Born in March 1965, Steve Bing is the heir to a property fortune estimated at �275m.

The one-time boyfriend of actress Liz Hurley is the grandson of New York real estate magnate Leo Bing, and the son of Peter Bing, who serves on Stanford University's board of trustees.

During his career in Hollywood, Bing has written, directed and produced television series and movies.

Before he became a producer, Bing wrote for the American sitcom Married With Children.

Talent

He even toyed with acting, portraying a basketball player in the 1991 film The Dark Backward.

He has often worked with British talent.

He recently produced the independent film Night At the Golden Eagle starring Vinnie Jones, which went out on limited release in the US in April.

He was the executive producer on the 2000 remake of Get Carter, which starred Miranda Richardson alongside Sylvester Stallone.

Hurley 's affair with Bing lasted only a few months

He also directed the thriller Every Breath in 1993 and is currently producing a new comedy, Down And Under, set for release in 2003.

But Bing is better-known for more his long-running paternity battle over Liz Hurley's baby.

A DNA test has now established his paternity of Hurley's child.

Bing also hit headlines after dropping a $1bn (�655m) lawsuit against MGM studio boss Kirk Kerkorian in July 2002 after an amicable agreement between the parties.

Resolved

The film producer had been suing Mr Kerkorian for invasion of privacy and trespassing, claiming that the 84-year-old studio head was behind an effort to dig through his household rubbish for dental floss.

Bing alleged that Mr Kerkorian was trying to prove, through DNA analysis, that the producer had fathered the four-year-old daughter of Kerkorian's ex-wife.

But Mr Bing's publicist Annett Wolf said: "They have amicably resolved all outstanding differences between them.

"Both expressed their regret that the dispute ever occurred."