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.
11 Reviews
Cover Up series was great
javier-alcala3 May 2006
Original, interesting, and international. Nice looking guy(s) and beautiful women. I really liked this series because it was recorded in around the world locations. The series had a mix of drama, sexy scenes and fast and fighting plots. A sad moment was the end of Hamilton's first episode, when Jennifer is informed that Jon will not work with her any longer. I enjoyed the series back in 1984/85 and I still enjoy it today. The series played the at the time hits and even the theme song, "I need a Hero," was used in a 2004 movie (Shreck 2). I really like the show with Jon-Erik Hexum and, later, Hamilton. The lead lady Jennifer O'Neal was (is) a really beautiful and attractive person. I will highly recommend this series for a relax and entertaining evening.
Why Jon Erik Why?!
ShelbyTMItchell25 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Jon Erik Hexum played an ex Green Beret turned CIA agent and model. As he teams up with a photographer played by Jennifer O Neill who help to avenge her husband's death in the pilot.
As both were great along with the great character actor Richard Anderson as the intelligent but compassionate boss like in the Six Million Dollar Man he was with.
Hexum helped make the show a hit but after he fatally shot himself by playing with a gun loaded with blanks. Not going that playing with blanks can be really dangerous if you stop and think of it.
Antony Hamilton portrayed new agent and model Jack Striker. He was good but not as nearly good enough like Hexum. As he himself would die of AIDS himself in 1995.
Hexum could had been a big name star and had the looks, really could act, and had the humor and wit and charm. He could had been bigger than Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise combined but sadly we never or never will get to see that potential! Great show that did not take itself seriously.
As both were great along with the great character actor Richard Anderson as the intelligent but compassionate boss like in the Six Million Dollar Man he was with.
Hexum helped make the show a hit but after he fatally shot himself by playing with a gun loaded with blanks. Not going that playing with blanks can be really dangerous if you stop and think of it.
Antony Hamilton portrayed new agent and model Jack Striker. He was good but not as nearly good enough like Hexum. As he himself would die of AIDS himself in 1995.
Hexum could had been a big name star and had the looks, really could act, and had the humor and wit and charm. He could had been bigger than Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise combined but sadly we never or never will get to see that potential! Great show that did not take itself seriously.
I Loved Every Moment of This Show!
judiwegley22 June 2007
I seldom give a 10 on a review, but this series was absolutely great, in my humble opinion. The music is first-rate as well. Watching the episode where Dani is told Mac is not coming back was so poignant, there is no doubt that a bond existed between all the players. Jon-Erik's tragic demise truly hit them hard. They wrote his death into the script with grace and respect, almost reverence. I've been lucky enough to get an entire set of the show on DVD, so I am truly blessed. Jennifer O'Neill is stunningly beautiful and it is a shame we have not seen more of her in recent years. I am a fan of Richard Anderson as well, and he played his role convincingly with dignity and gentleness.
Wraps a sad story
MiketheWhistle21 September 2019
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.
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.
He stole his big chance from himself
Tarzan190028 August 2005
When I was a kid, I was a fan of Jon-Erik Hexum, mainly because of his show "Voyager", so I became a fan of his new show "Cover-Up", it was not Shakespeare and it could have been better but it was fun to watch, a kind of James Bond fantasy show. It was exiting, and the show did his job: entertain boys and get girls (and the mothers of some kids) in love with Jon-Erik Hexum. I was shocked to hear that the "Jon" was "playing" with a "blank semi loaded" gun and shot himself. What was he thinking!? well not much obviously!! This 26 years old man, considered on of the most photogenic men in Hollywood, still almost 20 years later, it is hard to find an actor (good actor) with his good look and great body, the man was a Greek sculpture. He had every thing to become a big screen superstar. He made just one mistake, to treat guns like toys, one thing a I leaned since very young "GUN ARE ALWAYS LOADED, EVEN IF THEY ARE EMPTY", an empty gun should be treated as the most dangerous weapon; as a fact many "accident" (the correct word is criminal negligence)are caused by guns that were supposed to be empty. I feel sorry for Jon and his family, but it would have been worst if he had aimed the gun to an innocent bystander. He lost his live, present and future. He stole happiness from himself.
Crime Series with Jon Eric HEXUM
ZeddaZogenau22 March 2024
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).
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).
great original program that was too short lived
international36718 October 2017
This CBS television series was totally 80s. I was 14 when it came out. Beautiful women, a cool action hero, what's not to like. I don't believe it's available for purchase, but there's low quality episodes on youtube. Jon-Erik Hexum's death was such a tragedy. I still enjoyed the series with Hamilton, but Hexum was the #1 choice for obvious reasons. The series will seem dated and even a bit silly by today's standards, but it was hot stuff in 1984. Elizabeth Daily's singing of "Holding Out for a Hero" is better than Bonnie Tyler's, but I don't see the song available for purchase either.
It was a silly "Action/Drama."
abbagabbitz22 May 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The "hero," played by Jon-Erik Hexum (Mac Harper) was a sort of Macgyver, before MacGyver, and CBS' seeming answer to the A-Team. He was an "undercover fashion model" for the CIA. Jennifer O'Neill was his partner, and the fashion photographer that made his status plausible. The show was heavy on action, short on scripts. It was sort of an early, not as good or believable, version of the TNT show "Leverage."
After 7 episodes, Mr. Hexum, while he was bored waiting for shooting to resume, made the tragic mistake of doing some shooting of his own. Even he realized how insanely and inanely implausible the scripts were, and took a .44 Magnum, partially loaded with "blanks," said something along the lines of "let's see if I can get me," put it to his head and squeezed the trigger. The wadding from the blank sent a chunk of his skull into his brain. Life support was withdrawn 8 days later.
Anthony Hamilton (Jack Striker) was brought in as another undercover fashion model for the CIA to complete the remaining episodes. The show was not the answer to the A-Team that CBS had hoped for; and, despite decent ratings, was canceled after one season. If not for Jennifer O'Neill being in every episode, and the brief media sensation caused by Mr. Hexum's tragic demise, it is questionable if the show would have made it through a whole season.
There was a brief frenzy also about the need for gun control based on Mr. Hexum's accidental suicide. The theme song can sometimes still be heard: "Holding Out for a Hero."
After 7 episodes, Mr. Hexum, while he was bored waiting for shooting to resume, made the tragic mistake of doing some shooting of his own. Even he realized how insanely and inanely implausible the scripts were, and took a .44 Magnum, partially loaded with "blanks," said something along the lines of "let's see if I can get me," put it to his head and squeezed the trigger. The wadding from the blank sent a chunk of his skull into his brain. Life support was withdrawn 8 days later.
Anthony Hamilton (Jack Striker) was brought in as another undercover fashion model for the CIA to complete the remaining episodes. The show was not the answer to the A-Team that CBS had hoped for; and, despite decent ratings, was canceled after one season. If not for Jennifer O'Neill being in every episode, and the brief media sensation caused by Mr. Hexum's tragic demise, it is questionable if the show would have made it through a whole season.
There was a brief frenzy also about the need for gun control based on Mr. Hexum's accidental suicide. The theme song can sometimes still be heard: "Holding Out for a Hero."
Don't Hold Your Breathe Bonnie.
buckaroobanzai5016 April 2004
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.
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.
Jon-Eric Hexum's death foreshadowed in Voyagers!, episode 1.
lambofrevelation22 May 2005
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.
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.
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