Airwolf

 
Airwolf, an American television series that ran from 1984 through 1987. The program concerned a high-tech military helicopter, code named Airwolf, and her crew as they undertook various missions, many involving espionage, with a Cold War theme.

The show was created by Donald Bellisario. The first three seasons starred Jan-Michael Vincent, Ernest Borgnine, Alex Cord, and Jean Bruce Scott. The final season, for the USA Network, was recast.

The show had a musical score (orchestral-based in the first and early second season episodes; synthesizer-based thereafter) composed and performed by Sylvester Levay.

The series' protagonist is Stringfellow Hawke (played by Jan-Michael Vincent), a loner who lives in a cabin in the mountains, only accompanied by his Bluetick Coonhound, "Tet", and the surrounding wildlife. Hawke is a recluse, spending most of his time alone with his priceless collection of paintings, and serenading eagles with his equally priceless Stradivarius cello. His only real friend and mentor is the older, eternally cheerful Dominic Santini (Ernest Borgnine).

Earlier, Hawke was a test pilot for Airwolf, an advanced supersonic helicopter with stealth capabilities and a formidable arsenal. Airwolf was built by the FIRM, a division of the CIA. When it is stolen by its twisted creator, Doctor Charles Henry Moffet, Archangel — codename of the deputy director of "the FIRM" — asks Hawke to go to Libya and get it back.
After finding himself stripped of FIRM support and discovering that his pilot-episode love-interest Gabrielle (Belinda Bauer), is undercover in Libya, Hawke, with Santini's assistance, finds Airwolf and recovers it. But Hawke chooses not to return it. Instead, Hawke and Santini hide Airwolf, booby trapped, in an extinct volcano (the Lair) in the remote "Valley of the Gods" (visually modeled on Monument Valley). Hawke refuses to return Airwolf until the FIRM can recover his brother, St. John, who has been missing in action since Vietnam. To get access to Airwolf, Archangel offers Hawke protection from other government agencies who will try to recover Airwolf in exchange for flying missions of national importance for the FIRM.

Season 1 (CBS, Spring 1984) — two-hour pilot and ten additional episodes.
  • Jan-Michael Vincent — Stringfellow Hawke (Captain, U.S Army) (noted as 34 years of age in the 5th episode)
  • Ernest Borgnine — Dominic Santini (sole proprietor of Santini Air)
  • Alex Cord — Michael Coldsmith-Briggs III (Deputy Director of CIA division named "The FIRM"; code-name: Archangel)
  • Deborah Pratt - Marella, Archangel's right-hand woman

Seasons 2–3 (CBS, 1984–1986) — two seasons of 22 episodes each.

  • Vincent, Borgnine, Cord, Pratt, and
  • Jean Bruce Scott — Caitlin O’Shannessy (former helicopter pilot of the Texas Highway Patrol)

Season 4 (USA Network, Spring–Summer 1987) — 24 episodes, bringing the total hours to 80.

  • Barry Van Dyke — Saint John Hawke (reserve Major, U.S Army)
  • Michele Scarabelli — Jo Santini (inherited Santini Air from her uncle Dominic Santini after his death)
  • Geraint Wyn Davies — Mike Rivers (Major, U.S Air Force)
  • Anthony Sherwood — Jason Locke (a core agent in the government agency called "The Company")
  • William B. Davis - Newman (Locke's supervisor in the Company; Newman was initially played by Ernie Prentice just in the pilot episode "Blackjack")