Jan-Michael Vincent facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jan-Michael Vincent
Vincent in 1996
Born	(1944-07-15)July 15, 1944 Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Died	February 10, 2019(2019-02-10) (aged 74) Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
Other names	Mike Vincent
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1964–2003
Spouse(s)	Bonnie Portman ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1977)​ Joanne Robinson ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 1999)​ Patricia Ann Christ ​ (m. 2000)​
Children	1

Jan-Michael Vincent (born July 15, 1944 – died February 10, 2019) was an American actor. He was best known for playing the helicopter pilot Stringfellow Hawke in the TV series Airwolf from 1984 to 1987. He also starred as Matt Johnson in the 1978 surfing film Big Wednesday. Another important role was Byron Henry in the miniseries The Winds of War.

Early Life and Education

Jan-Michael Vincent was born in Denver, Colorado. His father was serving in the United States Army at the time. Jan's parents, Lloyd and Doris Vincent, owned a sign company in Hanford.

He grew up in Hanford and finished high school there in 1963. After high school, he attended Ventura College in Ventura, California, for three years. He also served in the California Army National Guard.

Acting Career

Jan-Michael Vincent started his acting career in 1967. His first movie role was in The Bandits. That same year, he appeared in the TV movie The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk.

Early TV and Film Roles

In the late 1960s, Vincent joined Universal Studios. He appeared in several TV shows, including an episode of Dragnet 1968. He was also Link in the Danger Island parts of The Banana Splits show from 1968 to 1969. His first main role was in the TV show The Survivors in 1969.

He also acted in movies like The Undefeated (1969), which starred John Wayne. He appeared in episodes of Lassie and Bonanza.

Gaining Recognition

In 1970, Vincent received good reviews for his role in the TV movie Tribes. He played a hippie who was drafted into the Marines. In 1971, he acted alongside Robert Mitchum in Going Home. He also appeared in an episode of Gunsmoke.

In 1972, Vincent was in the crime film The Mechanic with Charles Bronson. He also starred in the Disney comedy The World's Greatest Athlete (1973). Other notable roles included the romance film Buster and Billie (1974) and the Western Bite the Bullet (1975). He also starred in the trucker movie White Line Fever (1975).

Airwolf and Later Work

One of Vincent's most famous roles was as Stringfellow Hawke in the TV series Airwolf. He starred alongside Ernest Borgnine in this action-packed show from 1984 to 1987. At the time, he was one of the highest-paid actors on American television.

After Airwolf, he continued to act in many films and TV shows. He appeared in the suspense film Raw Nerve (1991). He also co-starred in the horror-comedy Ice Cream Man (1996). His last acting role was in the film White Boy (also called Menace) in 2003.

Personal Life

Jan-Michael Vincent was married three times. He had a daughter named Amber Spring Vincent with his first wife, Bonnie Poorman.

He faced several health challenges later in his life. In the 1990s, he was in three serious car accidents. In 1996, one accident caused him to break bones in his neck. It also affected his vocal cords, giving him a raspy voice.

In 2012, he had surgery to amputate his right leg below the knee. This was due to an infection from a blood vessel disease. After this, he used a prosthetic leg or a wheelchair.

Death

Jan-Michael Vincent passed away on February 10, 2019, at the age of 74. He died in Asheville, North Carolina, from cardiac arrest (when the heart stops beating). His death was announced to the public in March 2019.

Filmography

Film

Television

Images for kids

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  Jan-Michael Vincent in 1996

See also

In Spanish: Jan-Michael Vincent para niños