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From left are Ernest Borgnine, who played Dominic Santini; Jan Maichael-Vincent, who played Stringfellow Hawke; and Alex Cotf, who played Archangel, in the television series "Airwolf". Source: https://www.joblo.com/airwolf-1984-1987-tv-series-gone-but-not-forgotten/ (May be subject to copyright) |
Imagine a helicopter that was so powerful it could do battle with jet airplanes. Now imagine if that helicopter fell into the wrong hands? Not an enemy nation. Worse, a crazed scientist and mercenary?
That was the premise for “Airwolf”, a series that I really enjoyed when it started on Channel 7 on the peasant vision dial in 1984.
When I was writing about “Quantum Leap” recently, and “Magnum P.I.” before that, both shows created by Donald Belisario.
His other great TV series came to mind – “Airwolf”.
The other two have been rebooted and I have been a faithful watcher of both since they debuted.
The other two have been rebooted and I have been a faithful watcher of both since they debuted.
I am not sure if “Airwolf” will be rebooted.
Whether it will be or not, I still have some great memories of a show that began – gulp – 40 years ago.
The actor
It was billed as an epic, and it was. “Winds of War” was a sprawling epic television miniseries about the Henrys, an American naval family at the dawn of the Second World War. It took place in a number of countries and, when broadcast, spanned a full week, starting on a Sunday and concluding the following Sunday.
It was billed as an epic, and it was. “Winds of War” was a sprawling epic television miniseries about the Henrys, an American naval family at the dawn of the Second World War. It took place in a number of countries and, when broadcast, spanned a full week, starting on a Sunday and concluding the following Sunday.
It aired when I was in Grade 8, starting in February of 1983
At the heart of “Winds of War” was Byron Henry, the eldest son. He was brooding, quiet but not shy, and unsettled. He was played by a young actor, I had never really seen before, named Jan-Michael Vincent, and he was excellent as Byron Henry.
Months after “Winds of War” aired, I was at my sister’s place in Lethbridge. She had “The TV Times” from the “Lethbridge Herald”, lying on her coffee table, so I started thumbing through it. I liked the small articles and bits of information about TV shows and actors.
I came across this item that mentioned Jan-Michael Vincent. He was in production of a new weekly television series that was set to air early the next year, so 1984.
It was called “Airwolf”.
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The super helicopter Airwolf, in the TV show of the same name. Source: https://www.rediscoverthe80s.com/ 2014/10/airwolf-at-30-pilot-episode.html (May be subject to copyright) |
I did not realize this, because I watched the two-hour pilot for “Airwolf” on Channel 7 of the peasant vision dial, which had no ties to NFL football. However, in the States, “Airwolf” aired after the Super Bowl in January of 1984, so just over 40 years ago.
That makes sense, because I do recall settling in to watch it on a Sunday night at 9 p.m. Because it was a school night, I had to go to bed at 10 p.m., halfway through the show.
My sister was staying with us, and she filled me in on what happened in the end.
I do recall the plot very well.
“Airwolf” is an attack helicopter created by Dr. Charles Henry Moffett, capable of taking down airplanes. Moffett and his crew are set to give a demonstration of “Airwolf” to “The Firm”, a branch of the Central Intelligence Agency. As the demonstration begins, Moffett goes rogue. He opens fire on the viewing stand before he and his crew steal “Airwolf”. He takes refuge in Libya, destroying military targets for the Libyans.
One of the men who should have died in the assault on the viewing stand is an operative code-named “Archangel”. He is left blind in one eye and wearing a patch, and needs the use of a cane to walk. He also knows the one person able to retrieve “Airwolf”.
Stringfellow Hawke, is a highly-skilled chopper pilot trained during the Vietnam War. He is a recluse, living by himself in a cabin in the woods where he plays the cello, mourns a girlfriend who died in an accident, misses his brother St. John Hawke who is missing in action in Vietnam, and enjoys all the classic paintings on his walls left to him by his late grandfather.
And he was a test pilot when “Airwolf” was being developed.
“Archangel” pays him a visit, asking him to go get “Airwolf”. Hawke at first balks, but agrees to in exchange for “The Firm” finding his brother. He is also a pilot for Santini Air, owned by Dominic Santini, who was a friend of Hawke’s parents who were killed when Hawke was 12. They are on a job when Hawke tells Dominic about the offer from “The Firm”. They return to Hawke’s cabin only to discover all the art work is gone. “Archangel” advises Hawke it was taken as insurance he will recover “Airwolf”. Hawke enlists Dominic’s help who in turn shows him a place he can hide a large object – like a helicopter.
While this is all going on, Hawke falls for Gabrielle, an operative working with “Archangel”. Unfortunately, she falls into the hands of Moffet, who tortures and kills her. “Archangel” had warned Gabrielle before she met Hawke. He has trouble getting close to people because everyone he gets close to dies.
Blinded by rage and grief, Hawke and Dominic not only seize “Airwolf”, but Hawke unleashes a series of rockets on Moffet.
He also keeps “Airwolf”. He will fly missions for “The Firm” in exchange for information on St. John until, ultimately, they find him.
Stringfellow Hawke was played by Jan Michael-Vincent. What was a pleasant surprise was that renowned actor Ernest Borgnine played Dominic Santini. Borgnine who was a pretty big actor at the time, including an Oscar winning role in “Marty” for best actor in 1956.
What made the pilot so good was it was dark, moreso than your average adventure show of the 1980s
I finally did get to see how it ended in an odd way. It was the summer of 1990, and I was living in res at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, working there as a live-in Residence Life Assistant, and going to summer school. One day, I was talking to my friend Sean Drake, and we decided to rent a movie. We went to a video store on Whyte Avenue and saw it – the “Airwolf” movie. It was actually the pilot, but it had been released as a theatrical movie in some places. We decided to rent it, and neither of us was disappointed.
A few years ago, I bought “Airwolf” on DVD, and the pilot actually stands up pretty well. It was good TV.
The show
I was thrilled “Airwolf” was going to be a regular series. It too was on Channel 7 on the peasant vision dial on Friday nights, I believe, and I watched it that first season. For some strange reason, it seemed I was always watching while eating taco chips my Mom bought at Nutters in Lethbridge, on a TV I had in my bedroom.
I was thrilled “Airwolf” was going to be a regular series. It too was on Channel 7 on the peasant vision dial on Friday nights, I believe, and I watched it that first season. For some strange reason, it seemed I was always watching while eating taco chips my Mom bought at Nutters in Lethbridge, on a TV I had in my bedroom.
That first season lasted 12 episodes. I recall worrying that it would be cancelled. The question for me was, would “Airwolf” be renewed for another season.
It was the last part of Grade 9, so the Spring of 1984, when I saw on “Entertainment Tonight” that “Airwolf” had been picked up for the Fall schedule for a full season.
I was friends with Shawn Kingston back then, and we both watched “Airwolf.” I may have even watched an episode with him during a sleep over. He had cable TV. The next day at school, I rejoiced, and found Shawn Kingston in front of the trophy cabinet at St. Joe’s, to tell him “Airwolf” had been renewed for another season.
It would last two more years, the 1984-1985 and 1985-1986 seasons. Over time, I did lose interest in the show, partly because I was doing other things Friday nights.
I do recall watching an episode at my brother’s – Dominic talked about a friend turning bad and how his guts got twisted tighter and tighter until they were like barbed wire. There was another episode where Hawke has someone trapped. Just before he is killed in an explosion, he blurts out “I know where St. John is.”
The fourth season
“Airwolf” was cancelled at the end of the 1985-1986 when I finished Grade 11, and I never gave it another thought.
“Airwolf” was cancelled at the end of the 1985-1986 when I finished Grade 11, and I never gave it another thought.
Two years later, I was living in res at the University of Alberta when something odd happened. One of the girls on our floor, named Louisa, was from Nanton, which really isn’t that far from our home town. She got a letter from her sister, and one of the things she told Louisa was they were shooting an episode of “Airwolf” in Nanton.
I thought that a bit odd, but again didn’t give it any thought.
That Spring, I went back to the farm for the summer and discovered, playing on Channel 7 of the peasant vision dial, was none other than “Airwolf”.
I only saw commercials, never an episode but did find out some things. Gone were Jan Michael-Vincent and Ernest Borgnine. In their place were Barry Van Dyke playing St. John Hawke who had been located, and Michele Scarabelli as a niece of Dominic’s. It didn’t sound that interesting to me and was gone as soon as it arrived.
Parting thoughts
A the dawn of the modern Internet, I had told my good friend Mark Saxton about the really cool, interesting things you could find on the world wide web. How you could use it for serious research and education. Then, one day, I was on campus and ran into Mark and a friend of his.
A the dawn of the modern Internet, I had told my good friend Mark Saxton about the really cool, interesting things you could find on the world wide web. How you could use it for serious research and education. Then, one day, I was on campus and ran into Mark and a friend of his.
He told me later he had been telling his friend about what I said about the Internet.
I was in a hurry that day. When I walked back, Mark said he had just been telling his friend about what I said about the serious uses of the Internet.
At that moment, I said, “I can’t talk now, I’ve got to see the ‘Airwolf’ website.”
So much for serious research. Mark reminded me of that story many times.
Even 30 years ago, I had an interest in the show.
That never waned, as I bought the first three seasons on DVD, and watched the pilot again.
The story always intrigued me, because I love that cold war, spy, thriller story line. I also love the fact Hawke is a Vietnam veteran, a tortured soul, and on a relentless quest to find his brother.
It is just a great story line.
Given I think the re-boots of “Magnum P.I.” and “Quantum Leap” have been handled well, I would be intrigued by a re-boot of “Airwolf”, Donald Belisario’s other great show.
It would be neat to see what modern special effects could for the show.
Plus, the story is timeless.
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