Coordinates	42°58′″N47°30′″N
show name	The Fall Guy
genre	Action/Adventure
creator	Glen A. Larson
starring	Lee MajorsDouglas BarrHeather ThomasJo Ann Pflug (1981-1982)Markie Post (1982-1985)Nedra Volz (1985-1986)
theme music composer	Gail JensenGlen A. LarsonDavid Somerville
opentheme	"Unknown Stuntman" performed by Lee Majors
composer	William BroughtonKen HellerStu PhillipsMorton Stevens
country	United States
language	English
num seasons	5
num episodes	113
list episodes	List of The Fall Guy episodes
executive producer	Glen A. Larson
producer	Robert JanesLarry BrodyPaul Mason
cinematography	Ben ColmanMichael Hofstein
camera	Single-camera
runtime	45–48 minutes
company	Glen A. Larson Productions20th Century Fox Television
channel	ABC
audio format	Monaural
first aired
last aired
status	Ended }}

''The Fall Guy'' is an American action/adventure television program produced for ABC and originally broadcast from November 4, 1981 to May 2, 1986. It starred Lee Majors, Douglas Barr, and Heather Thomas. Majors and Barr are the only two actors to appear in all 112 episodes of the series. Thomas appeared in every episode except one during the 1981-82 season.

Plot

Lee Majors plays Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stunt man who moonlights as a bounty hunter. He uses his physical skills and knowledge of stunt effects (especially stunts involving cars or his large GMC pickup truck) to capture fugitives and criminals. He is accompanied by his cousin and stuntman-in-training Howie Munson (Barr), whom Colt frequently calls "Kid", and occasionally by fellow stunt performer Jody Banks (Thomas).

Typically, an episode begins with a voice-over introduction from Seavers explaining the precarious life of a Hollywood stuntman, and how he, Colt, is unable to make a full-time living from stunt work and must moonlight as a bounty hunter. This is intercut with actual Hollywood stock footage, from various eras, of dangerous movie stunts, such as an exploding plane plunging straight into the ground, or a motorcycle jumping through a flaming hoop. After the voice-over introduction, the crew is seen performing a stunt for a film or TV series when Seavers is then assigned to finding, for example, a man who has skipped bail. His case turns out to be more complicated than it first seemed. In the course of dealing with the villains, Seavers performs a stunt similar to the one shown at the beginning of the show. Colt's voice-over narration was dropped from the second series onward.

The series is known for its frequent cameos by Hollywood celebrities and the occasional in-joke referring to Majors' previous starring role in the series ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' (the pilot featured a cameo appearance by his ex-wife Farrah Fawcett).

The truck

Colt's truck was an early 1980s GMC 4x4 pickup. It had a 6-inch lift and 35-inch Dick Cepek off-road tires mounted on a 16-inch chrome wagon style wheel. The truck also had a custom-made chrome roll bar mounted with 4 off-road lights, and a custom chrome grille guard mounted with 2 off-road lights and a Warn winch. One unusual characteristic was a secret compartment in the truck's bed, which was used to stash away villains or to hide weapons.

The vehicle was painted brown and tan two-tone; it had an eagle painted on the hood with the phrase "Fall Guy Stuntman Association" underneath. The truck was very often involved in high-speed chases and huge jumps. As a result, it became very popular, especially with children, and numerous toy and model versions were produced.

During the show's run, the stunts took their toll on the trucks (for example, one clip that appears in the opening credits clearly shows an axle breaking after a jump), so several different year model trucks are used during the show's initial run. As a result, there are some inconsistencies in the episodes. For instance, in the pilot episode the truck (a 1980 model) has two square headlights and a light tan interior. For the remainder of the series, it almost always had the quad headlight configuration of the 1981 and newer models, with a dark brown interior. The truck usually appeared to be a long bed model, but sometimes a short bed model was used. After destroying several trucks due to the huge jumps, a custom built jump truck was built as a solution. It had a reinforced frame and axles, and a mid-mounted engine. This greatly reduced the number of trucks scrapped during the show's production.

At the end of the series, the remaining trucks were either auctioned or given away in a contest. One of them was sold on eBay in 2003.

Cast

Colt Seavers – Lee Majors

Howie Munson – Douglas Barr

Jody Banks – Heather Thomas

Samantha "Big Jack" Jack – Jo Ann Pflug (1981–82)

Terri Shannon / Michaels – Markie Post (1982–85)

Pearl Sperling – Nedra Volz (1985-86)

Episodes

Production notes

Theme song

The show's theme song, "Unknown Stuntman", was written by Glen A. Larson, Gail Jensen, and David Sommerville, and performed by Lee Majors. The lyrics include a reference to Majors' then-estranged wife, Farrah Fawcett and bemoaning the fact that while he takes all the risks it is the stars like Clint Eastwood or Robert Redford who get the glory and the girls.

DVD releases

On June 5, 2007, 20th Century Fox released the first season of ''The Fall Guy'' on DVD in Region 1. As with a number of other TV shows of the era released on DVD, the 6-disc set contains extensive music substitutions due to copyright reasons (as well as completely editing out the sequences with actor / singer Paul Williams, in the Pilot). Due to poor sales it is unknown if the remaining seasons will be released.

Region 2

Season 1 was released on DVD in Region 2 in Germany and the UK. Season 2 has also been released in Region 2, in Germany on November 28, 2008 and in the UK on February 16, 2009.

The Complete First Season style="text-align:center;"

rowspan="2"	DVD Name !! rowspan="2"|Ep # !! colspan="3"|Release dates
! Region 1 !! Region 2 (UK) !! Region 2 (Germany)
	|	23	June 5, 2007	June 25, 2007	January 14, 2008
	The Complete Second Season	23 ||	N/A	February 16, 2009	November 28, 2008

Movie

In July 2010, it was revealed that a film based on the series was in production. DreamWorks have teamed up with producer Walter F. Parkes to work on the film.

References

External links

Category:1981 television series debuts Category:1986 television series endings Category:1980s American television series Category:American Broadcasting Company network shows Category:English-language television series Category:Fictional stunt performers Category:Fictional bounty hunters Category:Television series by Fox Television Studios Category:Television shows set in Los Angeles, California

bn:দ্য ফল গাই de:Ein Colt für alle Fälle es:Profesión Peligro fr:L'Homme qui tombe à pic it:Professione pericolo nl:The Fall Guy ja:俺たち賞金稼ぎ!!フォール・ガイ pt:The Fall Guy ru:Каскадёры (телесериал) sv:Stuntmannen

A ''fall guy'' is a person used as a scapegoat to take the blame for someone else's actions, or someone at the butt of jokes. One placed in the position of ''fall guy'' is often referred to as "taking the fall". In the film industry, a ''fall guy'' is a form of stock character.

Origin

The origin of "fall guy" is currently unknown. Many sources (see below) place the origin at the early 20th century, and some claim it is of even earlier origin. As such, the origin of the term is a source of open contention. In April 2007, William Safire promoted a search to properly unearth its origins. His follow-up article is here: .

:The most likely origin of "fall guy" is a derivation of the slang 'fall' which means to be arrested, so the fall guy is, generally, one who is arrested. As yet, no citation of 'fall' in this context has been placed prior to the 1904/1906 origin dates claimed by HDAS and OED, respectively.

Four slightly different usages for "fall guy" arise. The origins of all four are probably different. The usages are:

#Scapegoat (innocent). [implies the same as 3] #"Betrayed confederate" (guilty scapegoat); here one criminal (willingly or unwillingly) is arrested and sacrificed, while the rest of the criminals go free. [implies the same as 4, sometimes 3] #Dupe, the fool; the butt of jokes. #'One who takes on the responsibilities or workload of others' (see Gary Martin, below). Possibly used in the worker-bee, gruntwork sense. No foul play implied.

The phrase may have originated separately more than once, or the term may have cross-pollinated to different industries and thereby gained additional meanings. In any case, if the origin of "fall guy" was as the criminal scapegoat, then whenever its written origins were, they are apt to be much later than its first verbalized use, since putting criminal conspiracies into print leads to shorter careers for crooks. Another subtle point is that the criminal usage gets back to the original sense of 'felon' (derived from fallen, morally).

Other alternatives and citations: The term "fall guy" appears in a April 26, 1903 Chicago Tribune article "PLOT TO DEFEAT MUELLER BILL"

According to a source, Lighter's Historical Dictionary of American Slang (HDAS) places the origin in 1904 (although it is apparently missing citations for 1906). The usage here may have a flavor relating more to the 'straight scapegoat' and less of the 'betrayed confederate'.

According to the same source the Oxford English Dictionary places the origin in 1906 (Green At Actors' Boarding House 226). The usage here conforms to that of the 'betrayed confederate'.

"Who Planned the Steunenberg Murder?; Forthcoming Trial of the Men Charged With Conspiracy in the Assassination of Idaho's Ex-Governor. Most Sensational Case of Its Kind Since the Trial of Guiteau, the Murderer of Garfield---Will the Extraordinary Confession of Orchard, Who Turned State's Evidence, Be Corroborated? Who Planned the Assassination of Ex-Governor Steunenberg of Idaho?" (NY Times, April 29, 1906, Sunday). This article is different to but concurrent with the OED citation (no within year dates for OED citation yet found). Available only to in NY Times Archive (unless the NYTimes decides to open up this particular article)

:*In the article, a minor criminal (named Adams) is not sent a defense attorney, while many other of his colleagues are. Out of pique, he calls the police and confesses; his quote: "They can't make me the 'fall guy'".

:*The quote leaves open the three various flavors of meaning: one who takes the workload/responsibility, one who is duped, and one who is sacrificed (by a guilty group). Other 1906 citation possibly/probably relate to this source.

Online Etymological Dictionary places the origin at 1906. The actual passage they cite is unstated, although probably citing the OED.

Gary Martin places the origin to at least 1904 (Oakland Tribune, Dec 1904) although possibly earlier. Although the citation Martin provides shades meaning more closely to "one who takes on the responsibilities or workload of others" (this sense seems analogous to the modern phrase 'delegate down') than to the more criminal connotation. He also makes a connection to the phrase 'fall money' which existed in late 19th century American idiom. If fall guy derives from 'fall money,' then it may be the earliest possibility. (Seems to be a quote different from, yet concurrent with, JE Lighter's.)

"POOLROOM SHARPS SWOOP ON BASEBALL; Crippled Badly by Race Track Legislation, Gamblers Turn to National Game." NY Times, February 28, 1911, Tuesday; the phrase 'fall guy' here refers, apparently, to a sucker who makes bets at bad odds (confirmation?). There is a reference to being unable (or with difficulty) to hedge bets against a "'Dutch' book -- with reverse English." No guilt is associated with the fall guy, only gullibility.

This old story, a run-down of plays by Time magazine from March 23, 1925, clearly puts this usage during a time during which, if Teapot Dome really related to this phrase, such references to that scandal might be found. No references to Teapot Dome are found. Usage: innocent scapegoat duped into criminal activity and attracting the attention of police. Usage of the phrase is almost decadent, as in 'unrestrained gratification; self-indulgent' (free online dictionary), but also as in the period just past its historical high-watermark; many plays of the era seem to have focused on the plight of the fall guy and the rise of crime that came with the Prohibition; the play cited in the article already seems a re-hash of various plays that came before it). The article more clearly conveys the full sweep, and as such, is suggested reading (scroll to middle of page).

Was at least in prominent usage by 1930 when Hammett published The Maltese Falcon. Hammett's usage differs somewhat from some of the earlier definitions in that the "fall guy" was not just an innocent scapegoat blamed for the wrongdoing belonging in whole to other parties, but rather the part of a criminal group (in which blame/guilt should be shared) which is then jettisoned and sacrificed to get the heat off of the rest of the group. Thus, the scapegoat is guilty anyway and it is with this sense that the word is commonly used today.

Various compiled glossaries:

:* "WORDS NOT WHAT THEY SEEM; In Underworld Argot They Have Different Meanings From Those Found in Dictionaries", NYTimes July 19, 1931, Sunday; article about John Wilstach compiled jargon dictionary has both 'fall guy' and 'fall money'. So both phrases were well known and out in public by then. Available in NY Times Archive.

:* Possibly arose from Hobo lingo, given that Hobo origins predate the turn of the 20th century, the origin might lie here. Or they may have just picked it up from the criminal classes (academic citation, 1926) (A similar meaning is found in 'Vocabulary of Bums'). ::* fall guy, n. easy victim

:* Criminal lingo (undated). (academic citation) ::* to fall, n. to get in trouble with the law

:* Prison Parlance (see Jstor.org) ::* fall, v. go to prison; n. a term in prison (see also 'get up')

:* Lingo of the Good People (see Jstor.org) ::* fall money, n. defense fund ::* fall guy - clumsy thief (who gets caught) :::: - one who ''involuntarily'' takes rap

Definition from American Underworld Dictionary gives slightly different meanings: 1. Any person, ''guilty or innocent'' (emphasis added), who takes full blame to shield others. 2. A fool; a bungling criminal; a stupid tool of crafty criminals. "These stirs (prisons) are full of fall guys and squares (accidental criminals). All the hip (smart) ghees (fellows) hit the counties (country jails) or the street (win acquittals or bribe their way out)". (see also their usage of 'fall dough')

"CIRCUS FANS INDUCT ADMIRAL WOODWARD; He Becomes the 'Fall Guy' for Saints and Sinners" NYTimes February 27, 1941, Thursday; usage referring plainly to 'butt of jokes' with no criminal connotation.

Other sources assert origin to 1906, although without attribution.

Origin in 19th century professional wrestling (this site does not provide citation). Significantly predates other origins, so claims must be met with scrutiny and skepticism, demanding a citation.

:*This Voice of America radio broadcast transcript also supports this position, but proper supporting citations are not yet found.

One hypothesis puts its origins with the rising film industry; thus, the "fall guy" was a stock character. Considering early film may have relied on much slapstick/physical comedy, this hypothesis might have some merit. Additionally, the film industry's beginnings were in the early 1900s, which is consistent with some other speculation.

The Washington Post may have a few citations from as early as 1905 and 1906, but this has not been confirmed (they are in the WaPo archive, access limited) .

(A search on www.jstor.org for 'fall guy' brings up many more historical cases.)

Discredited origins

Various sources attribute the origin of fall guy to 'Guy Fawkes' and the Gunpowder Plot. This has been largely discredited .

Teapot connection

One popular myth is that the word's origin dates back to the 1920s, during the administration of U.S. President Warren G. Harding (1921–1923). The term is allegedly named for Albert B. Fall, a U.S. Senator from New Mexico who served as Secretary of the Interior during Harding's years in office and became notorious for his involvement in the infamous Teapot Dome Scandal. Though a popular story, this was not the case - although this event may have popularized a phrase (via post-hoc eponymy) that may have otherwise died an inglorious death. Still, the Albert Fall story might be the crucial connection that elevated the term to apply, not merely to everyday crime, but to political debacles.

Weaknesses

References to 'fall guy' and Albert Fall seem conspicuously nonexistent. The book, The Tempest Over Teapot Dome, contains no references to 'fall guy' (as checked by Amazon text search). A Time article from the period makes no reference to 'fall guys,' although the scandal may have had yet to fully play out.

Political crossover

Given that 'fall guy' originated from lower elements of society, one can ask how the phrase came into the political arena. (Mark Twain quips on Congress aside). Teapot Dome seems not to provide the link. To successfully enter politics, two things must occur: the phrase must be legitimized (cleansed) and the phrase must be tied to a political event.

The legitimization of the phrase seems to have occurred in the 1940s, primarily with the meaning of "take on work/responsibility". A paper on "Isolationism is not dead" (Jstor.org) quotes an anonymous editorial from a paper in the Pacific Northwest on the topic of the Bretton Woods and the Food Conferences upon which the US became the "'fall guy', the one to carry the load". This seems to complete both requirements at once, yet the meaning is clearly not that of the scapegoat. By 1950, fall guy, in the context of unions and industrial society, meant the low man on the totem poll, to whom the unimportant tasks would be assigned, specifically that of filling out questionnaires (Research in Labor Unions; see Jstor.org as well) .

By the 1950s and 1960s, 'fall guy' came to mean public "whipping boy", albeit in the abstract, metaphorical sense. Advertising firms were the 'fall guy' yet no specific adman was to blame. In a 1960 paper on the 'Politics of Pollution,' public officials, to deflect criticism over landfills, found a 'fall guy' but they picked no low-ranking worker to be sacrificed, they blamed instead abstract, faceless bodies: "the federal government, state governments and private disposal companies". The fall man still lacked a name and face. Other abstract 'fall guys' included the railroad and bank capital.

The rise of the political 'fall guy' seems to come from one of three events:

1. JFK assassination: Oswald claimed himself a patsy, but he was not officially labelled a 'fall guy' until 1964, by Joachim Joesten, in his book 'Oswald, Assassin or Fall Guy?' Oswald “was ‘a fall guy’ to use the parlance of the kind of men who must have planned the details of the assassination”. Oswald himself was never a political figure (although few fall guys really are political figures until their fall).

2. Watergate: Former Attorney General John Mitchell claimed he was being set up as a 'fall guy' . Besides Mitchell, other fall guys were in the works. In "Public Doublespeak: On Mistakes and Misjudgments", Terence Moran cites the fall guy, but also specifically highlights the parallels between a transcript of both Nixon and Dean and a scene from The Maltese Falcon, specifically the one where Wilmer the gunman is sold out; pulp fiction meets pulp politics. Also cited were the classical signs of the complicitous fall guy: defense funds, care of family and the duplicitous language of conspiracy itself. (It is only of minor curiosity that Safire, the instigator of this inquiry, is himself quoted in the above article).

Other retrospective articles on the era which use the phrase include: .

Still, widespread use of the phrase does not seem to follow specifically from this event. We saw an increased rise later in the 1980s (see numbers below).

3. Iran Contra: While clearly not the first case, it was the first case in which the term clearly exploded into public consciousness, if not quite into everyday parlance. (Pre-contra, Safire seems to have kept the phrase alive in the mid-1980s ( and ).

Two reasons why use of the phrase 'fall guy' may have exploded after Iran-Contra in 1987:

the steadfastness and loyalty that Oliver North evinced during the hearings.

Representative Stokes used the phrase during a session of Congress, as entered into the official transcripts (see official transcript, but also "The discourse of American civil society: A new proposal for cultural studies". Jeffrey C. Alexander1 and Philip Smith. Theory & Society: Vol 22, No 2, p 189. See also ).

Articles from the times (and incidentally also the NY Times): .

Articles from the Washington Post:

The political crossover might be complete, as well as the functional vibrancy of the word itself, after the Libby trial (2007), given that a mere citizen-juror used the phrase as he left the courthouse .

Other uses

In academic circles, the 'fall guy' was also the 'straw man', the one picked to lose an argument (British Journal of Sociology, a reviewer of the book 'Legitimation of Power').

In corporate managerial classes, by 1988 the 'fall guy' was fully institutionalized as a principle, a component of what every good manager needs (R. Jackall, The World of Corporate Management, 1988).

Politics

Recently (1990s), 'fall guy' became a phrase popular among the commentariat . But it seems that, while originally the fall guy had to deal with the authorities (the police), currently the fall guy must deal with public shame and disgrace (a notable exception here is Scooter Libby).

A few examples of fall guys:

Scooter Libby; Valerie Plame affair; indicted and convicted, the sentence was later commuted.

Michael D. Brown; Katrina (relief of); unindicted, resigned.

Col. Janis Karpinski; Abu Ghraib scandal; demoted.

Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman; Walter Reed scandal; status unknown.

For the political appointees, it seems that resignation and public shaming is enough punishment. Most political appointees can readily find jobs as lobbyists or elsewhere in the public sector, so no financial consequence really follows. Yet, perhaps the political fall guy must suffer some 'political death' (this topic is left for others to expand or contest). For the military officers, a punishment of demotion or reassignment is real enough.

With criminal groups, the fall guy would often be the lowest 'ranking' member, who would take the fall (face arrest and criminal charges) so that the rest could go free. Whether or not the lowest member could rely on the rest for support once out of prison is debatable; in the political arena, the fall guy seems to function much the same:

# The fall guy is as low-ranking a politico as possible. # Political rank should be high enough to ensure outraged partisans that 'justice' has been done, that a sufficient price had been paid. # Furthermore, the politico that falls must have been in a position of authority related to the scandal (Mike Brown was head of FEMA during the Katrina relief efforts (or lack thereof)). # Most importantly, the key purpose of a fall guy (i.e. to protect the group from further inquiry), remains.

In politics, scandals can sometimes be resolved with simple statements of responsibility and atonement. When they cannot, "heads must roll" - in other words, parties must pay a price; often this comes with the resignation of a fall guy. If an advertising jingle were to sum it up, perhaps it would be "say it with ''resignations''".

The fall guy also functions on the level of political consciousness. When a scandal erupts, it is not only the accused that suffer, but the whole of government. The scandal saturates media attention and grinds the machinery of government to a halt. So when the fall guy suffers his fate, its purpose is not only to protect his political bosses, but also to help the country 'move forward' with its business. Whether the advent of the 24 hour news cycle has increased the use of fall guys or not is an open question.

With political consciousness, the fall guy and his demise also maintain the framework that consequences exist and that justice shall be meted out. But if a single fall guy can absorb the punishment of many other guilty parties, the justice is mostly symbolic. So perhaps a little justice is better than no justice at all.

This book, Scapegoats: Transferring Blame, by Tom Douglas, attempts to deal with the actual process of scapegoating and public life, the ritualisation of scapegoating, and related topics in an academic sense.

Another book deals primarily with Iran-contra, but also with the public exorcising of the fall guy.

A curious example of the fall guy is Oliver North, who perhaps more appropriately 'fell on his sword', and takes pride in that loyal act (Washington Post article above). In his case, the act may have functioned more as a ritual (symbolic) suicide than merely taking the rap. The actual phrases 'fall guy' and 'fall on [your] sword' are used in this article, quite close to each other, and yet seem not to interact at all, .

See also

Patsy

The Fall Guy

The First Year

Redshirt a type of theatrical fall guy in the Star Trek universe

For a list of famous fall guys in American politics, from North, to Libby, to Fall, see this link:

or here (reprint):

For something on Teapot Dome:

Teapot Dome

Category:English phrases Category:Management Category:Stock characters

Fall or Autumn is a season of the year.

Fall or The Fall may also refer to:

Common generic uses

Falling (physics), movement due to gravity

Falling (accident), accident caused by a fall

Waterfall, a geological formation, more typically referred to as "falls" than simply "fall"

Fall of Man, a Jewish, Christian and Islamic doctrine of man's rebellion against God, as described in the story of Adam and Eve

An academic term, usually a semester or a quarter, occurring around the same time as the autumn season

Books and comics

''The Fall'' (novel), a novel by Albert Camus

''The Fall'' (Robert Muchamore novel), the seventh book in the CHERUB series by Robert Muchamore

''The Fall'' (Garth Nix novel)

''The Fall'', the second novel in ''The Strain'' trilogy by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

''Assassin's Creed: The Fall'', a comic tie-in to the game series

Films

''Fall'' (1997 film), directed by Eric Schaeffer

''The Fall'' (1999 film), directed by Andrew Piddington, starring Craig Sheffer

''The Fall'' (2006 film), a fantasy film by Tarsem Singh, starring Lee Pace

Music

The Fall (band), an English post-punk group

;Albums and EPs

''The Fall'' (Gorillaz album), 2010 album by Gorillaz

''Fall'' (Clay Walker album), a 2007 album

''The Fall'' (album), 2009 album by Norah Jones

''Fall'' (Jon Foreman EP), a 2007 EP

''Fall'' (Ride EP), a 1990 EP

;Songs

"Fall", a song by Brandy, from her 5th album ''Human''

"Fall" (song), a single by Clay Walker from the 2007 album

"The Fall", a song by A Flock of Seagulls from the album ''Listen''

"The Fall", a song by Electric Light Orchestra, from the 1980 film ''Xanadu (film)''

"The Fall" (song), a song by Ministry

"Fall", a song by The Psychedelic Furs from their self-titled album

"Fall", a song by X-Wife from ''Feeding the Machine''

;Other music-related uses

Fall Records, a record label

Video and computer games

''The Fall: Last Days of Gaia'', post-apocalyptic role-playing game

People with the surname Fall

Albert B. Fall, U.S. Secretary of the Interior involved in the Teapot Dome scandal

Leo Fall, Austrian composer

Other uses

Astrological fall, a term for a planet in a form of debilitated essential dignity

Fall, the sudden arrival of birds due to drift migration

Meteorite fall, a meteorite recovered after being observed entering the atmosphere

Fall (Bavaria), a village in Bavaria (subdivision of Lenggries, Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district, Germany)

A type of partial wig used to add length to the back of one's hair

The part on a piano that covers the keys

See also

Fallen (disambiguation)

Falling (disambiguation)

Fallout (disambiguation)

Falls (disambiguation)

The Falls (disambiguation)

Fell (disambiguation)

ca:Fall de:Fall es:The Fall (desambiguación) fr:Fall hu:Zuhanás (egyértelműsítő lap) is:Fall it:Caduta hu:Zuhanás (egyértelműsítő lap) ja:フォール nn:Fall pt:Fall simple:Fall sv:Fall

Coordinates	42°58′″N47°30′″N
birthname	Harvey Lee Yeary
birth date	April 23, 1939
birth place	Wyandotte, Michigan, U.S.
occupation	Actor
yearsactive	1964–present
spouse	Kathy Robinson (1961-1964)Farrah Fawcett (1973-1982)Karen Velez (1988-1994)Faith Noelle Cross (2002-present)
children	3 sons, 1 daughter }}

Lee Majors (born April 23, 1939) is an American actor who has worked in television and movies and first became a star in his role as Victoria Barkley's husband's illegitimate son, Heath Barkley, in ''The Big Valley'' (1965–1969). Majors is also well known as Owen Marshall's law partner/friend, Jess Brandon, in ''Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law'' (1971–1974), as Colonel Steve Austin, in ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' (1974–1978) and ''The Bionic Woman'' (1976-1978), and as Colt Seavers in ''The Fall Guy'' (1981–1986).

Early life

Majors was born Harvey Lee Yeary in the Detroit suburb of Wyandotte, Michigan. Parents Carl & Alice Yeary were both killed in separate car accidents (prior to his birth and when he was one year old respectively) and at age two, Majors was adopted by an uncle and aunt, Harvey and Mildred Yeary, and moved with them, and their biological son, Bill, to Middlesboro, Kentucky.

Since his adoptive older brother had been a football star in school, Majors tirelessly committed himself to the sport. While a student at Middlesboro High School, he participated in many sports from track to football. He graduated in 1957, and earned a scholarship to Indiana University, where he again competed in sports. Majors transferred to Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky, in 1959. He played in his first game the following year, but suffered a severe back injury which left him paralyzed for two weeks, and ended his college football career. Following his injury, he turned his attention to acting and performed in plays at the Pioneer Playhouse in Danville, Kentucky. Majors graduated from Eastern in 1962 with a degree in History and Physical Education.

After college, he received an offer to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals football team. Instead, he moved to Los Angeles and found work at the Los Angeles Park and Recreation Department as the Recreation Director for North Hollywood Park. This was after a brief stint playing for the new football franchise Boston Patriots as a safety. In LA, Majors met many actors and industry professionals, including Dick Clayton, who had been James Dean's agent, and Clayton suggested he attend his acting school. After one year of acting school, Clayton felt that Majors was ready to start his career. At this time, he picked up the stage name ''Lee Majors'' as a tribute to childhood Johnny Majors who was a player and future coach for the University of Tennessee. Majors also studied at Estelle Harmon's acting school at MGM.

Television and film roles

At age 25, Majors landed his first, although uncredited, role in ''Strait-Jacket'' (1964), which starred Joan Crawford. After appearing in a 1965 episode of ''Gunsmoke'', he starred as Howard White in an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, “The Monkey’s Paw - A Retelling,” based on the short story by W. W. Jacobs later the same year.

''The Big Valley''

Majors got his big break when he beat out over 400 young actors, including Burt Reynolds, for the co-starring role of Heath Barkley in a new ABC western series, ''The Big Valley'', which starred Barbara Stanwyck. Also starring on the show was another newcomer, Linda Evans, who played Heath's younger sister, Audra. Richard Long and Peter Breck played his brothers Jarrod and Nick, respectively. One of Heath's frequently used expressions during the series was "Boy howdy!" ''Big Valley'' was an immediate hit. During the series, Majors landed the lead role in “The Ballad of Andy Crocker” (1969), a made-for-television film which was first broadcast by ABC. The film is notable as being one of the very first films to deal with the subject matter of Vietnam veterans "coming home". That same year, he was offered the chance to star in ''Midnight Cowboy'' (1969), but ''The Big Valley'' was renewed for another season and he was forced to decline the role (which later went to Jon Voight). When ''The Big Valley'' was cancelled in 1969, he signed a long-term contract with Universal Studios. In 1970, Majors joined the cast of ''The Virginian'' for its last season.

''Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law''

In 1971, he landed the role of Arthur Hill's partner, Jess Brandon, on ''Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law'', which garnered critical acclaim during its three seasons on ABC. In one episode, his then girlfriend, Farrah Fawcett, guest-starred.

''The Six Million Dollar Man''

Majors' co-starring role on Owen Marshall led him to a starring role as Colonel Steve Austin, an ex-astronaut with bionic implants in ''The Six Million Dollar Man'', a 1973 television movie broadcast on ABC.

In 1974, the network decided to turn it into a weekly series. The series became a huge international success, being screened in over 70 countries, and made Majors a leading pop icon of the 1970s. Co-starring on the show was Richard Anderson as Austin's boss, Oscar Goldman, and Martin E. Brooks as the doctor incharge of the bionics lab, Rudy Wells (also played by at various times during the show by Alan Oppenheimer). Lee also invited his then wife, Farrah Fawcett, to guest-star in four episodes. By this time, Majors and Fawcett were a high-profile Hollywood couple and were on the cover of magazines everywhere. Majors also made his directorial debut in 1975, on an episode called "One of Our Running Backs Is Missing," which co-starred pro football players such as Larry Csonka and Dick Butkus.

During the show's second season, the producers gave Austin a love interest on the show, Jaime Sommers (played by actress Lindsay Wagner). Steve and Jaime rekindle their school-age relationship and get engaged before she is injured in a skydiving accident and is given similar bionic implants to Austin, but with a bionic right ear instead of a bionic left eye. At the end of the two-part episode, Jaime dies. However, ABC received a flood of letters from upset fans who wanted Wagner's character brought back from the dead. This was done and the character was eventually given her own spin-off show, ''The Bionic Woman''.

In 1977, with ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' still a hit series, Majors tried to renegotiate his contract with Universal Television. The studio in turn filed a lawsuit to force him to report to work due to stipulations within his existing contract that had not yet expired. When he did not report to work that June, studio executives relented and offered Majors a raise. However, ratings began to decline and ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' was canceled in March 1978 (as was ''The Bionic Woman''). In November 2010, Time Life released a 40 DVD set featuring every episode and bonus features from the show.

Feature film career

Majors first major foray into feature films was a co-starring role in the 1968 Charlton Heston film ''Will Penny'', where he received an "Introducing" credit. After his role as Steve Austin, Majors starred in several movies: ''The Norseman'' (1978), ''Steel'' (1979), ''Killer Fish'' (1979), ''Agency'' (1980), ''The Last Chase'' (1981), and also made cameo appearances in ''Scrooged'' (1988) ''Out Cold'' (2001) ''Big Fat Liar'' (2002) and ''The Brothers Solomon'' (2007) ''The Story of Bonnie and Clyde'' (2010)

''The Fall Guy''

In 1981, Majors returned in another long-running television series. Producer Glen A. Larson (who had first worked with Majors on ''Alias Smith and Jones'', where Majors had a one episode part, and later on ''The Six Million Dollar Man'') asked him to star in the pilot of ''The Fall Guy''. Majors played Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stuntman and part-time bounty hunter. ''The Fall Guy'' allowed Majors an opportunity to show off his comedic abilities, something audiences hadn’t yet seen. Majors was also a producer and a director on the show, and even sang its theme song, the self-effacing "Unknown Stuntman." Majors also invited several longtime friends, Linda Evans, Peter Breck, Lindsay Wagner and Richard Anderson, to guest-star in various episodes. The series ran for five seasons until 1986. According to an interview on Sirius/XM's Opie & Anthony Show in November 2010, the studio wanted to do another season of ''The Fall Guy'' but Majors was getting burnt out on Hollywood and felt the audience might have been getting burnt out on him.

After ''The Fall Guy'', Majors' career became more low-key, and he made a series of made-for-TV movies and several pilots for unsuccessful TV shows. Between 1987 and 1994, he and Lindsay Wagner reunited in three ''The Six Million Dollar Man''/''The Bionic Woman'' TV movies. In 1990, he had a recurring role in ''Tour of Duty'', and a recurring role in the short-lived 1992 series, ''Raven''.

Personal life

Majors has been married to:

Kathy Robinson (married 1961, divorced 1964); one child, actor Lee Majors II (born circa 1962). Majors II appeared as an OSI agent in the three ''The Six Million Dollar Man'' / ''The Bionic Woman'' reunion movies with his father.

Farrah Fawcett, actress, (married July 28, 1973, separated 1979, divorced February 16, 1982). During the first six years of their marriage, she was billed as ''Farrah Fawcett-Majors''. In 1976, the couple made TV history by being a husband and wife who simultaneously starred in separate top-rated shows (''The Six Million Dollar Man'' and ''Charlie's Angels''). After they split, Fawcett famously said, "If he's the six-million-dollar man, I'm the ten-billion-dollar woman." When Fawcett died on June 25, 2009, after her three-year-long battle with anal cancer, Majors issued a statement which read, "She fought a tremendous battle against a terrible disease. She was an angel on earth and now an angel forever." Besides attending her funeral, several reports indicated that Majors reconnected with Fawcett before her death. Karen Velez, ''Playboy'' Playmate, (married 1988, divorced 1994); one daughter, Nikki Loren, and twin sons, Dane Luke and Trey Kulley.

Faith Majors, actress and model, (married on November 1, 2002).

In the middle of 2003, Majors had heart bypass surgery.

Trivia

He starred in a German TV car commercial with his wife Faith Majors parodying the beginning of ''The Fall Guy'', always refusing the challenges presented in the original.

Majors played Jaret Reddick's disconnected father in Bowling For Soup's video, "When We Die."

The football field on North 15th Street in his hometown of Middlesboro, Kentucky, was renamed in his honor.

Majors voiced the character of "Big" Mitch Baker in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City''.

In ''The Simpsons'' episode "Burns' Heir", Marge has a fantasy about Lee Majors, in which she runs away with him after Bart graduates from Harvard in the future.

In 2007 he voiced a character on the APTN stop motion animated children's program Wapos Bay: The Series parodying Steve Austin named "Steve from Austin".

In 2007, he played a minor role in Stephen King's The Mist.

In 2007, he played Grandpa Max in Ben 10: Race Against Time.

On January 1, 2008, Majors appeared in the role of "God" on the 7th season premiere and series finale of ''According to Jim''.

Also in 2008, Majors played a member of the Minutemen (dedicated to preventing illegal border crossings) in Season Four of the Showtime series ''Weeds'', where he recruits Kevin Nealon’s character.

Majors also played Coach Ross on the CW Network's television series "The Game", which ran from October 1, 2006 to May 20, 2009.

Endorses Lee Major's Rechargeable Bionic Hearing Aid

Lee Majors also appeared on ITVs The British Comedy Awards 2009 on the 12th December 2009 alongside Claudia Winkleman.

He played in Human Target (Season 1, Episode 12) as the mentor of Christopher Chance.

Majors played the crusty sailing instructor on the ''Community'' episode "Beginner Pottery".

He provides the voice of General Abernathy in G.I. Joe: Renegades.

Majors made a brief appearance as Don Reger in the episode "Well Suitored" of CBS series ''$#*! My Dad Says'' (2011).

Cast in the big screen remake of ''The Big Valley'' (2011). Majors is playing Tom Barkley, the father of the character he originally played on the television series, Heath Barkley.

References

External links

Category:1939 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century actors Category:21st-century actors Category:Actors from Michigan Category:Adoptees adopted by relations Category:American adoptees Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:Eastern Kentucky University alumni Category:People from Middlesboro, Kentucky Category:People from Wyandotte, Michigan

de:Lee Majors es:Lee Majors fr:Lee Majors it:Lee Majors nl:Lee Majors ja:リー・メジャース no:Lee Majors pl:Lee Majors pt:Lee Majors simple:Lee Majors fi:Lee Majors sv:Lee Majors

Coordinates	42°58′″N47°30′″N
name	Heather Thomas
birth name	Heather Anne Thomas
birth date	September 08, 1957
birth place	Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
occupation	Actress, screenwriter, author
yearsactive	1978 – 1998
spouse	Skip Brittenham (October 10, 1992 – present) }}

Heather Anne Thomas (born September 8, 1957) is an American actress, screenwriter, author and political activist, best known for her co-starring role as Jody Banks on the TV series ''The Fall Guy''.

Early life

Thomas was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, to Gladdy Lou Ryder, who was a special education teacher in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. She graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1975 and went on to attend UCLA Film School, graduating in 1980. While at UCLA, she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority.

Career

Thomas started acting at age 14, when she was one of the hosts of a series on NBC called "Talking with a Giant," where she interviewed celebrities. In 1978 she began acting in small television roles; she appeared in the series ''Co-Ed Fever'', of which she later said "It was cancelled after the third commercial." She got her biggest part as "Jody Banks" in 1981 in Lee Majors' ''The Fall Guy'' television series and held that role until 1986, when the show was canceled. She appeared in several movies and quit acting in 1998. Thomas was a popular pin-up girl during the 1980s, appearing on numerous posters.

Following her acting career, Thomas tried her hand at screenwriting, and after writing some 40 screenplays finally sold a script called ''School Slut'' to Touchstone Pictures for a "mid-six-figure sum." Touchstone didn't make the film, however, and Thomas acquired the rights to produce it herself.

In April 2008, Thomas' first novel, ''Trophies'', was published by William Morrow.

Personal life

She married Allen Rosenthal, one of the co-founders of Cocaine Anonymous, in August 1985; they divorced around September 1986. Thomas then married entertainment attorney Skip Brittenham in October 1992. Their daughter India Rose was born on June 19, 2000. Thomas and her husband host a monthly breakfast gathering at their home in Santa Monica to act as a fundraiser for liberal causes, which has become known in Washington as the "L.A. Cafe". According to ''newsmeat.com'', Thomas has contributed over $280,000 to political candidates since 1992, with all but $2,400 going to Democratic or special-interest groups (the $2,400 exception went towards supporting Mary Bono).

In 1986 she was hit by a car while crossing San Vincente Boulevard and suffered fractures to both legs; she was hospitalized for nearly a month recuperating.

Filmography

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9; |- align="center" ! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film |- align="center" ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Year ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Film ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Role ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Notes |- | 1982 | ''Zapped!'' | Jane Mitchell |- | rowspan=2|1987 | ''Cyclone'' | Teri Marshall |- | ''Kiss of the Cobra'' | Merryl Davis | Alternative titles: ''Death Stone''''Der Stein des Todes'' |- | 1990 | ''Red Blooded American Girl'' | Paula Bukowsky |- | 1993 | ''Hidden Obsession'' | Ellen Carlyle |- | 1997 | ''Against the Law'' | Felicity |- | 1998 | ''My Giant'' | Showgirl |- |- align="center" ! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Television |- align="center" ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Year ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Title ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Role ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Notes |- | 1978 | ''David Cassidy: Man Under Cover'' | Caryl Manning | 1 episode |- | rowspan=2|1979 | ''Co-ed Fever'' | Sandi | 1 episode |- | ''California Fever'' | Joanne | 1 episode |- | rowspan=2|1980 | ''B. J. and the Bear'' | Caroline Capote | 1 episode |- | ''The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo'' | Caroline Capote | 1 episode |- | 1981–1986 | ''The Fall Guy'' | Jody Banks | 111 episodes |- | 1983 | ''The Love Boat'' | Sheila | 2 episodes |- | rowspan=2|1984 | ''T.J. Hooker'' | Sandy | 1 episode |- | ''Cover Up'' | Amber | 1 episode |- | rowspan=3|1987 | ''The New Mike Hammer'' | Andrea | 1 episode |- | ''Ford: The Man and the Machine'' | Evangeline Cote | Television movieNominated: Gemini Award for Best Performance by a Supporting Actress |- | ''Hoover vs. the Kennedys: The Second Civil War'' | Marilyn Monroe | Television movie |- | 1988 | ''The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission'' | Lt. Carol Campbell | Television movie |- | 1989 | ''Rodney Dangerfield: Opening Night at Rodney's Place'' | Joan Emery | Television movie |- | 1990 | ''Flair'' | Tessa Clarke | Miniseries |- | 1991 | ''P.S. I Luv U'' | Mary Markham | 1 episode |- | 1992 | ''Swamp Thing'' | Tatania | 1 episode |- | 1995 | ''Pointman'' | Lynn Forbes | 1 episode |}

References

External links

Heather Thomas at Harper Collins

Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from Connecticut Category:American writers Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:American women writers Category:People from Greenwich, Connecticut Category:People from the Greater Los Angeles Area Category:Women screenwriters

de:Heather Thomas fr:Heather Thomas it:Heather Thomas pl:Heather Thomas pt:Heather Thomas