Airwolf: The Washington Post February 1984

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	TV'S EXPENSIVE NEW TOYS TAKE TO THE AIR
	By Michael E. Hill
	Just when you thought the ultimate TV action show revolved around how many ways you can torture an automobile, producers have come up with a new vehicle to place in the hands of stunt men and clever photographers. It's the helicopter--specifically the super-chopper, now starring in two new network series. ABC's "Blue Thunder," derived from last year's theatrical film, stars James Farentino as Frank Chaney, pilot of the super-surveillance helicopter assigned to APEX, a mythical federal crime-fighting agency. And there's CBS's "Airwolf," featuring a futuristic war machine piloted by maverick loner Stringfellow Hawke, played to moody perfection by Jan-Michael Vincent. Helicopters have had a growing presence on television for sometime. But in "Thunder" and "Airwolf," the choppers emerge as stars, possibly grabbing more attention than the men who fly them. The shows represent a gamble for television producers, who must net high Nielsen dividends to justify their heavy investments in production costs. And they represent a breakthrough, of sorts, in TV action shows, offering new opportunities for expensive thrills, far beyond cars that tumble end-over-end and flip onto their sides. "It's a vehicle that has not been featured," said David Moessinger, co-executive producer of "Blue Thunder." "Helicopters are one of the few things left to exploit. They symbolize our high-tech age, and the Vietnam war glamorized them. They were both Darth Vader instruments and implements of mercy as med-evac ships. "When I was in the Marines, the Army was saying there was no tactical function for the helicopter. Now they reflect the high-tech age. Vehicles like Blue Thunder are right around the corner." Moessinger, 53, comes to "Blue Thunder" after 25 years as a writer, producer and director. He was executive producer of "Quincy" for three years and has been involved in "Serpico," "Police Woman," "Police Story," "SuperTrain" and "Marcus Welby." "There are not many new ideas out there for televison," he said. "The helicopter looks like a juicy item to build a series around. There's the opportunity for aerial combat photography, and that's different from car crashes." Moessinger's "Airwolf" counterpart is Don Bellisario, 48, creator of "Magnum, P.I." "The 'Airwolf' concept came out of an episode of 'Magnum' about a rogue pilot who didn't quite fit in," said Bellisario. "I'm a pilot. I fly a helicopter. Frankly, I created 'Airwolf' to play with my toys. The networks are susceptible to such shows now. "In 'Magnum,' we used the helicopter to open up the Hawaiian Islands--it let the show breathe and showed off the islands. It also tied together the three guys who were in Vietnam. Vietnam was a helicopter war. I started flying helicopters after getting involved in 'Magnum.' I'm getting my ticket (license) now." Bellisario, like Moessinger a former Marine, arrived in Hollywood six years ago after walking away from a successful career in advertising. He directed commercials and was hired as a story editor for "Baa Baa Black Sheep." Five shows later, he became the series' producer. He also produced "Battlestar Galactica" and wrote the pilot for "Tales of the Gold Monkey." With "Airwolf," he feels he has a vehicle people naturally like. "I can't quite put it into words," he said. "There's a phenomenon I witness. Not many people fly helicopters. When you say you fly one, it's like saying you rappel off mountains or dive with sharks. People have the feeling it's dangerous. I've taken my 3½-year-old son up with me for a total of 25 hours--I wouldn't do that if I thought it was dangerous. At an airport, you can show people jets and they don't bother to look. But let a helicopter come in and they look. It's the same thing if you bring in an old biplane. And as a pilot, you can go out and get into the dirt--you can fly into canyons, jump trees, get down to two feet off the ground." And you can take a flyer on a TV series. Moessinger, who is not a pilot --"I say a prayer when I get on an airliner"--, says the jury is still out on whether these series will be hits. "Filming all the action is costly," he said. "It's incredibly costly. Aerial photography is enormously expensive. James Gavin, our second-unit director, does sensational aerial stuff--feature motion picture quality. Expenses include renting aircraft, and they use an enormous amount of fuel. We used a Sabre Jet in one episode. There are the pilots and stunt people. Photographers. Insurance. It costs well over $1 million an episode." With such costs, he said, strong Nielsen ratings are necessary to keep the shows in the air. "I think that's a danger in this high-budget thing," Moessinger said. "The story will soon be told in the helicopters shows." Bellisario has $1.5 million tied up in his super-chopper alone. "Airwolf" is a Bell 222 luxury helicopter that he modified with a nose job, two fake jet engines for "turbo power" and rocket and gun mounts. The flying sequences are done with this expensive prop--"You take it up and pray," said Bellisario. Blue Thunder is a French Alouette model helicopter, with a gun mounted on the front and engine manifolds added to enhance its powerful look. Moessinger uses two of them, plus a stage mockup. Both producers agree that their machines must not overshadow their people. "Unless each show develops strong characterizations," said Moessinger, "the machines themselves will not carry the show. 'SuperTrain' is an example of a series that lacked characterization. I directed one show. They spent something like $30 million on that fiasco. The sets were gigantic. You dropped your mouth when you saw them for the first time. I think they did 10 or 11 episodes." The feature film that spawned "Blue Thunder" was not the mega-hit many thought it would be. It was good enough to warrant a sequel or TV version, Moessinger believes, but was hurt by the lead character played by Roy Scheider. "He played a dark-sided, somber lead, not an appealing character. That's the kind of series lead that would not wear well. "We were given an edict in the beginning by the network to concentrate on action. I think we got off the track with characterization . . . That'll be improved in a second season if the series is picked up." "Airwolf" is already flying in that direction. "A show about a machine is only going to take you so far," said Bellisario. "You have to carry the show with your star and supporting cast (Ernest Borgnine and Alex Cord). "I was looking for a different kind of hero. I created Magnum, and he was one kind of hero. Now everyone's doing him. I wanted a quiet, reluctant hero, a bit of a lonely man. Jan-Michael fit the idea--I had seen him in 'Tribes' and liked him." With the fate of "Airwolf" still up in the air, Bellisario is already looking ahead. He's lobbying for a Vietnam-based TV movie or miniseries. It would feature helicopters. "I'm always knocking on the network's door," he said, "asking, What toy can I play with next?"

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