Eddie Murphy Movie: Bearable

By Stephen M. Silverman

06/30/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

Even out of his "The Nutty Professor" fat suit, Eddie Murphy is a big star. But he's certainly not as big as his costar in "Dr. Dolittle 2," now shooting in Hollywood. That would be Tank, an 890-lb. Grizzly bear who shares the screen with Murphy, who's reprising his role as a veterinarian who can talk to the animals. He can't talk to Tank, though. PEOPLE also reports that when Tank comes to the set, all munchies have to be banished. Likewise, crew members must not chew gum or even wear deodorant, as there's no telling how Tank might react. Historic note: The original 1967 movie "Dr. Dolittle," starring Rex Harrison, had less dangerous but still annoying production problems of its own. The parrot, Polynesia, would mimic director Richard Fleischer's command of "Cut!" -- which Polynesia would say at will . . . and thereby bring shooting to a dead halt. And filmmakers complain about human actors.