Lee Majors was a rising heartthrob during the golden age of 1960s television, and by the mid-1970s, he had reached the pinnacle of fame. He carved out a lasting legacy as one of the most iconic made-for-TV superheroes, starring in The Six Million Dollar Man (ABC, 1974–78), a role that would define a generation. Alongside that, he captured the public’s imagination by marrying one of the most famous women in the world at the time—actress and model Farrah Fawcett.
Majors first entered the spotlight with his striking resemblance to Elvis Presley, playing the youngest sibling in the Western drama The Big Valley (ABC, 1965–69). Following a series of supporting roles, ABC recognized his star potential and propelled him into the lead as Steve Austin, the bionic U.S. agent with extraordinary strength and speed. His brief but wildly popular run as The Six Million Dollar Man featured thrilling encounters with spies, aliens, and even the mythical Bigfoot. The show also sparked a merchandising boom that foreshadowed the massive licensing success later seen with Star Wars.
Though his high-profile marriage to Farrah Fawcett eventually ended in a very public and contentious divorce, Majors made a successful comeback with the fun and adventurous The Fall Guy (ABC, 1981–86), where he played a charismatic Hollywood stuntman who moonlighted as a crime solver. As his career evolved, Lee Majors often took on roles that poked fun at or played against his clean-cut, all-American image. Still, for many fans, he would always be the Bionic Man—the ultimate symbol of 1970s pop culture.
Throughout the rest of his career, Lee embraced his status as a nostalgic icon of the era with humor and warmth, endearing himself to fans both old and new.
When it comes to Lee Majors’s filmography, one standout in terms of critical acclaim is definitely Will Penny from 1968—that’s widely regarded as Lee Majors’s highest rated movie. It really showcases his talent and remains a fan favorite even decades later. On the other end of the spectrum, Lee Majors appeared in Out Cold back in 2001, which ended up being his lowest rated film to date. While Lee Majors brought his signature charm to the role, the movie itself didn’t resonate well with audiences or critics. So overall, when you look at Lee Majors’s career highlights and low points, Will Penny shines bright while Out Cold tends to be more forgettable in Lee Majors’s body of work.