USA Today reports:
- ‘Airwolf’ actor and ’80s heartthrob Jan-Michael Vincent dies
Jan-Michael Vincent, star of the hit series “Airwolf” and ’80s hunk, died last month in Asheville, according to published reports.
He died at Mission Hospital, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ and KTLA. He was 73.
Vincent is best remembered for his role as helicopter pilot Stringfellow Hawke on “Airwolf,” which ran on CBS from 1984-87, and playing Matt Johnson in 1978’s “Big Wednesday.” He acted in a number of feature films, sharing the screen with the likes of John Wayne, Rock Hudson, and Charles Bronson, and appeared in episodes of iconic shows “Lassie,” “Bonanza” and “Gunsmoke.”
Vincent made headlines as the highest-paid American television actor, receiving $200,000 an episode during the filming of “Airwolf.”
The promise of his early career was overshadowed by a tumultuous personal life. Vincent reportedly struggled with substance abuse and was involved in a number of car accidents (at least five made the news, and the courts).
He was accused of domestic assault against several female partners, including a physical attack on a former girlfriend that resulted in a miscarriage. Vincent was married at least three times and is survived by his wife, Patricia Ann Vincent, and Amber Vincent, a daughter from his first marriage.
It is unknown why he was in Asheville at the time of his death. A search of Buncombe County property records does not reveal that he owned a home in the county.
On behalf of the InsidePulse team, I offer our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Jan-Michael Vincent.
