Don Simpson

This article is about the Hollywood film producer. For the comic book artist, see Don Simpson (cartoonist).

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.

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. 

External links

Biography portal

• Don Simpson at the Internet Movie Database
• New York Times article about Simpson

Persondata
Name	Simpson, Don
Alternative names	Simpson, Donald Clarence
Short description	Film producer, screenwriter, actor
Date of birth	October 29, 1943
Place of birth	Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Date of death	January 19, 1996
Place of death	Los Angeles, California, U.S.