joel Murray played the role of Danny Fitzsimmons and was a good friend of Bill and his workmate.
Fitz was a recurring character and a salesman who was working with Bill. Joel Murray made the show amusing in several instances where Fitz provided comic relief and Bill needed help with his family problems. The show ran four seasons on CBS from 2002-2006, and focused on the parenting-related struggles every day with as much humour as it could.
7. Dharma & Greg (1997)
The sitcom Dharma & Greg is a story of two contrasting characters who marry after meeting on their first date, though they are living in different worlds. Joel Murray played Pete Cavanaugh, the best friend of Greg and his co-worker in the Justice Department. Pete was also a not-so-sharp and relaxed lawyer who turned out to be an ally to Greg in the course of the series. One IMDb user said,
"The show is great, plain and simple. Absolutely funny, mixing a nice balance of silliness and humour, with wit and drama."
In a famous scene, Joel Murray was portrayed as an arbitrator in one of the conflicts between Greg's mother, Kitty, and Dharma's father, Larry. Pete's inattention produced amusing occasions. He frequently observed the mayhem between the two families and offered Greg kindness and humour.
6. Love & War (1992)
Love & War is a romantic comedy television series that revolves around the life of a lady who owns a bar in New York City. The woman is caught in a web of a relationship with an egocentric newspaper columnist. The opinionated columnist, Jack Stein, was portrayed by Jay Thomas. Joel Murray portrayed the regular character Ray Litvak, who frequents the Blue Shamrock bar throughout the series. One IMDb user mentioned,
"I tried the pilot (bad) and some from season 2, because of Potts."
Joel Murray, playing the character of Ray in most of the sequences, came up with this character as part of the cast that attended the pub and gave relief to the audience through their comedies. The show ran during 3 seasons, 1992-1995. The romantic trouble experienced by the main characters was the centre of attention, though colourful regulars and staff of the bar have been taken into consideration.
5. Grand (1990)
NBC ran a humorous television series called Grand. It followed three extremely distinct families that lived in the little town of Pennsylvania. Pamela Reed played the role of Janice Pasetti. Bonnie Hunt was playing the role of a middle-class maid, and John Randolph was playing a rich owner of the Grand Piano Works factory. Joel Murray happened to be the half-witted son of Harris Weldon, who was living in the mansion of family.
Audiences watched Norris's weird and aimless performance. Norris was frequently portrayed as a slothful person who struggled to find purpose in living at his father's expense. The series was in two seasons, which were cut short in 1990, and had 25 episodes. Grand parodied soap opera conventions, and its plots went between multiple episodes in their effort to satirise the melodramatic nature of daytime television with humour and social cynicism.
4. Mad Men (2007)
Mad Men is a period drama set in New York City in the 1960s, and the drama is based on another creative director named Don Draper, who is a gifted advertiser and creative director of a picturesque agency by the name of Sterling Cooper, which is based in New York City. The lead character of Freddy Rumsen, a senior copywriter at Sterling Cooper, had an alcoholism issue. On one of these memorable moments, Freddy was forced to request a leave of absence as he had soiled his pants and fainted at the office because he was drunk.
In an effort to revive his career in advertising, Joel Murray eventually returned to the show and drank with Freddy to his salvation. In the last season premiere, Freddy made an excellent pitch that became the idea of Don, in which he displayed his development and a second opportunity. In its 2007-2015 tenure, the show was highly acclaimed by critics for its acting, writing, and for how the show perfectly portrayed the time period.
3. 7 Minutes (2014)
The film 7 Minutes is a crime thriller about three depressed high school friends who are under the urge to rob a bank. The plot of the story revolves around Sam, Mike, and Owen and their plot to rob Sam's uncle within a span of seven minutes to settle a debt with a drug dealer. Joel Murray played Uncle Pete, Sam's uncle and the victim of a robbery. One IMDb user said,
"An interesting storyline and character presentation, somewhat of a love story."
The incident when the three burglars broke into the home of Pete and robbed him of some money was a major occurrence. It does not take much time, and before long, the robbery becomes out of control, and complications and violence ensue. The movie illustrates that what might seem a simple truth turns out to be a deadly game where the lives of people are at stake, and all is amiss.
2. Mr Pig (2016)
Mr Pig is a road drama film about a pig farmer, Amibrose, and his favourite pig, Howard, who remains with him when they head out into Mexico across the border. Danny Glover was cast as an old man named Ambrose, who was a dying man struggling to save his family farm and animals against financial extinction. Gringo, played by Joel Murray, was one of the supporting actors in the film.
In the film, we can find Gringo in the scenes when they were on the way to Mexico. The movie illustrates how Glover is physically depleted as he tries to find his new home where he can safely keep his beloved pig, while having health complications. This is a heartrending movie about the idea of family separation and liberation, where the father is going through his last mission with his animal friend.
1. God Bless America (2011)
God Bless America is a dark action comedy of a disillusioned middle-aged man named Frank Murdoch. Viewers saw Frank decide to cause violent retaliation against the uncivilised and rude individuals of the current American culture. Directed and written by Bobcat Goldthwait, the film features Joel Murray as the character Frank. Frank, an insurance salesman and divorced individual, discovers that he has a terminal brain tumour.
Among the scenes that impressed the most was the moment when a viewer, the character of Joel Murray as Frank, watched a talent show and the judges abused one of the contestants who was also a handicapped person, and this aroused him with a sense of moral outrage. He eventually shoots a spoiled reality TV star on the day, and Roxy happens to witness this and resolves to help him in the quest. Frank and Roxy embark on a nationwide journey in a stolen yellow Camaro, killing people they feel are rude and destructive to society.
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