MovieChat Forums > Moving Violations (1985) Discussion > What Happened to John Murray?

What Happened to John Murray?


Does anyone know whatever became of him? He dropped out of site after "Scrooged". Thought he was hilarious in "Moving Violations"! Would of liked to have seen more of him. Anyone out there with any info?

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I have fond memories of MOVING VIOLATIONS from seeing it on cable back in the late Eighties. Though John was doing virtually a line by line imitation of brother Bill in this movie, he certainly did it well, didn't he? I thought he could have had a nice career as a lightweight, good-guy leading man if he had really committed himself to it. Sorry, but I don't have any further info on the guy other than to report having seen him with Bill (and I think brother Brian) on the links during that golfing show the Murrays did a few years ago. Steve.

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I haven't seen this movie in 15+ years and here it pops up on cable this afternoon.

I agree, John was not playing the charactor, he was playing his brother Bill playing a charactor. I guess the producers didn't have the budget to hire Bill so they hired his little brother and said "pretend you're Bill for the whole movie".

Amusing film.

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I caught it today as well. I hadn't seen it since it was running on cable in 86. Forgot how funny it was

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I saw it today, too! Hadn't seen it since I was a young, impressionable child in the 80s. I'd really like to know what happened to Murray. He was definitely the best part of the film.

"This is the third hose fight I've broken up today, and the second using actual hoses." ~Leela

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Wow, a lot of folks watched this film today! I don't have cable, but I watched this today after buying the tape in a clearance bin. I agree that John Murray was terrific, and it's too bad he didn't have more of a career.

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Totally! I really think it's hilarious that so many people watched today...truly, one of the great things about cable. I'm shocked as hell they were running this movie.

"This is the third hose fight I've broken up today, and the second using actual hoses." ~Leela

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I was surprised that this board had any posts at all. And it's weird that I happened to watch the VHS tape the same day it's playing on cable. I thought this was going to be moronic like the "Police Academy" films, but it actually had some moments of inspiration. The stop-motion bit with the clothes was quite clever. And Sally Kellerman is always worthwhile. Definitely worth my $1.99!

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My friend is a stand up comic and he says John Murray is standing ten feet in front of him online waiting to audition of the NBC show.Last Comic Standing.
Right now.

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It's still there. Key in 'John Murray' in the search bar and click on 'John Murray in Radioshack commercial'. There are three clips but the Mick Jagger one's the best I think. I'm sure it's the guy and he's brilliant.

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That's not him. You can tell by the fact that the man looks and sounds absolutely nothing like him besides being a goofy white guy. Also, that commercial was from 2006 and John Murray is now almost 50 and that guy was no more than 30. In fact, the guy looks younger than this John Murray did 20 years ago in Moving Violations. Unless, he's on one of those Hollywood rejuvenation regimens, it's not him. John Murray is a common name.

The Sopranos (1999-2007)

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Goofy white guy? Try caucasian, you ignorant shmuck (I don't care if you're white).

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"(I don't care if you're white)"

Don't you mean Caucasian?

George Carlin: It's all bullsh-t and it's bad for ya.

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Try caucasian, you ignorant shmuck


I've never been to the Caucasus Mountains, never plan to go there, and would have trouble finding it on a map--It's somewhere between Russia and Turkey I think--so no, I don't consider myself a Caucasian.

Cheating is just another way of being prepared. ~~ Coach McGuirk

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I fell totally in LOVE with John Murray when this movie was first released....gosh let's see i'm now 52.......hmmmmm we 'Tivo'd' it the other night, and watched it again. GOD HE WAS SO DAMN GREAT in that movie......Why he didn't go on to be a MEGA star is beyond me.........this movie has become another 'cult' film for me.........

"John, if you can hear us, please come back to the big screen in a script just like this........perhaps "Office space 2?" Who would you cast as everybody lol?


Be Kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle

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I just watched the movie yesterday and that's just what I thought, too, that he was playing Bill playing the character, but it seemed he may have thrown in some John Cusack for good measure. It was a fairly fun movie.

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I don't know about that. Considering that they are brothers they may have similar voices and mannerisms and senses of humor. Since Bill is his older brother, he may have grown up trying to be like him. There are times when I see Brian's (the oldest brother) similarity to Bill especially before his voice got all gravelly.

The Sopranos (1999-2007)

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I just watched Moving Violations for the first time in like over 20 years! I was saying the exact same thing that John Murray sounded like his brother Bill and how they were using similar lines in the movie from Stripes it seemed like. I can remember when Lifetime would show this on TV at this time back in the late 80's and early 90's. Man has the time changed! They no longer make movies like this anymore or show them on TV. If you do happen to see them showing this I would definitely take the time and sit down and watch this all right because it is a classic film to watch! I was cracking up with it last night!

Dedicated to USA UP ALL NIGHT and the fans! www.usaupallnight.webs.com/

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Allright...we all agree that John Murray is hysterical and a very funny man... very similar to his famous brother Bill, but that still does not answer the question, WAT THE HELL HAPPNED TO HIM and Where the hell is he nowadays?

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Not sure that was called for.

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I just saw this again on UTube, and forgot how funny it was. I am not sure what ever happened to John Murray, I saw this movie back in the day when I was 14 on cable. I just have seen him in this movie, and he did a cameo of a caddy in Caddyshack. I know he was in Scrooged, but other than that I think that is the only movies he's been in. I know Brian, and Bill took the entertainment path; and I thought sure John would have followed. I thought sure he would have been in the movie Groundhog day, since Brian and Bill were in it. I believe after the late 80's he just wanted to choose a different path. The Murray bros. are great it's too bad John didn't want to follow, if that's the case.

THX,
Kris L. CocKayne

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He appeared in Scrooged as Bill Murray's brother (not much of a stretch) yes. He also was on that Comedy Central show starring him, Bill, Joel Murray, and Brian-Doyle Murray as golfers. And yes, he was funny in this film.

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bump

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I remember watching Moving Violations and thought this movie was great! It has been ages since I have seen it and thought that John Murray did a great job in it! This movie is a classic you know!

Dedicated to USA UP ALL NIGHT and the fans of the show! http://deefilmroll.com/usa-uan/

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Joel is delightful! I've seen him playing in ensemble casts in @ least four comedy series--Dharma & Greg, most notably.
I JUST found out that he's Bill's brother.
It seems John might be the 'Daniel Baldwin' of the Murray family.
Carpe Noctem

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I have also seen him in a movie with his brother called SCROOGED. It is a very good Christmas comedy to watch.

Dedicated to USA UP ALL NIGHT and the fans of the show! www.deefilmroll.com/usa-uan/

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MOVING VIOLATIONS
starring
John Murray as Bill Murray as Dana Cannon as The Wise-Ass Anti-Hero

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I love the movie, the first time I saw it was on cable back in the 80's. I was only 14 at the time, I have been trying to find it on DVD, but the price is sky high. If you ever want to see it again, UTube has it. I just watched it today; they don't make comedies like this one anymore.

Kris L. CocKayne

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EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!! ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was just saying that to my husband the other night....I saw this movie when it first came out back in the 80's and LOVED his character THEN, We recorded it the other night, and watched it again, and man, he was sooooo great in it....better than his brother Bill I think! And I said to my husband "Why in the heck didn't he ever do anymore parts like this?? It was the "office space" of it's day, don't you agree????? And I'm a 52 year old female!!!
I just loved the entire movie, his smartass remarks, Mrs. Hauk.....it was like CAR WASH also a classic I LOVED.............
Sigh, I want to find out why he doesn't do more movies too!!!!!!!!!


Be Kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle

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I wonder what he does to make a living nowadays..

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He collects residuals from IMDB message board posts.

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I have always wondered, too.

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To be honest although I love this movie, Moving Violations was not exactly a big hit in the theaters. Thankfully it did have a decent run on cable back in the 80's but let us be honest. John and/or his character was pretty much an imitation of his more famous brother almost to a tee so why bother with a second rate sibling when the first rate one was much better and more bankable.

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