From the time he made his debut on "Saturday Night Live" at just 18 years old, Eddie Murphy was a comedy sensation From creating memorable "SNL" characters such as Gumby and Mr Robinson, to having several hit stand-up specials, Murphy took the comedy world by storm in the 1980s He then became a major movie star, and over the next several decades his work ranged from raunchy R-rated films to family films

Murphy recently returned to one of his most popular characters in the Netflix original "Beverly Hills Cop: Accel F," the first "Beverly Hills Cop" movie in 30 years Accel F" was well received by critics and audiences alike, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 66% and a ranking in the top 10 films on Netflix Here are seven more Murphy classics that showcase his talent and range

Murphy cemented his superstar status with this action-comedy blockbuster, the highest-grossing film of 1984 Originally produced as a Sylvester Stallone film, it was adapted for Murphy and became a showcase for his comedy with plenty of exciting action sequences Murphy plays Axel Foley, an accomplished Detroit police detective who finds himself in the unfamiliar upscale neighborhood of Beverly Hills as he investigates the murder of a friend

Director Martin Brest directs impressive chase sequences and shootouts, balancing action and suspense with hilarious interactions between Foley and the uptight residents of Beverly Hills It all comes together seamlessly, thanks to Murphy's captivating performance and charming supporting cast members such as Judge Reinhold, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot as Blake It's no surprise that Foley has appeared in multiple sequels, but the original is still the best

Watch on Netflix

Murphy is known to an entire generation, if not more, as the voice of Donkey, the talking animal and sidekick to the main character in the hugely popular animated "Shrek" series But the first "Shrek" was a delightful, clever adaptation of the traditional animated fairy tale, with Mike Myers playing a grumpy ogre who just wants to live peacefully in the swamp

Shrek ends up on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), accompanied by an eager donkey who is determined to become Shrek's best friend, whether Shrek likes it or not The relationship between Shrek and Donkey continues to be a bright spot in the ongoing franchise, and Murphy plays Donkey cheerfully and relentlessly without being irritating He is the perfect counterpoint to Myers's irritating sycophancy

Watch on Netflix

Murphy's fish-out-of-water comedy, in which he plays a prince from a fictional African country looking for a bride in New York, could have resorted to tiresome stereotypes, but it is funny, warm, and unexpectedly wholesome After rejecting an arranged marriage offered by his parents, Prince Akeem, played by Murphy, instead heads to America to find a woman he will fall in love with, not as royalty, but as a person

To do so, he takes a job at a fast food restaurant and tries to live simply Akeem is kindhearted and pure of heart, and his romance with his boss's daughter, Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley), is understated and sweet Director John Landis balances that sweetness with the funny comedy of Murphy and Arsenio Hall playing several roles apiece, but the goofiness never overshadows the sincerity

Rent/Buy at Apple or Amazon

Murphy was perfect to play eccentric black-sploitation legend Rudy Ray Moore in this entertaining biopic about the making of Moore's cult classic "Doremite" Murphy captures Moore's larger-than-life personality as the comedian who became an underground sensation thanks to his rhyming pimp character, Dolemite DREMITE IS MY NAME is a celebration of scrappy independent filmmaking, with the story of an inexperienced Moore who, through sheer force of will, makes a feature film

Murphy's engaging performance is matched by Davine Joy Randolph as Moore's fellow comedian and co-star Lady Reid and Wesley Snipes as Darville Martin, the pretentious actor Moore hired to direct Director Craig Brewer finds humor in Moore's amateurish enthusiasm, but never makes fun of Moore himself

Watch on Netflix

Murphy is the only Oscar contender for his supporting role in Bill Condon's adaptation of the hit Broadway musical He plays Jimmy "Thunder" Early, an R&B singer on the same record label as the girl group known as The Dreams While The Dreams (played by Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, and Anika Noni Rose) are the main characters, Jimmy tells a parallel story of his rise to stardom

Murphy uses his brief career as a pop singer to keep pace with powerful vocalists Beyoncé and Hudson, but Jimmy's tragic desperation makes his performance unforgettable Murphy has a complex track record in dramatic roles, but he is a natural as Jimmy, for he brings the same charm and vitality to this ambitious but doomed musician as he does to his comedic work

Rent/Buy at Apple or Amazon

Murphy's big screen debut essentially created a modern buddy comedy with the dynamic between Murphy's wry criminal Reggie Hammond and Nick Nolte's dull Captain Jack Case created Case takes Reggie out of prison with a 48-hour deadline to catch Albert Ganz (James Remar), a former associate of Reggie's, who has killed several guards and escaped from prison Case and Reggie are at odds at first, but they soon come to be wary of each other and respect each other

Murphy's charisma and comedic talents carry what could otherwise be a rather clichéd crime thriller A highlight is a scene in a honky-tonk bar, where Reggie poses as a cop to get the redneck patrons on board It's obvious that Murphy is going to be a major movie star

View on Paramount Plus

In films like "The Nutty Professor" and "Norbit," Murphy often uses extensive prosthetics to play multiple characters, but in this silly and endearing show biz comedy double act requires no such enhancements Steve Martin, who also wrote the screenplay, plays the titular character, a weak film producer with big dreams of directing a sci-fi movie called "Chubby Lane" He tries to get famous action star Kit Ramsey (Murphy) to star in the film, even if he doesn't know Ramsey is actually in it

Murphy plays Ramsey, a self-centered, paranoid Hollywood celebrity and follower of a self-help cult known as Mindhead Murphy also plays Ramsey's estranged twin brother Ziff, a meek nerd who is willing to help Bowfinger realize his vision Murphy conveys the connection between the two characters while making them stand out, and they both fit perfectly into Martin's world of B hustlers' usual suspects

View on Starz