Eddie Murphy's older brother Charlie, pictured, is bringing his stand-up show to Sydney
Jo Litson, The Sunday Telegraph, reports
Charlie may not have the same high profile as his younger movie-star brother, comedy great Eddie Murphy, but he is making his own mark in the showbiz world, enjoying international success as a stand-up comedian.
Murphy denies there was ever any competition between the pair, saying: "All boys are competitive but competitive against one another? No.
"No reason to be. He's my brother. We never really had that going on."
Instead, he couldn't be prouder of Eddie, whom he looked out for as a kid. "I still look out for him today," he says.
Murphy is coming to Australia for the first time next month with his latest stand-up show, The Acid Trip Tour.
"I talk about me, about family, about movies, about everything. My show is like a long, one-sided conversation, just having a good time together," the 52-year-old says.
Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, Murphy began getting into trouble on the streets as a teenage gang member.
After a year in jail, he joined the US Navy.
"That's when I became a man," he says. "In the military the reason you take the right path is they eliminate other choices. I needed that. They set me straight."
By the time he rejoined civilian life six years later in 1984, Eddie had become famous. For a while Murphy worked as his security guard. Then in 1989, he made his film debut alongside his brother in Harlem Nights.
"I wouldn't say his success inspired me to perform," he says. "When I started working with him I was around (showbiz) people and opportunities came up.
"I've always had the luck or blessing that someone would say, 'I liked what you did in that movie. I'd like you to be in my movie.' "
Murphy's acting credits include Spike Lee's Jungle Fever, Chris Rock's rap send-up CB4 and Night At The Museum. He also co-wrote Vampire In Brooklyn and Norbit with his brother.
However, he came to prominence on Dave Chappelle's comedy sketch TV series Chappelle's Show. When it ended in 2006, fellow cast member Donnell Rawlings dared him to do stand-up and took him to a comedy club.
"I was supposed to do five minutes," says Murphy. "I went up for 15 minutes and I haven't stopped doing it ever since."
Charlie Murphy, Enmore Theatre, April 26. Bookings: Ticketek 132 849
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