19 Facts About Jon-Erik Hexum

Jon-Erik Hexum was seen as the "next big thing" in Hollywood prior to his death, due to his looks, charisma, and ambition.

Jon-Erik Hexum was born in Englewood, New Jersey in 1957, to Thorleif Andreas Jon-Erik Hexum, a Norwegian immigrant, and Gretha Olivia Paulsen, a Minnesota-born American of Norwegian parentage.

At Tenafly High School, Jon-Erik Hexum was an active student, participating in the school's marching band and performing at the 1973 Rose Parade in Pasadena.

Jon-Erik Hexum played roles in his school's productions of Carousel and had one of the starring roles in The Pajama Game as a senior.

Jon-Erik Hexum went on to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland to study biomedical engineering, and soon transferred to Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.

Jon-Erik Hexum graduated from MSU with a Bachelor of Arts in political philosophy.

Jon-Erik Hexum kept himself fit for roles, as he had been playing playing football and soccer since he was 8, and wrestled, did swimming and lifted weights, and would workout three times a week at the gym.

At LeMond's urging, Jon-Erik Hexum relocated to Los Angeles in September 1981 to audition for a movie called Summer Lovers; he lost the part to Peter Gallagher.

Jon-Erik Hexum was then cast opposite Joan Collins in the 1983 made-for-television movie Making of a Male Model, produced by Aaron Spelling.

Later in 1984, Jon-Erik Hexum was cast opposite Jennifer O'Neill in the CBS primetime series Cover Up, playing Mac Harper, an undercover CIA operative posing as a model.

Jon-Erik Hexum was the subject of a profile on the November 1984 issue of Playgirl and appeared clothed and shirtless but not nude in photographs taken for the magazine.

That same year Jon-Erik Hexum played terminally ill quarterback Pat Trammell, a small role in the feature film The Bear, a tribute to University of Alabama football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, played by Gary Busey.

Shortly before his death, Jon-Erik Hexum set up a company to produce and direct films.

Jon-Erik Hexum became restless and impatient during the delay and began playing around to lighten the mood.

Jon-Erik Hexum was rushed to Beverly Hills Medical Center, where he underwent five hours of surgery to repair his wounds.

Jon-Erik Hexum was cremated at Grandview Crematory in Glendale, California, and a private funeral was held.

Jon-Erik Hexum's ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean, near Malibu, California, by his mother.

Jon-Erik Hexum left an estate estimated to be worth $255,000.

The episode on which Jon-Erik Hexum had been working was broadcast on November 3,1984, two weeks after his death.