Eddie Murphy - Happy Birthday, Eddie Murphy!

Making his way up the laughing ladder, Murphy first made his name as a stand-up comic before a stint on Saturday Night Live shot him into the comedy stratosphere.

His turns in the Beverly Hills Cop movies made him a household name, and despite a series of recent film flops, he proves he's still got it with his role as the adorable Donkey in animated hit Shrek.

But Murphy isn't just a funnyman - his all-singing, all-dancing role in Dreamgirls won him a surprise Best Supporting Actor nomination.

And to celebrate a career which has shone as brightly as his mega-watt smile, we've searched through the archives to find 10 facts on birthday boy Murphy.

- Murphy started his career early, writing stand-up routines when he was just 15 years old after being inspired by Bill Cosby.

- He is often named the most successful Snl alumni and is credited for revitalising the sketch show when it hit a slump in the early 1980s.

- Has also enjoyed success on America's Billboard chart, with two hits to his name - Party All the Time and Put Your Mouth on Me.

- He has dated Halle Berry, Whitney Houston and former Spice Girl Melanie Brown.

- Murphy set a record at the 2007 Razzie Awards when he was voted for five gongs - the most ever for one star in the same year. All of the unwanted award nominations were for his flop Norbit.

- He's the first actor to be paid $1 million for his debut movie role.

- He was one of several stars to fall victim to a death hoax last December (10), with reports suggesting he had passed away in a skiing accident.

- Murphy admits he hated facing his 50th birthday, because he'll looked like a "creepy old man" if he hits on girls.

- Murphy is very clean cut - he doesn't smoke or drink and his only vice is strong coffee.

- He took home 20 per cent of the box office takings of his Nutty Professor franchise.