Lee Majors (born Harvey Lee Yeary, 23 April 1939) is an American actor, best known for playing the part of Steve Austin , a former astronaut with bionic limbs, in the television series The Six Million Dollar Man. In this top-rated show, this role made him a US pop culture icon of the 1970s.

Majors' best-known role before Steve Austin was in The Big Valley, a 1960s series with Barbara Stanwyck. In later years, he starred in another popular series, The Fall Guy (1981-86), as Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stunt man who works as a bounty hunter when stunt work is slow. One of television's most durable actors, Majors also starred in many other TV series including The Big Valley (as Heath Barkley, 1965-69), The Virginian (1970-71), Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law (1971-74), Tour of Duty (1990), Raven (1992-93), and Too Much Sun (2000). He received critical acclaim for his performance in the 1969 made-for-TV film, The Ballad of Andy Crocker . In the 1980s and 1990s, he reprised his most famous role in three Six Million Dollar Man/Bionic Woman reunion TV-movies.

Majors has been married four times, but his most famous marriage was to actress Farrah Fawcett, another huge 1970s pop icon. In 1976 Majors and Fawcett made TV history by being a husband and wife each starring in separate top rated shows, The Six Million Dollar Man (Majors) and Charlie's Angels (Fawcett). They were married from July 28 1973 to February 16 1982, but they separated in 1979. They broke up because Majors wanted his spouse to be home with him in the evenings when she often needed to work on her show. The producers of her show made some concessions—for example she was allowed to leave the set to prepare dinner for Majors every evening—but eventually the demands of both their careers proved too onerous and they parted ways.

Majors has four children from two of his marriages. He has one son, Lee Majors II , from his marriage to Kathy Robinson (1961 - 1964). His marriage to former Playboy Playmate Karen Valez (1988 - 1994) produced one daughter, Nikki, and twin sons, Dane and Trey. He is currently married to Faith Noelle whom he wed on 1 November 2002.

Majors continues to play roles in made for TV movies and makes cameo appearances on other shows.

See also

• The Bionic Woman

External link

• The IMDb entry on Lee Majors