RICK'S REAL/REEL LIFE: Veteran Joan Collins & Newcomer Jon-Erik Hexum Make ‘Male Model’

Saturday, March 14, 2026

Veteran Joan Collins & Newcomer Jon-Erik Hexum Make ‘Male Model’

Jon-Erik Hexum, blue steel in 1983's Making of a Male Model, co-starred Joan Collins.

Making of a Male Model was a 1983 ABC TV movie, with Joan Collins riding high at 50 from her new Dynasty stardom, as an ambitious model agency owner. Jon-Erik Hexum co-stars a country boy turned NYC super model, and he got a lot of buzz from this, at just 25. The TV film made the Nielson top ten ratings the week it aired and is still classic '80s ABC/Aaron Spelling television eye candy.

A slick made for TV soap opera which borrows a bit—ludicrously—from 1970's Midnight Cowboy. Hexum as Tyler Burnett struts around the streets of NYC in cowboy gear, relying on an older woman, becoming disillusioned by unsavory characters he encounters, except for one down and out new friend. And that's where the similarities end with that gritty classic and this glossy camp classic.

Cowboy Tyler Burnett on the mean streets of NYC, in 1983's Making of a Male Model.

Joan Collins' Kay Dillon likes what she sees in Jon-Erik Hexum's Tyler Burnett,
in 1983's Making of a Male Model.

Joan Collins' Kay Dillon takes a chance on Hexum's hunky hick, and puts him up with fading gay supermodel Chuck Lanyard. Played by Jeff Conaway with over the top awfulness, his Chuck’s cynical sarcasm is a ritzy Ratso Rizzo to Tyler's rube cowboy model. Sadly, Conaway himself went down the drugs and alcohol highway, dying at just 60. Jeff was a boyish and lanky star on Taxi and in Grease, but cast as a supermodel? With a beard that makes him look like Chuck Norris, Jr.? And BTW, has there ever been a male supermodel named Chuck?!

Fading gay supermodel Chuck Lanyard, played by... Jeff Conaway?
Here, recovering from eye surgery, in 1983's Making of a Male Model.

ABC and Aaron Spelling's favorite perennial male starlet Ted McGinley plays the current model flavor of the month, Gary Angelo. Ted, with frosted blonde hair and tan, looks and acts like a catty Ken doll. In fact, most of the models surrounding Hexum's Tyler look more like soap stars!

'80s ABC male starlet Ted McGinley as a bland but catty model du jour
in 1983's Making of a Male Model.

The story of Making of a Male Model is as old as the Hollywood Hills, but with a male twist. Instead of the gals from Ziegfeld Girl or The Best of Everything or Valley of the Dolls, it's The Boys of the Big Apple soaring and suffering here. I guess that makes Joan Collins the dragon lady, a much less rough Joan Crawford or Susan Hayward, doling out the tough lessons. And in a twist, an affair with Kay means more to Tyler than to her. Tyler responds to Kay's noncommittal nature by going down the same path as chaotic Chuck. In an about face scene worthy of any latter day Joan Crawford bitch-fest, Collins' Kay tearfully tells her secretary in the finale that she let Tyler go for his own good. Sure, Joan!

Joan Collins indicates deep emotions when the career woman tells her secretary she let besotted hunk go for HIS sake! Making of a Male Model.

Before Tyler goes totally all in for booze and dope, he says goodbye to the yellow brick road of male modeling. He buys a carriage horse and rides down the streets of NYC like a rhinestone cowboy—all the way back to Nevada?

At this point, Joan Collins was an old hand at making glossy trash watchable. Here, early in her reincarnation as Alexis, Joan is still subtle in looks and performance as the career-minded Kay Dillon. Collins is much more humane and warm, as well. Still, you'll think Kay's crazy for not wanting to commit to quarter of a century younger Tyler, who adores her.

Joan Collins stays in character as driven career woman Kay Dillon,
and still looks lovely, in 1983's Making of a Male Model.

Only in one scene does Joan Collins let Alexis in, inexplicably showing up for her model's shoot, in lady exec drag! From 1983's Making of a Male Model.

I was only familiar with Jon-Erik Hexum as a handsome young actor who died young. I previously have never seen Hexum in anything. That's because he quickly became a star, and who became deceased even more quickly, like James Dean, with just five credits in two years.

Jon-Erik Hexum looking all rugged with baby oil "sweat,"
in 1983's Making of a Male Model.

Jon-Erik Hexum's new model after his makeover. 1983's Making of a Male Model.

Jon- Erik Hexum was probably the greatest male Hollywood beauty since Guy Madison. A true knockout, he also had a strong speaking voice and genuine presence. For a beginner, Hexum is fairly decent in Making of a Male Model. Since Hollywood was still coming off its era of realistic film leading men, Erik probably would have ruled on television, like veteran Tom Selleck. Compare Hexum with co-star Ted McGinley (one year younger) in any scene and the difference in star quality is obvious.

Jon-Erik Hexum's Tyler Burnett cleans up nice, just in time for Joan Collins'
boss to dump him over lunch! 1983's Making of a Male Model.

Kevin McCarthy is in slimy villain mode as a client who plays hardball. Familiar faces have bits as fashion photographers, who all hate models: Michael Anderson, Arte Johnson, and Robert Walker, Jr. Jeff Conway's model is gay and handled sympathetically, just before the AIDS crisis. Still, his drunken monologues are the most florid since Van Heflin's BFF to Robert Taylor’s Johnny Eager.

Rhinestone Cowboy meets Cougar Cleopatra! A typical artificial Aaron
Spelling party scene. At least Sammy Jo doesn't turn up to tear up the
dance floor! From 1983's Making of a Male Model.

A funny moment is when Joan refers to Jon-Erik's allure as that a cougar. Collins would become Exhibit A in giving new meaning to that word! Also an eye roll is a typically awful Aaron Spelling party sequence, which bears no resemblance to one in the real world. Jon-Erik is duded up as a Rhinestone Cowboy. And Joan Collins gets a chance to play dress-up as Cleopatra once again—Collins tells anyone who will listen that she almost appeared as the Egyptian queen in the 1963 epic. Again—sure, Joan!

Jon-Erik Hexum & Joan Collins make a hot May-December couple in 1983's
Making of a Male Model.

Making of a Male Model is really Jon- Erik Hexum's show, with Joan Collins as the special guest star. But they have a nice rapport and make a most attractive older woman/younger man couple. Sadly, a year later, Hexum would be dead a month before turning 27, from an on-set shooting accident. And as of this writing, Joan Collins will be 93 on May 23, 2026. Cheers to Ms. Collins, a true Hollywood survivor!