11 Deadliest TV Show Sets in History
The accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust in 2021 exposed the dangers of film production, and the television business isn’t immune to on-set accidents.
A 2016 Associated Press analysis logged at least 194 serious accidents on film and television sets in the United States between 1990 and 2014, with at least 43 fatalities.
“Any death in what should be a safe working environment with platinum-rated safety standards is a death too many,” attorney Chris Deacon of the law firm Stewarts told the Los Angeles Times in 2021. “If those engaged to work on set in whatever capacity are dying at the hands of the creative process, then something is fundamentally wrong in the production processes,” he said.
Here are 11 accidents that ended in tragedy for the casts and crews of TV shows.
Magnum, P.I.
A cameraman died in a helicopter crash while filming an episode of Magnum, P.I. in 1980. The low-flying aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii, according to Deadline.
The Dukes of Hazzard
In a 1981 accident on the Dukes of Hazzard set, a cameraman was killed when the camera crew truck he was riding in overturned. His wife and son later sued Warner Communications, Burbank Studios, Columbia Pictures, CBS and Ford Motor Co, per UPI.
Cover Up
Actor Jon-Erik Hexum accidentally shot himself in the head while playing with a gun on the set of Cover Up in 1984. Hexum suffered a fractured skull, and despite five hours of surgery, he died several days later, according to The New York Times.
Airwolf
L.A. Heat
A 57-foot fall gone wrong at a Los Angeles power plant claimed the life of an L.A. Heat stunt performer in 1996 when he landed on the edge of the airbag meant to break his fall and struck his head on a metal railing, as the Los Angeles Times reported at the time.
Sliders
During the 1996 filming of a Sliders episode near Adelanto, California, a day player was killed when the dune buggy he and another actor were riding in overturned. The other actor suffered minor injuries, according to the Los Angeles Times.
WWF Over the Edge
During the 1999 pay-per-view wrestling event Over the Edge, WWF wrestler Owen Hart a.k.a. The Blue Blazer fatally fell 78 feet after a malfunction with the harness meant to lower him down to the ring, according to the Toronto Sun.
The X-Files
A crew member on the set of The X-Files died when the scaffolding he was on has electrified with a 4,800-volt charge after apparently coming into contact with a high-tension power line. Six other people were injured in the accident, per Variety.
COPS
The Walking Dead
A stuntman died after falling from a balcony set for The Walking Dead in 2017, causing a temporary shutdown in production. His family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against AMC Networks, but the company was found not negligent, per The New York Times.
Street Outlaws: Fastest in America
Racing star Ryan Fellows died after losing control of his car in a street race while filming for the reality show Street Outlaws: Fastest In America near Las Vegas. His car left the roadway, overturned, and caught fire, according to TMZ.
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