TORONTO — After days of semi-fervent speculation about whether the man himself would show, Bill Murray made a late-afternoon appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival, which had christened Friday “Bill Murray Day.”
Ambling into a packed movie theater where “Ghostbusters” had just finished screening – and where, appropriately enough, three proton pack replicas just happened to be resting against the stage – a spiffy Mr. Murray, bedecked in ruby red pants, blue plaid button down and a hunter-esque gray cap — was greeted with a standing ovation and a hearty roar.
Then he sang along to Prince’s “Raspberry Beret,” which, for some reason, was playing on the sound system.
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“It’s always been all about me. From the beginning,” Mr. Murray said wryly during a Q&A with the director Ivan Reitman and the writer and producer Mitch Glazer, who referred to him as “Billy.”
Asked how Bill Murray Day was for him, Mr. Murray said it was pretty low-key.
“I sort of stayed in my room for a long time,” Mr. Murray said. “People kept coming up and saying things like, ‘It’s real humid out there. And it’s going to get more humid.’ That’s what my day’s been like. It’s mostly been a weather report.”
Mr. Murray garnered his very own day after festival honchos saw his latest film, “St. Vincent,” which is to have its world premiere here Friday night. The fact that three of Mr. Murray’s best-known films – “Meatballs,” “Stripes” and “Ghostbusters” – were directed by Mr. Reitman, a Canadian, gave the notion an extra boost.
“It reminded me of some of my favorite irresistible curmudgeons that he’s played over the years,” Cameron Bailey, the fest’s artistic director, said by-email, referring to Mr. Murray’s “St. Vincent” role. “That Toronto’s own Ivan Reitman has directed Murray in some of his most iconic roles made it a no-brainer.”
The day’s events included free screenings of the Murray movies “Stripes”, “Groundhog Day” and “Ghostbusters” — all the tickets were quickly snapped up — and the chance to win tickets to the “St. Vincent” premiere for anyone who dressed up as one of Mr. Murray’s characters.
Giving the event a Where’s Waldo flavor, festival goers were hoping to catch sight of the man who randomly crashed engagement photos and bachelor parties over the summer, and tangible evidence of Murray fandom was somewhat scant.
Three members of a group calling itself the Ontario Ghostbusters – they often don Ghostbuster suits for various events, giving any proceeds to charity – arrived at the Bell Lightbox, the festival’s headquarters, in beige coveralls and the aforementioned proton packs, shvitzing somewhat because the outside temperature — as Mr. Murray could have told them — hit a rather un-Canadian 89 degrees and the packs had heft.
Perhaps the most avid fans were a young trio who met at the Lightbox late Thursday night. Determined to nab tickets for all three films, which were given out to first comers Friday morning, Carolyn Duchene, 18, outfitted as Steve Zissou, Marc Winegust, 20 – “I’m Billy Murray from ‘Space Jam’” – and Carlos Sulpizio, 21, dressed as himself, were, they said, the first three in line. The men slept in shifts until shortly before dawn, when Ms. Duchene arrived in a red toque (to use a Canadianism) with a white washcloth affixed to her chin, via over-the-ear elastics, as a beard.
She later won a “St. Vincent” ticket, which she gave to Mr. Sulpizio, who’d been painting small portraits of Mr. Murray, and Mr. Winegust won a “St Vincent” ticket, too. At the daytime screenings, they slept a bit during “Stripes,” and scored front-row seats to “Ghostbusters” and the Q&A, which they watched, rapt.
The hands-down most adorable fan was Madeleine Greene, a gurgling 8-month-old who had been outfitted by her mother, Janine Chabot, a local teacher, as a miniature Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Sewn by Ms. Chabot’s mother, the costume was for Halloween, but Ms. Chabot could not resist putting it on Madeleine for the occasion. “I’m a huge fan,” she said. To her delight, the outfit caught Mr. Murray’s eye.
“Now that,” he cracked, “is not something you see every day.”