The name Jerry Bruckheimer has been associated with every sky-rocketing, blood pumping, adrenaline rush movies such as Top Gun (with Tom Cruise in 1986 in association with Paramount Pictures) and Beverly Hills Cops (with Eddie Murphy in 1984 in association with Paramount Pictures) to name a few.
Born Jerome Leon Bruckheimer to German-Jewish immigrants on September 21, 1945, he grew up poor, living in a tiny house in a blue-collar Jewish section of Detroit. His parents were born in Germany and migrated to the United States in the 1920’s. When his parents talk about something they don’t want him to understand they spoke in German otherwise they spoke in English.
He studied in Mumford High School in Detroit and during the weekends his mother and salesman father would drop him off a local matinee where he discover his love for the cinema which he channeled towards photography. Before leaving Detroit for Arizona at the age of 17 on the way to college, he has won several local awards on photography. He attended the University of Arizona and received a Degree in Psychology minor in Algebra.
After college he landed an advertising job in New York which he left in exchange for a low paying film work in the early ’70’s. He started on his first few projects with director Dick Richards on the movies, The Culpepper Cattle Company in 1972, Farewell, My Lovely in 1975 and March or Die in 1977. Working on Paul Schrader films, the American Gigolo in 1979 and the horror movie, Cat People in 1982 gave Bruckheimer a tiny place on the spotlight.
But his pairing with Don Simpson brought about the tumultuous change in his career as a film producer. The pair met at a screening where Don was working as a publicist for Warner and he was working on “Farewell, My Lady”. They became fast acquaintances and in 1983 became partners where they produce “Flashdance” together. The movie was a huge success milking over 95 million dollars making it the third highest box office haul for the year 1983.
Together they formed the Simpson – Bruckheimer Productions and signed a long term deal with Paramount Pictures. The pair was well suited for each other, Simpson was named “Mr. Inside” because of his exclusive contacts in the industry. Bruckheimer on the hand was named “Mr. Outside” with his practical experience with filmmaking. Their partnership was one they likened to a strong marriage seeing that their ways and passions complement well with one another. Their high-caliber made Tom Cruise and Eddie Murphy all time movie stars and high paying actors of all time.
At the end of a successful year in 1996, Bruckheimer terminated their partnership for good due to Simpson’s off the screen drug issues, Simpson died a month after due to heart failure. Working along as both Mr. Inside and Outside suited well with Bruckheimer seeing the number hit movies he has produced including Con Air, Armageddon, Enemy of the State, Gone in 60 Seconds and Coyote Ugly to name a few. He is also known for his television series, CSI : Crime Scene Investigation, Without a Trace, Cold Case and The Amazing Race.
