Lee Majors Biography Quotes 28 Report mistakes

Early Life
Lee Majors, born Harvey Lee Yeary in 1939 in Wyandotte, Michigan, grew up under difficult circumstances that shaped his resilience. Both of his parents died in separate accidents before he turned two, and he was raised in Kentucky by relatives who provided a steady home and encouraged his athletic gifts. In high school he excelled in sports, especially football, and that talent helped carry him into college. A serious back injury ended his plans to pursue athletics at a higher level, redirecting his ambitions and ultimately leading him toward performance. He graduated from college and relocated to Los Angeles, where he supported himself with day jobs while studying acting in the evenings. In a nod to the football star and future coach Johnny Majors, he adopted the stage name Lee Majors, a concise, rugged-sounding moniker that matched his screen persona to come.

Breakthrough in Television
Majors' early years in Hollywood were built on steady guest roles and small parts, but his breakthrough came with The Big Valley, the ABC western that debuted in 1965. Cast as Heath Barkley, the brooding and honorable half-brother in the Barkley clan, he quickly became a favorite alongside Barbara Stanwyck, whose authority and professionalism left a lasting influence on his approach to the craft. Working with Stanwyck, Linda Evans, Peter Breck, and Richard Long, he learned to balance the demands of series television with the layered character work that gave the show its staying power. The Big Valley established him as a leading man who could combine action with quiet intensity.

The Six Million Dollar Man
In the early 1970s, Majors stepped into the role that would define his public image: Colonel Steve Austin, astronaut and test pilot rebuilt with bionic technology after a near-fatal crash. Introduced in a series of 1973 telefilms based on Martin Caidin's novel Cyborg, The Six Million Dollar Man launched as a weekly series in 1974 and became a global phenomenon. Majors' restrained performance anchored the show's blend of science fiction and contemporary action, while Richard Anderson, as Oscar Goldman, and Lindsay Wagner, as Jaime Sommers, became essential collaborators. Wagner's character proved so popular that she headlined the spin-off The Bionic Woman, and the two stars periodically reunited for a series of television movies that kept the mythos alive for new generations. The "bionic" concept, the slow-motion action sequences, and Majors' stoic charisma became cultural touchstones, referenced and parodied across decades.

The Fall Guy
After cementing his status as Steve Austin, Majors reinvented himself in the 1980s as Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stuntman who moonlighted as a bounty hunter in The Fall Guy. Created by Glen A. Larson, the series combined humor, action, and a behind-the-scenes look at stunt work. Majors' easy rapport with co-stars Heather Thomas and Douglas Barr, along with a rollicking tone and the use of elaborate stunts, gave the show a distinct identity. He also performed the show's theme song, "Unknown Stuntman", further entwining his voice with the series' brand. The Fall Guy confirmed that Majors could headline different kinds of action-adventure storytelling while maintaining the down-to-earth presence that endeared him to audiences.

Film and Television Beyond the 1980s
Beyond his two signature series, Majors appeared in a range of television movies and feature films through the 1970s and 1980s, often gravitating toward action and adventure projects that played to his strengths. As nostalgia for his earlier work grew, he embraced roles that nodded to his legacy while allowing him to explore comedy and self-parody with good humor. He made guest appearances across network and cable series, and his willingness to revisit his past helped keep the "bionic" iconography in the public conversation. In 2016 he joined Ash vs Evil Dead, portraying Brock Williams, the father of Bruce Campbell's Ash, in a collaboration that highlighted his comfort with genre storytelling and his rapport with creative figures like Campbell and executive producer Sam Raimi.

Personal Life
Majors' personal life often intersected with the public spotlight. He married young and became a father; his son, Lee Majors Jr., followed him into acting. His marriage to Farrah Fawcett in 1973 made them one of the high-profile celebrity couples of the decade as she rose to international fame with Charlie's Angels. The demands of two intense careers and constant media attention placed strain on their relationship, and they eventually divorced, but their pairing remains a defining cultural image of the era. Majors later married Karen Velez, with whom he had additional children, and in 2002 he married Faith Cross. Throughout the shifts in his private life, he remained closely identified with the blue-collar integrity of the characters he portrayed, and he cultivated a reputation for professionalism on set and generosity with fans.

Craft and Collaboration
Colleagues have frequently noted Majors' reliability and understated style, traits forged early under the guidance of Barbara Stanwyck and reinforced by years of working within ensemble casts. His collaborations with Lindsay Wagner and Richard Anderson helped shape the emotional core of The Six Million Dollar Man, grounding its speculative premise in human relationships. With Glen A. Larson on The Fall Guy, he developed a brand of lighthearted action that broadened his appeal without abandoning the toughness audiences associated with him. His later work with creators and performers who admired his earlier roles, such as Bruce Campbell, demonstrated his comfort in mentoring settings and in projects that blended homage with reinvention.

Legacy
Lee Majors stands as a durable figure in American popular culture, embodying the heroic ideal of the 1970s and 1980s while adapting to changing tastes in television. The phrase "bionic man" remains synonymous with his name, and his depiction of Steve Austin helped codify the modern television action hero: capable yet vulnerable, stoic yet empathetic. Through The Fall Guy he also championed the largely invisible craft of stunt performers, giving viewers a window into the physical rigor behind on-screen thrills. Over decades, his work has been rediscovered by new audiences through syndication, home video, and streaming, while his appearances at fan conventions and in contemporary series have reinforced the affection viewers hold for him. His career, sustained by discipline, flexibility, and collaborative spirit, illustrates the arc of a television star who became an enduring icon without losing touch with the people and partnerships that shaped his success.

Our collection contains 28 quotes who is written by Lee, under the main topics: Witty One-Liners - Motivational - Parenting - Health - Work Ethic.

Other people realated to Lee: Farrah Fawcett (Actress)