James Edward Murdoch

James E. Murdoch (January 25, 1811 – May 19, 1893) was an American actor and elocutionist.

James Edward Murdoch (sometimes spelled "Murdock") was born in Philadelphia, the eldest of four sons of Thomas and Elizabeth Murdoch. James apprenticed under his father in the business of bookbinding. He served as a volunteer fireman with the Vigilant Company. In 1829, he made his first dramatic appearance as Frederick in Kotzebue's play Lover's Vows. He had his first lead role in 1830 with the traveling company of Vincent DeCamp. The following year, he married Eliza Middlecott. In 1832, while suffering from indigestion, he accidentally ingested a preparation of arsenic. A doctor was called in and saved his life, but thereafter he would suffer health problems and fatigue. After the war, the residents of the area in Warren County, Ohio surrounding Murdoch's farm petitioned to have the region renamed Murdoch, Ohio in his honor. Murdoch, Ohio retained a post office for more than thirty years. Currently, it is an unincorporated community.

He was the uncle of the brothers Frank Murdock and Harry Murdock. The actor Harry Murdock perished in 1876 in the Brooklyn Theater Fire along with nearly three hundred others. He was performing in the play The Two Orphans with Kate Claxton, who survived the fire. Frank Murdock was an actor, writer, and painter, who wrote the screenplay for the 1916 film Davy Crockett that starred William Farnum and was directed by William Desmond Taylor.

During the last two years of his life James Murdoch suffered from various ailments and was cared for by his two daughters, Fanny and Ida.