"The Six Million Dollar Man" (1974)TV series 1974-1978

Directors:

Edward M. Abroms
Bruce Bilson
(more)

Writers:

Larry Brody (writer)
Robert C. Dennis (writer)
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

18 January 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

After a crippled test pilot is rebuilt with nuclear powered limbs and implants, he serves as a unique intelligence agent.

Plot Keywords:

Bionics | Spy | Cyborg | Cult TV | Number In Title

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Lee Majors

...

Col. Steve Austin / ... (100 episodes, 1974-1978)

(more)

Series Directed by
Christian I. Nyby II		(5 episodes, 1974-1976)
Reza Badiyi		(3 episodes, 1974)
Rod Holcomb		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Leslie H. Martinson		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Christian Nyby		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Jerry London		(2 episodes, 1974)
Earl Bellamy		(2 episodes, 1975)
Cliff Bole		(2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Alan J. Levi		(2 episodes, 1977)
Edward M. Abroms		(unknown episodes)
Bruce Bilson		(unknown episodes)
Phil Bondelli		(unknown episodes)
Tom Connors		(unknown episodes)
Barry Crane		(unknown episodes)
Alan Crosland		(unknown episodes)
Lawrence Doheny		(unknown episodes)
Richard Donner		(unknown episodes)
Richard Irving		(unknown episodes)
Jerry Jameson		(unknown episodes)
Alf Kjellin		(unknown episodes)
Arnold Laven		(unknown episodes)
Jimmy Lydon		(unknown episodes)
Lee Majors		(unknown episodes)
Russ Mayberry		(unknown episodes)
Gerald Mayer		(unknown episodes)
Dick Moder		(unknown episodes)
Ernest Pintoff		(unknown episodes)
Lionel E. Siegel		(unknown episodes)
Paul Stanley		(unknown episodes)
Virgil W. Vogel		(unknown episodes)
Herb Wallerstein		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
John Meredyth Lucas		(6 episodes, 1976-1978)
Steven E. de Souza		(3 episodes, 1977)
Richard H. Landau		(2 episodes, 1974-1977)
Peter Allan Fields		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Wilton Denmark		(2 episodes, 1974)
Elroy Schwartz		(2 episodes, 1974)
Gustave Field		(2 episodes, 1975)
Howard Dimsdale		(2 episodes, 1977)
Larry Brody		(unknown episodes)
Robert C. Dennis		(unknown episodes)
Alan Lynn Folsom		(unknown episodes)
Fred Freiberger		(unknown episodes)
Mark Frost		(unknown episodes)
Tom Greene		(unknown episodes)
Kenneth Johnson		(unknown episodes)
Stephen Kandel		(unknown episodes)
Edward J. Lakso		(unknown episodes)
Mann Rubin		(unknown episodes)
Sy Salkowitz		(unknown episodes)
James Schmerer		(unknown episodes)
Lionel E. Siegel		(unknown episodes)
Michael I. Wagner		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Arnold F. Turner	....	associate producer / assistant producer (7 episodes, 1974-1977)
Harve Bennett	....	executive producer (7 episodes, 1974)
Joe L. Cramer	....	producer (4 episodes, 1974)
Lionel E. Siegel	....	producer (4 episodes, 1974)
Donald R. Boyle	....	producer (3 episodes, 1974)
Arthur E. McLaird	....	associate producer (3 episodes, 1974)
Sam Strangis	....	producer (3 episodes, 1974)
Allan Balter	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Richard H. Landau	....	producer (2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Kenneth Johnson	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Oliver Nelson		(17 episodes, 1974-1977)
J.J. Johnson		(3 episodes, 1976-1978)
Benny Golson		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Enzo A. Martinelli		(4 episodes, 1974)
Ronald W. Browne		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Kenneth T. Williams		(2 episodes, 1974)
Allen M. Davey		(unknown episodes)
Ron McManus		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Jamie Caylor		(3 episodes, 1974)
George Ohanian		(2 episodes, 1974)
Fabien D. Tordjmann		(2 episodes, 1974)
Ralph Schoenfeld		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Casting by
Joe Reich		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
William L. Campbell		(3 episodes, 1974)
Paul Peters		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Set Decoration by
Mary Swanson		(4 episodes, 1974)
Jerry Adams		(2 episodes, 1974)
Richard Reams		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Costume Design by
Burton Miller		(8 episodes, 1974-1978)

Series Makeup Department
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Ted Schilz	....	unit manager / unit production manager (5 episodes, 1974)
Ben Kadish	....	unit manager (2 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ralph Sariego	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1974)
Jerome M. Siegel	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1974)
Cliff Bole	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1975)
Paul Samuelson	....	assistant director (2 episodes, 1977-1978)
Louis Race	....	trainee assistant director (unknown episodes)
Lou Watt	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Claudia Gilligan Ivanjack	....	stand-by painter (1 episode, 1978)

Series Sound Department
Charles L. King III	....	sound (4 episodes, 1974-1978)
Charlie King	....	sound (3 episodes, 1974-1978)
Kendrick Sweet	....	sound effects editor (2 episodes, 1977-1978)
James A. Bean	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Carl J. Brandon	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Gene Craig	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Joe Divitale	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Dale Johnston	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Don Tomlinson	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Don Weinman	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Richard Stutsman	....	special effects technician (16 episodes, 1975-1978)
William H. Schirmer	....	mechanical effects (2 episodes, 1977)

Series Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt double: Buddy Foster / stunt double: for Buddy Foster (1 episode, 1975)
Vince Deadrick Sr.	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Michael Haynes	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Kim Kahana	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Dick Warlock	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
James Winburn	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Richard Belding	....	editorial supervisor / supervising editor (5 episodes, 1974)
Ron Meredith	....	assistant film editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Hal Mooney	....	music supervisor (5 episodes, 1974)
Oliver Nelson	....	composer: music theme / composer: theme music (4 episodes, 1974-1978)
Stan G. Davis	....	music editor (3 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Transportation Department
Jack Carpenter	....	driver: camera car (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Jack Cole	....	title designer: main titles / title designer (5 episodes, 1974)
Peter Allan Fields	....	executive story consultant (3 episodes, 1974)
Lionel E. Siegel	....	executive story consultant (3 episodes, 1974)
Howard Dimsdale	....	executive story editor / executive story consultant (3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Arnold F. Turner	....	production associate (2 episodes, 1974)
Lynn A. Aber	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Steven E. de Souza	....	story editor (unknown episodes)
Dominic Jack Pizzo Sr.	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Wilton Schiller	....	executive script consultant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Harve Bennett Productions
• Silverton Productions Inc.
• Universal TV

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• MCA/Universal Pictures
• Studios USA Television
• Universal TV

Other Companies

• Universal Title  titles

Also Known As:

Cyborg (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min (108 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Nu Pike Amusement Park, Long Beach, California, USA

Company:

Harve Bennett Productions

Trivia:

During one Christmas episode, Austin is seen visiting a toy shop. The popular Steve Austin action figure is clearly visible on the store shelves.

Quotes:

[Opening narration.]
Oscar Goldman: Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Dane Cook/The Killers (#32.1)" (2006)

The "Nice" Terminator

Before Arnold became a Terminator, Lee Majors was everyone's favorite cyborg. For any sci-fi or adventure show fan, this was THE show of the 70's. The 60's had Kirk, Spock, Tribbles, and Klingons; the 70's had Steve Austin, Oscar Goldman, Jamie Summers, and Bigfoot.

Lee Majors was Steve Austin, astronaut; a man barely alive...... There was nothing Stone Cold about this Steve Austin, except maybe his wardrobe. Lee Majors was quite entertaining as Col. Steve Austin; part James Bond, part Buzz Aldrin/Chuck Yeager, and part Superman. Lee gave Austin a nice mix of serious and fun. Yes, his acting could be as mechanical as his bionics; but, Majors always had a bit of a twinkle in his eye (may have been the lens in the bionic one). He never took himself too seriously in the role, but could convey that emotion when the script called for it.

Richard Anderson was steady as boss and pal Oscar Goldman. Like Majors, he was limited, but well suited to his character. Anderson could be a good supporting actor when he rose to the occasion; and he often did.

I personally preferred Martin E. Brooks to Allan Openheimer, as Dr. Rudy Wells. Brooks came across more as a scientist. The other supporting characters varied in quality from show to show, but Rudy was always an integral part.

The episodes vary in excitement and imagination. The later seasons suffered from repetition, but, the early ones hold up well as good science fiction. Personal favorites include the death probe; the Russian installation with a doomsday device that is accidentally activated; the booby-trapped Liberty Bell; the androids; Steve's return flight in the experimental craft from the pilot movie;the Bionic Woman cross-overs; and, of course, Bigfoot. I preferred the more science fiction oriented stories to the more mundane cops and robbers shows.

The show had quite a mix of guest stars. There were the greats, like William Shatner, Lou Gossett Jr., Guy Doleman (from Thunderball and the Ipcress File), and Ted Cassidy and Andre the Giant as Bigfoot (Cassidy played him first). There were the so-so, like Farrah Fawcett (Majors), Cathy Rigby, Gary Lockwood, and John Saxon. Then there were the strange, like Sonny Bono and Larry Csonka.

This was the show that caused millions of kids in the 70's to run in slow motion, while making strange noises. It also had the coolest action figure; it came with an engine block that you could cause Steve Austin to lift, by pressing a button on his back. You could also look through the bionic eye, although you had to make your own sound effects. I understand these things go for big bucks on eBay.

Years later, I found a copy of the original novel, Cyborg, by Martin Caidin. The character was a bit different. He was more of a secret agent than in the series, and the bionics were a bit different. The eye was actually a camera, rather than a telescopic lens. It was explained that Austin's stamina was greater, since his lungs didn't have to provide oxygen to his bionic limbs. He also had special enhancements for the limbs for special missions. In one, he has webbed feet for underwater swimming. The book plays up Austin's intelligence and scientific background more. It was generally well written, and makes a nice contrast to the series.

There have been rumors of an updated movie. At one point, it was pitched as a comedy with Chris Rock. Thankfully, that doesn't seem to be the case right now. It has tremendous potential as and action/sci-fi movie, particularly with advances in special effects. Here's hoping the right script, director, and cast comes along and makes it a reality. Of course, they'll have to adjust it for inflation; 6 million doesn't buy much these days. And defense contractors are notorious for overcharging for substandard work.

While we're waiting, how about a DVD box set?