WARNING: EXPLICIT MATERIAL

My-ca Dinh Le

Birth Name:
My-ca Dinh Le
Birth Date:
January 7, 1975
Birth Place:
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Death Date:
July 23, 1982
Place of Death:
Indian Dunes, Valencia, California
Age:
7
Cause of Death:
Blunt force trauma from helicopter blades
Cemetery Name:
Forest Lawn Memorial Park
Claim to Fame:
Disasters
In 1982 top film directors and producers, including Steven Spielberg, John Landis, Joe Dante, and George Miller all contributed to what was to become The Twilight Zone: The Movie. During what was to be the final scene in the final day of film production, star Vic Morrow and two child actors, Renee Shinn Chen and My-ca Dinh Le died in a horrible accident. During the scene, Morrow’s character was getting chased by American gunfire in Vietnam while he was saving two Vietnamese orphans. The helicopter’s pilot, Dorcey Wingo (a Vietnam veteran), was supposed to fly close over the actors while pyrotechnic blasts went off. The pyrotechnics engulfed the helicopter, forcing it down. The aftermath of the helicopter crash left Chen crushed by one of the helicopter struts because Morrow had dropped her just before the crash. Morrow and Le were fatally injured by the helicopter’s top rotor blades.

The Aftermath

When details of the accident came to light, director John Landis and four others working on the film were charged with involuntary manslaughter. This was the first time a director has been charged with a crime for events that had happened on a movie set. In 1987, all five of the defendants were acquitted, but the three families of the victims took Landis and producer Spielberg to civil court and settled for an undisclosed amount.

Vic Morrow had two daughters –  Carrie Morrow and actress Jennifer Jason Leigh. Director John Landis never apologized to either Vic Morrow’s family or the families of the two children.

To this date Steven Spielberg has never spoken to John Landis because of the accident and Landis’ actions during and after the trial.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Forest Lawn Memorial Park

4471 Lincoln Avenue

Cypress, California, 90630

USA

North America

Map:

Map of Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cypress, California
Map of Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cypress, California

Grave Location:

Churchyard, Lot 1839, Space 3

Grave Location Description

As you enter the cemetery, drive straight ahead to the end of the road and park on the west side of Churchyard at the sidewalk leading to Garden of Faith. Look for the seventh row south of the sidewalk (Meliton Vaca is the first marker in the row). Child actor My-ca is the 69th marker. He is two rows from the southwest corner of the short wall surrounding Church of Our Fathers, currently surrounded by construction fencing.

Grave Location GPS

33.833218, -118.059657

Photos:

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popular name: My-ca Dinh Le

date_of_death: July 23, 1982

age: 7

cause_of_death: Blunt force trauma from helicopter blades

claim_to_fame: Disasters

best_know_for: In 1982 top film directors and producers, including Steven Spielberg, John Landis, Joe Dante, and George Miller all contributed to what was to become The Twilight Zone: The Movie. During what was to be the final scene in the final day of film production, star Vic Morrow and two child actors, Renee Shinn Chen and My-ca Dinh Le died in a horrible accident. During the scene, Morrow’s character was getting chased by American gunfire in Vietnam while he was saving two Vietnamese orphans. The helicopter’s pilot, Dorcey Wingo (a Vietnam veteran), was supposed to fly close over the actors while pyrotechnic blasts went off. The pyrotechnics engulfed the helicopter, forcing it down. The aftermath of the helicopter crash left Chen crushed by one of the helicopter struts because Morrow had dropped her just before the crash. Morrow and Le were fatally injured by the helicopter’s top rotor blades.

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