Actor/comedian Joel Murray hasn’t forgotten his Midwestern roots—or his NIU background.

Murray, co-star of NBC’s “Grand” and brother of actors Bill and Brian Murray, attended NIU his freshman and sophomore years from 1980 to 1982. In a telephone interview from his California home he discussed his life’s work, hobbies and influences.

Murray grew up in Wilmette (a suburb of Chicago), the youngest of nine. Now 27, he said life in the Murray home was always interesting, to say the least. Was it difficult being the youngest? “You weren’t missed,” he said. “I remember running away and no one missed me. But it was a good time growing up.”

Part of the fun was the Murray family dinner table, where much of the children’s creativity and penchant for entertainment began. “My father was a slow eater,” Murray explained. “The first half of the meal we ate—the second half, we entertained him. Being the youngest, if you said something stupid early on, you’d be cut off the rest of dinner.”

Murray, whose dialogue is peppered and punctuated with jokes and laughter, recalled his high school years at Loyola Academy. A college preparatory school, Loyola is also all male—but Murray didn’t always miss girls in the classroom. “I got a lot more out of class. I could get out of bed ten minutes before and go to class looking like a mess. And it was a man’s school—you could smell it!”

After looking at several other colleges, Murray chose NIU because “it was the easiest application to fill out. I paid my own way to Northern too, so that was a factor,” he explained, adding, “It was far enough away that Mom couldn’t come up for a surprise visit, and close enough you could go downtown (Chicago) and catch a concert.”

While attending NIU, Murray lived in Grant Towers North, on the then one and only coed floor of the all-female residence hall. “That must have been some kind of mistake,” he said, laughing.

“They asked me to leave, so I went to Lincoln.” He was asked to leave Lincoln Hall as well, Murray said, and eventually moved to an off-campus apartment. Was he really that bad? “I used to throw a lot of parties,” he said.

A communications major, Murray also appeared in a theater arts production of “Bus Stop” as Carlo the bus driver. “Everyone in theater then was really into ‘Fame’,” he recalled. “It was a very tight-knit group. I couldn’t handle it.”

Murray said one of his favorite memories at NIU was going to Andy’s Tap with his English instructor to watch the band Brother Jam and Blue Minister. “I remember dancing there a few times, too,” he added.

Murray left NIU after his second year when his brother Bill offered him a chance to study in Rome. While there, he studied English—”that didn’t make sense, but it was fun”—and traveled with friends to 15 countries on weekends during the year.

When he arrived back in Chicago, Murray took classes at both Loyola University and Second City Comedy Club. “Second City started becoming more important than my three philosophy and two theology classes,” he said.

Murray worked at Second City four-and-a-half years, even stopping back at NIU for a performance with the touring company. He appeared in the film “One Crazy Summer” in 1987 and performed at Main Stage Comedy Club, where a scout for “Grand” spotted him.

He received an audition immediately and flew to Los Angeles. “Everyone kept telling me ‘Grand’ was different; they weren’t going to go for the cheap jokes and it was going to be quality stuff,” he said.

On the show, which debuted this past season, Murray plays Norris, a millionaire’s son “who lacks all direction in life,” he said. How does he get into character? “When I grew up in Wilmette, I caddied at Indian Hills (a high-class golf club). I didn’t realize I was researching a role,” he explained. “Here I was, 11 or 12 years old and caddying for 11 and 12 year olds.”

“Grand” was recently renewed for the fall season and Murray is at work writing some upcoming episodes. “I’m very excited about next year. A lot of people seem to like Norris and next year I’ll get some bigger parts—it helps that I’m writing them too.”

During hiatus, Murray is also spending time in his California home (“somewhere between the ocean and Beverly Hills”) with his wife, actress Eliza Coyle, and his five-month-old son Hank. In addition, he is directing two improvisation groups, trying to form one of his own and working on writing a screenplay.

Murray said he misses Chicago and a lot of the city’s offerings. “I don’t have WGN here. I miss Wrigley Field, I miss the lakefront,” he said, adding, “The ocean is just an enormous slug. I don’t like it—it’s filthy.”

Still, Los Angeles does hold some things for the actor. “There are a lot of people from Chicago out here. I always thought I’d hate Los Angeles, but now that I’m married and have a child, a lot of things that mattered before don’t matter now. It doesn’t matter the bars close at four instead of two, and the AIDS scare is less when you’re married.”

Murray said he hopes to return to Chicago this summer for his 10-year high school reunion and some Cubs games—”I need that.”

Does he have any advice for NIU students? “If you’ve got a goal, set your sights on it and do it,” he asserted. “You’ll be surprised—it only takes a few years and you’ll be there.”