(Credit: Alamy)
The unique on-screen presence of Bill Murray has long captivated audiences, with a career that’s seen him transcend the typical trappings of Hollywood fame to become something of a cultural folk hero. His work has consistently bridged the gap between absurdist comedy and emotional depth, endearing him to generations of fans.
Part of Murray’s enduring appeal lies in his offbeat approach to both fame and life. Eschewing agents and traditional Hollywood structures, he’s carved out a reputation as a free spirit who connects with people on a deeply human level. Whether through laughter or melancholy, his vulnerability on screen has often mirrored a desire to live authentically. That said, his legacy is not without controversy.
Over the years, Murray has developed a reputation for being difficult to work with, with some former collaborators even describing his behaviour as crossing the line into abusive territory. Still, for many, his off-kilter charm and unexpected moments of kindness continue to define his public image. It’s an image that, remarkably, might never have come to be if not for one unlikely painting.
In the clip below, Murray opens up about a particular night, his first on stage, and how a dreadful performance nearly pushed him towards suicide. That is if it weren’t for one painting from Jules Breton named ‘The Song of the Lark’, voted in 1934 as America’s favourite.
During the panel, assembled as part of the promotional run for The Monument’s Men, Murray is asked if he can pinpoint a moment in time when art really has mattered and made in a difference in your life. After a shrug of the shoulders and a summing up of courage, Murray reveals: “Well, I think it would be back when I started acting in Chicago.”
Murray wasn’t always the winning actor he would become and struggled to find his feet, as he explained: “I wasn’t very good, and I remember my first experience on the stage. I was so bad I just walked out on the street and started walking. I walked for a couple of hours, and I realised that I had walked in the wrong direction. Not just the wrong direction in the terms of where I lived but the wrong direction in terms of a desire to stay alive.” It’s a shocking reminder of how mental health can be an issue for literally anyone.”
Taking in his surroundings, Murray seemingly accepted his fate, “I then thought ‘, Well, if I’m gonna die where I am, I may as well walk towards the lake, and maybe I will float for a while after I’m dead. So I walked over towards the lake, and as I got there, I realised I had hit Michigan Avenue. I thought, ‘Michigan Avenue that runs North too, so I started walking north and ended up in front of the art institute in Chicago.”
An inspiring piece of the city, the art institute is a thing of pride for all Chicagoans. For Murray, it represented a refuge of sorts, “I just walked inside and I didn’t feel like I had any place being in there. They used to ask you for a donation and I just walked right through it because I was ready to die. I walked in and there’s a painting there, and I don’t even know who painted it, I think it’s called ‘The Song of the Lark’.”
Murray added: “I’ve always loved this painting, and I saw it that day, and I thought ‘, Well, there’s a girl who doesn’t have a whole lot of prospects, but the sun’s coming up anyway, and she’s got another chance at it. So, I think that gave me some sort of feeling that I, too, am a person and get another chance when the sun comes up.”
It’s a simple sentiment that is as heartening to hear now as we’re sure it was for Murray when he gazed upon the painting. It’s not the first time that art has saved Murray, either. The acclaimed actor also turned to John Prine when dealing with mental health issues after a suggestion from Hunter S Thompson.
Murray told the New York Post: “John Prine can make you laugh like no else can make you laugh.” He made Bill Murray laugh enough with his song ‘Linda Goes to Mars’ to pull him from a bout of poor mental health and that is most definitely good enough for us.
Murray’s position as one of culture’s polarising figures seems unlikely to ever truly settle down into a collective opinion. He is at once the flagrant emblem of comedic joy but also able to show us the darker sides of humanity. One thing is for sure, that through art, Murray is able to seek refuge from that darkness.
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