Kevin Murphy
American
- Screenwriter
- television producer
- lyricist
- composer
Television[edit]
Murphy's television career began as a writer for the family sitcom Big Brother Jake. He went on to write for the animated series Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sabrina: The Animated Series and Phantom Investigators; the science fiction-themed family programs Weird Science, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show and So Weird; the action series Martial Law; the romantic comedy-dramas Jack & Jill and Ed; and the family dramas Get Real and The O'Keefes. From its premiere in 2004 to 2007, he worked as head writer and co-executive producer for the hit comedy-drama Desperate Housewives.[1] Desperate Housewives was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2005, when Murphy was its head writer.[1]
In 2007, Murphy wrote and produced an original TV movie titled Nobody. In the same year, he worked as a writer and co-executive producer for the supernatural-themed comedy-drama Reaper. He also contributed original songs to Nobody and Reaper. In 2008, Murphy created the short-lived comedy-drama Valentine. In October 2009, Murphy joined the staff of the Battlestar Galactica prequel Caprica.[2] A month later, he became the showrunner for the Syfy drama, taking over from Jane Espenson.[3]
As of 2009, Murphy has been working with Tom Welling to develop the September 2010 series Hellcats television series for The CW, based on the book Cheer: Inside the Secret World of College Cheerleaders by Kate Torgovnick.[2] He was also working on a drama titled Velvet Hammer for USA Network.[2]
Murphy was the producer for the Syfy series Defiance.[4]
From 2017 to 2019, he was the showrunner and writer of The Son on AMC, which ran for two seasons.[5]
Stage[edit]
Murphy wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the book for the musical Reefer Madness. It was his third collaboration with writer-composer Dan Studney, but the first to be professionally produced. For the off-Broadway production of Reefer Madness, Murphy was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for "Outstanding Lyrics".[1] In 2005, Murphy and Studney adapted their stage musical for television for Showtime. The song "Mary Jane/Mary Lane", which they composed for the television adaptation, won an Emmy Award for Music and Lyrics.[1]
In 2009, Murphy began developing a musical adaptation of the 1988 film Heathers.[2] Murphy wrote the book and lyrics, and the score was written by Laurence O'Keefe, composer of Legally Blonde: The Musical.[6] Three staged readings of Heathers: The Musical took place, with Kristen Bell in the starring role; the creators hoped for a regional production in 2010, to be followed by a Broadway run in 2011.[2][6] In 2013, the musical began a run September 21 at the Hudson Backstage Theatre in Los Angeles.[7] The musical then began an Off-Broadway run in March 2014 and closed in August 2014. The musical later had a run at The Other Palace in London from June 2018 to August 2018, before transferring to the Theatre Royal Haymarket for a run from September 2018 to November 2018.
Personal life[edit]
Murphy is a graduate of Drew University in Madison, New Jersey.[1]