Joel Murray

Joel Murray (born April 17, 1963) is an American actor. He is well known for his roles in the television series Mad Men, Grand, Love & War, Dharma & Greg, Still Standing, and Shameless. He has also appeared in films including God Bless America and Monsters University.

Early life Murray was born and raised in Wilmette, Illinois, to Lucille (née Collins; 1921–1988), a mail room clerk, and Edward Joseph Murray II (1921–1967), a lumber salesman. He grew up in an Irish Catholic family.

One of nine siblings, he is the younger brother of actors Bill Murray, Brian Doyle-Murray, and John Murray. A sister, Nancy, is an Adrian Dominican Sister in Michigan, who toured the U.S. portraying St. Catherine of Siena. His brother Ed died in 2020. Their father died in 1967 at the age of 46 from complications of diabetes.

In high school at Loyola Academy, Murray was captain of the football team and the lead actor in one of the school's musicals. His entertainment career began in Chicago, Illinois, where he performed at various improvisational theaters, including the Improv Olympic, the Improv Institute, and The Second City.

Career Murray voiced Cheetos mascot Chester Cheetah from the character's inception in 1986 until 1997. He was replaced by Pete Stacker in 1997.

In 1989 Murray performed at Second City (71st Revue) in The Gods Must Be Lazy.

Murray starred in the 1990 television series Grand, the 1991 comedy series Pacific Station, the 1992 comedy series Love & War as Ray Litvak, and the ABC series Dharma & Greg as Pete Cavanaugh. Murray also featured in commercials for First Chicago NBD. He provided his voice for the short-lived 1994 series Beethoven and the TV series 3-South. He played the supporting character "Fitz" on CBS's sitcom Still Standing. He appeared as Eddie Jackson on Showtime's series Shameless in 2011.

Murray's first film role was in the 1986 comedy film One Crazy Summer as George Calamari. His other roles include the 1988 comedy film Scrooged, with his brothers Bill, Brian, and John. He appeared in the 1992 movie Shakes the Clown with One Crazy Summer co-stars Bob Goldthwait and Tom Villard.

In the first, second, fourth, fifth and seventh seasons of the Emmy-winning AMC TV series Mad Men, Murray had a recurring role and appeared in 15 episodes as copywriter Freddy Rumsen. He has made guest appearances on television shows such as The Nanny, Joan of Arcadia, Two and a Half Men, Malcolm in the Middle, Criminal Minds, and Blossom.

In the 2012 film God Bless America he portrays Frank, a man whose contempt for superficiality and meanness in American society sends him over the edge and into a killing spree.

In the 2013 Pixar film Monsters University he provides the voice of Don Carlton, a middle-aged monster who is a college student and salesman.

In April 2014, Murray replaced Chip Esten in the improv-comedy troupe Whose Live Anyway? and performs with Whose Line Is It Anyway? cast members Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops and Jeff B. Davis. He also portrayed Ted in the comedy horror film Bloodsucking Bastards.

Personal life Murray has been married to Eliza Coyle since 1989 and they have four children. He and his brothers own a country club themed restaurant, the Murray Brothers "Caddyshack" (run by his brother Andy), named after the 1980 comedy film Caddyshack that starred his brothers Bill and Brian, located in the World Golf Village resort near St. Augustine, Florida. In 2018, they opened a second location in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1986 One Crazy Summer George Calamari Film debut 1987 Long Gone Bart Polanski TV movie 1988 Scrooged Guest 1989 Elvis Stories Shopping Elvis / Paul Short film 1990 Men Will Be Boys Jerry TV movie 1990 Grand Norris Weldon Series regular, 26 episodes 1991 Shakes the Clown Milkman 1991–1992 Pacific Station Capt. Ken Epstein Series regular, 13 episodes 1992 Blossom Doug LeMeure Episode: "House Guests" 1992 Only You Bert 1992–1995 Love & War Ray Litvak Series regular, 67 episodes 1994 Beethoven Beethoven (voice) Animated TV series 1995 Road Warriors Dick Durkee TV movie 1995 Partners Ron Wolfe Episode: "Who's Afraid of Ron and Cindy Wolfe?" 1996 Mr. & Mrs. Smith Bob Myers Episode: "The Bob Episode" 1996 Encino Woman Mr. Jones TV movie 1996 Basketball Player 1997 Val's Date Episode: "The Fifth Wheel" 1997–2002 Dharma & Greg Pete Cavanaugh Series regular, 119 episodes 1998 Hercules Acheron (voice) Episode: "Hercules and the Kids" 2000 Bartender 2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Professor Triffid (voice) 2 episodes 2000–2002 Baby Blues Carl Bitterman (voice) Series regular, 13 episodes 2001 Bob Episode: "Mr. Laffoon's Wild Ride"; uncredited 2002 It's All About You Taxi Driver 2002–2004 Teamo Supremo Helius Inflato (voice) 4 episodes 2002 3-South Various (voice) TV series 2002 John Doe Dante Langenhan Episode: "Mind Games" 2003 Titletown TV movie 2003 Malcolm in the Middle Larry Episode: "Hal's Friend" 2003 Nobody Knows Anything! Robber #1 2003–2006 Still Standing Danny 'Fitz' Fitzsimmons Recurring, 24 episodes 2004 Joan of Arcadia Balloon Sculptor / God Episode: "Vanity, Thy Name Is Human" 2005 See Anthony Run Mr. Randall Short film 2006 Hatchet Doug Shapiro 2007 American Body Shop Bank Manager Episode: "Shop for Sale" 2007–2013 Two and a Half Men Various Recurring, 5 episodes 2007–2014 Mad Men Freddy Rumsen Recurring, 15 episodes 2008 Mr. Reynolds Short film 2008 Criminal Minds Attorney General Episode: "Minimal Loss" 2008 Cold Case Bobby Kent Episode: "One Small Step" 2009 Awaydays Rugger Bugger 1 2009 Mending Fences Sam Bridgewater TV movie 2010 Hatchet II Shapiro Uncredited 2010 My Boys Crowley 2 episodes 2011 Shameless Eddie Jackson Recurring, 9 episodes 2011 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior Medical Examiner Episode: "Smother" 2011 Police Officer Fire 2011 God Bless America Frank 2012 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Andrew Kane Episode: "Frank's Back in Business" 2012 Desperate Housewives Alan Episode: "With So Little to Be Sure Of" 2013 Monsters University Don Carlton (voice) 2015 The McCarthys Ray Episode: "Sister Act" 2015 Bloodsucking Bastards Ted 2015–2016 Mike & Molly Dr. Jeffries Episodes: "Pie Fight" and "Cops on the Rocks" 2015–2017 The Leftovers George Brevity 2 episodes 2016 Sophie and the Rising Sun Sheriff Cooper 2016 Mr. Pig Gringo 2016 Hidden America with Jonah Ray Pete Episode: "Chicago: The Second Best City" 2016 Ghostbusters Security Guard Uncredited 2016 Killing Reagan Edwin Meese TV movie 2017 Shrink Rollie Series regular, 7 episodes 2017 American Gods Mr. Paunch Episode: "The Bone Orchard" 2017 The Big Bang Theory Doug Episode: "The Recollection Dissipation" 2017 Curb Your Enthusiasm Bus Driver #1 Episode: "Namaste" 2018 Grey's Anatomy Agent Martin Fields Episode: "Beautiful Dreamer" 2018 Bobcat Goldthwait's Misfits & Monsters Col. Douglas Episode: "Patsy" 2019 Lodge 49 Doug Fife Episode: "The Slide" 2020 AJ and the Queen Motorcycle Cop Episode: "Columbus" 2020, 2024 The Conners Jim Daniels 2 episodes 2020 Monuments Steven Lesca 2021–2023 Heels Eddie Earl Recurring 2022–2023 Bob Hearts Abishola Max Wheeler Episodes: "Bibles to Brothels" and "Uncharted Waters of Mediocrity" 2023 White House Plumbers Don 2 episodes 2024 Extended Family Danny Walsh Episode: "The Consequences of Being Irish" 2026 Madden Pat Summerall Post-production