Jan-Michael Vincent, best known for his role as Stringfellow Hawke on Airwolf, has died at the age of 73.
According to a death certificate obtained by The Hollywood Reporter and TMZ, the actor passed away February 10th at Mission Hospital’s Memorial Campus in Asheville, North Carolina. Vincent went into cardiac arrest while at the hospital. TMZ was told that no autopsy was performed and Vincent was cremated.
Like mentioned above, Vincent was best known for his starring role on Airwolf, which aired from 1984-1987. During the show’s three-season run, Vincent portrayed renegade pilot Stringfellow Hawke. Vincent was reportedly the highest-paid TV actor in Hollywood, getting paid nearly $200,000 an episode. Prior to Airwolf, Jan-Michael Vincent was apart of many roles in the 70s including The Mechanic (1972), Hooper (1978), Big Wednesday (1978), and White Line Fever (1975).
Throughout his fame, Vincent struggled with many substance abuse problems, including a nearly-fatal incident in 1996. The actor was involved in a car accident where he suffered serious injuries such as permanently damaged vocal cords and a broken neck. His drug and alcohol abuse, along with other legal and on-set issues, kept the Airwolf star from becoming an even bigger name in Hollywood. His final role was in the 2002 film, White Boy.
Vincent also had many domestic assault allegations and was arrested in 2000 for violating his probation by appearing drunk in public and assaulting his (then) fiancée. He was sentenced to 60 days in prison.
In 2012, he suffered an infection in his right leg due to an illness. This led to the lower part of Vincent’s right leg being amputated.
Jan-Michael Vincent is survived by his wife Patricia and his daughter, Amber (from his first marriage).
