Bill Murray, 70 years of the comedian without a smile

(ANSA) - ROME, SEPTEMBER 19 - Congratulations to William James (aka Bill) Murray who turns 70 on 21 September.

"But that boy has come a long way" you could say with Celentano: born in Evanston in Illinois, fifth of nine children, orphaned at 17, an undisciplined student and expelled from the University of Denver for marijuana use, Bill Murray arrives to do the actor almost out of desperation.

His luck changes when he meets John Belushi who drags him into the crazy adventure of the "NationalLampoon Radio Hour" in New York City.

It is 1974 and three years later Belushi follows to NBC where the "Saturday NightLive" show takes off.

In '79 Ivan Reitman offers him the great opportunity with "Polpette" in which he is the chief scout Tripper, creator of murderous jokes against the opposing teams.

5 years later they found themselves for "Ghostbusters in which Bill Murray replaced John Belushi who died shortly before. Character and insecure as often happens to the great comedians, Bill tried to detoxify himself from the cinema and found himself on the small off Broadway stages but in 1993 he was another friend to highlight his talent : with "Ricomincio da capo" by Harold Ramis the audience notices him and the film becomes a cult object. As will happen ten years later with "Lost intranslation" by Sophia Coppola. In the meantime, however, the actor has become the alter ego of the emerging talent of the 90s: in every film by Wes Anderson Unfortunately, the artistic consecration that leads him to be one of the most sought after actors of the new millennium does not correspond to personal serenity.

   Frances McDormand introduces him to the Cohen clan (and he will arrive by bus to Rome to celebrate her friend at the Film Festival);

Wes Anderson calls him for the still unreleased "The French Dispatch", Sophia Coppola for "On the Rocks", JasonReitman (Ivan's son) for the reunion of "Ghostbusters: Legacy" expected next year.

In short, unless it were for that cursed character, sometimes too sensitive and devoured by anxiety, Bill Murray's birthday would be a happy occasion.

Of course it is for his fans who know they can count on a talent still capable of thousand surprises.

(HANDLE).