The hilarious Hollywood star Bill Murray is in mourning this week after his beloved eldest brother Ed, who was the inspiration behind the movie Caddyshack, passed away.
Bill confirmed that his brother had died in an Instagram post to his apparel company, William Murray Golf.
“It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of the legend Ed Murray,” the post read. “Named after the family patriarch, it was Ed who introduced the Murray family to this wonderful game of golf—by way of caddying at Indian Hills Country Club—at the age of 10, no less. (They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.).”
“Ed was the recipient of the Evans Scholarship back in 1963, while attending Northwestern University—a scholarship awarded to golf caddies—a family storyline which served as inspiration for the Danny Noonan character in ‘Caddyshack’ when Brian Doyle-Murray co-wrote that iconic screenplay,” the post continued.
“It was an honor for all of us to get to know Ed and to spend time with him over the past half decade as we’ve built this brand with the Murray family—and his loss is a hole that will never be filled,” Bill’s statement concluded. “Thank you for always being so gracious, Ed. Our hearts are with his lovely family. Rest in paradise, to a true family man and a gentle, sweet soul. May we honor your memory from this day forward.”
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The post was written alongside a slideshow of photos of the Murray brothers, which also include Brian Doyle-Murray and Joel Murray, playing golf together and having fun. It’s clear from the photos just how tight-knit this family is, and how strong their bond with Ed was.
People Magazine reported that Ed received a special acknowledgement in the credits for the 1980 classic Caddyshack, which starred his brother Bill and was directed by Harold Ramis. Ed later appeared in the 2009 television documentary about the movie, “Caddyshack: The Inside Story.”
Five years ago, Ed opened up about his love for golf in an interview with the Santa Maria Sun.
“I love it, more than anything!” he said. “I’ve been playing since I was 8 years old,” Ed said. “You learn about a person on a golf course; you learn about their competitiveness, their integrity, their disposition.
“I think golf is such a great sport because it’s a game of honesty,” he continued. “It’s a game of honor. It’s a game where just when you’re ready to quit, you’re gonna have a great hole or a great shot and it brings you back. You make a putt on the 18th hole [and say,] ‘Well, I’ll be back tomorrow.'”
Ed went on to explain that his love for the game was partly due to the fact that it was something he shared with all of his brothers. He was incredibly proud that they had all been inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame together.
“It was not about me, it wasn’t about Billy either, usually he’s the headline, it was the fact that all six of us caddied,” he said.
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