Murray Feared Premiere Mauling

Celebrated actor Bill Murray was so terrified the audience at the premiere of new movie Broken Flowers would hate the independent film, he spent the entire screening in a state of panic.

The LOST IN TRANSLATION star was convinced his collaboration with Jim Jarmusch would ignite a hostile reaction after the acclaimed director told him how a previous film was panned by its premiere audience.

Murray, 55 says, "I had been told that if they don't like what they see, the room is not just freezing, but downright nasty.

"Jim said that he's presented a movie a few years before to 2,500 people in the same auditorium, and after the credits ended, there was total silence.

"A voice from high up above said, 'Jim, that's s**t.' Then the booing started.

"I thought about that for every minute I sat there watching, despite the audience's laughter."

Murray heaved a deep sigh of relief when the film ended to a full five minute round of applause at this year's Cannes Film Festival in France.