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

Directors:

Richard Donner
Richard Irving
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

18 January 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Mystery | 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 | Cult TV | Cyborg | Number In Title

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Lee Majors	...	Col. Steve Austin (98 episodes, 1974-1978)
Richard Anderson	...	Oscar Goldman (98 episodes, 1974-1978)
Martin E. Brooks	...	Dr. Rudy Wells / ... (44 episodes, 1975-1978)

Series Directed by
Dick Moder		(14 episodes, 1974-1977)
Cliff Bole		(12 episodes, 1975-1978)
Phil Bondelli		(9 episodes, 1975-1977)
Jerry London		(6 episodes, 1974-1975)
Christian I. Nyby II		(5 episodes, 1974-1976)
Alan Crosland		(5 episodes, 1975-1976)
Reza Badiyi		(4 episodes, 1974)
Barry Crane		(4 episodes, 1976)
Leslie H. Martinson		(3 episodes, 1974-1975)
Jerry Jameson		(3 episodes, 1974)
Arnold Laven		(3 episodes, 1975-1978)
Rod Holcomb		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Don McDougall		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Tom Connors		(3 episodes, 1977)
Christian Nyby		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)
Lawrence Doheny		(2 episodes, 1974)
Earl Bellamy		(2 episodes, 1975)
Alan J. Levi		(2 episodes, 1977)
Herb Wallerstein		(2 episodes, 1978)
Lee Majors		(1 episode, 1975)
Richard Donner		(unknown episodes)
Richard Irving		(unknown episodes)
Ernest Pintoff		(unknown episodes)
Lionel E. Siegel		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Martin Caidin		(99 episodes, 1974-1978)
Kenneth Johnson		(11 episodes, 1975-1976)
Wilton Denmark		(6 episodes, 1974-1976)
John Meredyth Lucas		(6 episodes, 1976-1978)
Wilton Schiller		(6 episodes, 1976-1978)
Elroy Schwartz		(5 episodes, 1974-1975)
Richard Carr		(5 episodes, 1975-1976)
Gregory S. Dinallo		(5 episodes, 1977-1978)
Peter Allan Fields		(4 episodes, 1974-1975)
Judy Burns		(4 episodes, 1975-1977)
Richard H. Landau		(3 episodes, 1974-1977)
Margaret Schneider		(3 episodes, 1974-1976)
Paul Schneider		(3 episodes, 1974-1976)
Del Reisman		(3 episodes, 1974-1975)
Jim Carlson		(3 episodes, 1975-1976)
Larry Forrester		(3 episodes, 1976-1977)
Steven E. de Souza		(3 episodes, 1977)
Lester Wm. Berke		(2 episodes, 1974-1977)
Donald L. Gold		(2 episodes, 1974-1977)
W.T. Zacha		(2 episodes, 1974-1976)
Lionel E. Siegel		(2 episodes, 1974-1975)
D.C. Fontana		(2 episodes, 1974)
Bill Svanoe		(2 episodes, 1974)
Stephen Kandel		(2 episodes, 1975-1978)
Jerry Devine		(2 episodes, 1975-1976)
Gustave Field		(2 episodes, 1975)
Mark Frost		(2 episodes, 1975)
Robert C. Dennis		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Tom Greene		(2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Terrence McDonnell		(2 episodes, 1976)
Howard Dimsdale		(2 episodes, 1977)
Fred Freiberger		(2 episodes, 1977)
Arthur Weingarten		(2 episodes, 1977)

Series Produced by
Harve Bennett	....	executive producer (98 episodes, 1974-1978)
Arnold F. Turner	....	associate producer / assistant producer (84 episodes, 1974-1978)
Lionel E. Siegel	....	producer / executive producer (27 episodes, 1974-1977)
Joe L. Cramer	....	producer (22 episodes, 1974-1975)
Kenneth Johnson	....	producer (21 episodes, 1975-1976)
Donald R. Boyle	....	producer (13 episodes, 1974)
Arthur E. McLaird	....	associate producer (13 episodes, 1974)
Sam Strangis	....	producer (13 episodes, 1974)
Rod Holcomb	....	associate producer (4 episodes, 1976-1978)
Allan Balter	....	executive producer / supervising producer (4 episodes, 1977-1978)
Richard H. Landau	....	producer (3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Fred Freiberger	....	producer (2 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Original Music by
Oliver Nelson		(54 episodes, 1974-1976)
J.J. Johnson		(25 episodes, 1976-1978)
Luchi De Jesus		(2 episodes, 1976)
Benny Golson		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Enzo A. Martinelli		(25 episodes, 1974-1975)
Allen M. Davey		(10 episodes, 1975-1977)
Kenneth T. Williams		(8 episodes, 1974)
Alric Edens		(4 episodes, 1975)
Ronald W. Browne		(4 episodes, 1977-1978)
Ron McManus		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
George Ohanian		(15 episodes, 1974-1976)
Jack W. Schoengarth		(10 episodes, 1974-1976)
Jamie Caylor		(8 episodes, 1974)
Fabien D. Tordjmann		(5 episodes, 1974)
Bill Parker		(4 episodes, 1974)
Howard Epstein		(3 episodes, 1975)
Patrick M. Ryan		(2 episodes, 1974)
Robert K. Richard		(2 episodes, 1976)
Ralph Schoenfeld		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Casting by
Joe Reich		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Alfeo Bocchicchio		(28 episodes, 1974-1976)
William L. Campbell		(12 episodes, 1974)
Paul Peters		(3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Norman Newberry		(2 episodes, 1976)

Series Set Decoration by
Mary Swanson		(12 episodes, 1974)
Robert C. Bradfield		(11 episodes, 1974-1975)
Lowell Chambers		(9 episodes, 1975-1977)
Jerry Adams		(7 episodes, 1974)
Bert F. Allen		(4 episodes, 1975)
Ron Jeschke		(2 episodes, 1977)
Richard Reams		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Costume Design by
Burton Miller		(98 episodes, 1974-1978)

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

Series Production Management
Ted Schilz	....	unit manager (97 episodes, 1974-1978)
Ben Kadish	....	unit manager (2 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Connors	....	assistant director / associate director (17 episodes, 1974-1977)
Jerome M. Siegel	....	assistant director (11 episodes, 1974-1975)
Ralph Sariego	....	assistant director (7 episodes, 1974)
Kevin Donnelly	....	assistant director (5 episodes, 1974)
Cliff Bole	....	assistant director (3 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	....	painter / stand-by painter (2 episodes, 1975-1978)

Series Sound Department
Charlie King	....	sound (99 episodes, 1974-1978)
Kendrick Sweet	....	sound effects editor (3 episodes, 1977-1978)
Dale Johnston	....	sound effects editor (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
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)
Don Tomlinson	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Don Weinman	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)

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

Series Stunts
Vince Deadrick Sr.	....	stunt coordinator (1 episode, 1974)
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (1 episode, 1975)
Jean Coulter	....	stunts (1 episode, 1975)
Larry Holt	....	stunt performer (1 episode, 1975)
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt double: Buddy Foster / stunt double: for Buddy Foster (1 episode, 1975)
Michael Haynes	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Kim Kahana	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Dick Warlock	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
James Winburn	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician (1 episode, 1975)

Series Editorial Department
Richard Belding	....	editorial supervision / editorial supervisor / ... (98 episodes, 1974-1978)
Ron Meredith	....	assistant film editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Hal Mooney	....	music supervisor / music supervision (97 episodes, 1974-1978)
Oliver Nelson	....	composer: theme music / composer: music theme (46 episodes, 1974-1978)
Stan G. Davis	....	music editor (5 episodes, 1977-1978)

Series Transportation Department
Jack Carpenter	....	driver: insert car (1 episode, 1975)
Chris Haynes	....	production driver (1 episode, 1975)

Series Other crew
Jack Cole	....	main title design / title design / ... (99 episodes, 1974-1978)
Richard Carr	....	story editor (18 episodes, 1974-1976)
Lionel E. Siegel	....	executive story consultant (13 episodes, 1974)
Arnold F. Turner	....	production associate (13 episodes, 1974)
Peter Allan Fields	....	executive story consultant (11 episodes, 1974-1975)
Howard Dimsdale	....	executive story editor / executive story consultant (4 episodes, 1977-1978)
Wilton Schiller	....	executive script consultant (2 episodes, 1976-1977)
Steven E. de Souza	....	story editor (unknown episodes)
Dominic Jack Pizzo Sr.	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Harve Bennett Productions
• Silverton Productions
• Universal TV

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
• MCA/Universal Pictures
• NET (TV Asahi) (1974) (Japan) (TV)
• Studios USA Television
• Televisie Radio Omroep Stichting (TROS) (1974-1979) (Netherlands) (TV)
• 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:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Harve Bennett Productions

Trivia:

In the spring of 1977, before production began on what would be the show's final season, Lee Majors refused to go to work until contract demands were met. At one point it was reported that producers were considering hiring a new actor to take over the series. Among those considered were Gil Gerard, Bruce Jenner, and Harrison Ford (the producers said he was unsuitable as an action hero).

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:

Spoofed in "Robot Chicken: Love, Maurice (#4.7)" (2009)

Ahead of its time...

There is no question that The Six Million Dollar Man was as revolutionary a program in its prime as it is woefully overlooked today. Most of the great science fiction themes had been exhausted during the early Cold War era, when fears of alien invasions and nuclear holocaust were rampant. It was the horror genre, if anything, that enjoyed a resurgence in the 1970's, with such notable offerings as The Exorcist and Jaws, and television programs like Dark Shadows. By contrast, the 70's were lean years for sci-fi - the classic motifs of the 60's were dead, and successful 80's tech-shows like Knight Rider were still on the shelf.

But Col. Steve Austin virtually redefined the genre with his story of bionic implantation. His character was indisputably TV's first cybernetically enhanced human being of any significance. In fact, rarely did even the silver screen feature a cyborg in a major role before TSMDM debuted. After its long run at the top, Hollywood began churning out its subtle rip-offs, which spawned such diverse characters as "Bishop" in Alien, The Terminator, "Data" and the dreaded Borg from Star Trek TNG, and a host of mediocre Austin clones in Van Damme-style B-movies.

Further, TSMDM was competent in its own right. The show was a household name during its reign, and gave birth to the kind of merchandising mania - action figures, board games, etc. - more typical of a big-budget motion picture than a television series. There wasn't a young boy anywhere in North America who didn't mimic the Colonel's slow-motion antics in the schoolyard, and even parents inevitably ended up enjoying the program as much as their kids (name another show that can make that claim!).

The cast was well-chosen and usually convincing, with Majors' understated but charming persona leading the way. The special effects were acceptable for the time, if not particularly ground-breaking. Best of all, the episodes were reliably action-packed, well developed and truly imaginative in their diversity and execution. The program touched on alien visitors, military themes, espionage, romance, and never lost its sense of perspective or sheer fun.

My only complaint with TSMDM is that no station in my part of the world carries the show any longer. Amazingly, the Space Channel sees fit to broadcast garbage like Beauty and the Beast and Lexx, but turns its back on a genuine pioneer of the genre. It's confounding. Shows like this cannot be allowed to simply rot away in some vault. They must be preserved, just as legends in their time like Star Trek clearly have. I'd love for my children to share in the awe and excitement I felt when TSMDM was new and fresh, and, quite frankly, I wouldn't mind feeling like a kid again myself!