Jon-Erik Hexum: Tragic Death and the Gift of Life

"One of my strongest traits is confidence; at times I'm amazed at my confidence, even when it doesn't make sense that I should be."

Jon-Erik Hexum was born in Englewood, New Jersey on November 5, 1957.  He was the son of Norwegian immigrants who were divorced by the time he was just four years old.  Hexum's mother worked two jobs to support the family while finding time to introduce them to the theatre as well.

Hexum started acting when he was in high school, but he studied biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University.  He later transferred to Michigan State University, where he received a B.A. in Political Philosophy. 

After graduation, Hexum moved to New York City to pursue acting.  He found work cleaning apartments, and through this position, met Bob LeMond, a talent manager for several Hollywood notables, including John Travolta.  LeMond saw great potential in Hexum and encouraged him to move to Hollywood.

Hexum had barely unpacked when he was cast as the lead in an NBC time-travel series called Voyagers!  It only lasted for one season, but it put Hexum on the map.  He soon starred opposite Joan Collins in the 1983 made-for-TV movie Making of a Male Model.  This led to his final role opposite Jennifer O'Neill on the CBS spy drama series, Cover-Up, in 1984, the plot of which was absurd even by 1980's standards.

On Friday, October 12th, Hexum and other cast members were at 20th Century Fox completing production of the seventh episode.  Tired from numerous production delays, Hexum took a prop gun and pointed it at his head, ala Russian Roulette.  According to those on set, he reportedly said "oh well, what the hell" before pulling the trigger.  It was the last thing he'd ever say.

The explosion pushed a piece of Hexum's skull, approximately the size of a quarter, into his brain, causing massive hemorrhaging. He was rushed to Beverly Hills Medical Center, where he underwent immediate surgery.  News crews were already on hand, filing these reports.  Ultimately, there was never any chance that Hexum would recover.  He was declared brain dead just six days later, at the young age of 26.

Hexum was an organ donor. With his mother's consent, the following procedures were performed:

• heart - transplanted into a 36-year-old Las Vegas brothel owner
• kidneys - one donated to a 43-year-old grandmother, the other to a five-year-old boy
• corneas - one donated to a 66-year-old man, the other to a young girl
• skin - donated to a three-year-old boy with third-degree burns

Hexum was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean.  The producers of Cover-Up opted to kill off his character and to replace him with actor Antony Hamilton.  His death was announced at the end of episode 8 by co-star Richard Anderson.  Here's a clip on YouTube.  Unfortunately, the tribute misspells Hexum's name.

Several years after Hexum's passing, friends and fans placed a marker in his honor at Valhalla Memorial Park in North Hollywood.

Rest in peace.

Trivia

• If you want to learn more about Jon-Erik Hexum, take a voyage to Amazon.  It's all in books.
  
  
• Hexum was interviewed for the November 1984 issue of Playgirl Magazine, appearing on the cover as well.  It was already on newsstands at the time of his death and is today considered something of a collector's item.
  
  
• At the time of his death, Hexum was dating actress Elizabeth Daily, best remembered for her role of Dottie in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.  The film was in pre-production at the time of his death.
  
  
• In the wake of Hexum's death, Hollywood studios enacted much stricter rules regarding the safe use of prop guns and blanks on set.  The same rules apparently do not apply to real guns however, as evidenced by the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins by actor Alec Baldwin nearly 40 years later.
  
  
• In 2024, Scott Michaels of the Dearly Departed Tours YouTube channel, posted this vlog on Hexum's tragic death.