Charlie Murphy, the brother of Eddie Murphy, who’s perhaps best known for his appearances on the iconic Comedy Central sketch series Chappelle’s Show, has passed away at the age of 57.
The news was confirmed today in a statement from Murphy’s publicist.
Sources close to the comic say he passed in a New York City hospital while undergoing chemo.
Murphy had been battling leukemia for an undisclosed period of time.
Murphy racked up more than 50 film and television credits during his more than 30 years in the industry, but it was his performance on Chappelle’s Show that made him a household name to a new generation of comedy fans.
In two of the show’s most famous sketches, Murphy recounted real-life tales of encounters with Rick James and Prince, respectively.
In both cases, Murphy both narrated and helped to reenact the experiences, which included a memorable basketball game against the Purple One and a years-long conflict with James.
Murphy went on to host the show’s “lost episodes” alongside co-star Donnell Rawlings, following Dave Chappelle’s abrupt departure in 2005.
In addition to his time on Chappelle’s show, Murphy appeared in a number of beloved film and television comedies, including CB4, The Boondocks, and the culishly adored Adult Swim series Black Jesus.
An accomplished standup comic, Murphy toured the US with Cedric the Entertainer, Eddie Griffin, George Lopez and D.L. Hughley just months before his death.
Though it’s only been moments since news of Murphy’s death was announced, the comic is already the number one trending topic on Twitter, with numerous legends of entertainment paying tribute to a man that many consider one of the great comedic minds of his day.
Many have sadly noted that the three stars of what are arguably Chappelle’s most beloved sketches (Murphy, Prince, and James) have all passed on.
Just last week, Murphy paid tribute to Prince on social media, tweeting:
“Can’t believe it’s been almost a year!? RIP to the Purple One.”
Murphy is survived by three children.
He was married to Tisha Taylor Murphy from 1997 until her death from cancer in 2009.
