Before becoming a producer in the early 1970s, Bruckheimer was an advertising executive -- the 60-second tales he created as an award-winning commerical producer in his native Detroit. One of those mini-films, a parody of Bonnie and Clyde he created for Pontiac, was noted for its brilliance in Time Magazine. It also brought the 23-year-old producer to the attention of world-renowned ad agency BBD&O, which lured him to New York. Four years on Madison Avenue gave him the experience and the confidence to tackle Hollywood, and not yet 30, there he was working on feature films. In 1983, he and Simpson founded Simpson-Bruckhimer Productions, where, working in conjunction with Paramount Pictures, they began creating mega-budget action films -- their first being Flashdance. The two are truly a complementary pair, and in the industry, Simpson is known as "Mr. Inside" because he worked his way up through the Hollywood system and is well connected, while Bruckheimer is known as "Mr. Outside" because he gained hands-on experience with actual filmmaking while working in advertising. In 1990, their mutual agreement with Paramount ended as the new Hollywood trend was downsizing enormous budgets. In 1991, the two producers then signed a five-year non-exclusive deal with Hollywood Pictures, a Disney subsidiary.
Since the death of partner Don Simpson in 1996, prior to the release of The Rock, Bruckheimer has been flying solo. He's produced mega-budgeted actioners like Armageddon and Pearl Harbor, as well as Nicholas Cage thrillers like Con Air and Gone in 60 Seconds. Indeed, Bruckheimer's career is a true Hollywood tale of starting off with nothing and eventually becoming everything.
BAD BOYS II (2003)
VERONICA GUERIN (2003)
- Trademarks: Jerry Bruckhimer likes to make films where things explode and guns are fired several hundred times, and also, likes scenes with money flying through the air.
- Personal Quote: "We are in the transport business. We transport audiences from one place to another.
- Played himself in Franky Goes to Hollwood (1999).
