Character Bios

Murray

Murray Cook was an Australian guitarist, songwriter and actor. He's best known for being the lead guitarist of the children's band the Wiggles.

Early life and career:

Murray James Cook was born on June 30th 1927 in Cowra, New South Wales, Australia.

When he was eleven or twelve, he found his love for music and learned to play guitar.

He played in some bands in high school.

Cook described these bands as "fairly unsuccessful bands".

In university, Cook majored in early education and met Anthony Field and Greg Page.

The three students wanted to make a children's album named after their band which they named The Wiggles.

Cook was also known for inventing the Wiggles' trademark finger wagging move.

"In the early days, there wasn't much to do. So we always watched ten pin bowling and people would do it whenever somebody got a strike. So we'd always joke with it and it sort of caught on in the wiggles" said Cook in 1988.

The Wiggles were a huge success in only a few years. 

Famously, Walt Disney loved and bought their movie and inducted them in to Disney Actorville in 1966.

Love life:

In 1957, the Wiggles released The Wiggles Movie which was their first feature-length production.

Cook loved the success but he didn't feel satisfied with all that he had.

That is until he met and fell in love with a nomad named Sam Pan after the Wiggles Movie was released.

"When I met Sam she said "I don't have any shelter". I said "that's horrible" and I asked Greg if she could stay with us. He agreed and Sam stayed with us for a while and that was the time I actually felt like... someone, you know" said Cook in 1978.

Soon after they started dating, Cook made a mess on his red skivvy with yellow mustard.

He freaked a little when it happened. Pan didn't care, but she was angry.

That was the reason Pan broke up with Cook and left Wiggletown.

"I didn't know she was breaking up with me. When I told her I had to change my shirt, she stopped me without saying anything. Then she kissed me for a long time and still didn't speak when we pulled away. And then she hit me. And I didn't see her leave. I thought I'd see her outside, but she wasn't there. Sam was gone" said Cook in 1960.

Pan never came back to Wiggletown at the time. When she left, Cook was distraught. He was fine on tours but sometimes would get sad outside of work.

"When I found out Sam was never coming back, I was so sad. You know, she left without so much as a goodbye. I nearly threw my life away for her" said Cook in 1970.

However, when he felt like he had to move on, Cook married his first wife, Kelsey Cook.

Coincidentally, even before they married, the couple already had the same last name.

Murray and Kelsey Cook then had a daughter named Olivia or Livvy for short.

When Livvy was eleven, Kelsey passed away.

Then Murray adopted two more daughters whose names were Belle and Ariel.

The sisters grew up pretty much alone seeing as their father was a Wiggle.

In 1964, the Wiggles asked the Beatles to perform with them.

And it was a shock to Cook that Pan was with the Beatles and her friends.

"I was so surprised when I found that Sam was with them. I don't know how she agreed to it, but she did and I'm so glad" said Cook in 1966.

Cook was hoping that Pan would be happy to see him again, but Pan was still angry with him.

A lot situations forced them together and during a few of them, Pan fell for Cook and married him in 1965.

"Sam and I had known each other for so long. I don't think either of us thought we'd end up getting married. But we did and we were both very happy together" said Cook in 1975.

However, their marriage ended badly when all four Wiggles were jailed after a swindle. 

"I had to punish myself. I'd betrayed Sam by joining sides with someone she'd always hated. So giving up our marriage and giving her to someone else was the worst punishment I could give myself. But at the same time, I'm glad it worked out the way it did because now they're a famous vocal duo that I like very much" said Cook in 1984.

Sam & Murray:

Cook and Pan remained friends, however, and their divorce resulted in Pan meeting her better half for many years Dick Grayson.

Pan and Grayson formed the musical duo Sam & Robin and had similar attention to the Wiggles. 

In 1967, Grayson became sick and Pan asked Cook to fill in for him. 

As Sam & Murray, they recorded their own single Wiggle Girl and made an appearance on TV to sing the Sam & Robin songs The Jungle and A Lifetime of Loneliness. 

"I didn't want Sam performing alone, so I instantly agreed to join her when Dick got really sick. People seemed to like it, but I knew she'd do better with Dick because he's a much better singer than I" said Cook in 1987. 

Later life:

In 1981, the Wiggles disbanded but Cook continued on playing guitar in other bands in the 80s.

In 1989, Sam & Robin disbanded and Pan had divorced from her then-husband Dick Grayson. So Cook and Pan remarried and started playing in their own group.

They gave themselves the stage name "Pan and Cook" and recorded singles. 

They continued to do so until Pan's death in 1996.

"I was holding her to help her feel less afraid of the disease she had. And then she died in my arms. At least I was there for her" Cook said tearfully in 1998.

After Pan died, Cook remained close friends with Dick Grayson up until his murder in 1999. 

Death:

In 2000, doctors diagnosed Cook with pancreas cancer.

Cook died on December 2nd 2000 with his last words being "I'm coming, Sam".

After his death, Cook remained a kids' music legend as did the rest of the Wiggles.

Even with them all gone, the Wiggles have lived on and hopefully won't be going away any time soon.