Iconic American TV actor Alex Cord, who portrayed the character Michael Coldsmith Briggs III, better known among fans by the code name Archangel, on the smash hit 1980s CBS military drama series Airwolf, passed away at his home in Valley View, Texas on Monday. He was 88. The news of the actor's demise has been confirmed to US media by his publicist, Linda McAlister. Cord played the role of Archangel on Airwolf for three seasons from 1984-86 and appeared wearing an eyepatch for his character on 55 episodes for the show, which was created by Donald P. Bellisario.

A former rodeo performer, Alex Cord was born Alexander Viespi Jr. in New York on May 3, 1933 and was left with a paralyzed leg after he was stricken with polio at the age of 12. Sent to live on a ranch then in Wyoming, he took to bull riding, known popularly as rodeo. However, his career as a rodeo rider came to an end after he sustained an injury on his spleen when a steer landed on him leaving him hospitalized for eight months. Talking about the experience in a 1966 interview, Cord said, "Like the crazy kid I was, I went into rodeo competition, roping steers." He added, "I never became a star making $30,000 a year. My limit was $20,000. There is no salary in rodeo; the money is gained in prizes." 

Alex Cord was bitten by the acting bug after being inspired by Laurence Olivier and went on to be associated with the Shakespeare Academy in Stratford, Connecticut. He then worked in London and did stage performances before making a transition in 1961 to television and appearing on shows like Laramie, Ben Casey and Frontier Circus. He also starred in the 1983 NBC crime series Cassie and Co. opposite Angie Dickinson, while also making appearances on several hit TV shows like Fantasy Island, Mission: Impossible, Naked City, Police Story, Simon & Simon and Walker, Texas Ranger. Outside of his work on TV, Cord has also starred in films like Synanon in 1965, while playing Ringo Kid in the remake of the 1966 film, Stagecoach, in which he appeared in legendary American actor John Wayne’s role. He also shared screen space with Hollywood superstar Kirk Douglas in the 1968 film, The Brotherhood, while starring alongside Britt Ekland in Stiletto in 1969. He then appeared in Grayeagle in 1977, which was another John Wayne remake of the classic, The Searchers.