murdock was born on april 11, 1923, in kansas city, missouri. his father was a traveling salesman, while his mother took up laundry and scrubbed floors to make ends meet. he is the middle child of three; he had two sisters. he was particularly close to his mother, who died at 42 from cancer. he grew up in montgomery township, ohio, and dropped out of high school in the 9th grade. he was drafted by the united states army in 1943 during world war ii.