Espion modèle

Attempting to help the Wright brothers, Phineas, our intrepid, if clumsy, traveler-in-time deeply contemplates running off a cliff edge with a glider --to test aerodynamic designs. Does he correctly comprehend the aerodynamic forces involved? His fellow traveler Jeffrey is worried, running after him, yelling, "You can't...it's suicide!...Bogg!". But Phineas will not be stopped, and, leaping off the cliff, admonishes young Jeffrey, "I'm a Voyager kid! Sometimes you've got to bite the bullet." Alas, Phineas crashes, --not comprehending the aerodynamic forces involved. Phineas is next seen lying deathly still on the ground, Jeffrey rushing to him crying, "Bogg!". Phineas will regain consciousness, of course, and all will be well, of course. This scene is in episode one, and part of it is used in the opening sequence for every episode of "Voyagers!".

About two years later, on the set of "Cover Up"...

Jon-Eric Hexum, Phineas Bogg of an earlier time, and a highly intelligent man, will foolishly point a prop gun, loaded with blanks, to his head and jokingly pull the trigger. And with this bullet, so unnecessary to bite, Mr. Jon-Eric Hexum proved he still had not learned aerodynamics, this time of exploding gases, so powerful...even poignant.

Almost twenty years ago there was a show that featured an American modelling agency doing a spot, hence involved Bonny Tyler singing the theme song - Holding out for a hero - however, the modelling agency was a front for a CIA organisation. It was called Cover-Up, a tremendously enjoyable CBS action escapade series about a couple of "striking adventurers" posing as a model plus a photographer on location of their assigned missions, and the "main hero" was Jon-Erik Hexum (character's name Mac Harper) who unfortunately died in 1984. The show nevertheless continued with somewhat different Anthony Hamilton taking his place, but lasted about a year. Regardless of its cancellation, Cover-Up was one of the greatest and most stylish espionage shows from the early 1980's, and surely knocked off similar tv projects.

Was this a great piece of filmography-no, but was it entertaining-yes. Most reviews comment on the fate of Jon-Erik Hexum, and it's natural since he died on the set. The shame is if he had the training of his character, he would have known better. The great thing is his mother allowing his organs donation.

As for the show, it was a typical 70-80s shown. Beautiful women, great snipets of songs, action, story, and Hexum. Although he had limited experience, he was really a good actor and had a charisma that would have made him a great star. It would have been interesting had he lived whether the show would have gone beyond season 1 unlike Voyagers! which it too was an entertaining show much like Quantum Leap or the Time Tunnel, so it's being ended was rather unfair.

I certainly don't have fond memories of this series.

It was pretty cheesey back in 1985 when I first saw it. Jennifer O'Neal was as wooden in it as she was in most of her other roles, Including 'Scanners', but only Michael Ironside was really good in that movie.

This seemed to be a cross between Charlie's Angels and Remmington Steele, but wasn't as watchable as either series. It's also infamous and memorable to some, because one of it's stars Jon Erik Hexum, was playing around with a prop pistol loaded with blanks, put it to his head, and fired. Without knowing that blanks can actually kill because there is still a discharge from the weapon when fired.

Short-lived crime series starring Jennifer O'Neill and Jon Eric Hexum

Although this crime series, broadcast by the American television station CBS, was only broadcast on the German television station RTL PLUS from July 13, 1991, it was already in the headlines around the world at the time of its first American broadcast (October 1984). The reason was that the young and very talented leading actor Jon Eric HEXUM (1957-1984) injured himself so badly while fooling around with an accidentally loaded pistol from the film prop on October 12, 1984 that he was declared brain dead six days later. His organs were removed from the body and forwarded to appropriate organ recipients. This terrible misfortune abruptly ended the life of a promising television star.

The series itself started on American television on September 22, 1984 and was conceived as a conventional crime series that was intended to combine mysterious crimes with the sophisticated world of beautiful models. After the sudden death of her husband, the attractive fashion photographer Danielle Reynolds (Jennifer O'NEILL, known from RIO LOBO and SETTE NOTE IN NERO) learns that he was also active as an agent for the American state. After an initial shock, she and his partner Mac Harper (Jon Eric HEXUM), who is now responsible for the fights and shootings, take over her late husband's job. On behalf of their "executive officer" Henry Towler (Richard ANDERSON), Dani and Mac now travel the world as fashion photographers and solve cases that arise wherever they are. It's a good thing that the strapping Mac is not only a tough fighter, but also looks damn good. This way he can model while Dani takes the photos. In tow, the two of them have a group of several beautiful female models (including Dana SPARKS), who cause additional trouble with their fun-loving inexperience. The cases are mostly rather banal, in the tradition of the series RIPTIDE with Perry KING and Joe PENNY. After the tragic death of HEXUM (his last episode (the seventh) was broadcast on November 3rd, 1984), his character in the series was also declared dead and replaced by Antony HAMILTON as Jack Striker (from the episode of November 24th, 1984). The American television business was changed so quickly and brutally. It wasn't of much use: the series was canceled after one season.

The year before, Jon Eric HEXUM, an American of Norwegian descent, had become known throughout the country for his title role in the television film MAKING OF A MALE MODEL. In this "Movie of the Week" he played a good-looking outdoorsman who is immediately hired by an influential agency boss (Joan COLLINS, then famous worldwide as the beast Alexis from the television series DYNASTY) and groomed to become a male super model. This gave the ambitious and very talented Jon Eric HEXUM the image of the male sex symbol, which was probably inevitable given his dazzling looks. In the new series he was not only able to be the masculine, striking womanizer, but also prove his qualities as a fighter and action star. Unfortunately that didn't last too long.

Dana SPARKS, born in 1961, can be seen here as one of the traveling models in her first (television) role. Two years later, she became a FALCON CREST star from 1986 to 1988 when she took on the role of Vickie Gioberti, who returned to Tuscany Valley after several years in New York City. From 1981 to 1983 the role was played by the charming Jamie ROSE. One of the first storylines that Dana SPARKS had to play as Vickie Gioberti was that she unwittingly began an affair with Jeff Wainwright (Edward ALBERT), the man who had recently kidnapped and raped her mother Maggie Gioberti (Susan SULLIVAN). That's how crude things were back then in the prime time soaps of the 1980s. And in German-speaking countries it was on the evening's program! :-)

Other guest stars in the series COVER UP were: John BECK (Flamingo Road), Tia CARRERE (True Lies), Bryan CRANSTON (Breaking Bad), Mary CROSBY (Dallas), Louis JOURDAN (Gigi), George LAZENBY (James Bond), Wolf ROTH (The Guldenburg Legacy), Heather THOMAS (The Fall Guy), Sheree J. WILSON (Dallas, Walker Texas Ranger).