Thomas Francis Murphy was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1953, where he spent his early adult years working in dairy barns and factory floors. Prior to his career in the entertainment industry, he had a diverse range of occupations, including training as a hard hat diver, working as an EMT, social worker, and freelance theatre critic. For many years, he made a living as a house painter.
In his thirties, while living in Little Rock, Arkansas, Murphy took an acting class that significantly altered the course of his life. He subsequently spent the next 20 years on the East Coast, balancing his career as a painter with his pursuit of a career in the theatre. During this time, he trained with Shakespeare & Co. of Lenox, Massachusetts, and performed in numerous off-off-Broadway productions in New York, earning critical acclaim for his performances in the plays of Sam Shepard.
In 2013, Murphy relocated to New Orleans, where he has since worked alongside many renowned actors, including Tom Hanks, Woody Harrelson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Keanu Reeves. His notable film credits include "News of the World," "True Detective," "12 Years a Slave," "The Whole Truth," "Free State of Jones," and "Same Kind of Different As Me." He has also appeared in the television series "Mindhunter," "Salem," "Filthy Rich," and "The Walking Dead," as well as numerous other projects.
