Steve Bing, Film Producer and Philanthropist, Dies of Apparent Suicide in Los Angeles
He also penned the 2003 comedy 'Kangaroo Jack.'
Film producer and philanthropist Steve Bing has died. According to Los Angeles law enforcement officials as reported by Deadline, the billionaire reportedly committed suicide by jumping off a building in Century City, Los Angeles around 1pm on Monday, June 22. While police would neither confirm or deny that the victim was Bing, the description of the man fit him. He was 55.
Actress Elizabeth Hurley (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Austin Powers, The Royals), Bing's ex-partner, shared a photo of herself and Bing on her official Instagram.
"I am saddened beyond belief that my ex Steve is no longer with us," Hurley wrote. "It is a terrible end. Our time together was very happy and I’m posting these pictures because although we went through some tough times, it’s the good, wonderful memories of a sweet, kind man that matter. In the past year we had become close again. We last spoke on our son’s 18th birthday. This is devastating news and I thank everyone for their lovely messages."
Bing and Hurley have one son, Damian.
Bing came from a wealthy family. After inheriting a nearly $600 million fortune from his grandfather, real estate tycoon Leo S. Bing, the namesake of the Bing Theatre at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. After receiving his inheritance, Steve dropped out of Stanford University and founded Shangri-La Entertainment. He was widely regarded as a generous film producer. In 2012, he pledged a legacy gift of $30 million to the Motion Picture & Television Fund.
“For years Steve Bing has been one of the most philanthropic and generous people in our industry,” Jeffrey Katzenberg once said of Bing. “He has also been one of the most loyal supporters of the MPTF through both the good and challenging times. Now with this amazing contribution he puts us another step closer to securing our long-term goals.”
After inheriting a $600 million fortune from his grandfather, Bing dropped out of Stanford University and founded Shangri-La Entertainment. He broke into the film industry by executive producing Stephen Kay's gritty 2000 remake of Get Carter starring Sylvester Stallone. In 2004, he executive produced Robert Zemeckis' The Polar Express featuring Tom Hanks. The animated film was a massive hit, hauling in $311 million at the global box office.
In 2007, he teamed up once again with Zemeckis for Beowulf. In 2008, he produced the Martin Scorcese-directed documentary Shine A Light about iconic rockers The Rolling Stones. Other executive production credits include Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005),Youth in Revolt 2009) and Rock the Kasbah (2015).
Bing linked up with fellow financiers Ron Burkle, Terry Semel, Arnon Milchan’s New Regency and James Packer’s and Brett Ratner’s RatPac Entertainment to finance Warren Beatty’s long-awaited Howard Hughes film Rules Don’t Apply, which finally came out in 2016.
In 2017, Bing served as executive producer of Kingsman: The Golden Circle which featured a monster cast including Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Jeff Bridges, and many others.
Back in 2003, Bing co-wrote the story and screenplay for the Warner Bros. comedy Kangaroo Jack, which was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean, Armageddon, Top Gun).
In addition to his son Damian, Bing is survived by his daughter Kira Bonder, whom he had with former tennis star Lisa Bonder. Even though we did not know him, our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends.