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Bill Murray Is The Coolest Guy On The Planet. Fact.

Bill Murray Is The Coolest Guy On The Planet. Fact.

He's a man known worldwide for his deadpan comedic stylings, dramatic ability, and an eccentric streak that's garnered him a cult-like following of adoring fans.

And while it's clear that Bill Murray doesn't give a hoot about what anyone thinks of him, we think he's the coolest cat around. And we have proof!

He's Not Afraid To Be Weird

From Groundhog Day to Ghostbusters to St Vincent, Murray's plethora of kooky characters has made it cool to be a little weird.

Appealing to adults and kids alike - right up to his latest work as Baloo in Disney's The Jungle Book - Murray has endured as an unlikely Hollywood hero for decades, much to the pleasure of geeks the world over.

He Can Do It All

After starring in a string of comedies, Murray proved he had drama chops too in the critically acclaimed Lost in Translation, for which he received a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for Best Actor.

Directed by Sofia Coppola and starring the then 18 year old Scarlett Johansson, the film attracted massive praise for Murray, with Time's Richard Corliss saying, "You won't find a subtler, funnier or more poignant performance this year than this quietly astonishing turn."

Serial Prankster

Murray is a notorious prankster, to the point that a website has been set up, dedicated to his best and most notorious successes on unsuspecting folk.

Some of his best include turning up to a student party and doing all the dishes, stealing a chip from a stranger's plate and telling them "no-one will ever believe you," and jumping into a karaoke room with a bunch of complete strangers to belt out some Elvis.

Christmas Was Named After Him

It takes a powerful force to pull together Hollywood's biggest stars in a singing, dancing, comedy extravaganza. Last year Murray was that force, and the title star, of Christmas musical comedy A Very Murray Christmas, also featuring George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Amy Poehler, and Michael Cera.

In the film, Murray worries that no-one will rock up to his TV show as a snowstorm hits New York City. But by a series of serendipitous events, they arrive, with celebrities like Cyrus and Chris Rock performing carols with Murray.

He's Just So Cool!

What else? He's a massive sports fan, notably of baseball, football, and basketball, and owns a stake in several sports teams. He's also a dab hand himself. In the sports comedy Kingpin, which revolves around bowling, Murray really did bowl three strikes in a row.

Among Murray's other feats of fancy are tandem parachute jumping with the U.S. Army, getting lost in Bali and putting on a show despite not knowing the language, and showing up for a New York University archaeology dig completely by surprise.

He Doesn't Think He's That Cool

Rather than a team of agents and managers to fend off the offers flooding in, Murray has good old fashioned voicemail. That's right - if you're a huge Hollywood director and want Murray on your latest project all you have to is call him. A lot.

"You just call the 1-800 number. And I left, I don't know, a dozen messages. It's not his voice on there. It's a Skytel voicemail with a menu," recalls Theodore Melfi, who eventually managed to cast Murray in St. Vincent.

"You might think [it's the most epic casting story ever] but if you talk to any director who's cast Bill Murray, they all have a similar story," Melfi said.

Need another reason to love Bill Murray? Check out his brilliant turn as Baloo in Disney's The Jungle Book in cinemas April 2016.

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