Researching Anthony Murphy

Murphy was a child-actor who played the eponymous hero in the British television serial, Tom Brown's Schooldays (1971). He won an Emmy Award for 'Best Lead Actor in a Miniseries' for his role as Tom Brown. The programme itself won 'Best Miniseries' after it was screened by PBS in 1973. Despite the critical acclaim, this was the only time he worked as an actor.

Murphy studied Philosophy, Psychology and Physiology at New College, Oxford from 1975-1978. He then married his first wife and moved to Ireland, working as a potter and an aerial photographer. But after four years he divorced, and returned to school to study law. Despite lacking passion for the law, Murphy pursued a career as a corporate lawyer, first in England then in Paris, France. In Paris he met and married his second wife. Murphy began to paint "to relieve the boredom of corporate law." Murphy's first painting exhibition in 1991 in London was a success, and his colorful Gauguin-esque paintings became highly desirable.

In 1992, Murphy relocated from Paris to a large country house near Carcassonne in the south of France to paint full-time.

His work is mainly in oil and pastel; he is known predominantly for his French and Irish scenes and his skill as a colourist. A retrospective of his work was shown in London in 2016. He currently has his studio in France and exhibits regularly.

Murphy was born at St. John's, Newfoundland, December 22, 1913. He received his early education under the tutelage of the Irish Christian Brothers attending St. Patrick's Hall School on Queen's Road from 1920 until 1929. He was an above average athlete participating in various sports. He excelled in basketball, playing with the Wanderers Basketball team and from 1931 to 1939 inclusive won nine consecutive league championships, representing a record of outstanding achievement. He played soccer with the B.I.S. team, which won the league championship in 1937, 1938 and 1939. He played baseball with the Cubs team, which won the championship in 1931. He also made significant contributions to the St. John's Boy Scout Troupe, was a charter member of the Newfoundland Hiking Club, supported many local charities and organizations, especially his alma mater, the St. Patrick's Hall School. He was inducted into Sport NL's Hall of fame in 1978 for his achievements in baseball and other sports.

"Ank" Murphy served as acting Leader of the Opposition from 1969 to 1971 while the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador's leader, Frank Moores, did not have a seat in the House of Assembly. When Moores became Premier of Newfoundland following the 1972 provincial election he named Murphy to Cabinet as social services minister. Murphy held the seat of St. John's East from 1962 until his retirement in 1979. He died on February 18, 1996.