Successful Quadriplegic actor hopes to lure Hollywood productions to South Florida
Danny Murphy on a mission to see more actors with disabilities cast in film, TV and stage productions
BOCA RATON, Fla. (December 5, 2011) – Hollywood actor Danny Murphy is often recognized as “that guy in the wheelchair” for his roles in a number of Farrelly Brothers’ films including THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, ME, MYSELF & IRENE, KINGPIN, SHALLOW HAL, and DUMB AND DUMBER. He is now aiming to make South Florida an even more viable location for Hollywood studios and producers to film upcoming movies and television productions.
Murphy, a quadriplegic, also is determined to see more actors with disabilities featured on the silver screen and on television.
“One in five Americans has a disability, which equates to 20 percent of our nation’s population,” Murphy said. “Yet the disability community is represented in only half of one percent of all the industry’s productions for film and TV. We are the largest minority in the country. Producers and studios need to realize how important our contributions can be to the industry.”
To help secure acting jobs for performers with physical and mental challenges, Murphy joined Film Florida, a non-profit organization that promotes the creation of jobs in the film and entertainment production industries in Florida.
“I know South Florida is the ideal location for making movies and TV productions,” Murphy said. “We have the weather, the talent, world class facilities and the production capabilities to create many different types of films and television programs.”
Murphy, who previously resided in Los Angeles, where he appeared in nine feature films, six television shows, and many theatre productions, has been a leader in the movement to help performers with disabilities get more roles in movies and on TV.
He is co-founder of the international campaign “Inclusion in the Arts and Media
of People with Disabilities” (IAMPWD), which raises awareness about the lack of opportunities for people with disabilities in the entertainment industry; national vice chair of the Screen Actors Guild/AFTRA/EQUITY Performers with Disabilities Committee; an advisory board and steering committee member of the tri-guild IAMPWD organization;
a committee member of the Media Access Awards, which celebrates disability in the entertainment industry; and a member of the Boca Raton Advisory Board for People with Disabilities.
Murphy’s own history with disabilities goes back to August 1974, when he and his friend Pete Farrelly, now a famed producer, were sailing to Martha’s Vineyard off Cape Cod.
When they arrived at the island, Murphy dove into the waters of Oaks Bluff Harbor and broke his neck, causing a spinal cord injury that changed his life forever.
Twenty years after his accident, Farrelly invited Murphy to the premier of his film, DUMB and DUMBER. After the screening, Murphy teased his pal about not having any wheelchair users in the film. That comment landed him a role in Farrelly’s next film, KINGPIN, which starred Bill Murray and Woody Harrelson. This is when the acting bug officially bit Murphy and his career took off.
“I have many contacts in the entertainment industry, and I am hoping to utilize my experience to assist in state and local efforts to bring more productions to the Florida market,” Murphy said. “I’m looking to work with the Florida Office of Film and Entertainment, along with many of the state’s film commission offices, to encourage the growth of this industry in our state.”
For more information on Murphy, visit dannymurphy.com. For information on how to get involved in creating acting jobs for people with disabilities, visit IAMPWD.org.
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