Comedian Charlie Murphy Dies of Leukemia
Photo by Christopher Polk / Getty Images
Charlie Murphy, a 57-year-old stand-up comic known for his appearances on Chappelle’s Show and for being the older brother of Eddie Murphy, has died of leukemia, as first reported by TMZ.
After news of Murphy’s death in a New York hospital broke this morning, celebrities and fans have been paying tribute all day:
We just lost one of the funniest most real brothers of all time . Charlie Murphy RIP. pic.twitter.com/AAwItp5AJC
— Chris Rock (@chrisrock) April 12, 2017
Charlie Murphy was a great man. God bless, we already miss you.
— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) April 12, 2017
Legendary comic George Wallace shared his own favorite story from Murphy:
A story from Charlie Murphy. Rest in peace, Sir. pic.twitter.com/GmR3RL7o9Z
— George Wallace (@MrGeorgeWallace) April 12, 2017
Aside from his best-known work on Chappelle’s Show, Murphy worked plenty as an actor in his own right, with a recent four-episode arc on Starz series Power and a voice-acting career landing him parts on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Boondocks and more.
In 2009, Murphy lost his wife of 12 years, Tisha Taylor Murphy, after her own fight with cervical cancer. Charlie Murphy is survived by their two children, another child from a previous marriage, and his own younger brother Eddie.