In early February, streaming service MGM announced its release of the four-part TV docuseries Murf the Surf: Jewels, Jesus, and Mayhem. It’s the story of Jack Murphy, a surfer from Carlsbad, California turned jewel thief and full-on criminal who passed away in 2020. Museum robberies, money heists, jail time, bikini-clad women, and running from the law — the doc features it all.
Decadence and grasps for glory have long been an aspect of the surfing dirtbag underbelly. Smuggling comes to mind, like the Southeast Asian surfer-marijuana ring documented in the book, Thai Stick. Or the romanticized Hollywood version of crime and wave riding: Point Break. All of the stories and real-life characters are tied together thematically – living above the law to aid in the singular mission of working less and surfing more.
Surf history enthusiasts and action lovers alike may find Murphy’s story fascinating: he’s had plenty of media attention in the past. In 1975 a Hollywood version of Murph the Surf was released starring Don Stroud as Murphy. The real Jack Murphy graced the cover of Sports Illustrated alongside the blurb: “Hall of Fame Wave Rider. Mastermind Jewel Thief. Murderer. Minister. What to make of Murph The Surf?” And The New York Times boldly stated in the headline of Murphy’s obituary that Jack was a “heist mastermind,” describing him as a “tanned, roguish, party-loving beach boy from Miami.” (Note the SEO expert must have been absent the day MGM named the docuseries, Murf the Surf instead of “Murph.”)
The trailer for the docuseries above includes historical photos and recollections of who Jack was at different points along his road of ever-more concerning bad behavior. “When you hear the name Jack Murphy, what word comes to mind,” asks a narrator in the doc. The answer has nothing to do with waves or swell direction. The only response is “murderer.”
Without revealing too much, in 1964, not only did Murphy rob mansions with his pals, escaping, in true surf-criminal fashion via speedboat, but he pulled off the biggest jewel heist in New York City history. The rest of his life is equally insane, but you’ll have to watch Murf The Surf to fully grasp it all.
Reviews have been positive, noting the juxtaposition of beach boy and federal outlaw being a natural mash-up: in the film, Jack sums up the allure of the surf-outlaw lifestyle best, saying to someone who offers him a part in a heist, “I sleep in a bathing suit. Call me anytime.”
