Leading the cast was Vic Morrow, famed for his role in the 1960s ABC drama “Combat!”. However, in a devastating incident on July 23, 1982, at approximately 2:30 a.m., Morrow, along with child actors Myca Dinh Le, aged seven, and Renee Shin-Yi Chen, aged six, lost their lives.
The tragedy unfolded during a segment directed by John Landis, where a helicopter malfunctioned while filming at Indian Dunes in Valencia, California. The crash resulted in the deaths of Morrow, Chen, and Le, and injuries to six others.
The film, set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, required a scene to depict the region, with Morrow portraying Bill Connor, a racist character.
In the scene, Connor was supposed to carry two children away from an abandoned village, crossing a river as an American helicopter chased them.
According to The New York Times, the sequence was “poorly planned” and “barely rehearsed,” leading to an explosion that damaged the helicopter’s rotor blades. The pilot lost control, crashing the aircraft in view of the crew and the children’s parents.
The tragic crash resulted in the decapitation of Morrow and Le, while Chen was crushed. This incident sparked years of legal battles against those responsible for the shoot, including Landis.
In a trial lasting nearly nine months, Landis and four others, including helicopter pilot Dorsey Wingo, were acquitted of involuntary manslaughter charges.
The families of Le and Chen pursued legal action and ultimately settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Morrow had eerily predicted his involvement in a helicopter crash some years prior to the accident.
While filming “Dirty Mary Crazy Larry” in 1973, he insisted on a $1 million life insurance policy before participating in any helicopter scenes.
Reportedly, he stated, “I have always had a premonition I was going to die in a helicopter crash!”
Just before filming the fatal scene, Morrow allegedly remarked to a production assistant, “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?!”
“Twilight Zone: The Movie” was released in June 1983, receiving mixed reviews from audiences and critics alike.