Tony Scott: ‘Numb3rs’ star David Krumholtz pens moving tribute to late producer

From 2005 through 2010, for six seasons, actor David Krumholtz and Rob Morrow starred on CBS’ Numb3rs, which followed mathematics genius Charlie Eppes (Krumholtz) and his F.B.I. brother Don (Morrow) as they worked together solving crimes. A solid hit on Friday nights, Numb3rs will likely be best remembered as filmmaker Tony Scott’s first TV series, with his older brother Ridley, through their company Scott Free Productions.

In the wake of Tony Scott’s tragic passing Sunday night due to an apparent suicide, Krumholtz posted a heartfelt remembrance of his former exec producer via Twitter. “He was wild and big and crazy and uncontrollable and he gave it his all, every moment, because he believed in his crew, his cast, and the show,” Krumholtz writes. “It saddens me that something inside him told him to take his incredible life spirit away from us, from the film making community.” Check out the full tribute below: 

So, I was delivering one of my long Math-based monologues (called Charlie-Visions on the Numb3rs set), in the first episode of Season 4, the one guest starring Val Kilmer, the one directed by the late great Tony Scott. I had come to know Tony as a warm, enthusiastic and whimsical general with great vision and pride for his work and for the art of action. He lit me from overhead, I had not been lit that way before on the show. I had big bushy long hair, that made it impossible to see my eyes, unless I was looking up and directly into the light. After a few takes, I still couldn’t get it right. It felt odd to look up while I was talking to the seated FBI agents in the room. Finally, Tony walked in and said, “David, just imagine that you’re talking to God. And God has all the money. In order to get the money, you gotta talk to God. GOD AND MONEY!!! GOD AND MONEY!!!” He skipped off set, in the way that he did, keeping me energized, and firmly strapped into his roller coaster ride of film making. He spent way more money than he should have on shooting that episode. He had ACTUAL Vietnamese gangbangers, whom he knew personally, play themselves on the show. He was wild and big and crazy and uncontrollable and he gave it his all, every moment, because he believed in his crew, his cast, and the show. It saddens me that something inside him told him to take his incredible life spirit away from us, from the film making community. May he rest in peace. What a great dude.

Krumholtz can currently be seen on HBO’s The Newsroom as the therapist for news anchor Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels); he’ll star in the new CBS sitcom Partners this fall.

Read more:
‘Top Gun’ director Tony Scott dies at age 68 in apparent suicide
Tony Scott: Hollywood reacts to the filmmaker’s sudden passing