Don Simpson, Producer of Action Films, Found Dead

Don Simpson--a leading producer of such movies as “Top Gun” and “Crimson Tide,” whose life was awash with stories of drug-laced parties in Hollywood’s fast lane--was found dead at his home in Bel-Air on Friday.

Police said the 52-year-old Oscar nominee’s death appeared to be from natural causes.

“They said there were no drugs around, no drug paraphernalia, nothing to show any drugs were involved,” said Walter Shuster, a spokesman for the coroner’s office. Investigators said an autopsy will be performed and that a police investigation is under way.

Simpson’s career soared during the last year as he and his partner, Jerry Bruckheimer, produced three back-to-back hits--”Bad Boys,” “Crimson Tide” and “Dangerous Minds.” But sources said the partnership had been ruptured by Simpson’s personal problems.

Those troubles intensified last summer when a 44-year-old doctor from Pacific Palisades, Stephen W. Ammerman, was found dead in the pool house at Simpson’s lavish home. Officials said that Ammerman, Simpson’s close friend and personal physician, died of a multiple overdose of drugs that included cocaine, morphine, Valium and an antidepressant called Venlafaxine.

Bruckheimer said Friday night that he was “in a state of shock” after learning of his partner’s death.

“I have had the privilege to know and work with one of the most gifted and talented men in our industry,” Bruckheimer said. “Don was a true original. There will never be another like him.”

Simpson and Bruckheimer--considered the quintessential action producers of the last decade--had a phenomenally successful run at Paramount Pictures during the 1980s, with major hits such as “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Flashdance” and “Top Gun.”

They were named “producers of the year” by the National Assn. of Theater Owners in 1988, the same year that the Publicists Guild of America named them “showmen of the year.” Their successes enabled the two men to sign an unprecedented deal with Paramount for five movies of their own choice, but the deal unraveled after their next picture, “Days of Trust,” received harsh treatment from the critics.

Moving their company to Disney, the pair struggled for a while before finding new success in 1995 with “Bad Boys,” “Crimson Tide” and “Dangerous Minds.”

Simpson was honored with 10 Academy Award nominations, three Golden Globe awards and two People’s Choice best picture awards. The soundtrack albums from his pictures have received 18 Grammy nominations.

Despite all of Simpson’s success, Ammerman’s father told The Times in October that his son had been treating Simpson for drug problems. Two business associates said Friday that Simpson had appeared “very depressed” recently. Friends of the producer also told of similar stories of his drug use, and he was portrayed as a frequent drug abuser in “You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again,” a book by Julia Phillips about the wild side of Hollywood.

A native of Washington, Simpson was raised in Alaska and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Oregon in 1966. After eight years as a senior executive at Paramount, he was named president of the studio’s worldwide production. In that capacity, he played a major role in making movies such as “American Gigolo,” “Urban Cowboy,” “An Officer and a Gentleman” and “48 Hours.”

According to the Fire Department, Simpson’s body was found about 5 p.m. on the floor of an upstairs bathroom at his home on Stone Canyon Road. Fire officials said it was discovered by one of Simpson’s business associates, who had become concerned when he had been unable to contact the movie executive.

Paramedics pronounced Simpson dead at the scene.

He is survived by his parents, Russ and June, and brother, Larry, an attorney. Funeral arrangements were pending.

Times staff writers Robert J. Lopez and Nieson Himmel contributed to this story.