Lee Majors: American television actor known for The Big Valley and The Six Million Dollar Man

Career highlights

Majors' career includes several long-running TV appearances that defined his public image. He achieved stardom as a rugged western figure before moving into contemporary action-adventure drama that emphasized physicality and special effects.

• The Big Valley — an ensemble western in which Majors played a central younger male role that brought him wider attention.
• The Six Million Dollar Man — his most famous part, as astronaut-turned-agent Steve Austin, a character rebuilt with bionic enhancements; the show became a cultural touchstone for 1970s science-fiction television.
• Numerous guest roles, TV movies and later appearances that kept him active in television and nostalgic revivals.

Style and cultural impact

Majors was frequently cast as the all-American, physically capable hero. The concept of a partly mechanical, improved man from his best-known series entered popular vocabulary and inspired parodies, merchandising and spin-offs. His work helped shape television action conventions and the depiction of technology-enhanced protagonists.

Later life and legacy

In later decades Majors continued to work in television, making guest appearances and participating in projects that referenced his earlier roles. His marriage to a fellow celebrity in the 1970s drew tabloid attention, while his on-screen persona has remained part of discussions about television history and genre evolution. For further biographical or career details see an overview resource here and a selected filmography here.