Bill Murray Bitten by ‘Groundhog Day’ Groundhog: Truth Revealed
Bill Murray recently shared a surprising anecdote during his appearance on *Hot Ones*, where he was promoting his 2025 film *Riff Raff*. The conversation turned to an old incident from the iconic 1993 movie *Groundhog Day*, specifically involving a groundhog that bit him on set.
Groundhog Day Bitten: A Painful Experience
Murray revealed to host Sean Evans that he bears a scar on his middle finger from a groundhog bite. “I’m not flipping you off,” he clarified, showing the scar. After the first bite, Murray attempted to protect himself by wearing steel fisherman’s gloves. However, the groundhog managed to bite through the protective gear as well.
Frustrated, Murray confronted the animal wranglers on set, demanding to know, “Who in the hell trained this gopher?” The wranglers admitted that the groundhog had only been captured weeks before filming began, leaving it largely untrained.
The Real Punxsutawney Phil
In a 1993 interview with *The Philadelphia Inquirer*, Murray indicated that the filmmakers had originally intended to use the famous Punxsutawney Phil for the movie. However, since they didn’t film in Punxsutawney, the beloved groundhog was unavailable. Murray praised Phil as a well-behaved “true professional.”
- Nicknamed Scooter, the movie groundhog bit Murray three times during filming.
- Murray joked, “I will never, ever make another major motion picture with him again.”
Health Concerns After the Bites
There were rumors that Murray required a rabies shot following the bites. In a 1993 statement to *The Morning Call*, he recounted asking his doctor if he needed the vaccine. The doctor explained that they didn’t have enough information about groundhogs and rabies. Murray humorously noted, “Because you don’t know, you can’t give me the shot?”
This bizarre encounter with the groundhog highlights both the challenges of working with wild animals and the unpredictable nature of filmmaking. Murray’s tales from *Groundhog Day* continue to entertain audiences, providing a glimpse into the humorous and sometimes painful realities behind the scenes.
