Born in Boston, MA; educated at Williams College. A former Literary Digest editor, he wrote the screenplays for a number of prominent Hollywood films, twice also trying his hand at directing as well as writing (THREE STRIPES IN THE SUN, 1955; THE WACKIEST SHIP IN THE ARMY, 1960). He later turned to TV, creating the series "The Felony Squad." Murphy's story and screenplay credits include LIFE IN SOMETOWN, U.S.A. (1938), BACK IN THE SADDLE and THE APACHE KID (both 1941), and I LIVE ON DANGER and WILDCAT (both 1942). After service in the Army Air Corps during WW II, he returned to Hollywood for BOOMERANG! (1947), DEEP WATERS and CRY OF THE CITY (both 1948), SLATTERY'S HURRICANE (1949), PANIC IN THE STREETS (1950), YOU'RE IN THE NAVY NOW (1951), LES MISERABLES (1952), THE DESERT RATS (1953), BROKEN LANCE (1954), COMPULSION and THE LAST ANGRY MAN (adaptation) (both 1959), THE MYSTERY OF THE CHINESE JUNK (1967), and his last film, THE KIDNAPPING OF THE PRESIDENT (1980).  Nominated for Writing (Screenplay) 1947: BOOMERANG!  Nominated for Writing (Story and Screenplay) 1953: THE DESERT RATS 2 nominations