MOVIES - May 10, 1990

Eddie Murphy vs. Writers, Cont.: A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has reinstated a lawsuit that alleges Eddie Murphy and Paramount Pictures stole the idea for the hit movie “Coming to America.” Oman Oba Adele Mouftaou, also known as Prince Johnny Osseni-Bello, claims he has a rejection letter from Eddie Murphy Productions saying they were not interested in his idea. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, was dismissed when Osseni-Bello’s lawyer, Stan Arouty, failed to show up for a hearing last month. Arouty said the court clerk had failed to notify him of the hearing. The suit is unrelated to a lawsuit filed by humorist Art Buchwald. A Los Superior Court judge has already ruled that “Coming to America,” which was credited to Murphy, was based on an idea first brought to Paramount by Buchwald.