Bill Murray's Brother Dies, Inspiration Behind 'Caddyshack'

William Murray Golf / Instagram

Bill Murray and his family took a big hit when the eldest sibling in their family, and one of the driving forces for inspiring the families love of golf, passed away. The news was announced late Monday evening by the Instagram account of Murray's signature clothing line, William Murray Golf.

Ed Murray was the eldest of his famous 8 siblings, including well-known Bill Murray, Joel Murray and Brian-Doyle Murray. Ed may not have led a life of Hollywood fame, like his brothers, but he was successful in his own right and even got a taste of the good life when he appeared as an extra in the 1980 classic, "Caddyshack."

William Murray Golf / Instagram

The announcement of Ed's passing did not include details of how he died but made it clear just how special he was to his brothers and sisters.

"It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of the legend Ed Murray," the message read.

Ed was named after the patriarch of the Murray family and was responsible for shaping his family's love for golf after getting a job as a caddy at the private Indian Hills Country Club near the family home in Winnetka, IL at just 10 years old.

William Murray Golf / Instagram

According to William Murray Golf, Ed Murray was the only one of his brothers to nab the prestigious Evans Scholarship due to the connection he made while caddying, and that eventually led to the creation of the "Caddyshack" character, Danny Noonan.

"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's love for caddying eventually inspired his other brothers to join up as caddies for Indian Hills throughout their formative years.

Western Golf Association

Back in 2015, Ed and the rest of his brothers were given a real honor when they were inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame during the BMW Championship at the Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest.

During an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Ed gloated about being the only Murray brother to get the Evans Scholarship, but also spoke about what he loved about those years holding the bag for his local club pros.

"It introduced you to successful businessmen and businesswomen and people who are very mature. You had to grow up quickly and you couldn't be a little boy anymore. You had to be mature when you were taking care of a member's bag and game and trying to get him to play well and feel good about his time on the golf course."

Ed Murray finally got his taste for fame back in 1980 when his brothers and director Harold Ramis, put him as an extra in the classic golf comedy, "Caddyshack." He later revealed just how he ended up on-screen and what the experience was like.

"I was usually in the background somewhere behind the scenes or on the driving range," Ed told The Chicago Tribune years ago.

He added, "But Harold Ramis, the director, said we have to give you a close-up and there is this one scene where this lady gets hit by the club and is lying on the deck and they have me come up right behind her holding a beer in my hand."

R.I.P.