Blockbuster Director jumps off bridge

English film director Anthony Scott is dead. He jumped off the off the Vincent Thomas Bridge in the San Pedro port district of Los Angeles, California at about 12:30 pm local time on  August 19, 2012.

Scott, born in North Shields, Northumberland, in England, and frequently captured behind the camera in his signature faded red baseball cap, is credited with directing more than two dozen movies and television shows and producing nearly 50 titles.

Best known for muscular but stylish high-octane thrillers that showcased some of Hollywood's biggest stars in a career dated back to the 1980s and established him as one of the most successful action directors in the movie industry.

Tony Scott’s started out directing music videos and commercials. His first shot at directing a feature film was the direct adaptation of the Henry James story The Author of Beltraffio for French television in 1975, a project he landed by virtue of winning a coin-flip against his brother. His next film was the vampire film The Hunger, in 1982. The Hunger starred David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve and introduced Willem Dafoe in a small role. The Hunger had elaborate photography and sumptuous production design, but it failed to find an audience, received harsh reviews by critics, and had disappointing box office sales (though it later became a cult favourite).

In 1985, producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer approached Scott to direct Top Gun. Scott, though reluctant at first, agreed to direct Top Gun. Though the film received mixed critical review, it became one of the highest-grossing films of 1986, taking in more than US$176 million, and making a star of its young lead, Tom Cruise. Following Top Gun's success, Scott found himself on Hollywood's A list of action directors.  He reteamed with Simpson and Bruckheimer in 1987 to direct Eddie Murphy and Brigitte Nielsen in Beverly Hills Cop II in 1987 which also went on to become one of that year’s  highest  grosser. His next film, Revenge (1990), starred Kevin Costner, Madeleine Stowe and Anthony Quinn. Revenge was followed by Days of Thunder starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

Other films he directed included The Last Boy Scout (1991) and True Romance (1993) from a script by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary. The cast included Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Tom Sizemore, Chris Penn, Val Kilmer and in bit roles, James Gandolfini and Samuel L. Jackson. Scott's next film, Crimson Tide (1995), was a submarine thriller starring Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington. The Fan (1996) came next and starred Robert De Niro, Wesley Snipes, Ellen Barkin and Benicio del Toro. Scott's 1998 film Enemy of the State, a conspiracy thriller, starred Will Smith and Gene Hackman, and was his highest-grossing film of the decade.

Spy Game was released during the Thanksgiving holiday of 2001. It starred Robert Redford and Brad Pitt and made about 60 million dollars at the U.S. box office. Man on Fire was released in April 2004 and made over 75 million dollars at the U.S. box office. It starred Denzel Washington, Christopher Walken, Dakota Fanning, Radha Mitchell, Giancarlo Giannini, Marc Anthony, Rachel Ticotin and Mickey Rourke. Next for Scott came Domino (2005) starring Keira Knightley. In autumn 2006, Scott reteamed with Denzel Washington for the futuristic action film Déjà Vu.  Scott once again teamed up with Denzel Washington on The Taking of Pelham 123, which also starred John Travolta and was released in theaters on 12 June 2009. The film was a remake of the 1974 film of the same title starring Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw. His last feature film was Unstoppable, again starring Washington with Chris Pine.

According to Lieutenant Joe Bale, a watch commander for the Los Angeles coroner's office, onlookers saw Scott, 68, parking his car, a Black Toyota Prius on the bridge and then leap into the water below without hesitating. Investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department’s harbor division found contact information in his car and a suicide note in his office. Scott’s body was later recovered by law enforcement from the harbor shortly before 3 p.m. and was subsequently identified as being that of the filmmaker and younger brother of fellow movie director Ridley Scott.

Scott is survived by his wife, Donna Wilson Scott, and their twin sons, Frank and Max.

May his soul find peace.