Actor Jon-Erik Hexum died at the age of 26 following a fatal on-set accident on October 12, 1984. While filming the CBS series Cover Up at 20th Century Fox, Hexum accidentally shot himself in the head with a .44 Magnum revolver loaded with blank cartridges, leading to his death six days later.
The Incident on the Set of Cover Up
The accident occurred during the production of the seventh episode of Cover Up, titled “Golden Opportunity.” Hexum, who played undercover CIA agent Mac Harper, was using a real firearm equipped with blanks. According to reports, filming delays had left the actor feeling irritable and stressed. In a moment of frustration, Hexum held the weapon to his temple and pulled the trigger as a joke, questioning the production delays.
Although the gun contained blanks rather than live ammunition, the proximity of the muzzle to his skull proved lethal. The explosion from the blank cartridge propelled a wad of paper and a coin-sized fragment of bone into his brain, causing massive internal bleeding. As detailed by People, the actor lost several pints of blood before arriving at the hospital.
Hexum was rushed to the Beverly Hills Medical Center, where he underwent five hours of emergency surgery. Despite the efforts of the medical team, he never recovered and was pronounced dead on October 18, 1984.
Career and Rise to Fame
Born on November 5, 1957, in Tenafly, New Jersey, Jon-Erik Hexum pursued a career in modeling and acting after moving to New York and Los Angeles. He quickly gained attention for his physical appearance, becoming a recognized sex symbol of the 1980s. He maintained a strict fitness regimen to support his professional image, a topic he discussed in an interview with the Akron-Beacon Journal.
His professional trajectory included several notable roles:
- Voyagers! (1982): His first starring role in an NBC series.
- The Making of a Male Model (1983): A television movie where he starred opposite Joan Collins.
- The Bear (1984): His first appearance in a feature film, a football biopic.
- Cover Up (1984): A lead role in a CBS series produced by Aaron Spelling.
Impact of the Accident and Organ Donation
The death of Jon-Erik Hexum is cited as one of the most significant on-set tragedies in Hollywood, alongside other fatal accidents involving actors like Brandon Lee and Vic Morrow. However, Hexum’s death provided a second chance for several individuals through organ donation.
Hexum had decided to become an organ donor after learning that a donation had saved the life of a friend’s cousin. Following his passing, his heart, kidneys, corneas, and skin were donated to patients in need. As reported by the New York Post, these donations had the following impact:
- Corneas: Donated to a young girl and a 66-year-old man.
- Kidneys: One kidney saved the life of a five-year-old boy.
- Skin: Used to treat a three-year-old boy suffering from severe burns.
- Heart: Transplanted into Michael Washington, a former Navy SEAL and Purple Heart recipient.
Michael Washington spoke about the impact of the gift in a 1985 interview with “West 57th,” stating that the donation allowed him to remain a father to his two children. Despite some media controversy regarding Washington’s business ventures in Las Vegas, the Hexum family expressed that their primary concern was the survival of the recipient. Washington later told the Los Angeles Times that he remembered Hexum every day.
Safety Concerns and Context
The circumstances surrounding the accident highlight the dangers of using real firearms on set, even when loaded with blanks. The stress and frustration reported by Hexum’s girlfriend, actress E.G. Daily, who spoke to The Sun Online, suggest a volatile environment during the filming of Cover Up. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the physical risks associated with prop weapons and the necessity of strict safety protocols in the entertainment industry.
