A martial artist and former Navy SEAL, he works with and befriends the series protagonist Duncan MacLeod, an immortal swordsman from the Scottish Highlands.

Like MacLeod's allies Richie Ryan and Joe Dawson, Charlie often aided the Highlander in adventures where they attempted to protect people from criminals and evil forces.

He grew up in a poor neighborhood nicknamed "the Zone", where residents (mostly of black or Italian descent) largely believe in taking care of their own "kind" and viewing others with suspicion.

"[3] Beaten up by both Italian and black kids in the neighborhood for not fully assimilating with either ethnicity, he later says he preferred not to spend time in the Zone when he had other options.

In his debut episode "Turnabout," Charlie encounters the Scottish Highlander Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul) and his friend Richie Ryan (Stan Kirsch), not knowing they are both immortal warriors.

Initially telling them membership is closed, he changes his mind after MacLeod beats him in a martial arts sparring match.

After seeing Zone crime leader Canaan (Santino Buda) giving guns to boys, Charlie rallies several residents to defy him, saying "I know you're afraid.

"[4] In "Revenge of the Sword" (1993), Charlie's former pupil Jimmy Sang (Dustin Nguyen) is filming part of a movie in the dojo.

Cloud (Roland Gift) and his mercenaries storm the dojo to kill MacLeod while Charlie is there, firing guns that cause extensive damage.

MacLeod arranges for the dojo to be repaired using his considerable wealth, but an enraged Charlie wants to help track down Xavier and his mercenaries, particularly when he learns they killed a man he used to serve with.

Aware Duncan has strange abilities and hidden enemies, Charlie reluctantly accepts that he will not be told the whole truth, though still insists on helping when possible.

Joe Dawson, owing his life to Cord when they served together in Vietnam, asks that MacLeod allow the arms dealer to leave the city.

Executive Producer Bill Panzer explains, "We realized that Alexandra Vandernoot, who played Tessa, wanted to return to Europe for personal reasons, and we thought MacLeod needed another mortal to talk to and to interact with... Charlie DeSalvo's character was a very good foil for Mac.

[12] Charlie developed into a relatable character whose concerns were more grounded than the problems of being an ageless warrior, often telling MacLeod things that bordered between earnest insight and comic relief.