Top Gun director Tony Scott (68) jumped to his death off of a San Pedro bridge

[HockeyGirl]

SAN PEDRO, Calif. (KTLA) -- British film director Tony Scott jumped to his death to his death Sunday afternoon from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, police officials confirmed. He was 68 years old.

Several witnesses told police they saw Scott get out of his Toyota Prius, which was parked on the bridge, about 12:30 p.m.

Then he scaled an 8- to 10-foot fence and jumped off without any hesitation, law enforcement sources said.

Scott's body from the water by Los Angeles Port Police, who were the first at the scene.

Officials looked inside the car and determined it belonged to the famed action-movie director and producer.

A note listing contact information was inside. A suicide note was later found in his office. Police did not reveal the contents of the note.

The coroner's office identified Scott on Sunday evening. The case remains under investigation by the LAPD and the coroner's office.

Scott's family asked for privacy Sunday night after the news of his suicide broke.

"I can confirm that Mr. Scott has indeed passed away. The family asks that their privacy be respected at this time," a spokesman said in an emailed statement.

Scott was married three times and had twin sons with his third wife, actress and model Donna Wilson.

Scott's directing credits include "Top Gun," "Days of Thunder," "Crimson Tide," "Man on Fire" and "Beverly Hills Cop II."

The last film he directed was "Unstoppable," a 2010 thriller about a runaway freight train.

His career in television included executive producing the series "The Good Wife" and "Numb3rs," both on CBS.

Scott also produced a number of blockbuster movies, most recently "Prometheus," directed by his brother Ridley Scott, and "The A-Team."

At the time of his death, he had recently completed filming on "Out of the Furnace," a drama he was producing about an ex-con starring Christian Bale. The movie is set to come out next year.

Scott was also preparing to produce a science-fiction drama called "Ion" and had served as executive producer on "Stoker," set to come out next March.

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktl...,6600078.story

[HockeyGirl]

He had a really good list of movies under his belt.

The press isnt releasing the contents of his suicide note, but after reading I found he was in the early stages of inoperable brain cancer

[g r ee n ey e s]

I guess he didn't want to live the end of his life in extended pain.

[puzzld]

If you're a fan of film, take a moment in your day to remember Tony Scott, who apparently committed suicide yesterday in San Pedro by jumping off a bridge. Scott left notes explaining his actions but at the moment what's in those messages hasn't been made public. Scott's probably best known for the film Top Gun, and also made Crimson Tide, True Romance and most recently Unstoppable, starring Denzel Washington (with whom he made several hit films).

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/08/20/rip-tony-scott/

[bowieluva]

He had a very impressive resume and was producing an upcoming sci fi mini series with his brother, Ridley. Talented guy. Guess he had terminal cancer.

[rachy]

http://mydeathspace.com/vb/showthrea...n-Pedro-bridge

[bowieluva]

Threads have been merged.

[rachy]

Tony Scott didn't have brain cancer, family tells coroner

The Los Angeles County coroner's office said it has not determined whether director Tony Scott had any health problems before he jumped off a San Pedro bridge Sunday and said family members have denied media reports that he was suffering from inoperable brain cancer.

The "Top Gun" director jumped off the Vincent Thomas Bridge on Sunday in what is being investigated as a suicide. As in many cases, the coroner said it would not have a final cause of death until toxicology and other tests are back in several weeks.

The autopsy will look at any major health issues Scott had.

But Craig Harvey, a chief for the coroner's office, said Scott's family denied media reports about brain cancer.

"The family told us it is incorrect that he has inoperable brain cancer," Harvey said.

Scott, 68, had just completed a new movie, and there had been no public reports of health problems.

Scott appeared nervous before leaping off the bridge Sunday afternoon, a witness said.

"He was on the roadway close to the fence looking around. He was looking around and fumbling with something at his feet. He looked nervous," witness David Silva said in an interview with The Times. "I thought it was some extreme-sports guy."


Silva said he was a passenger in a car on the north side of the bridge and Scott was on the south side.

Silva said Scott was wearing sporty orange-and-gray attire with shorts.

Silva said Scott "paused a couple of seconds and then began to climb the fence. He put his foot on the top of the fence and paused again. And then he threw himself off. I immediately thought, that guy is dead."

At first, Silva and other motorists thought it was an extreme-sports stunt. Then they realized the jumper didn't have a parachute or safety cord.

Silva said he called 911 immediately.

The coroner's office said all evidence suggests that Scott took his own life.

Scott left a suicide note at his office, law enforcement sources said, but police have not revealed what it said. Harvey said Scott also left several "instructional" notes to family and friends.

Simon Halls, a spokesman for Scott's family, said the family asked "that their privacy be respected at this time."

Los Angeles police first learned of the incident after 12:30 p.m. from a 911 caller who said a man had leaped off the suspension bridge that connects San Pedro and Terminal Island. It's a 185-foot fall from the bridge roadway to the waters of the Los Angeles Harbor.

Authorities have been talking to those on the bridge at the time of the incident.

A source said officials looked inside the car and determined that it belonged to the famed action-movie director and producer. A note in the car had contact information for his wife. The suicide note was later found in his office, according to law enforcement sources.

His body was pulled out of the water several hours later by divers from the Los Angeles Port Police.

The coroner's office identified Scott on Sunday evening.

Scott was a respected director and producer whose films included "Man on Fire," "Enemy of the State" and "Beverly Hills Cop II."

The last film he directed was "Unstoppable," a 2010 thriller about a runaway freight train.

His career in television included executive producing the series "The Good Wife" and "Numb3rs," both on CBS.

The British director, who lived in Beverly Hills, was best known for the 1986 hit "Top Gun," starring Tom Cruise as a Navy aviator. The movie grossed $21.6 million in its first 11 days of release.

Scott was one of three sons born to working-class parents in northern England.

He established his career as a commercial director and continued to make television spots late into his career. Before becoming a filmmaker, Scott was a painter.

Known for a kinetic visual style that aimed to take audiences into his high-octane action scenes, Scott also produced a number of blockbuster movies, most recently "Prometheus," directed by his brother Ridley Scott, and "The A-Team."

At the time of his death, he had recently completed filming "Out of the Furnace," a drama he was producing about an ex-con, starring Christian Bale. The movie is set to come out next year.

Scott was also preparing to produce a science fiction drama called "Ion" and had served as executive producer on "Stoker," set to come out in March.

His debut feature, 1983's vampire movie "The Hunger," starred Catherine Deneuve and established Scott's cinematic style. He followed that movie with "Top Gun," which not only boosted the career of Tom Cruise but also ushered in a series of Scott's action movies, which included "Days of Thunder," also starring Cruise, and "Crimson Tide," starring Denzel Washington.

Though his movies were consistent box-office hits, Scott rarely attracted critical praise and was never nominated for an Academy Award.

He was more successful with reviewers in television, however, for his work on "The Good Wife."

Scott was married three times and had twin sons with his third wife, actress and model Donna Wilson.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...mily-says.html

[bowieluva]

Man, I wonder what that note said.

[leapfreak]

Witnesses are apparently trying to sell footage of the suicide. I read yesterday that he landed near a boat of tourists and they were all taking videos and pictures.

Video footage of director Tony Scott's suicidal leap from a Los Angeles bridge is being hawked around news agencies, it has emerged.

The 68-year-old British filmmaker, best known for movies including Top Gun, True Romance and Crimson Tide, jumped from the Vincent Thomas Bridge on Sunday.

His death, which is being treated as suicide, was witnessed by multiple onlookers who took photos and video on their phones when they noticed a man scaling a fence on the bridge.

The footage shows Scott crouched the moment he began to jump, reports TMZ.com.

His death was also recorded by a surveillance camera from a local business.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...eath-leap.html

[puzzld]

Witnesses are apparently trying to sell footage of the suicide. I read yesterday that he landed near a boat of tourists and they were all taking videos and pictures.

Somehow, that seems oddly appropriate.

[HockeyGirl]

I have only driven on that bridge maybe 3 times in my whole life, but someone from La tell me why tourists would be in the harbor in that exact area?
I just remember smog and horns and im wondering what it is in that area that i missed
Is that where the boats going to Catalina depart from?

[Cap-n Meow]

I'm kind of conflicted about what this shows to his sons. When life hands you poisonous lemons you tell those lemons to fuck off then jump from a bridge?

Wouldn't it be more dignified to just slip away in a drug induced coma while surrounded by your loved ones than making a giant public spectacle of your death?

[Cap-n Meow]

http://www.enstarz.com/articles/5577...tely-false.htm


The wife of Tony Scott, actress, Donna Wilson refute claims of her late husband reportedly having inoperable brain cancer. According to TMZ, Tony Scott's wife confirmed that Scott did not have any severe medical conditions that would lead him to committing suicide.

"The family told us it is incorrect that he has inoperable brain cancer," Craig Harvey, a chief for the coroner's office said on Monday evening, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Tony Scott jumped off the Vincent Thomas bridge in San Pedro. He is survived by his wife, Wilson, his twin sons, and his older brother, the acclaimed filmmaker, Ridley Scott.

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Scott was also a Hollywood filmmaker with several blockbuster successes, including 1986's "Top Gun," featuring Tom Cruise. A few years later, the younger Scott released "Beverly Hills Cop II," both films produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

Tony also produced "Man on Fire" and "The Taking of Pelham 123" - both starring Denzel Washington, whom he often collaborated with.

Currently, Scott's death is being investigated as a suicide. However, the motive remains unknown as TMZ reported that rumors of brain cancer are false.

"I can confirm that Tony Scott has passed away. The family asks that their privacy is respected at this time," his family spokesman said in a statement.

Tony reportedly left a note with contact information of family members in his parked Toyota Prius and in a suicide note in his office before taking the fatal leap in San Pedro, Calif.

Scott is said to have taken the leap without hesitation. Witnesses say they saw him park his car on the bridge in the afternoon, before getting out and scaling the 8-to 10-foot fence with the clear intention of committing suicide.

His body was pulled out by a dive team with the Los Angeles Police three hours after the actual suicide took place. His body was taken to the dock in Wilmington and then turned over to the coroner's office, according to the Huffington Post. Police and Coast Guard had to use sonar equipment to find the director's body in the waters under the bridge.

Tom Cruise released a statement in light of the tragic news: "Tony was my dear friend and I will really miss him. He was a creative visionary whose mark on film is immeasurable. My deepest sorrow and thoughts are with his family at this time."




Or I guess he was just suicidal.

[bowieluva]

Actually, in a lot of ways I think he went the best way. No family members stumbling on him, witnesses to notify the police in time. No one has to clean him up except the people who are used to fishing people out of the water.

[g r ee n ey e s]

Realistically, it is the lesser traumatizing vision. Jumping off a building is messy.

[Cap-n Meow]

Pssh, you want to do it without causing any harm. Put in the note that you're going to go and be eaten by bears.

[HockeyGirl]

Yea, Ive never been a fan of the public spectacle suicide

[bowieluva]

I would say that all the people videotaping it and profiting off it aren't terribly traumatized.

[g r ee n ey e s]

Yea, Ive never been a fan of the public spectacle suicide

Pretty much!

I would say that all the people videotaping it and profiting off it aren't terribly traumatized.

Especially once they found out who it was and what it could be 'worth' to them.