Airwolf star Jan-Michael Vincent has died at the age of 73 after suffering a cardiac arrest.

According to a death certificate first obtained by celebrity news website TMZ, the actor died on 10 February at a hospital in North Carolina, but his death has only just been brought to light.

The actor rose to prominence in the 1980s playing pilot Stringfellow Hawke in the American television series about a high-tech military helicopter and its crew.

The show ran from 1984 until 1986 and reportedly saw him become one of TV's highest-paid stars, earning up to $200,000 (£154,000) per episode.

He also appeared in 1972's The Mechanic, alongside Charles Bronson, and in 1978's Hooper, with Burt Reynolds.


Vincent was nominated for Golden Globes for his performances in 1971's Going Home and the 1984 miniseries The Winds of War.

Image: The actor had the lower half of his right leg amputated in later life

He has also appeared in several classic TV shows, including Lassie, Bonanza and Gunsmoke.

Vincent, who was born in Denver, Colorado, and is survived by his third wife Patricia Ann Christ, made his first on-screen appearance in the 1967 film The Hardy Boys and went on to work steadily in Hollywood for the next three decades.

He played his final role in the 2002 film White Boy before retiring from show business in 2009.

Three years later, the actor had to have the lower half of his right leg amputated following an infection.