The Poster Memorabilia blog

The Funniest Movie Duo You’ve Probably Never Seen

Two signatures, two surprised legends, and a 1983 comedy that deserves a bigger club.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

Has anyone seen Trading Places? It's a hilarious crime comedy film starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy at the top of their game. Released in 1983, before Murphy rose to full-blown movie stardom, the film already shows both men's comedy chops and charisma. It's a must-watch for fans of both icons.

This may be controversial to say, but I seriously think that Aykroyd and Murphy made for the best comedy duo here. I think it's because the movie gave both ample time to shine. It doesn't focus too much on one over the other. They're both as much the stars of the film as each other.

I gotta say, though, I think I prefer Murphy's performance over Aykroyd's. Don't get me wrong, Aykroyd is also great in this, but apart from playing Donkey in the first Shrek movie, I don't think I've laughed at Murphy harder than in this film. He really burst out and made a splash on the screen here.

It's no wonder that this and Beverly Hills Cop (1984) put him on the map, even when he was still an SNL cast member. Watch the movie yourself, and you'll see a comedy legend in the making. It's actually fascinating to see a star get his first rise.

Anyway, I still love both stars equally, and I became a huge fan of both after seeing it for the first time. When I became an autograph hound in 2012, I decided I wanted both actors to sign my poster. They became my first targets in this whole thing.

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Luckily for me, Aykroyd and Murphy stayed fairly active throughout the 2010s. It didn't take long for me to catch them on the red carpet. I don't even want to call it “chasing” because I didn’t exert that much effort to meet them. I went to the red carpet premieres and other events they attended and got their autographs.

The first one I met was Dan Aykroyd. I went to the world premiere of the James Brown musical biopic, Get on Up, at the Apollo Theater in New York City in 2014. The actor played Ben Bart, Brown's long-time manager and agent, so I finally saw him on the red carpet there.

I remember he looked shocked when I showed him my Trading Places poster. It seemed like it was the last thing he expected a fan to ask him to sign, which actually makes sense. He's starred in more iconic films since doing that movie, so I don't blame him for being surprised by it.

“Watch the movie yourself, and you'll see a comedy legend in the making.”

The same was true with Eddie Murphy when I met him at the Kennedy Center in 2015. That year, the actor received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which further proved how truly legendary he is in comedy. It was also one of his rare public appearances at the time.

Seeing both of them surprised at my poster slightly bummed me out because even they don't always remember this awesome movie they starred in. As if it wasn't enough that the majority of the general public has forgotten this film, but even its stars, too?

Here’s to hoping that more people discover this gem of a comedy movie that starred two of the best comedic actors Hollywood has ever produced. And if this autographed poster can help spread awareness, even better!

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

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