Of Viking descent, Jon-Erik Hexum quickly captivated millions of viewers with his blue-eyed gaze, chiseled body from hours at the gym, and his 185 cm height. Before rising to fame, he studied Biomedical Engineering at university, worked as a disc jockey for extra cash, and played American football for the Michigan Spartans. Feeling the acting bug, he relocated to New York in hopes of landing a job on Broadway.
Struggling financially, he took on jobs as a house cleaner, where he was spotted by Bob LeMond, who at the time was John Travolta's agent. Impressed by his beauty, LeMond signed him on the spot. In 1981, Hexum moved to Los Angeles and a year later starred in the sci-fi series Voyagers! on NBC. Earning $10,000 a week left him amazed. However, to his surprise, the series was canceled after the first season. The best was yet to come.
While waiting for success, he worked as a taxi driver,nightclub doorman, and carpet cleaner to make ends meet. In 1983, he landed a role opposite Joan Collins in the movie The Making of a Male Model, for which he earned $50,000 and gained recognition, as Collins was highly popular for her role in Dynasty.
By late 1983 and early 1984, he began dating Heather Thomas (67) and Emma Samms (64), known for her role as Fallon Colby in Dynasty and later in its spin-off, The Colbys. The peak of his career came with the series Voyagers!, starring Jennifer O'Neill (76), renowned for her role in Summer of '42 (1971). This TV show is still remembered for its iconic theme song, Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler (73).
On October 12, 1984, tragedy struck. During a break on the set at 20th Century Fox, Jon-Erik Hexum picked up a .44 Magnum revolver from the scene they were filming. Bored during the wait, he decided to load it with a single blank round and play a game of Russian roulette. Unfortunately, the force of the shot fractured his skull and several fragments penetrated his brain. Despite efforts, the massive bleeding was irreversible. Brain death was confirmed.
Six days later, while connected to a ventilator, his mother made the decision to turn off life support. As a registered organ donor in California, at least five people received transplants of his viable organs, including his heart. He was 26 years old. On the 40th anniversary of his death, millions of fans worldwide have come together to offer their prayers. At the time of his passing, he was dating actress and singer Elizabeth Daily (63), who later married Rick Solomon (56), known for being the ex-husband of both Pamela Anderson (57) and Shannen Doherty.
It seems that a curse befell the cast of Voyagers!, as the actor who replaced Hexum, another attractive model named Anthony Hamilton, passed away in 1995 at the age of 42 from pneumonia related to HIV. Rumors circulated that he was not chosen to be James Bond due to his sexual orientation. Sadly, in 1993, Hollywood faced a similar tragedy to Hexum's when Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee, accidentally shot himself during the filming of The Crow.