Tony Scott dies after jumping from Los Angeles bridge
Monday, Aug 20th
Tony Scott, the British-born Hollywood director behind hits including Top Gun and Crimson Tide, has died after jumping off a Los Angeles bridge, authorities said today.
The 68 year-old, originally from North Shields, North Tyneside, died after he plunged almost 200 feet from the Vincent Thomas Bridge, in the city's south, at lunchtime on Sunday.
Witnesses reported seeing the father-of-two calmly parking his black Toyota Prius near the bridge, before walking to the south side where he leapt off "without hesitation" just after 12:30pm local time.
Within hours of his death becoming public, a shocked Hollywood paid tribute to the younger brother of film-maker Sir Ridley Scott, who was frequently seen behind the camera in his signature faded red baseball cap.
The US Coast Guard said officials found a note listing contact information inside his car, parked on an eastbound lane of the cable-suspension bridge, the scene of several Hollywood productions.
A suicide note was later found at the downtown Los Angeles office of the Hollywood legend, who also directed Days Of Thunder and Beverly Hills Cop II. It was suggested the notes were addressed to "loved ones".
Unconfirmed reports suggested Scott, who who grew up by the river Tyne in northern England, had depression.
Today, it was believed that his actress wife, Donna Scott, who appeared in several of her husband's films, was being comforted by friends and family at their Beverly Hills home. The pair had twin 12 year-old boys Frank and Max.
He had been married twice previously, firstly to Gerry Scott whom he divorced in 1974 after seven years of marriage and the Glynis Sanders, an advertising executive whom he divorced after a year of marriage in 1987.
“I can confirm that Tony Scott has indeed passed away,” said his publicist, Simon Halls.
“The family asks that their privacy be respected at this time.”
The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office said a dive team using sonar equipment pulled the body from the murky waters in Los Angeles harbour several hours later after a massive search.
Lieutenant Joe Bale, a watch commander for the coroner's office, said there was no evidence to suggest foul play.
“At this point we are investigating this as a suicide,” he said. “There is nothing to lead us to believe otherwise. A note was left in the car.
"We will go where the facts take us. We have no reason to believe it was not a suicide."
A port mortem examination will be performed later today. One lane of the eastbound side of the bridge was closed as investigations continued by the Los Angeles Police Department and the coroner's office.
"It's a dolorous task and we're working to treat the deceased with the utmost dignity and respect," said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey.
Completed in 1963, the 6,060-foot bridge, which spans San Pedro and Terminal Island in Los Angeles, is a known suicide spot. It has been used in movies including Charlie's Angels And The Fast and the Furious.
Today colleagues and fans struggled to explain why the successful director, whose full name was Anthony David Scott, would commit suicide as many took to Twitter to post their tributes.
Over his successful career he directed more than two dozen movies and television shows and produced nearly 50 titles.
Friends told how he would always send personal, handwritten notes and "always drew a cartoon caricature of himself, smoking a cigar, with his hat colored in red".
Director Ron Howard, led tributes, saying: "No more Tony Scott movies. Tragic day."