Bill Murray: A Career in Three Stages

Remember back when Bill Murray was the king of slapstick? Back in his Saturday Night Live days, his ability to reach the heights of inanity with little obvious effort were what launched him into the spotlight. But Murray's career has been anything but one note. After the silliness of Meatballs, Caddyshack and Stripes, his career soon morphed into its second stage: The dead-pan irony of his roles in Wes Anderson oddities like Rushmore. Finally, with his breakout role in Lost in Translation, he entered his third phase: That of a respected, if perennially coy, dramatic actor. Which Bill Murray phase was your favorite? Take a journey through Murray's transition from slapstick to deadpan to drop-dead serious.

City of Ember, Bill Murray, 2008. © Universal. Courtesy of the Everett Collection.