He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon,
And he's gotta be bigger than life.
We got Jon-Erik Hexum. But he was a gift to the world for only 24 months.
It was put on Sunday nights opposite 60 Minutes, which the oldsters liked, and just before Chips: obviously aimed at an audience of kids, especially gay boys, who couldn't forget the sight of Jon-Erik in a brown vest and a white shirt unbuttoned to his navel.
He starred with super-famous Joan Collins in a tv-movie, The Making of a Male Model (1983).
He played a Prince on an episode of Hotel (1984).
He co-starred with Gary Busey in the football drama The Bear (1984).
There were rumors of destructive behavior, fast cars, all-night clubbing, orgies, drugs. Maybe they were just rumors. Or maybe Jon-Erik was becoming too famous, too fast.
He was often seen dancing in gay clubs, so maybe he was gay in real life. Or maybe he just liked the adoration of both male and female fans.
Later in 1984 he landed the starring role in Cover-Up, a tv series about a male model and a female photographer who go undercover in exotic locations to solve crimes. He filmed six episodes.
While filming the seventh, on October 12th, 1984, he was playing Russian roulette with a gun loaded with blanks. Or maybe he was just joking around. Apparently he didn't know that at close range, blanks can kill.
Cover-Up tried to slog on without him, but after 22 episodes it was cancelled.
The world tried to slog on without him, too.
This week, October 3, 2017, marked the 35th anniversary of Voyagers!
ReplyDeleteI think at the time a lot of people thought that "blanks" were something that just made noise not actual projectiles that could harm anyone. Did he pull the trigger on purpose? I think that the cast would have been told how dangerous the blanks were. It was said at the time that he jokingly pulled the trigger with the gun pointed at his head. I remember it well. I had the feeling the gun went off accidentally. Suicide is unlikely since he was on the set and had been filming scenes. I thought he was totally gorgeous - he had an amazing physique.
ReplyDeleteNever saw voyagers but remember a TV critic describing it as "a boy and his hunk."
ReplyDeleteThanks to YouTube I saw a few of these episodes. There is definitely a subtext going on. I mean, some of the poses the "man" and his "boy" get into.... If it was innocent fun, then it must have just been mother nature taking over or something. For example, they roll on the ground crotch to ass, legs thrown up, etc. Reminded me of the "side position" in a porno, lmao.
Delete"A boy and his hunk" -- that's kinda cute and not entirely inaccurate. Voyagers! was a fun show; an orphaned boy who travels throughout time with a hunky hero who was, at times, his big brother, his uncle, his protector, his buddy...and yes, his father. They met historical figures and helped history get back on track. The actors' chemistry was perfect. Meeno Peluce (Jeffrey) had a lot of credits and that balanced Hexum being the new 'kid' on the block. He died shortly before his 27th birthday. He was all-man and seemed jovial and humble on talk shows. RIP JEH
ReplyDeleteI recall reading an article that stated that Hexum was a gun collector and that he had recently broke up with his girlfriend. The article was debating both sides of the suicide argument by pointing out that he was familiar with guns both IRL and in roles. And that he may have had a motive after a bad breakup. I recall the news story when it broke. At 14, I know blanks are potentially fatal at up to around 6 inches. So I don't now how arcane that knowledge really was.
ReplyDeleteThe blank hit him near the temple and a piece of fractured bone was sent into his brain.
Regardless of the circumstances behind the event, it was a tragedy and he was taken too soon.
Side note, are all of Bonnie Tyler's songs played with eye candy on display?