Bill Murray Bitten By Groundhog On Set!

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As a movie enthusiast, I’ve been captivated by Bill Murray‘s remarkable acting in timeless classics like Ghostbusters, Stripes, and Scrooged over the past few decades. One standout film that truly resonates is the 1993 comedy Groundhog Day, which made it to the top 100 movies of the ’90s. In this film, Murray’s character interacted with the title groundhog, a moment that was undeniably amusing for us viewers. However, the joke was on Murray himself during filming as the groundhog bit him more than once! But wait, it gets even more intriguing behind the scenes.

What Did Bill Murray Say About Being Bitten?

In a recent episode of Hot Ones, the actor, now 74, divulged an extraordinary tale about his filming experiences. Among many intriguing accounts, this one might take the cake for wildness. During the conversation with host Sean Evans, they touched upon rumors that he was bitten by a groundhog while shooting Harold Ramis’ 1993 fantasy comedy. The actor corroborated these tales by pointing out the exact spot where he was bitten and recounting the chaotic events on set decades ago, as captured in the YouTube video.

I’m not giving you the finger; that lump there, it’s from the groundhog… It’s genuine. For two days straight, he attacked me. On the second day, I was trying to outsmart him, or so I thought. I wore fisherman’s gloves, thick steel ones, under my regular gloves. Yet, his teeth pierced through the steel. Yes, their teeth are that sharp.

Merely contemplating the idea of a tooth from one of those long, sharp creatures piercing my finger is enough to make me flinch. Bill Murray undeniably showcases impressive acting talent (and he’s part of an illustrious group of Saturday Night Live alumni capable of dramatic performances). Yet, I can’t help but think that even the most skilled among us might feel a bit nervous after being bitten by an animal on multiple occasions. Therefore, it leads to an intriguing question: how did the trainers play a role in this entire situation?

There’s A Wild Twist To This Groundhog Day Story

Typically, films featuring wild animals require a wrangler to be present on set. In the case of the movie Groundhog Day (originally intended to be darker), the production team opted for animal trainers to handle Punxsutawney Phil, the film’s star rodent. During an interview promoting his 2025 release Riff Raff on Hot Ones, Bill Murray shared a memory of being bitten by these trainers. It was during this encounter that they disclosed an intriguing fact:

In a somewhat dramatic manner, I expressed my frustration to the animal handler, exclaiming, “By the way, who’s been training this mischievous ground squirrel?” You recognize the theatrics of an actor. As for them, they exchanged a glance, almost as if they were a romantic couple, and then one replied, “Oh!” The other added, “Yes, he’s quite untamed.” To which I responded, “Untamed? What does that mean?” They explained, “We found him over there, by that field, just a couple of weeks ago.

In a heartwarming recollection, Original Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson shares an endearing story about how Bill Murray aided him in rejoining the team for the sequel: “That was simply incredibly special.

It’s quite reminiscent of Bill Murray’s iconic lines from his ’80s and ’90s films, isn’t it? However, let’s set aside the humor. The surprising fact is that the animal in question was just recently captured, especially considering the filming location. I would have expected a more experienced animal actor to be used for the production, but then again, even a less-wild groundhog might have nipped at the star. As the Rushmore actor put it in his interview, “you get what you pay for.

Bill Murray has faced quite a few job-related risks during his career, and I’m curious about what he finds more irritating – getting bitten repeatedly by a wild groundhog or carrying around a proton pack (from Ghostbusters). Frankly, neither situation seems enjoyable, but it’s clear that Murray’s work hasn’t been in vain. To catch a glimpse of him interacting with his woodchuck co-star, watch Groundhog Day on various streaming platforms.

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2025-03-09 22:40