European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 31, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                J less raw Murphy becoming simply by John Horn. A  writer a Eddie Murphy a Hollywood nickname is  but these Days  a sorting through a pile of problems not riches. Murphy hawked his latest movie 77?.e distinguished gentleman do the syndicated television show Regis a Kathy Lee a a publicity ploy to which  did no to have to resort in the �?T80s when  starred in such blockbusters As trading places Beverly Hills cop and coming to America. To Boot his guest spot failed to help. When counting is Complete the distinguished gentleman probably will Gross less than Murphy a 1989 creative and commercial washout Harlem sights. And now the 31-Ycar-old actor comedian finds his trademark vehicle on hold. In Early january Par. Amount pictures suspended Beverly Hills cop Iii on the eve of the sequel s filming citing worries Over a rushed schedule and huge budget. Two of Murphy a films before the distinguished gentleman a another a is hrs. And Harlem sights a delivered undistinguished returns. Boomerang was a modest Success. Some suggest Murphy a descent hinges on his abandonment of Sassy jokes and his popular foul mouthed rebel image. A what  a doing in the distinguished gentleman and Boomerang is to try to set himself up As a romantic Lead and matinee idol a said Peter Rainer a film reviewer for the los Angeles times and chairman of the National society of film critics. A a  a sort of in a bind. Because what a Best about him As a performer is his Early funny stuff.  s trying to do a it All and it just gives a lie to  Reginald Hudlin who directed Boomerang said Murphy could prove the naysayers wrong. Quot Eddie is As funny As  Ever was.  a a Guy with an incredible at oui of depth Quot said Hudlin who pointed out that Murphy Hasni to relied on his saturday night live characters during his film career. A i look Forward to a second decade of Eddie  certainly Murphy a first decade was relentlessly. Fruitful.  established himself Early when at age 15  showcased an Al Green impersonation at a Talent night at the Roosevelt youth Center in new York. The Brooklyn native captured National attention in 1981 on no cd a saturday sight live making $750 a week in his first season.  set himself apart with a Broad Range of comic characters including unctuous Pitchman velvet Jones ghetto Hood mister Robinson our gang Veteran buckwheat and a hateful gumby by 1984,  was the shows top Star collecting $30,000 an appearance. His first feature film 1982�?Ts a is hrs., cast him As a fast talking con who helps capture a ruthless criminal and grossed $75.9 million. His talents w Ere on better display in 1983�?Ts trading places As a Street Hustler turned Wall Street insider. The movie grossed $90.4 million at Domestic Heaters. Quickly Murphy surpassed Richard Pryor As the country Stop comedian and top Black actor.  enjoyed enormous crossover Appeal a Hollywood euphemism meaning his films attracted while patrons. The first by wily Hills cop released in 1984, grossed $234.7 million. The 1987 sequel brought in $153.6 million. In both films Murphy starred As Axel in Olcy a w wisecracking no rules cop from Detroit. His concert appearances featured in the 1987 movie Eddie Murphy raw were misogynist vulgar homophobic a and a Complete smash. The film grossed $50.5 million after being made in several. Paramount Eddie Murphy was a hot film cop in the 1980s. Buona Visla pictures and is a cooled Oft politician these Days. Days with minimal production costs. With the Fame came a Hurricane sized ego.  visited nightclubs with contingents of bodyguards and got into barroom brawls.  moved into an $8 million Home.  wrote directed produced and starred in Harlem nights an outright artistic disaster. Murphy branched into popular music with limited results. His first a Burns How could it  and so Happy Drew mixed review s and modest sales. Early this year motown will release a music album from Murphy titled dive s alright including the single i was a King. As a producer Murphy made the 1991 situation comedy the Royal family. Less than a month after its debut on lbs the series Star Redd Foxx died of a heart attack. The show lasted from september 1991 to May 1992. Murphy a ego and erratic work habits base galvanized Hollywood sentiment against him various Industry executives say. Others say his smart mouthed Hustler routine just Isnit funny anymore and  a is failed to grow As an actor. On the Boomerang set fur example  rarely showed up on time during the 13-week shoot and a a a s kept director Hudlin waiting outside his trailer said sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. Others including director Spike Lee report  assigned family friends and even a bodyguard nicknamed fruity to key positions in his production company bringing business meetings to a Quot standstill because the staff had scant Hollywood experience. Quot i Haven to been around him for five years said one senior executive who worked with Murphy on three hit films. Quot and god knows id like to keep it that  Lee speaking not too Long ago about Murphy a production company said Quot everyone  a got working there is related to him or Quot a Murphy himself has admitted making bad choices. A the movies that the Media dumped on deserved to  Dumpe ddn a  said in a group interview last year. A another 48 hrs. Is not a Good movie. Harlem sights is not a Good movie. I Wasny to True to who i was As an artist. I was walking through a movie while my head was in another place or i was doing a movie for the wrong  the decline in Murphy a popularity  come at a worse time for Paramount where Murphy has made All but one of his movies and is in the Middle of a Multi film contract. Paramount had a 10,1 percent share of the 1992 movie Market a next to last among major studios. After years of false starts Paramount hoped to begin filming on Murphy a Beverly Hills cop Iii so the film could  ready by summer. The first Beverly Hills cop ranks As the eighth highest grossing film of All time. The sequel is in the top 30. But the latest films hurried shooting schedule and its $65 million preliminary budget a including $15 million for Murphy a forced Paramount to put the  hold for at least two months. About 100 people were Laid off. Lire movie is to  directed by the once hot coming to America maker John Landis also reeling from a series of flops like innocent blood sinbad and Oscar. Steven  Souza a Star screenwriter who wrote Beverly Hills cop Iii said  a unconcerned about Murphy a slump. A the Only pressure i Felt was Here they have this franchise on the shelf and they want to revitalize it. You always fear you  going to blow it and wreck the franchise. The third one is always the hardest a said do Souza citing the disappointing the godfather part Iii and aicn3. Other factors make Beverly Hills cop Iii look like a Gamble and have Paramount executives nervous. The distinguished gentleman Disney co. Exec a tics said privately failed to attract Black Audi fences an ominous sign for an actor whose past audiences have been Rich with Black patrons. Beverly Hills cop Iii will  a family oriented film rated pg-13 a a rating that severely limits the four letter words tumbling out of Murphy a famously Raunchy Mouth. All of his previous films a except the 1986 movie the Golden child which did moderate business a were rated r. Perhaps the strangest twist behind Beverly Hills a cop Iii is the pairing of Landis and Murphy. Landis tried and acquitted in the Twilight zone movie set deaths of actor Vic Morrow and two children suffered a falling out with Murphy while making 1988�?Ts coming to America Murphy a last real hit the two got along so badly that Murphy said after the film that Landis a has a better Chance of working again with Vic Morrow than  does with .�?� neither Murphy nor Landis responded to interview requests. Producers across Hollywood Are watching the Paramount lot with fascination. Many expressed Surprise Over the budget of Beverly Hills cop Iii Espe Cial Lysine the distinguished gentleman released by Disney played so poorly. Although Disney believes the distinguished gentleman will manage a profit its tepid performance shocked Box office watchers. A Disney is the very Best at doing a formula movie and Selling movies Quot said one of the towns most successful producers.  said that despite Disney s aggressive marketing Campaign Murphy can Only draw half empty houses nowadays. Said the executive a a that a where the Guy  Page a a sunday january 31,1993