Don Simpson

Don Simpson
Don Simpson
Born Donald Clarence Simpson
October 29, 1943(1943-10-29)
Seattle, Washington, United States
Died January 19, 1996(1996-01-19) (aged 52)
Los Angeles, California, United States
Other names Donald C. Simpson
Occupation Film producer, screenwriter, actor
Years active 1975–1996

Donald Clarence "Don" Simpson (October 29, 1943 – January 19, 1996) was an American film producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is known for producing such hits as Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop, Top Gun and The Rock. In 1985 and again in 1988, he and his producing partner, Jerry Bruckheimer, were named Producers of the Year by the National Association of Theatre Owners.

Contents

Early life

Simpson was born in Seattle, Washington, grew up in Anchorage, Alaska and attended West Anchorage High School. He then went on to attend the University of Oregon,[1] where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

Personal life

Simpson's unusual personal life has been documented in a number of sources. A chapter in the book You'll Never Make Love in This Town Again (which describes four prostitutes' stories about their sexual encounters with Hollywood celebrities) discusses his preferences for S & M and videotaping of their sessions. He is also known to have had several plastic surgery operations.

Death

On Friday, January 19, 1996, Simpson was found dead in his home in Los Angeles.[2] The cause of death was a cardiac arrest from combined drug intoxication (CDI).

According to High Concept, a Simpson biography by reporter Charles Fleming, Simpson's prescription drug expenses were over $60,000 a month at the time of his death.[3] His job as an executive at Paramount Pictures came to an end when he allegedly passed out in the middle of a meeting.

The Rock is dedicated to the memory of Simpson. This fact is mentioned at the end of the movie; the beginning identifies him as co-producer with Jerry Bruckheimer. Enemy of the State also has Simpson given screen credit as an executive producer, although the final film was released two years after his death. This is presumably because both Bruckheimer and Simpson developed the story before his death.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1975 Aloha, Bobby and Rose
Writer, uncredited
1976 Cannonball Assistant District Attorney Writer
Credited as Donald C. Simpson
1983 Flashdance
Producer
1984 Beverly Hills Cop
Producer
Thief of Hearts
Producer
1986 Top Gun
Producer
1987 Beverly Hills Cop II
Producer
1990 Days of Thunder Aldo Bennedetti Producer
1994 The Ref
Executive producer
1995 Bad Boys
Producer
Crimson Tide
Producer
Dangerous Minds
Producer
1996 The Rock
Producer

Quotes

  • "We have no obligation to make history. We have no obligation to make art. We have no obligation to make a statement. Our obligation is to make money."[4]
  • "To make money, it may be important to win the Academy Award, for it might mean another ten million dollars at the box office."[5]
  • "There's a life outside darkness. There's a life in redemption."

References

  1. ^ Thomson, David (1996-04-07). "I'm Don Simpson; And You're Not". independent.co.uk. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/im-don-simpson-and-youre-not-1303661.html. Retrieved 2009-10-26. 
  2. ^ Pace, Eric (1996-01-21). "Don Simpson Is Dead at 52; Produced Blockbuster Films". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/21/nyregion/don-simpson-is-dead-at-52-produced-blockbuster-films.html. Retrieved 2009-10-26. 
  3. ^ Fleming, Charles (1998). High concept: Don Simpson and the Hollywood Culture of Excess. Doubleday. pp. 9. ISBN 0-385-48694-4. 
  4. ^ Thompson, Graham (2007). American Culture In the 1980s. Edinburgh University Press. pp. 91–92. ISBN 0-748-61910-0. 
  5. ^ "The Innovators 1980-1990: Jock of Gold". bfi.org.uk. http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/122/. Retrieved 2009-10-26. 

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