In 1983, Murphy starred in one of his funniest roles as Billy Ray Valentine, a down on his luck street hustler who gets caught up in a bet between two rich old billionaire brothers (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy). They want to see if Valentine can succeed as a respectable financial genius like the white, preppy (Dan Aykroyd), whose life is upended as a result of the wager and Valentine's rise to the top. Saturday Night Live stars, Murphy and Aykroyd, are hilarious in this classic film. Check out a video clip of the official trailer below:

In this 1992 hit, Murphy was hysterical in his role as an accomplished, womanizing advertising executive who gets knocked down when karma turns the tables on him when his new boss (Robin Givens) arrives on the scene. She shows him what it's like to be treated as a sex object, destroying his personal and professional worlds. Directed by up-and-comer Reginald Hudlin, the film also featured a young Halle Berry in her breakthrough Hollywood role. Not only that, Boomerang was also the only top 20 movie in 1992 with a predominantly Black cast; and the triple-platinum soundtrack helped launch the career of then-unknown singer Toni Braxton, according to Entertainment Weekly. It also spawned a sequel series on BET in 2019. Check out the video trailer below:

Murphy won rave reviews in 1982 when he starred as Reggie Hammand, an ex-con who is released to help hard-edged cop Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) catch a pair of vicious cop killers in just 48 hours. The mix-matched duo keeps the audience laughing as they embark on the dangerous mission in this action classic. And who could forget Murphy’s funny rendition of the Police’s hit single, “Roxanne” as he sits in his cell? "Roxaaaaanne!" Watch the trailer below:

This 1989 American crime comedy-drama film is important because it was the first that was written, produced, directed by and starred Murphy himself, a time when most Blacks were still struggling to make their way in front of the camera in Hollywood, let alone as director. The film is a cult classic among Black audiences for its humor and sheer star power, which includes Richard Pryor, Della Reese, Redd Foxx, and Michael Lerner. In a plot that revolves around the Mafia, sexy women and crooked cops, Pryor stars as Sugar Ray, owner of the Club Sugar Ray, a Harlem speakeasy, while Murphy stars as his adopted son, Quick. The film, which remains Murphy’s only directorial effort, highlights his comedic and acting skills. Check out a video clip of the official trailer below:
 

Murphy was a straight up fool in this 1989 remake of Jerry Lewis’ tale about a nerdy scientist who drinks a potion that changes him into a Casanova named Buddy Love. The slapstick comedy highlights Murphy’s versatility, including his trademark skill of playing multiple roles, including every member of the crazy Klump family, whose dinner table antics represent some of Murphy's funniest onscreen moments. Check out a video clip of the official trailer below:

He scored major points on the board for his humor in the role of Axel Foley, a blue-collar Detroit police detective who goes to Los Angeles to track the killer of his childhood friend in this 1984 action thriller with its iconic theme song, “Axel F.” “He checks in with old friend Jenny Summers (Lisa Eilbacher) and starts to believe her boss, art dealer Victor Maitland (Steven Berkoff), might somehow be involved in the murder,” according to a review on Rotten Tomatoes. “However, Lt. Bogomil (Ronny Cox) of the Beverly Hills Police Department does not trust Foley, and hinders his search for evidence.” Check out the trailer below:

Murphy teamed up again with John Landis, who directed Trading Places, in this classic comedy that sealed his fate as a great comedy-actor in 1988. He plays a rich African prince, Akeem, who travels to America to find a bride in Queens, N.Y. Arsenio Hall plays his manservant in this comedic tour-de-force performance. The duo sport a variety of makeup disguises, which is a major part of Murphy’s acting repertoire, as the regulars at a local barbershop. Check out a video clip of the official trailer below:

In 2006, Murphy used the adaptation of the hit Broadway musical as a comeback role, following a break from the big screen. Although the backup singers, the Dreamettes-- Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose--were the big draw, Murphy won rave reviews for his performance as the raunchy R&B singer Jimmy Early, which earned him the first — and so far his only — Oscar nomination in his career. Check out a video clip of the official trailer below:

Murphy shined in this 2019 remake of Rudy Ray Moore's 1975 Blaxploitation shoestring budget film, Dolemite. In his tribute to the late actor-director, Murphy perfectly captures Moore’s big and outrageous character as a dreamer as Murphy himself fulfills his own dream of making the film. Indeed, Dolemite Is My Name is full of laughs, but Murphy dives beneath the surface to bring to light Moores’ struggles as a frustrated artist in this hilarious film of art imitating life, which also reveals Murphy’s diversity of acting talents. Check out a video clip of the official trailer below:
 

In the sequel to the 1988 classic, Murphy is hilarious in his reprisal of Akeem, who must locate his long-lost son in Queens so that he can honor his father — James Earl Jones’ — dying wish to crown the youth as prince. The film also stars Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, Shari Headley, Wesley Snipes, Teyana Taylor, and Murphy’s daughter Bella, 19, plays Princess Omma Joffer in the film. "Me and my dad do lots of acting scenes together, just for fun," Bella, tells Yahoo Entertainment. "He's a great teacher and it's just something we enjoy doing. We also watch a bunch of movies, and I was going to acting classes.” In its March 5th (2021) debut on Amazon Prime, the film had the #1 opening weekend for any streaming movie in the past year, according to Screen Engine/ASI. Check out the trailer below:
 

Watch the 52nd Annual NAACP awards on BET on Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 8/7C