Lee Majors facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lee Majors
Majors in 2017
Born	Harvey Lee Yeary (1939-04-23) April 23, 1939 (age 86) Wyandotte, Michigan, U.S.
Alma mater	Eastern Kentucky University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1964–present
Known for	The Six Million Dollar Man The Big Valley The Fall Guy Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law
Spouse(s)	Kathy Robinson ​ ​ (m. 1961; div. 1964)​ Farrah Fawcett ​ ​ (m. 1973; div. 1982)​ Karen Velez ​ ​ (m. 1988; div. 1994)​ Faith Noelle Cross ​ (m. 2002)​
Children	4

Lee Majors (born Harvey Lee Yeary; April 23, 1939) is an American actor. He is famous for playing Heath Barkley in the TV Western series The Big Valley (1965–1969). He also starred as Colonel Steve Austin in the science-fiction action series The Six Million Dollar Man (1973–1978). Later, he played Colt Seavers in the action series The Fall Guy (1981–1986).

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Majors was born in Wyandotte, Michigan, near Detroit. Sadly, both his parents died in accidents when he was very young. His father died before he was born, and his mother passed away when he was almost two years old. At age two, his aunt and uncle, Harvey and Mildred Yeary, adopted him. They moved to Middlesboro, Kentucky.

In high school, he played track and football. After graduating in 1957, he earned a scholarship to Indiana University for sports. In 1959, Majors transferred to Eastern Kentucky University. He played football there but suffered a serious back injury. This injury stopped his college sports career.

After his injury, he started acting in plays at the Pioneer Playhouse. In 1962, he graduated with a degree in history and physical education. He had planned to become a football coach. Instead, he moved to Los Angeles. There, he worked for the Los Angeles Park and Recreation Department. He met many actors and industry people, including Dick Clayton, a famous agent. Clayton suggested he try acting school.

After a year of acting classes, Majors was ready to start his career. He chose the stage name Lee Majors to honor his childhood hero, Johnny Majors, a football player.

Lee Majors' Acting Career

Early Roles in Television and Film

At 25, Lee Majors got his first small role in the movie Strait-Jacket (1964). He then appeared in TV shows like Gunsmoke and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour in 1965.

His big break came when he was chosen for the role of Heath Barkley in the Western series The Big Valley. He was picked from over 400 young actors. The show also starred Barbara Stanwyck and Linda Evans. The Big Valley became very popular right away. During this time, Majors also appeared in the film Will Penny (1968). He also starred in The Ballad of Andy Crocker (1969), a TV movie about Vietnam veterans.

In 1969, The Big Valley ended. Majors then signed a contract with Universal Studios. He joined the cast of The Virginian for its last season. Many people thought Majors looked like a "blond Elvis Presley" during this time.

Becoming a Pop Icon: The Six Million Dollar Man

Majors with Britt Ekland in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973)

In 1971, Majors got a role in Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law. This led him to his most famous role. In 1973, he starred as Colonel Steve Austin in The Six Million Dollar Man. Steve Austin was an ex-astronaut who got special bionic body parts after an accident. This made him super strong and fast.

The TV movie was so popular that ABC turned it into a weekly series in 1974. The show became a huge hit around the world, shown in over 70 countries. This made Lee Majors a pop icon. In 1975, he even directed an episode of the show.

The Six Million Dollar Man was very successful, but in 1977, Majors wanted to change his contract. He wanted his own production company to be involved in the show. After some discussions, the studio agreed. However, the show's popularity started to drop, and it was canceled in 1978.

During the 1970s, Majors also appeared in several movies. These included Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident (1976) and Killer Fish (1979).

Stuntman Hero: The Fall Guy

In 1981, Majors returned to TV with another long-running series, The Fall Guy. He played Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stuntman who also worked as a bounty hunter. Majors was also a producer and director for the show. He even sang the show's theme song, "Unknown Stuntman." He invited many of his old co-stars, like Linda Evans and Lindsay Wagner, to appear on the show. The Fall Guy ran for five seasons until 1986.

In the 1980s, he also appeared in TV movies like High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane (1980). He also had a cameo in the holiday comedy Scrooged (1988). Between 1987 and 1994, Majors and Lindsay Wagner reunited for three The Six Million Dollar Man/The Bionic Woman TV movies.

Roles from the 1990s to Today

Majors at the Florida Supercon in 2017

In the 1990s, Majors had roles in films like Keaton's Cop (1990) and TV series such as Tour of Duty. He also appeared in movies like Big Fat Liar (2002) and The Brothers Solomon (2007).

He also lent his voice to characters in video games, like "Big" Mitch Baker in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002). He played Grandpa Max in Ben 10: Race Against Time (2007). Majors also had recurring roles in TV shows like The Game (2006–2009) and Weeds (2008). He even voiced General Abernathy in G.I. Joe: Renegades (2010–2011).

From 2011 to 2014, he appeared in Raising Hope as Burt's father. In 2015, he was in the film Do You Believe?. From 2016 to 2018, he played Brock Williams in Ash vs Evil Dead. In 2019, he voiced Jeff Tracy in Thunderbirds Are Go. Most recently, Majors had a cameo in the 2024 movie The Fall Guy, which is based on his old TV series.

Lee Majors' Personal Life

Marriages and Family

Lee Majors has been married four times.

• Kathy Robinson (1961–1964): They had one child, Lee Majors Jr., who also became an actor.
• Farrah Fawcett (1973–1982): She was a famous actress. During their marriage, she was known as Farrah Fawcett-Majors.
• Faith Noelle Cross (married 2002): She is an actress and model.

Health Update

In 2003, Lee Majors had heart bypass surgery.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Video Game Roles

See also

In Spanish: Lee Majors para niños