Steve Bing, Kangaroo Jack writer and Liz Hurley's ex, dies at 55

Steve Bing, Elizabeth Hurley's ex and writer of Kangaroo Jack, has died at 55 years of age.

TMZ reported that the writer and producer died by suicide in Los Angeles on June 22 (US time).

Bing is survived by his two children — Damian Hurley, 18, who he shares with Hurley and his daughter Kira Bonder, who he shares with tennis player Lisa Bonder.

The producer was a philanthropist, donating millions of dollars to Democratic political causes when he inherited US$600 million (approx. $866.5 million) from his grandfather Leo Bing.

In 2012, Bing joined the Giving Pledge, which was a program initiated by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to have multi-millionaires donate most of their fortune to charity.

Bing also used his inheritance to front his own production company Shangri-La Entertainment, who recently released Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017).

His contributions were in support of Al Gore, Gavin Newsom, Hilary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and Dianne Feinstein. In 2006, he also contributed US$50 million (approx. 72.7 million) to an oil production tax that was struggling.

In 2003, Bing wrote the action comedy Kangaroo Jack. He was also involved in making Missing in Action (1984) and wrote an episode of Married With Children.

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He notably invested in Tom Hank's iconic film The Polar Express, Rolling Stones' Shine A Light concert movie and Beowulf. Bing also had executive producing credits on Youth in Revolt (2009), Rock the Kasbah (2015), Every Breath (1994) and Get Carter (2000). Before his death, he was in the middle of production for an untitled Jerry Lewis documentary.

Bing and Hurley, then 35 and 36, dated for one year after meeting in 2000. In 2001, Hurley announced that she was expecting a baby and that Bing was the father.

At the time, Bing denied that he was the father and issued a statement claiming that they weren't in an "exclusive relationship".

"Ms Hurley and I were not in an exclusive relationship when she became pregnant. It is her choice to be a single mother," Bing said at the time. "If indeed I am the father, I will be an extremely involved and responsible parent."

However, a DNA test proved that he was the biological father. The couple split, and Hurley gave birth to Damian on April 4, 2002.

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