In a tragic accident on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie, actor Vic Morrow, known for his role in the TV series Combat!, uttered chilling last words before losing his life.
The incident occurred in 1982 during the production of the film adaptation of the popular science fiction anthology series.
Directed by John Landis, the movie was being filmed in Valencia, California, specifically at Indian Dunes.
On July 23, 1982, around 2:30 a.m., Morrow, along with two child actors, Myca Dinh Le, aged seven, and Renee Shin-Yi Chen, aged six, met their untimely demise in a helicopter crash.
Tragically, the accident resulted in the death of Morrow and the two young actors, while injuring six other passengers.
The scene being filmed involved Morrow’s character, Bill Connor, a racist transported back to the Vietnam War era.
He was meant to carry the children across a river while being pursued by American soldiers in a helicopter.
The New York Times reports that the sequence was poorly planned and barely rehearsed, leading to a disastrous outcome.
The rotor blades of the aircraft were damaged by one of the explosions, causing the pilot to lose control.
The helicopter crashed into the river, decapitating Morrow and Le, and crushing Chen to death.
Interestingly, Morrow had expressed concerns about dying in a helicopter crash years prior to the accident.
While filming Dirty Mary Crazy Larry in 1973, he insisted on having a one million dollar life insurance policy before participating in helicopter scenes.
When asked, he ominously revealed, “I have always had a premonition I was going to die in a helicopter crash!”
Shortly before shooting the fatal scene, Morrow allegedly confided in a production assistant, expressing regrets about not requesting a stunt double.
He remarked, “I must be out of my mind to be doing this.
I should’ve asked for a stunt double.
What can they do but kill me, right?!”
Vic Morrow left behind two daughters, Carrie Ann Morrow and Jennifer Jason Leigh, who followed in her father’s footsteps to become an actor.
The aftermath of the helicopter accident led to extensive legal proceedings against those responsible for the shoot, including director John Landis.
After a nine-month trial, Landis and four other defendants, including helicopter pilot Dorsey Wingo, were acquitted of involuntary manslaughter charges.
The parents of Le and Chen pursued a lawsuit, which eventually resulted in an undisclosed settlement out of court.
