Bill Murray's brother Ed, inspiration behind Caddyshack, dies

william murray golf/instagram

Ed Murray, Bill Murray's eldest brother and an inspiration for the movie Caddyshack, has died.

"It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of the legend Ed Murray," the Instagram for his family's apparel company William Murray Golf posted.

"Named after the family patriarch, it was Ed who introduced the Murray family to this wonderful game of golf — by way of caddying at Indian Hills Country Club — at the age of 10, no less. (They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.)" the announcement read. "Ed was the recipient of the Evans Scholarship back in 1963 while attending Northwestern University — a scholarship awarded to golf caddies — a family storyline which served as inspiration for the Danny Noonan character in Caddyshack when Brian Doyle-Murray co-wrote that iconic screenplay.

"Ed and all five Murray brothers are members of the Caddie Hall of Fame, as well — something all the boys take pride in, as this game helped shape their lives," the post continued. "It was an honor for all of us to get to know Ed and to spend time with him over the past half-decade as we’ve built this brand with the Murray family — and his loss is a hole that will never be filled.

"Rest in paradise, to a true family man and a gentle, sweet soul. May we honor your memory from this day forward," it concluded.

As one of nine kids in his family, the Ghostbusters star followed in his brothers' footsteps by caddying at the Indian Hill Golf Club in Winnetka, Ill., as a teenager. Their experience informed much of the events in Caddyshack, which was co-written by Bill's brother and costar Brian Doyle-Murray. Director and co-writer Harold Ramis had also worked as a caddy as a teen.

In Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf, Bill wrote, "The film is the gripping tale of the Murray brothers' first experiments with employment ... [Brian] wrote the events of his and my brother Ed's caddie life in a way that showed he'd paid attention."

According to his page on the William Murray Golf site, Ed was even an extra on Caddyshack.

"Over the years, I’ve told people that I was the real Danny Noonan, up to the point where he got laid by the waitress. That didn’t happen. But, I was the oldest of nine, won the caddie championship, and got the caddie scholarship," he wrote. "Many of the events in Caddyshack I experienced during the many years I served as a caddy at Indian Hill Club. I did have a small part in the movie in my five days as an extra. I also got to take director Harold Ramis and producer Doug Kenny out to Indian Hill Club and show them the course and the caddyshack and introduce them to the pro. They ended up giving me 'a special thanks' in the movie’s credits."

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