Film Producer Don Simpson Is Dead At 52

Don Simpson, one of the flashiest and most extravagant producers in Hollywood and the driving force behind the blockbusters “Top Gun” and “Beverly Hills Cop,” died Friday. He was 52.

Paramedics found Simpson on the floor of an upstairs bathroom at his Bel-Air estate. Police said the death appeared to be due to natural causes.

Simpson and his partner Jerry Bruckheimer were known in the industry as two of the most profligate producers in town, but they knew how to make money as well. By 1991, their films had generated more $2 billion.

Born in Seattle, Simpson was raised in Anchorage, Alaska. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Oregon in 1966.