Coming to America

**Coming to America** is a UK VHS release by CIC Video and Paramount on 6th November 1989 and 2nd April 1990, It got re-released by CIC, Paramount, PolyGram Video and Karussell on 15th March 1993, It got re-released by CIC and Paramount on 21st February 1994, Is a UK DVD release by Paramount on 7th May 2001 and it got re-released by Paramount on 6th May 2002.

## Cast

* Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem, the prince of Zamunda
	+ Murphy also plays: Randy Watson, a soul singer with the fictional band Sexual Chocolate; Saul, the white Jewish barbershop customer; and Clarence, the owner of the barber shop.
* Arsenio Hall as Semmi, Akeem's friend
	+ Hall also plays: Reverend Brown; Morris the barber; and Extremely Ugly Girl, an unattractive female clubgoer.
* James Earl Jones as King Jaffe Joffer, Akeem's father and King of Zamunda.
* John Amos as Cleo McDowell, Akeem's employer and Lisa's father.
* Madge Sinclair as Queen Aoleon, Akeem's mother and the Queen of Zamunda.
* Shari Headley as Lisa McDowell, Cleo's oldest daughter and Akeem's love interest.
* Paul Bates as Oha, a royal servant.
* Eriq La Salle as Darryl Jenks, Lisa's boyfriend whom she eventually breaks up with.
* Frankie Faison as Landlord, manages apartment building where Akeem and Semmi live
* Vanessa Bell as Imani Izzi, betrothed as Akeem's intended wife
* Louie Anderson as Maurice, a McDowell's employee
* Allison Dean as Patrice McDowell, Cleo's youngest daughter and Lisa's sister
* Sheila Johnson as Lady-in-Waiting
* Jake Steinfeld as Cab Driver
* Calvin Lockhart as Colonel Izzi, Imani‘s father
* Samuel L. Jackson as Hold-Up Man, an armed robber at McDowell's

The cast also includes: Vondie Curtis-Hall as Basketball Game Vendor; Garcelle Beauvais as a royal Rose Bearer; Victoria Dillard as a royal personal Bather; as well as the film debuts of Ruben Hudson as Street Hustler and Cuba Gooding Jr. as Boy Getting Haircut.

Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy reprise their roles as, respectively, Mortimer and Randolph Duke from Landis' 1983 Murphy-starring comedy film *Trading Places*. A segment of the *Trading Places* score can be heard during their scene.

As shown above, *Coming to America* features Murphy and Hall in several different roles, of various colours, creeds and genders. Following the success of this film, this became a Murphy staple, as seen in four later films: *Vampire in Brooklyn* (1995); *The Nutty Professor* (1996); *Nutty Professor II: The Klumps* (2000); and *Norbit* (2007).

## Credits

Paramount Pictures Presents

An Eddie Murphy Production

A Landis/Folsey Film

Eddie Murphy

Coming To America

Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, John Amos, Madge Sinclair, Shari Headley, Paul Bates, Eria La Salle, Frankie Faison, Vanessa Bell, Louise Anderson, Allison Dean, Sheila Johnson, Jake Steinfeld, Calvin Lockhart, Samuel L. Jackson

Casting By Jackie Burch

Associate Producer David Sosna

Music Score By Nile Rodgers

Costume Designer Deborah Nadoolman

Special Make-Up By Rick Baker

Edited By Malcolm Campbell and George Folsey, Jr.

Production Designer Richard MacDonald

Director Of Photography Woody Omens, A.S.C.

Executive Producers Mark Lipsky and Leslie Belzberg

Story By Eddie Murphy

Screenplay By David Sheffield & Barry W. Blaustein

Produced By George Folsey, Jr. and Robert D. Wachs

Directed By John Landis

## Opening (1994 Re-Release)

1. CIC Video Warning Screen (1991-1996)
2. The Paramount Pictures Big Screen, Best Sellers Trailer From 1993 with clips of "Top Gun", "Grease", "Ghost", "The Godfather Part I, Part II and Part III", "Fatal Attraction", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", "An Officer and a Gentleman", "The Untouchables" and "Zulu".

## Trailers and info

### 1994 Re-release

1. The Paramount Pictures Big Screen, Best Sellers trailer from 1993 with clips of "Top Gun", "Grease", "Ghost", "The Godfather Part I, Part II and Part III", "Fatal Attraction", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", "An Officer and a Gentleman", "The Untouchables" and "Zulu".