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What is Bill Murray's signature role? (1 Viewer)

What say you...

  • Meatballs

    Votes: 5 1.7%
  • Caddyshack

    Votes: 90 31.3%
  • Stripes

    Votes: 53 18.4%
  • Tootsie

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Scrooged

    Votes: 4 1.4%
  • Ghostbusters

    Votes: 47 16.3%
  • What about Bob?

    Votes: 4 1.4%
  • Groundhog day

    Votes: 77 26.7%
  • Lost in Translation

    Votes: 4 1.4%
  • Other

    Votes: 4 1.4%

  • Total voters
    288
Signature role is different than best or favorite movie. Ghostbusters is obviously his signature role. He was on lunch boxes, he had an action figure, a cartoon series. And he was quintessential Bill Murray in it. That's a signature role.

 
For me it is Stripes. I love Caddyshack but while his role was great I think Ted Knight and Rodney are the funniest and best parts of that movie. That may not mean it's not his signature role but for someone of his stature he needs to be the standout of the movie.

 
I always look at these questions as what is the first character that pops into your mind when you see the actor. 

It's Carl the Groundskeeper.  

 
Signature role is different than best or favorite movie. Ghostbusters is obviously his signature role. He was on lunch boxes, he had an action figure, a cartoon series. And he was quintessential Bill Murray in it. That's a signature role.
This.

Not his best performance? Certainly arguable. 

But it's tough to argue it's not his signature role for me. 

 
Stripes or Groundhog Day

As memorable and quotable as Carl Spackler was, Caddyshack had an ensemble cast and Murray wasn't carrying it like he did in the other two

 
Stripes or Groundhog Day

As memorable and quotable as Carl Spackler was, Caddyshack had an ensemble cast and Murray wasn't carrying it like he did in the other two
THAT'S THE FACT, JACK!!

I remember how freaking hot PJ Soles seemed at the time.   Interesting how times changes things.

 
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My favorite actor. There are too many great roles for a signature or whatever. Herman Blume should be on the list though.

 
I pulled out waaay early.  
His ESPN interview after beating Roy is classic.

Reporter : "Big Ern, a million dollars.  What are you going to do with it?"

Big Ern : "I don't know.  All I know is I finally have enough money that I can buy my way out of anything.  I can do anything I want when I get my money later.  Finally, Big Ern is above the law !"

Reporter : "You were so cool.  Any pressure?"

Big Ern : "Where are those girls? Get those girls over here. Yeah, there was pressure. l mean, I didn't want to get beat by a guy with a hook, you know?"

Reporter : "Does that mean he gets a handicap?"

Big Ern : "I don't know... I'm rich, what do I care?"

:lmao:

 
Ghostbusters was so iconic that you still know who Ray Parker jr is. 

Caddyshack was him playing a silly character for a few minutes of screen time.  He was practically a cameo. Doesn't belong at all. 

Stripes was outstanding but didn't have the mass appeal that Ghostbusters did.  CloseStripes was a really good comedy, but Ghostbusters totally dominated the movie scene. 

Groundhog day might be his best movie but he was such an established actor by then that half the fun of the movie is watching Bill Murray,  not watching some new character played by Bill Murray.  

Kingpin and scrooged aren't nearly iconic enough to be on this list.  
This.  Caddyshack helped put him on the map, but Ghostbusters is the signature role.  Stripes is arguably the funniest ...tons of quotable lines from that movie.

 
Ernie McCracken:  Jonathan, run a fly pattern all the way to the goal line. 
Ernie McCracken:  [he snaps the mom's skirt] Tennessee! Kentucky! Find the meat! ...  Uh, deeper, Jonathan. 

 
Just wanted to give a shout out to the Bob Wiley role. While in no way is it Murray's signature role, or even in the top 5, it is one hell of a job.

"I'm a sailor. I sail now!"

 
Signature role is different than best or favorite movie. Ghostbusters is obviously his signature role. He was on lunch boxes, he had an action figure, a cartoon series. And he was quintessential Bill Murray in it. That's a signature role.
When I saw the list, to me it was a choice between Ghostbusters and Stripes, for many of the reasons you set out in an earlier post.

I went with Stripes, but it was a close call. The reason I picked Stripes over Ghostbusters was he was THE star of Stripes and it basically established the wise-cracking Bill Murray persona that became his comedic hallmark. He also carried the movie far more than he did in Ghostbusters.

Ghostbusters was clearly the far bigger movie though.

 
I am surprised nobody has mentioned his SNL days.  I don't think that would be considered "signature" but surprised nobody has gone that direction.  For me, it is the first role that pops in to my head and that is Ghostbusters closely followed by Stripes and then Caddyshack.  .

 
When I saw the list, to me it was a choice between Ghostbusters and Stripes, for many of the reasons you set out in an earlier post.

I went with Stripes, but it was a close call. The reason I picked Stripes over Ghostbusters was he was THE star of Stripes and it basically established the wise-cracking Bill Murray persona that became his comedic hallmark. He also carried the movie far more than he did in Ghostbusters.

Ghostbusters was clearly the far bigger movie though.
Yeah it all comes down to how you define signature role. I love Stripes. I was at my first base for about two months when it came out and saw it at the on base movie theater. The audience enjoyed it a lot. I also really like Quick Change one of my favorite Murray films. And of course Caddy shack.

 

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