Tony Scott Jumps to Death From Vincent Thomas Bridge
Director Tony Scott jumped to his death from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro today, the L.A. County Coroner's office told the Weekly.
A U.S. Coast Guard official confirmed to the Weekly that the decedent left a note and had parked a Prius on the bridge that was subsequently towed by the LAPD. The person leaped some time after noon, the official said.
Scott ...
... was 68 years old. The Englishman directed or produced suchfilms as Top Gun, Days of Thunder, Hostage, Man on Fire and several other action movies.
The Coast Guard official said the L.A. Fire Department, the LAPD, the Port Police and the Coast Guard responded to the tragedy.
The Daily Breeze broke the story tonight and got these details:
@ryssa_ashley
Scott, 68, climbed a fence on the south side of the bridge's apex and leapt off "without hesitation" around 12:30 p.m., according to the Coroner's Department and port police.A suicide note was found inside Scott's black Toyota Prius, which was parked on one of the eastbound lanes of the bridge ...
[Added at 9:27 p.m.]: TMZ says authorities using sonar located his body in the water about 4:30 p.m.
The website notes that Tony Scott is the brother of producer-director Ridley Scott. He reportedly left behind at least two children -- twin boys he had with his third (and current) wife, Donna Scott.
Tony Scott had been co-producing NUMB3RS and The Good Wife for CBS.
[Added at 9:48 p.m.]: The coroner's office conformed to the Weekly that the deceased was identified as Anthony David Scott: The case was being investigated as a suicide, and a note was left at the scene, an official told us.
[Added at 10:02 p.m.]: Director Ron Howard tweeted this shortly after 9 p.m:
No more Tony Scott movies. Tragic day
— Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) August 20, 2012
Matthew Belloni, news director at The Hollywood Reporter, told Fox 11 News tonight that Tony Scott and his brother "were at the top of their game" when the former took his own life today.
He said Tony Scott was even working on a Top Gun sequel.
[Update at 11:12 a.m. Monday]: ABC News reports that Scott had inoperable brain cancer.
[Added at 12:14 p.m. Monday]: CBS Television Network and CBS Television Studios sent us this statement this afternoon:
One of the brightest lights in the industry has gone out. Tony was an accomplished creative and passionate producer and director. As an executive producer of "Numb3rs," and most recently "The Good Wife," he was a longtime friend of CBS, and we are deeply shocked and saddened over this loss. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family.
[Added at 3:11 p.m. Monday]: Robert and Michelle King, the creators and executive producers of The Good Wife, issued this statement, which was sent to us by CBS today:
It's very difficult to express the depth of our shock and sadness over Tony's death. We're at a loss. His work has always inspired us and our thoughts are with his family.
[Update at 4:53 p.m. Monday]: Some of Scott's family members told TMZ the director did not have an inoperable brain tumor. They told the site he did not have cancer or any other severe medical conditions that could have caused him to take his own life.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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