African prince sues actor

Press, 11 September 1989, Page 19

African prince sues actor

I’m not one to gossip, but ... Eddie Murphy has been served with a rnulti-million-dollar lawsuit by a Nigerian prince over his movie blockbuster, “Coming to America.” Millionaire Eddy, 27, played a young African royal who visits New York for the first time. But now Oman Oba Adele Mouftau Lassine Osseni-Bello claims the movie is a rip-off of his own personal experiences in New York. Os-seni-Bello met Eddie in America in 1984. He says he gave the star the story of his life for a movie and now he wants a share of the movie’s $l2O million profits. His lawyer Francis Pizzulli, told me, “The idea was presented on the understanding ' that Mr Murphy would not use it without the prince’s written consent or without reasonable payment.”

Liza Minnelli stunned airline chiefs by refusing their fancy fare in favour of good old fish and chips

for her inflight meal. The 43-year-old singer was jetting from London’s Heathrow to L.A. to appear in a concert with her pal, Sammy Davis, jun. British Airways staff asked her if she would prefer salmon or steak on her flight, but Liza left them speechless when she said, “I don’t want either — I want fish and chips.” A courier was sent before the plane took off, and arrived back minutes before take-off with two pounds’ worth of best English fish and chips. They were reheated during the flight and served to her in the newspaper. Later, in a press interview, she said it was the best inflight meal she had ever had. Some tourists are paying $5O for a two-hour guided tour of the Hollywood hot spots grocery stores where the stars shop. The 10-year feud between Diana Ross and

her singing partner, Mary Wilson is still going strong. Even though Diana is the godmother to Mary’s daughter Turkessa, she would not give her a pass to come backstage and see her after a concert at Universal Studios in Hollywood. The feud is over comments Mary made in the book she wrote about her life with the “Supremes” in 1970.

Howard Hesseman, 49, star of TV’s “Head' of the Class,” has married his love of the past eight years, Caroline Ducroca, 40, who’s a drama coach in Hollywood. It’s the third marriage for Howard and the second for Caroline.

Kim Basinger, the super-sexy star of “Batman,” needs a “damn good spanking,” says her mother. Ann Basinger says her 35-year-old daughter (who’s a millionaire) is a spoiled brat and a publicity hound, who says and does things for