THE EDDIE MURPHY SCRIPT DERBY: WINNER TAKES ALL

Wanted: Movie vehicle for Eddie Murphy. Must be mint condition. Packed with spills, chills and laughs -- lots of laughs. Romantic subplot nice but not required . Seller should be seasoned pro but all comers welcome.

On a recent Sunday morning, Eddie Murphy glanced out the living room window of his Alpine, N.J., home and noticed a neighbor standing in the front yard. Under his arm the man carried a script, a sight that made Murphy take a deep breath as he opened the front door. After chatting briefly, Murphy dutifully tucked “Dust to Dust” under his arm. Later that night, on a flight to Houston for a concert, Murphy started to read. He liked what he read. It made him laugh. Now Murphy wants to option the story and the neighbor is on the verge of selling his first script to Hollywood.

“Dust to Dust” now sits on a shelf along with about 200 other scripts in the offices of Eddie Murphy Productions on the Paramount Pictures lot. The stories are in various stages of development--some are close to being made, others were about to be made and were rejected. Still others, unsolicited, are mailed back unopened--but that does not seem to stop anyone.

The scripts--in one case written in French--arrive daily. Tamara Rawitt, the 29-year-old vice president of production and development for Eddie Murphy Productions, has been receiving anxious phone calls from her parents in Brooklyn, who report that a dozen packages have arrived at their door. “Someone is writing you awfully long letters,” they say.

The scripts come from the hopeful, the desperate and the powerful, all hoping to win the Eddie Murphy derby--to sell Eddie his next movie. It’s been seven months since “Beverly Hills Cop” arrived at 1,532 theaters and wound up on the list of the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time, and Murphy still hasn’t decided what movie to make next. Under the terms of his exclusive contract, restructured just before “Cop” opened, Murphy owes Paramount five features and a concert movie. Should he be a Beverly Hills cop again or an angel kicked out of heaven? Does he want to play Little Richard or Robinson Crusoe? To countless agents, producers and writers, that decision could be a career builder.

The perception among the Hollywood community is that whatever movie Murphy makes next is likely to bring in a bundle at the box office. In the meantime, his company is buying up good scripts. “Eddie Murphy is every writer’s favorite lottery ticket in this town,” says one young screenwriter who has written two movies in the last 18 months for Murphy, neither of which has been made.

“Eddie’s not the ticket, he is the lottery,” says “Beverly Hills Cop” producer Don Simpson.

And for good reason. More than ever before, it is clear that Eddie Murphy is a genuine movie star . At a series of stand-up comedy shows at the Universal Amphitheatre a few weeks ago, Murphy drew his biggest reaction during an extended video of highlights from his movies, set to the Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance.” As selected scenes from “Beverly Hills Cop” appeared, the audience stood on its feet and screamed--and Murphy had yet to reach the stage.

At 24, this gifted comic has made four movies, three of them enormous commercial successes. (To date, “Beverly Hills Cop” has sold $212 million worth of tickets at the domestic box office, “Trading Places” has taken in $91.9 million and “48 HRS.” $77.4 million. The one clinker, “Best Defense,” grossed $18.3 million, but Murphy had only a glorified cameo role in it.)

In a business where an estimated eight out of ten movies fail to go into profit, Murphy’s track record makes him perhaps Hollywood’s most consistent comedy draw. “You make a movie with Eddie Murphy and you are guaranteed a substantial hit, if that’s not too much of an understatement,” says one producer who has a project in development with Murphy. “Eddie’s gold.”

No one understands that better than Murphy and his production team, who are alternately famished and finicky when approaching material. In the wake of the enormous success of “Cop,” they are faced with a pressure-packed dilemma: What to do for an encore? Some are pushing for a concert film, Murphy has signed Neil Simon to script a comedy, and Paramount is considering Murphy for a substantial role in the fourth “Star Trek” movie. “This is Eddie’s sophomore season and you can be sure there will be no slump,” says a writer who recently finished a Murphy script for Paramount.

Bob Wachs, Murphy’s co-manager and trusted confidant, explains the strategy in his blunt and direct style. “Eddie Murphy is interested in one thing and one thing only--quality. Eddie is a perfectionist, and he doesn’t want to get into something where his fans would be disappointed.”

In Hollywood parlance, “in development” is a favorite umbrella phrase that refers to the various stages of the care and feeding of a movie idea. While there may be dozens of scripts that have been written with Murphy in mind, only those that have been funded by Paramount or Eddie Murphy Productions are considered in development.

After interviews with more than two dozen agents, writers and producers, Calendar has learned of about 20 projects that are under consideration for Murphy. While Murphy himself would not comment, Wachs and Paramount spokesmen agreed to set the record straight.

Here is a rundown of the most serious contenders in the Eddie Murphy derby and their current prospects:

“Mr. Bad News”--Recently, Murphy paid a visit to Neil Simon at Simon’s Los Angeles home. Simon had an idea for Murphy to play a young man born with a curse over his head who brings bad luck to those he comes in contact with. Murphy loved the 54 pages Simon submitted and Wachs confirms that this is now the odds-on favorite for Murphy’s next movie. (But don’t bet the house on it; Murphy has changed his mind before.) Originally, Murphy had planned to do a concert film next, but his excitement over this project has pushed it to the front of the field. Stanley Jaffe and Sherry Lansing (“Racing With the Moon”) will be executive producers for Eddie Murphy Productions and shooting may start as early as September.

Concert Movie--Murphy has wanted to make a concert movie for some time now, and for months this has been the heavy favorite as his next move. Director Jonathan Kaplan got close to shooting one, but Murphy backed off and decided to postpone. This is not intended as a straight stand-up concert film, but would include videos and other elements and must still be considered at least an even-money possibility. In many ways, the safest choice.

“Beverly Hills Cop 2”--”Axel Foley is back in town,” promises “Beverly Hills Cop” producer Don Simpson. Veteran print authors Dan Jenkins (“Semi-Tough”) and Bud Shrake have been assigned the script for this can’t-miss sequel, but Wachs says Murphy wants to wait at least one, perhaps two pictures before bringing Axel back. “One cannot say with certainty when he will make it,” Wachs says. “He’ll look at the script when it’s ready.” Rumored at first to take place in London, Simpson says Murphy will instead be back in Beverly Hills.

“Star Trek IV”: A veteran “trekkie,” Murphy quietly met with director Leonard Nimoy to discuss a possible role in the next episode. “There is a character that could be right for Eddie in the next movie,” confirms David Kirkpatrick, Paramount’s executive vice president in charge of production. Opinion at the studio is mixed on the idea. Some insiders feel it could inject needed momentum to the movie series; others feel it could turn the series into a romp. A script from writers Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes is due in 12 weeks and then, if the part is right, watch for Eddie in space.

“Fountain of Youth”--A project conceived by Murphy and manager Wachs, this movie would reunite Murphy with old “Saturday Night Live” pal Joe Piscopo. The film would open with Piscopo and Murphy portraying two old men who discover a fountain of youth that takes them back to their wild and crazy youth. An outline was submitted, but Wachs says no writer has been assigned. “It’s a project we all like,” Wachs says. On the shelf for more than a year, but still a strong contender.

“Hell of an Angel”--Murphy as an angel bounced from heaven. Producer David Permut (“Dragnet”) has a script from Bill Bryan, the most recent of several attempts by several writers. Paramount executives are still talking about this one but Wachs seems to have adopted a heaven-can-wait attitude: “A series of drafts never seemed to hit the nail on the head.” Paramount is looking for the perfect draft. Says Kirkpatrick, “If John Hughes (“The Breakfast Club”) wanted to rewrite it, we’d make it in a second.” A long shot, but the already proven premise keeps this one in the race.

“Uriah”--Described by one agent as a “fable/rock musical,” this buddy comedy opens with Murphy as an African faith healer. A washed-up record producer “discovers” him and brings him back to America to promote him as rock star. The most recent version is scripted by Bryan Gordon and studio executives are high on it. Wachs says he likes the idea but never perceived the movie as a picture for Murphy to star in. At press time, a complete rewrite of the “Uriah” script was submitted to Paramount executives, who still see it as a potential Murphy project. A dark horse to keep an eye on.

“Mr. Uncle Ernie”--Paramount recently acquired the script and is hoping for it as a Murphy project, but might also offer it to other comedy stars. An offbeat idea by screenwriters Brian Gindoff and David Wyles, it finds Murphy as a kid’s-show host who dares to tell the kids to be different. “It’s Lenny Bruce meets Mr. Rogers,” says Paramount’s Kirkpatrick. Definitely fresh, but a long shot.

“Robinson Crusoe”--Listed in Paramount’s development book as an Alan King production, this is still very much in the idea stage. Says Wachs: “Alan King comes up to me at the Russian Tea Room and says ‘Robinson Crusoe.’ That’s the last I heard of it.” This one is barely at the gate. Writer John Eskow is working on the script.

“The Sob Sisters”--For some time Paramount has been interested in finding an updated “Some Like It Hot” for Murphy, and this is clearly the candidate. It’s a story of two newspaper reporters who suddenly have to take over the gossip beat in order to uncover corruption in Chicago. Even if not for Murphy, Paramount is clearly interested in this project.

“Black Mask”--Screenwriter Tab Murphy (no relation) has cast Eddie as a Pinkerton security guard. When Murphy is framed for a murder, he convinces his bosses to let him go into Harlem to solve the case. However, the trail leads to his own brother. Wachs says the script was delivered a year ago and hasn’t been discussed seriously since.

“Annie’s Bodyguard”--In development at Paramount, this action-comedy finds Murphy as a washed-up gumshoe with a fear of tailing people who is hired to protect a rich elderly woman living on an island off of San Francisco. A recently completed script by John William See is under consideration and has been well-received by executives at the studio. Must be considered a long shot in view of the heavy players in the field.

“King for a Day”--Next thing you know, Andy Rooney will submit an idea for a Murphy script. “King” came from an idea from Washington humorist Art Buchwald and centers on a deposed king who winds up on the streets of New York and has to hustle his way back to the top. A first attempt failed to catch favor with executives and the idea now seems condemned to the development graveyard. Catchy title.

Choosing the right material may be the most important and difficult step in maintaining Murphy’s star status. When a script reaches serious consideration, Murphy and his team (managers Wachs and Richard Tienken and development vice president Tamara Rawitt) sit and read pages out loud. They are cautious and critical and hope not to make the same mistakes that interrupted the momentum of such actors as Dudley Moore. Says Wachs: “Eddie is not in a great rush because he wants to deliver that which the studio expects--great motion pictures.”

The studio also seems to expect a certain kind of picture. Thus far, Murphy has starred primarily in so-called buddy comedies, wherein a male bonding theme has been substituted for the traditional romantic subplot. Observers note that Murphy has yet to be cast as a leading man because the studio is concerned about how white audiences will respond to watching a black romance.

“That’s the thinking at the studio,” says one writer who recently was pitched a project for Murphy. “They don’t tell you explicitly, but that’s it. The real question is, when is Eddie Murphy going to be allowed to fall in love?”

The answer: When he’s ready. Wachs says that in his previous attempts, Murphy just seemed too young to play the romantic lead and he doesn’t think the lack of a real love story stems from any racist considerations. He points out that “Mr. Bad News” does indeed have a romance for Murphy.

It is not as though Murphy has spent the last year pacing in small circles, trying to make up his mind what to do next. In the last 12 months, he has promoted “Beverly Hills Cop” in Europe, recorded his first album as a singer (due out in two months and titled “How Could It Be?”), is about to complete a 2 1/2-month, 37-city concert tour and opened a West Coast office for Eddie Murphy Productions. “Eddie has real Renaissance ambitions,” Rawitt says.

Moving an office onto the Paramount lot in January proved an adjustment of more than simple geography, Wachs says. When Paramount’s trio of top leadership departed earlier this year--Chairman Barry Diller to head up 20th Century Fox, studio President Michael Eisner and Senior Vice President for Production Jeffrey Katzenberg for Disney--Murphy had to re-establish relations with the new team. Intensely loyal, the transition was difficult for him. “It was an emotionally draining experience for us,” Wachs says. “Now it’s a whole new ballgame and we are firming up relations with the Mancuso (Paramount Chairman Frank Mancuso) team.”

Long-term contract aside, attending to a star like Murphy can be a delicate business. While Murphy is clearly Priority No. 1 at Paramount today, much money and patience go into keeping him on the lot. “It takes a great deal of time to properly service this kind of a relationship,” says one executive at a competing studio. “That’s why most of those deals don’t work. They shoot the elephant, mount it and then everyone stands around looking at it. The deal is not the hard part. The hard part is making it work.”

The difficulty with a star like Murphy lies in the execution. Paramount is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on development for Murphy, with the hope that if certain projects don’t work out for him they might be passed on to other actors. “Beverly Hills Cop,” which was in development for six years, was originally going to star Sylvester Stallone or Mickey Rourke before it wound up with Murphy.

For months, the studio has been open to any serious proposal for a Murphy movie. “For a while there, anyone with a half-baked idea and a typewriter could get a meeting,” one writer says. “I’ve heard everything from ‘The Three Faces of Eve’ to ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.’ He must have quite a backlog of material.” Says producer Don Simpson: “They’re getting a lot of crap thrown at them and, fortunately, they’re smart enough to turn most of it down.”

For now, the scripts just keep on coming, cluttering the offices of Eddie Murphy Productions and turning Murphy into his own industry of sorts. For Tab Murphy (“Black Mask”), 28, that’s good news. For writers in Hollywood, success is getting paid for your words. If the movie is actually made, that’s a pleasant bonus.

“Maybe Eddie will wake up one morning and decide he really does want to play a Pinkerton,” Tab Murphy says. “Of course, the possibilities for my career are wonderful, but I’m not holding my breath.”

Neither is Eddie Murphy.