Jon-Erik Hexum Biography

                                                 
"I'd hate to die young and never have made Grapes of Wrath.  Life goes by so fast...I just don't want to miss out on anything."   Jon-Erik Hexum

Jon-Erik Hexum (he was advised to drop the 'C' in favour of a 'K' as it looked much more stronger) and used to go by the name of Jack; was born November 5 1957 in Englewood, New Jersey.  He was 6' 1", of Norweigan/Icelandic descent.  His parents Gretha and Thorleif Hexum separated when he was 5.  He had an older brother, Gunnar. The two were raised by their mother, who held down two jobs. Though they couldn't afford to, his mother also bought him a piano.
As a child, Jon-Erik took violin, singing and dancing lessons, also playing the baritone horn and was very eager to play Flight of the Bumble Bee after only one lesson on the piano.

Jon-Erik inherited his confidence from his mother.  Confidence was described as one of his "strongest traits," saying, "at times I'm amazed at my confidence, even when it doesn't make sense that I should be." He also cited his mother as being his influence, "I kind of did whatever I wanted when I was growing up and my mother always kind of helped me do what I wanted when I was growing up."

Jon-Erik attended Tenafly High School, New Jersey, where he was the first male cheerleader.  Here he also played soccer, wrestled, was on the diving, swimming and gymnastics team.  Also having band practice, played baseball and if that wasn't industrious enough, he also became Class President. The first college he attended was Case Western Reserve, Cleveland and graduated with a BA Social Science from James Madison College, Michigan State University.  Majoring in Philosophy and Economics.  He liked Philosophy and was "going to unlock  the questions of the world...after 4 years, I didn't really care much more...it was interesting."  He only studied these subjects but didn't really want  a career in that field.  He studied, "what I was interested in, not for what I could use it for."

At Michigan State he was on the football team and wanted to play after seeing his first football game there.  Later saying, "5 months of running and lifting weights  got me on the team.  Then I spent 3 years keeping the bench warm." On his appearance he commented, "I grew about 4 inches, gained about 50 pounds for football, my face changed...my range of experience broadened almost immediately."  Jon-Erik gave up sports after his "sixth concussion and second broken nose."  He once considered being an Olympic athlete, a champion figure skater, a football player or an artificial heart pioneer, but the acting bug was too great to pass by.  He was  a late-night DJ on Lansing Radio where he went by the name of "Yukon Jack."

Upon graduating school (university) he began theatre classes and looked for agents; as well as getting in to see casting directors, producers, anyone he could.  In New York he studied with Willard Young; Uta Hagen and Mervyn Nelson.  As well as attending some of Sandy Meisner's seminars.  During this time he held down many varied jobs ranging from a bartender at NYC discos, a bouncer, a singing waiter. After spending 8 months in New York, where he became known as one of the "most industrious and determined young actors in all of New York."  Then moving to California and was only in LA for 4 months before landing the role of Phineas Bogg in Voyagers!  A show where he played a sixteenth century time traveller, travelling back and forth in time, changing history wherever it went wrong, along with a 12 year old, Jeffrey Jones (Meeno Peluce) who was effectively his history book.  Considered to be the prequel to Quantum Leap and an inspiration for this.  Jon-Erik became "one of the most sought-after properties in Hollywood."  He said his most notable feature was his voice.

Before this Jon-Erik had acted in some plays: playing Johnny Brown in The Unsinkable Molly Brown; Billy Bigelow in Carousel as well as the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance.  He enjoyed watching many plays when he was younger and, saying, "I just think you should do what you want in life that you enjoy the most."
He believed that the "best thing is to go to work, to do lots of plays and to learn while you're performing...it's so much more incumbent upon you to really pay attention."  The best advice Jon-Erik would have given to potential actors, or anyone thinking about going into acting as a career.

Jon-Erik was discovered by agent Bob Lemond whilst he was cleaning apartments.  Sadly he missed out on a role as a dancer in the movie The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.  Appearing as an extra in Deathtrap, A Little Sex and in soaps.  In 1981 he auditioned for the movie Summer Lovers, which ultimately led to the part in Voyagers!

Other roles were in an episode of Arthur Hailey's Hotel, (1984) in the episode The Tomorrows, playing Prince Erik, alongside Emma Samms.  He filmed the movie, The Bear about the life of football coach Bear Bryant, where Jon-Erik played Pat Trammell.  The film was made in three months but he was on set for only over a month .  He commented, "there's this one scene where I die and we did that scene for 9 hours."  Pat Trammell died aged  28.  Most of Jon-Erik's scenes were cut from the movie.  Some other shows included, Fantasy (1983) where he hosted the show for a week as a guest.  Just Men (1983) a game show, hosted by Betty White.   He turned down roles in TV Series where he had to play replacement actors, such as in CHiPs, Dukes of Hazzard, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Jeff Daniel's part in Fifth of July. 1983 saw Jon-Erik selected as one of the Ten Most Watchable Men in the World by Man Watchers Inc.  Others on the list included Richard Gere and David Hasselhoff.

                                               

The movie, The Making of a Male Model (1983) in which he played Tyler Burnett and starred with Joan Collins, was a big break for him, saying "it helped a lot but it hurt a lot too...it was exploitative." He had modelled in the past, but that was just for 8 months.  Jon-Erik was smart, talented and gorgeous and once said, "if I couldn't follow the sex-symbol image with good quality work, then the image might be uncomfortable for me.  But I think I can offer good, quality work." Joan Collins also wanted him to star in Dynasty, but he turned the part down.

1984 saw him earn the bitter sweet role which would have propelled him to stardom.  The role of Mac Harper in TV series Cover Up. In this, he played an undercover CIA agent, whilst undercover as a male model.  He described this as a little "Indiana Jones, James Bond, Mr Magoo and Superman." This show Jon -Erik called, "wildly commercial...I think it will be very successful."  He thought TV was about "being commercial - but try and make a good show at the same time."

On October 12 1984, whilst on the set of Cover Up, which involved an extremely heavy workload, Jon-Erik was exhausted and awoke from sleeping, only to be told filming was to be delayed.  He picked up a gun, unaware it was loaded with blanks and discharged it to his temple.  After being in a coma for a week, Jon-Erik was pronounced brain dead on 18 October 1984.  His organs were harvested for organ donation and as a result of this tragedy, he saved the lives of 6 other people, one of them a little boy; through them, he still lives on.

The creator of Voyagers! James Parriot was so moved by the generous donation of his organs so he wrote this story for the film, Heart Condition, which was loosely based on this.

Season 1.7 Writer's Block of Cover Up included a brief tribute to him written by Glen A Larson, with Richard Anderson reading the following:
"when a star dies, it's light 
continues to shine across
the universe for millenniums... 

John Eric Hexum died in October of this year [1984]
but the lives he touched 
will continue to be brightened 
by his light...forever...
and ever..."

John-Eric Hexum
1957-1984

(Apparently his name was spelled as John-Eric on screen, but is credited as Jon-Erik on websites where this quote also appears. )


His mother, Gretha and Gunnar filed a lawsuit against Fox Studios for wrongful death and this was settled.  It was a tragedy that never should have happened and due to this more stringent prop gun laws were introduced on film/TV sets to ensure this would never happen again.  Clearly someone on the set messed up, since such weapons should never have been left lying around.

A year later in response to all the wonderful letters of support from all around the world, Gretha received from fans and admirers of Jon-Erik, his mother responded to this selfless outpouring of love by writing a letter, part of it read: "To you who shared with me the loss of Jon-Erik.  There is a quiet place along the shore with distant mountains, brisk breezes and here for a time shattered pieces slowly come together.  I've gone to this quiet place before sunrise and everyday since my son's death." Jon-Erik's ashes were flown over Malibu along the shore he lived."

Jon-Erik was likened to James Dean, both so young when they passed: James Dean - 24, Jon-Erik - 26.  But he will live on in his work, as well as in the hearts and minds of those who loved and admired him.  Jon-Erik's film, The Bear was re-released with many of his deleted scenes restored. On James Dean, Jon-Erik himself said, "Jimmy was the best actor on the screen for these few brief years. I would like to be half as good as he was some day."

His wanted to star in Gone With The Wind, but he also wanted to get married and have children and "live happily ever after."
His ultimate fantasy was to play a tragic hero.  "It's a bit self-indulgent and sympathetic but interesting.  In my private life, my fantasy is to get married and have kids."  He wanted to star in films about "real people...I'd like to be a tragic hero - a Rocky - he's a hero but he's realistic and approachable and you can empathize with him."  Jon-Erik was our tragic hero.

Jon-Erik was mentioned in a brief article in People Magazine Tribute Book December 2007, together with other people who tragically died young, including Princess Diana.

More than just a pretty face, with beautiful ice blue eyes.  Jon-Erik was kind, generous, funny and always had time for everyone.  At least a new generation can get to see him in his few films, and show Voyagers! To get to know and see just how talented an actor Jon-Erik was.  He was going places and his star will always shine brightly.

To dreams to many
to distance be
You graced our screens - a presence 
so quietly crept
into our lives, into our hearts
you gave your all, your talent, your love
Your heroic pleasure
And when you left this world
so lonely, snatched by cruel fate
To know you're watching from Heaven
Your gentle touch (presence) here on earth will always echoed be.
Dear heart, dear soul
To us you will always remembered be.
                                                          MH

(Written 2011 In Loving Memory...)