Twilight Zone: The Movie (1982) And The On-Set Accident That Killed Two Child Actors
Wikimedia CommonsRenee Shin-Yi Chen and Myca Dinh Le, the two child actors who died along with Vic Morrow while filming Twilight Zone: The Movie.
In June 1983, Twilight Zone: The Movie landed in theaters to mixed, mostly middling reviews. The film likely would not have made a lasting impression had it not been for the horrifically tragic accident that occurred during its production, leading to speculation that it was a cursed movie.
At 2:20 a.m. on July 23, 1982, a segment directed by John Landis, known for An American Werewolf in London and Blues Brothers, ended with the death of its lead actor, Vic Morrow, and two children, seven-year-old Myca Dinh Le and six-year-old Renee Shin-Yi Chen.
A helicopter blade had dismembered all three of them, and decapitated Morrow and Le.
According to The New York Times, there were a number of factors that contributed to the tragedy. First and foremost: Landis had flagrantly violated California’s child labor laws. Children were not permitted to work such late hours, and on-set child-welfare workers would never have permitted child actors to work so close to a helicopter or explosions.
Landis and producer George Folsey Jr. blatantly ignored those regulations. They cast children of their mutual acquaintances and paid them cash to keep their names off the payroll. A production secretary later reported remembering Landis joking, “We’re all going to jail!”
Landis frequently ignored warnings on set — and not just regarding the children. In one instance, he was unsatisfied with the fake gunfire used in one scene, and so he ordered the use of live ammunition on the set.
Communication broke down the night of the accident as well. One stunt performer noted that the explosion meant to rock the helicopters was stronger than expected, and Landis allegedly replied, “If you think that was big, you haven’t seen nothing yet.”
The explosion was only meant to go off behind the helicopter, which would then “crash” to the ground behind Morrow and the children. Instead, the explosion caused the helicopter to dip forward, and its blade cut right through the three actors.
Yet Landis, Folsey, and three other defendants were acquitted on all charges levied against them.
