Comic genius Bill Murray (1950–), born on this day in Wilmette, Illinois, has always danced to his own offbeat rhythm. “I’m a nut,” he once said, “but not just a nut.”

That’s the charm. Beneath the mischief is a man who, as he admitted, “One of the things I like about acting is that, in a funny way, I come back to myself.”

Murray abandoned premed courses at Regis College for Chicago’s legendary Second City. By 1977, he was lighting up Saturday Night Live with his wobbly lounge singer Nick and Todd DiLaMuca, who teased Gilda Radner’s Lisa Loopner with his famous “noogies.” Even then, his humor carried a sly humanity. He made you laugh, but he also made you feel.

His film career evolved from wacky hits like Meatballs and Ghostbusters to roles layered with quiet depth. In Groundhog Day, he turned cynicism into redemption; in Lost in Translation, his soulful weariness felt achingly real. Because he is so authentic, Murray reminds us that comedy cracks open something deep inside.

A devoted father, golf enthusiast, and master of spontaneous public moments, Murray moves through life on his own terms. He seems to whisper to all of us: laugh at yourself, stay curious, and never stop surprising the world. Because with that spirit—there’s truly no downside.