Tony Scott died in a final act worthy of one of his own action-packed movies.

The British filmmaker, reported to have had inoperable brain cancer, leapt from Los Angeles' Vincent Thomas Bridge Sunday afternoon. Horrified onlookers watched, and in some cases filmed, the entire incident.

Scott, 68, was six years younger than his filmmaker brother Ridley Scott. Together, they had the company Scott Free Productions, creating films, TV shows (such as The Good Wife) and commercials.

Although he never achieved the critical respect afforded Ridley -- whose films include Alien and Blade Runner - Tony hit big in Hollywood with Top Gun, a film that starred Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer and Kelly McGillis. The action-packed movie about fighter pilots was the biggest box office hit of 1986; the film prompted a huge uptick in Air Force and Navy recruitment.

Scott hit big again with Cruise on Days Of Thunder (1990), but it was Denzel Washington who turned up most in Scott's movies, as Scott directed him in Crimson Tide, Man on Fire, Deja Vu, The Taking of Pelham 123 and Unstoppable (2010), the last film Scott directed.

Scott left behind a suicide note in his office and a list in his car of people to contact, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office said.

A spokeswoman for Scott issued a terse statement on Sunday night confirming his death and asking that the media respect his family's privacy.

News of the death sent shockwaves through the film industry.

"Tony was my dear friend and I will really miss him," Cruise said in a statement. "He was a creative visionary whose mark on film is immeasurable. My deepest sorrow and thoughts are with his family at this time."

Kilmer, who also appeared in True Romance, called Scott "the kindest film director I ever worked for."

"No more Tony Scott movies. Tragic day," Ron Howard said in a Twitter message.

Samuel L. Jackson tweeted that he was "taking a moment to reflect on Tony Scott's life & work."

Filmmaker Richard Kelly, who wrote the screenplay for Scott's 2005 film Domino, joined the thousands of online tributes on Monday.

"Working with Tony Scott was like a glorious road trip to Vegas on desert back roads, a wild man behind the wheel, grinning," Kelly said.

Film critic Roger Ebert called him "an inspired craftsman."

Scott was said to be working with Cruise and producer Jerry Bruckheimer to develop some sort of sequel to Top Gun.

As a producer, Scott was involved with dozens of successful movies and worked recently on Out Of The Furnace, a film with Christian Bale that's set for release in 2013.

Scott was a skilled rock climber and was known to be a bit of a thrill-seeker.

He is survived by his third wife, Donna, with whom he had two children.

- With files from Reuters

TONY SCOTT'S FIVE BEST

TOP GUN (1986)

The movie that made Tom Cruise an A-list actor. Cruise, Val Kilmer and Kelly McGillis (as the love interest) starred in this action-adventure extravaganza about the Navy Fighter Weapons School. Lots of F-14 fighter jet footage and shirts-off beefcake.

DAYS OF THUNDER (1990)

All the action of Top Gun transferred to the NASCAR track. This race film saw Scott working with Tom Cruise again, and with a sweet-faced Australian actress named Nicole Kidman, who soon became the next Mrs. Cruise.

TRUE ROMANCE (1993)

Violent crime drama about a drug deal was also a blood-soaked romance; Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette starred. Good reviews, bad box office.

MAN ON FIRE (2004)

Denzel Washington stars as a retired CIA operative hired to protect a child (Dakota Fanning) from kidnapping. He and the child become close, making it obvious he'll fight to the death for if need be. Also with Christopher Walken.

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123

A remake that upped the ante on terrorist drama, with John Travolta as the bad guy and Denzel Washington as the good guy, duking it out over a #6 train out of Pelham Bay Park that's full of hostage passengers.