The History of The Six Million Dollar Man

Greetings Planeteers. We wanted to fulfill a request from a subscriber for a Six Million Dollar Man Video. We hope you enjoy the video, and have a great day.

[@Ola_na_Tungee]

Essential viewing for 6 year olds back in the 70's. Was lucky enough to get the doll for Christmas one year. Happy Times 😊

[@jimmystrickland1034]

The jump in technology after Apollo made the 70s and 80s entertainment miles better than before.

[@Shahram19702010]

6 million dollar man was aired in Iran just one week after originally it was aired in USA. One week was needed to dub the series to Persian language. The 6 million dollar man was so popular that the Royal Highness Prince Reza Pahlavi invited Lee Major to Iran for an interview. I was so excited to see him on Iranian TV. In the fall of 1978, Iran went through a domestic turmoil which later caused the Islamic Revolution in February of 1979. All American series and movies were banned. We never saw or hear anything about Steve Austin or Bionic women or any other American character like Superman, Batman, etc. I myself, forgot the series and the opening intro. I only had a fade memory of Steve fighting with Sasquash. Thanks to internet and KZbin, I finally was able to watch some of this series and remembered my childhood memories again. Sadly I remember that my father also liked this series and he is not with me anymore to watch it. RIP dad. 🥲🥲

[@rays7437]

It's streaming on Peacock

[@charlesgraham9954]

back in the 70s i wanted to be the 6 million dollar man. watched him every week and even had his lunchbox. lol

[@coffeeguy6673]

me too, I used to run around the school playground as fast as I could with my left eye partially closed making the slow motion sound hehe !!

[@philipocallaghan]

Me too.

[@philipocallaghan]

@@coffeeguy6673 ditto!

[@dukecraig2402]

I had the lunchbox to.

[@Sammysung]

I had the doll. Super cool! 😂

[@willdwyer6782]

My mom used to work for a company that sponsored televised Detroit Tigers baseball games. When Richard Anderson appeared in their TV commercials, my mom took me to work with her so I could meet him.

[@T.R.R.Jolkien]

He was also in Forbidden Planet. Lucky you.😎

[@tieroneasset678]

No

[@T.R.R.Jolkien]

@@tieroneasset678 yes

[@yyyyyyh7390]

We are so jealous

[@dr.kennethnoisewater26]

I like ur mom

[@johnpapiewski7022]

Steve Austin's cyborg implants ran $40K but the hospital charged another $5.9M.

[@ManfromJapan12]

I loved this show. At the time it was the show to watch. Along with the Greatest American Hero these 2 shows were my favourite

[@onelove1968]

I had the original Steve Austin action figure. They put a tiny magnifying glass into one of his eyes so that you could look through a small hole in the back of his head, and see into the distance a little bit further.

[@davidevans3227]

hehehe.. 🙂 yeah..

[@albundy6008]

I had that, too!

[@jimanderson5883]

I still have my Six Million Dollar Man lunchbox from first grade. For Christmas 1976, I was gifted the Steve Austin action figure / doll, but it's long gone. "Star Wars" was released and took over.

[@InFltSvc]

I want to go back and live it all over again. The 70’s and 80’s were the best years of my life. We had the best TV shows and Specials back then and lived in the last of the best decades in America..it was the party of a life time and we lived it well. We had the best TV then. Falcon Crest, Dallas, Knots Landing, Dynasty,The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie, The Six Million dollar man, BJ and the Bear, Air Wolf, Knight Rider and for the first time ever the motion pictures of, Star Wars, Star Trek, Superman, Spider Man, Close Encounters of the third kind, E.T., Poltergeist, Jaws, Friday the 13th, Aliens, (No not the ones being aloud to just walk into our country right now in 2023), Predator and many more… We also celebrated the bicentennial in the 70’s when the entire country celebrated it from Apr 1, 1975 - Jul 4, 1976. It was like the 4th of July every day. It was fantastic!.…it was such a better time to be alive in this county. We never had the problems that are here today. It was unheard of for kids being shot and men walking around dressed as women. It was the last of America and we were lucky to have experienced it.

[@ojivey8273]

Loved the show. I served in the air force, during the latter half of the 19970'2. According tho the story line. Colonel Steve Austin was born during WW2. That made his age, during the show, at around 35 or 36 yrs old. Assuming he was commissioned, as a second lieutenant at 22, there is no way that he could be a full colonel, at 35. The highest rank, he could have, would be a major.

[@pabloboy6397]

@@ojivey8273 I may be wrong, but I believe his being an astronaut who had "walked on the moon" (ha ha ha) is what gave him the default rank of colonel.

[@ojivey8273]

@@pabloboy6397 Default rank promotions, or brevet, as they were called, had not existed since WW1.. Senior officers in the Air force, had to have a certain amount of time in grade, to be promoted, astronaut or not.

[@alfredthegreat9543]

Easily has one of the best openings of any TV show- the images, the voiceover, and the music/audio effects.

[@DennisNelson-ee2il]

How many people out there, old enough to have watched this when it originally aired,and pretended to be Steve Austin,the next day in the playground.

[@FlorentinoRebuildingCo.5644]

Yup, that was me. 3rd Grade. Bell Gardens, California.....a long time ago. I'm actually humming the theme song as I type and will do the springing special effect sound as I get up off my chair next.

[@DsRandomMemories]

Heck, I had the action figure with the red track suit.

[@ditzygypsy]

Well, not Steve, but yes, I pretended to be Jaime Sommers. When I was 10, my mom sent me downstairs to get the ice cream. I ripped open our brand new deep freezer that, unbeknownst to me and anyone else in the house, was locked. My dad just looked at me in complete disbelief and said “How? How did you DO that?!” I am not a big person and really, not particularly strong, but somehow… . 🤣🤣

[@mf7482]

The Original series came out while I was a senior in high school, when they added the Bionic Woman, I had my then girlfriend to marry me on graduation night, I was always hoping that Steve and Jaime would get married, because I was living vicariously through Steve and I wanted the dream in real life for me to come true. Its funny that they had Jaime as a tennis pro, before she became a school teacher, I wonder if they were mirroring Pro Tennis's JImmy Conners and Chris Evert era.

[@FlorentinoRebuildingCo.5644]

@@mf7482 Looks like you won mf7482.......sounds like you married your super hero wife. Perfect ending for a Hollywood happy ending if you ask me. I think Steve Austin, would agree.

[@vandalorianvandalorian4769]

This was my favorite TV show as a kid in the 70’s.

[@672macknasby7]

To an 8 year old little boy in 1976, Stefanie Powers in that blue jumpsuit, was drop dead georgous. In the years after the show, I used to say that Col. Austin cost 6 million to build, in the mid 70's. And today he'd be about 6 billion, but with depreciation, he's only worth 60 bucks.

[@williammitchell4417]

Stefanie was indeed a knockout in Hart to Hart

[@ojivey8273]

Loved the show. I served in the air force, during the latter half of the 19970'2. According tho the story line. Colonel Steve Austin was born during WW2. That made his age, during the show, at around 35 or 36 yrs old. Assuming he was commissioned, as a second lieutenant at 22, there is no way that he could be a full colonel, at 35. The highest rank, he could have, would be a major.

[@yardarm5]

My favorite era 1976. I was a six year old squinting my imaginary bionic eye. P.s. big foot was unbelievable 🎉

[@davidbowman2716]

Here in Mexico we call Steve Austin 'El Hombre Nuclear'. Great show. Thanks for the memories.

[@robertbrown380]

Jules Winnfield would appreciate that.

[@noneya3635]

Lol, the Nuclear Homie that's alright.

[@ameliadiaz8040]

And to Jamie Sommers, 'La Mujer Biónica'.

[@geographicaloddity2]

Fembots definitely left an impression on me, but the Bigfoot storyline was the best.

[@tonnywildweasel8138]

This brings back good memoires from my childhood. Thanks for sharing, appreciate it a lot 👍 Greetings from the Netherlands, T.

[@LymanPhillips]

I loved this show and remember jumping around and running in slow motion and squinting to see far. Pkus you got to try and make the electronic sounds with your mouth while doing all of that. Such a fun time!

[@sammcbride2149]

I'm heartbroken that B.J. And The Bear never came out on DVD. It's one of my most beloved shows from the 70's. As for The Six Million Dollar Man I do have that on DVD.

[@scifiandmore]

Sam, BJ and the Bear just facinated me when I was a kid. All I wanted to do was get a that big red an white 18 wheeler and drive around with a chimp, lol. Thanks for watching, we hope you enjoyed the video and there is more to come, stay tuned. Mike

[@toddlee2571]

6 million dollars today is just extensive dental work

[@cryptohivemind205]

You must be American, I feel for you yanks who have to worry about health care or money it shouldn't be like that but I'm from the UK so I do feel for you guys

[@toddlee2571]

@@cryptohivemind205 I've traveled to Europe. I'm just fine, thanks for asking.

[@user-ne6lr3rg8x]

Brings back great memories. Love it. Still the best show opener ever too. What was unbelievable is that the editor/producer didn’t have the manipulative editing tools we have now and look what he was able to achieve?! Still holds up even now. Practically no show opens can say that. They practically all have outdated themselves. Not the SMDM.

[@michaelriebandt6754]

I remember watching all episodes of Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman. That was great T.V. in 70's I remember trying to be Steve Austin on playground.

[@scifiandmore]

@michaelriebrandt6754, Thank you for your comment, I'm right there with you. When I was a kid all of us on the playground were trying to be Steve Austin as well, especially after Bigfoot came into the series. It was good times back then. Thank you for your comment, it is greatly appreciated. Stay tuned, there is more Sci-Fi to come. Have a great day. Mike

[@sws5833]

Thanks for the video, being born in 73 one of my Earliest childhood memories was sitting in front of the Tv with my parents and watching the bigfoot episode that aired in October of 77, will never forget it and this video just took me right back there. Was a far better simpler time back then

[@ojivey8273]

Loved the show. I served in the air force, during the latter half of the 19970'2. According tho the story line. Colonel Steve Austin was born during WW2. That made his age, during the show, at around 35 or 36 yrs old. Assuming he was commissioned, as a second lieutenant at 22, there is no way that he could be a full colonel, at 35. The highest rank, he could have, would be a major.

[@SciHeartJourney]

Awesome, the Seven Million Dollar Man (Monte Markham) was almost the Six Million Dollar Man! I loved his performance in Midway.

[@alexisnicole3965]

"This video is fantastic! It captures the essence of the 70's perfectly, bringing back so many wonderful memories. I can't help but feel nostalgic watching it.". Thank you for your videos Mike Cosmos, keep on working hard with some more.

[@kimmerriweather815]

This was my favorite show. I even had the dolls - him and bionic woman

[@scifiandmore]

@kimmerriweather815, Thank you for your comment. That is AWESOME that you had the dolls. When I was a kid I really wanted the Steve Austin "Action Figure" with the eye you could look through, but I never actually had one. Some of my childhood friends had a good portion of the collection, so I played with theirs when I was younger. The SMDM was my favorite as well until Battlestar Galactica rolled out in 1979. But the SMDM made such an impression on me that my childhood best friend and I still talk about the show to this day. Thank you again for your comment, it is greatly appreciated. And stay tuned, there is more sci-fi to come. Have a great day. Mike

[@wjec1970]

I had Steve, Jaime, Oscar and Maskatron! Many happy days with those action figures...:-)

[@kemz1969]

@@wjec1970 I bet those action figures are worth $$$$ now

[@donaldallen9804]

I had the six million Dollar Man doll I had the bionic woman doll I even had the Oscar Goldman doll. Favorite show of my childhood

[@samey8960]

Hands up if you had the toy 🤚✋

[@garybryant9097]

Yes.

[@donaldallen9804]

I think I had every 6 million dollar man toy and accessory

[@donaldallen9804]

🖐️

[@J_321Ignition]

Great video! The 6MDM still captures the imagination just like it did during childhood!

[@alfredoagosto1196]

The best of six million dollar man is lee majors as steve austin.

[@scifiandmore]

@alfredoagosto1196, You will get no argument from me on that one. Lee Majors was the perfect choice for that character. Thank you for your comment, we hope you enjoyed our video, and stay tuned there is more Sci-Fi to come. Have a great day. Mike

[@alfredoagosto1196]

@@scifiandmore 😉👍👏❤💘

[@bigomz74]

I use to run in slow motion and make the bionic sounds 😂😂

[@glennhubbard5008]

I was watching this all the way through on Roku. I was midway through Season 3 when NBC abruptly transferred it from their app over to Peacock, a pay service. A show that was 45 years old.

[@RebelMerc]

I grew up watching all the shows and really enjoyed them. I had most of the toys... wish I still had them lots of good memories.

[@deborahd7321]

I was really wrapped up on Lee Majors and still love the Six Million Dollar Man I am 62 years old now. A true Lee Majors fan.

[@nancysonneman1530]

I was a fan of Lee's from his Big Valley days. I watched all the shows Lee was in. I love Lee!!!! I'm 66!

[@booboolips6053]

No one looked better running in a leisure suit😎

[@winstonian88]

As a little kid, I loved SMDM. But I hated that he could lift a car with his arm and legs with no explanation that both are attached to his torso, more notably his back, which would fold in the process. Sci-fi can stretch the boundaries of current technology, but shouldn’t so blatantly violate basic, everyday physics. It ruins the willful suspension of disbelief.

[@jamesbarbour8400]

Always thought the same to be honest. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link - the non bionic rest of his body in this case. Lifting and running apart, all that leaping down from very high places, would have placed ones internal organs under strains they weren't designed to withstand, from a purely physiological standpoint

[@HernTheHunter]

When I was a kid I had a Steve Austin action figure and his rocket that was also an operating room. So, he and my G.I. Joe would have adventures together fighting my dinosaurs and such. Good times and memories. I was also a huge fan of the TV Series Stave and Jamie stared in.

[@scifiandmore]

@stevenschoolmeester8607, Thank you so much for your comment, it is greatly appreciated. I am glad you enjoyed our video. I never had a Steve Austin action figure, but I did have a G.I. Joe, and I would do an entire Land of the Lost thing with the dinosaurs I had. But I always made sure my large G.I. Joe always wiped out the inhabitants of my imagination inhabitants of my Land of the Lost, not the dinosaurs, but the couple of 3 1/2 inch micronauts action figures I had. They never beat G.I. Joe. Ah to be a kid again. Thank you again for your comment, and stay tuned, there is more Sci-Fi to come. Have a great day. Mike

[@SciHeartJourney]

I think my very favorite episode is Populaton Zero. Steve is eventually identified as being from Ojai, CA, which is nearby to me in Los Angeles. It's a small town, very beautiful. Steve is portrayed as the likeable kind of guy that remembers the people he grew up with. That was a POWERFUL message that still resonates with me to this day; "remember where you came from".

[@albundy6008]

That was one of the things I always liked about him. Even though he was a famous astronaut and test pilot, he still really cared about people he met during his top secret missions for the OSI. I remember him helping a kid who had a bicycle accident by twisting the frame back into shape.

[@ridiculous_gaming]

I'm still mad for not taking better care of my 6 million dollar man action figure...it did get tons of use though.

[@macrosense]

The slow motion of 1970s tv shows was inspired by the prevalent use of Valium and quaaludes

[@petesmith4498]

Great deep dive, Mike. If you're not familiar with the 60s/70s sci-fi shows of Gerry Anderson, such as Space:1999, UFO or Thunderbirds, they could be worth a look.

[@scifiandmore]

Pete, Thank you for your comment, it is greatly appreciated. I am probably more familiar with 60s/70's/and 80's sci-fi than I am with the 1950's movies. When I was young, I loved Space 1999. I did another video called Back to the Moon that covered the current Artemis missions to return man to the moon, and I tried to slip some Space 1999 images in there. With Thunderbirds I have a passing familiarity. I've seen clips of it, but never consistently watched the series. And I have heard of UFO, but actually never seen it. But I'm glad you brought this up because once I sufficiently finish the 1950's sci-fi (Movies & TV Shows) videos I'm working on, I plan to move into the 60's and then the 70's. So that makes this a great time to get reacquainted with these classics that you mentioned. Thank you again for the comment, you gave me some great material to work with. Stay tuned, and have a great day. Mike

[@topangus123]

How is this not a movie yet?

[@wjec1970]

I heard that there was a reboot being made a few years ago with Mark Wahlberg as the lead role. It doesn't look like there's been any updates for a few years since that so maybe it's not happening...

[@topangus123]

@@wjec1970 Walberg would be a great choice….that dude deserves a franchise after all this time 😂

[@flixsymmetry]

Thanks for the video. Being a kid in the 70s sure was fun. Lots of great shows. I was a big fan of this one. Still have my action figure! Watching them now I do prefer the early seasons before all the silly sounds effects. Also the attention to detail (not sweating on the right side, etc.) was nice. The slow motion heartbeat running sequence at end of Population Zero is still one of my fav scenes.

[@SirViving]

I used to watch this in the 70’s in South Africa. Great memories!

[@scifiandmore]

@SirViving, Thank you so much for the comment it is greatly appreciated. I am glad you enjoyed our video, and like yourself I had such great memories of this show when I was a kid. Thank you again for your comment, stay tuned, there is more Sci-Fi to come. Have a great day. Mike

[@SciHeartJourney]

OMG, I never realized it, but Bigfoot was one of the FIRST victims of "gaslighting" that I ever saw in my life! I was really young when this episode came out, but I know gaslighting has been around for as long a mankind has.

[@williammitchell4417]

The first Bigfoot was played by none other than Andre the Giant

[@Rotorcop12a]

I watch this show everyday. Enjoy all the old tech and cars

[@MountainDewComacho494]

This was my favorite show at the time. Thanks for this history.

[@albertowen1025]

GREAT DOCUMENTARY!! Kind of makes you wonder again what aircraft the Air Force tested (and still testing) at Groom Lake, Nevada...better known as Area 51. It was good to see the actual reference to where the SMDM got its' beginnings. This was great. THANK YOU!!

[@scifiandmore]

@albertowen1025, Thank you for your comment, and we are so glad you enjoyed our video. You raise an interesting discussion point. Area 51 is one of locations that has been shrouded in mystery for decades. I could spend years making videos about Area 51, however given the security clearance, especially from the past, the videos might sound more like conspiracy theories. But one thing about Area 51 is that its a location that offers so much to fiction writers, and storytellers because of the mysteries surrounding it. I wonder myself what type of aircraft are being developed and tested there, and maybe its better that we don't know. But one thing is for sure, it is an intriguing location. Thank you again for your comment, it is very much appreciated. Stay tuned, there is more Sci-Fi to come. Have a great day. Mike

[@davidsmith1162]

Always Loved The SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN. Watched Every Episode. Love Lee Majors😊.

[@ditzygypsy]

I also loved the original Battlestar Galactica and BJ and the Bear. I was 13 and had such a crush on Greg Evigan. All my friends did. We were bummed when he got married. Fast forward to 1989 when I met my husband, we were talking about old TV shows and I told him about my crush and subsequent disappointment. He laughed and told me “I played at Greg Evigan’s wedding.” (He is more than ten years older than me and originally from NJ, but came to Canada by way of California.) I thought that was pretty bizarre!

[@ducknorris233]

I watched this on it’s first run and even as a kid some of the feats of strength didn’t make sense. No matter how strong your arm the rest of your body couldn’t anchor it to let you break a chain.

[@ArmyOne519]

There is nothing like Lee Majors as the Six Million Dollar Man 🇺🇸

[@barryklinedinst6233]

I grew up wanting to be Steve Austin. I joined the USAF When I was 19. I still break the box set out and play them. There was no blood or foul language. Something today's shows should do

[@SidebandSamurai]

Don't forget the bionic Dog Max, First appeared on the Bionic Woman series and the bionic Boy which appeared on the Six Million Dollar Man.

[@philwright6940]

As a kid growing up I had a Steve Austin action figure and I still have it 40 years +

[@Hannsfeld]

It's Air Force 'Office of Special Investigations', which is a real organization, and the lifting body in the intro is the 'HL-10', not the 'M2-F2' which came earlier, both lifting bodies also being real. There may be some 'M2-F2' crash footage in there because it did crash, but the aircraft shown attached to the B-52 mothership was the 'HL-10'.

[@scifiandmore]

@Hannsfeld, Thank you for your comment it is greatly appreciated. And you are correct. In the real world, OSI is the Air Force Office of Special Investigation. And when you look at the show, the OSI was referenced as a scientific research component to the Air Force, but only for the show. In the book Cyborg, which is the book the SMDM was based on, the OSI in that book is actually referred to as the OSO. In the real world the Air Force component that deals in scientific research is the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). Also, I do appreciate the HL-10 reference. I'm glad you pointed that out. I thought I had gotten it correct when I was doing my research on the lifting body, but I am not afraid to admit when I am wrong. Great catch. Thank you again for your comment, and stay tuned, there is more sci-fi to come. Mike

[@richardvinsen2385]

Without a bionic skeleton, Steve and Jamie would never function. As soon as they tried to lift a car, their arm would rip out of the shoulder. Running at 60 mph would destroy the hips in no time.

[@rtyler1869]

party pooper - why let real science and physics get in the way of a good story

[@joblo497]

Supplements are key here

[@trishaannglynn7728]

Thank you.

[@trishaannglynn7728]

One good heavy lift would have been the end. Yet at running at 60 mph, the non-bionic arm stayed at pace with the bionic arm.

[@devcybiko]

I recall that they did reconstruct Steve's spine which allowed him to do his amazing things. HOWEVER - pulling a helicopter from the sky without an anchor to the ground IS quite the scientific faux pas.

[@SteveBrant55]

The problem with the concept (as envisioned by Caidin and used by the show) was that Steve Austin's spine was still a normal human spine. There's no way it could handle the stresses placed on it by the bionic legs and arm. Only a fully mechanized suit (think Iron Man) could withstand the forces resulting from running, jumping, etc that the character exhibited. That being said, I remember enjoying the show as a youngster. I didn't think about the science back then. Oh yes... Wonder Woman could do all that she could do because she was a legitimate goddess... super strong body all around. I loved that show back in the day too!

[@technopirate304]

Very true. I remember reading a story in which a character had a mechanical arm. But to prevent her spine from snapping they had to reinforce it as well

[@davidevans3227]

i think i was at the exact age to enjoy this six.. man i loved it.. i think my friend had a doll/action- man type figure.. with a magnifying eye.. i was so jealous.. thankyou for sharing this 🙂

[@barryallenflash1]

Well, I'm surprised you left this out. The guy they originally chose to play Steve, came back to play the 7 million dollar man. Both arms AND legs were bionic. If I'm not mistaken, he was a race car driver and VERY cocky, which caused a LOT of friction between him and Steve. Had the "dolls" of Steve and Maskatron when I was a kid...wish I still had them today...oh well. LOVE this video! Thanks for making AND sharing this!! One of my favorite shows as a kid!

[@queenannsrevenge100]

This was my introduction to sci-fi as a kid; it wasn’t until later I was introduced to Star Wars and Star Trek or doctor who.

[@phillips2683]

Thanks for bringing back some fond memories! I missed a lot of these shows (I was working as a DJ in nightclubs) but seeing alot of them on the web !!

[@classifiedtopsecret4664]

It would be great to see you cover The Fall Guy...that is my 2nd favourite TV series of all time. .after The Six Million Dollar Man 💪🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️💪

[@scifiandmore]

@classifiedtopsecret4664, Thanks for your comment. That is a great idea. I loved The Fall Guy as well when I was younger. It was an interesting concept for a show idea, but I concept I completely bought in on. While The Fall Guy isn't a Sci-Fi show, I did include "And More" in the name of my channel. This would defiantly fall into the "And More" portion. But I love the idea. Thanks for the great suggestion, and stay tuned, there is more Sci-Fi to come. Have a great day. Mike

[@mattosullivan9687]

I loved this when it came out and I was 12. So happy that Lee is still with us. However I have a confession. I fly RC planes, when we crash badly, someone says The Six Million Dollar Man.

[@vinceburgess9012]

Thanks for sharing this. A great trip from one of my favorite shows. Good job!

[@johnfleet235]

I nasa man came to our school and said the pilot of the craft that crashed survived and did not need bionics, but he did break a whole bunch of bones.

[@noahbawdy3395]

I always remember when a steel I-Beam was dropped on him, or him lifting the side of a car... stuff like that and I would ask the TV, "When did he get a Bionic Back ?"

[@richardthomas754]

I believe in the book his rib cage and spine were somehow strengthened. Not in the tv show.

[@George-pp2hr]

This series was ahead of it's time with technology introduced to a human being thus 'Cyborg'. Despite the series episodes starting to be a little tired it did well. Lee Majors is great.👍

[@tunkunrunk]

Lee Major is still alive , in his 80's

[@LatitudeSky]

That slow motion action trick may be the greatest special effect ever developed, because there isn't an effect. It's just actors pacing movement and an overcranked camera or footage run in reverse. And yet, what does that yield? Action sequences you absolutely cannot ignore, that cost almost nothing to shoot and nobody even notices or complains that it's a dirt cheap gimmick. Kids imitate the hell out of it. Everybody loves it. Whether it originated in Kung Fu or this show, it was pure genius. An extremely powerful and effective effect that wasn't an effect. Brilliant. Should have won awards. Aside from that, I'd have mentioned Oliver Nelson's music as another element of the success. The work he did for this show still ranks among some of the best soundtrack score ever created and Nelson poured his heart and soul into it, ultimately dying from overwork. But the unforgettable music he left behind is still a signature of this show, 50 years later.

[@LPCLASSICAL]

its funny though that they show slowed down sequences of him running 60 MPH. they sped it up once to show him doing 60 and it was hilarious

[@guillermodiego819]

Very good and comprehensive look at the series!

[@MeaHeaR]

Lindsey Wagnér was GORGEOUS 😍😍

[@ARWest-bp4yb]

I was one of those kids running around the playground in slow motion!🤣 Never saw it much in reruns over the years, and hadn't seen the first movie since it first aired until the DVD set came out. Thanks Mike!👍👍

[@bobbyhulll8737]

As a little Kid in the 70’s it was awesome as a teenager in the late 80’s we had out grown it and up to other things. . So much had happened on screen elevating the genre.

[@davedropd1]

This was very good... we didn't have the cg & special effects then that we do now.... What we DID HAVE was better quality stories and superior real quality actors which made the shows work and I think be legendary and rewatchable, Glen Larson, donald bellisario, and stephen j. cannell were responsible for my entire childhood television viewing, I was blessed... 👍.....

[@Sashazur]

Eh the plot for every episode of this show was basically the same thing

[@4vmax]

Awesome video

[@scifiandmore]

@4vmax, Thank you for your comment, and we are glad you enjoyed our video. When I was a kid the Six Million Dollar Man just stood out. It was different for the time, and it had, and still has a big fan base. So because it was special to me, and real life NASA and Air Force footage is right there in the intro, I wanted to make sure I with this video that the Six Million Dollar Man got the proper respect the show earned. There was so much more I could have put in there but didn't because the video was already getting longer. I am thinking about doing a part 2 to this video, so let me know if you would be interested in a part 2. Thank you again for your comment it is greatly appreciated. And stay tuned, there is more Sci-Fi to come. Have a great bionic day. Mike

[@darylSKYTZOwillis]

Great video. I don’t remember seeing the made for TV movies but I did watch the series both bionic woman and $6 million dollar man. I love watching those as much as Happy Days, Fantasy Island, and Love Boat.😊

[@adrianvanleeuwen]

Thanks for an excellent review of the making of the Six Million Dollar Man. You mention many things about the show (like the original pilot crash in the title) not covered in other reviews. Best of luck with your channel!

[@scifiandmore]

@adrianvanleeuwen, Thank you very much for your comment, it is greatly appreciated. The Six Million Dollar Man was always special to me when I was a kid, like all little boys during the 1970's. And I am a fan of history, so I wanted to put some emphasis on the real life aircraft and the pilot of the craft that crashed, the real life Six Million Dollar Man. I will be doing more videos covering shows from the 1970's once I complete my 1950's Sci-Fi series, so stay tuned, there is more sci-fi to come. Thank you again, and have a great day. Mike

[@clintvanderklok7269]

I was in grade 1 when Bigfoot came out.... It scared the SHATner out of me. Loved it, and the whole storyline of the Probe was soooooo cool too.

[@Starchface]

This must have taken a ton of research. Excellent video sir. My favorite episodes were the ones with the white robotic tank device that we see a glimpse of at 14:30 in the video. To me at the time it seemed Austin may have met his match in this adversary. Of course he eventually triumphed, but those episodes stick in my memory more than any others. Thanks for making the video. It's a trip down memory lane.

[@fredsalter1915]

"He's off to New Orleans or who knows where.... it's B.J. McCay and his best friend Bear!!!!!!!"

[@lukestrawwalker]

I wish that show and its spinoff, "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo" would come out on DVD... or at least run on the streaming channels...

[@SciHeartJourney]

Hey, that's John de Lancie ("Q") from Star Trek TNG looking at Steve's arm at 13:40 ! 🤩

[@williammitchell4417]

As in the poor soldier who fainted?? Good eye!!

[@dmansf49ers71]

I was with you all the way while you were discussing my favorite childhood show, other than you failed to mention the Mars rover episodes😢 second-best storyline in the series 💯👍

[@yourhandlehere1]

I got the Six Million Dollar Man for Christmas. I was a bit disappointed with the first look through his head.

[@spaceenemiesnovel]

I had one too. And his counterpart with the replaceable arms. It had a robot face and Steve Austin's face. Six Million Dollar Man figure had this lever and the backside but cant remember what it did.

[@jackraintree4351]

This was my favorite show growing up. My mom even wrote Lee Majors and he sent me an Autograph picture (I am sure it was really from his office but I was so excited to get it)

[@scifiandmore]

@jackrain4351, That is AWESOME. I never had that luck. I wrote to the SMDM as well. I wish I would have gotten autographed picture. Absolutely outstanding. Keep that as new as possible, thats a great collectable. Thank you for watching our channel. Stay tuned, there is more sci-fi on the way. Have a great day. Mike

[@jackraintree4351]

@@scifiandmore unfortunately that picture is long gone I really don't know what happened to it but it was nice that they sent it

[@studioshitaketakashita7093]

I loved this show I was born in '73 and before VHS (and Beta for 5 min lol) thanks to the super powers of *syndication* I grew up on the Glen A Larson fare - Six Mill/Bionic W, Battlestar G etc. And then also other shows like Starsky and Hutch and Tom Baker's Dr. Who. Seventies TV was truly amazing. While '60s shows like The Fugitive w/ David Janssen had location work, I marvel still at all the incredible location filming done on the shows of the '70's and 80's. CHiPs. The A-Team. Airwolf. etc. Magnum PI. But Six Million Dollar Man - was it all done in Griffith Park? or the backlot that they had from Gilligan's Island? it was incredible how much location work, plus the incredible wire work I guess for their jumps - those stunts and the practical special effects - real looking props that Steve could bend like rubber because they really were - and the explosions like all the pyro on these shows there was sets and locations and practical VFX - did Lee Majors ever get to like go home? You watch an episode and you can imagine they were like working ALL THE TIME from all those setups etc. I read a few Martin Caidin novels, incl. non-Steve Austin ones - and he was an interesting personality, everyone should research him. But very special kudos to the TV people who ingeniously took the best ideas and improved on them. In the novels, Steve was more like Inspector Gadget. His bionic arm had tools in it. He could switch versions of his arm depending on what the conditions called for. The TV people in charge really had it all figured out with the synthesizer/electronics, the slow motion (except the end-credits where Steve is shown running fast-motion or I guess "real time" LOL) Lee Majors is underrated and he's in his prime during the 70's. Like Starsky and Hutch, it was funny to see the 1976 'stache phase like David Soul did! It was funny how movies in the seventies often paved the way for the shows that followed next season on the Big 3 tv pilots schedule etc... BJ and the Bear from Every Which Way But Loose/Any Which Way You Can and Convoy; Balltestar from Star Wars, Airwolf from Blue Thunder. and Firefox... The androids in 6 Mill/Bionic woman inspired by Westworld/Futureworld movies... There was payback I think like when Roger Moore is parading around the Amazon in Moonraker in '79 - Jaws the henchman is there and that's like Bigfoot - 007's tan leisure suit is a nod to Steve Austin's wardrobe. The best element of Six Million Dollar Man to me was the unique blend of military/espionage with science fiction - a perfect blend thanks to Steve's prosthetics. There was so much "Science" in the show like when they'd try to overpower Steve by locking him in a freezer - radiation, electronics... and even tapping in to the 70's new age/paranormal fetish - just go on Coast to Coast AM now and there are so many stories about how Bigfoot is controlled by aliens...! LOL But other than that, it was sort of fantastic high tech like special robotic technology made to look like Oscar or John Saxon lol Damn, the casting was so good too - Richard Anderson and the two Martin's playing Rudy - Lindsay Wagner, of course too - so good - they really crafted something so speicial like honestly when you look at what they had available to them back then to make the shows, they did everything I believe as perfectly as they could have - I don't see how anything could have been done any better, same for Wonder Woman with Linda Carter. While I applaud any attempt to resurrect and rekindle, I feel Mark Wahlberg leaves me with a *cringe* - there was a period where the seventies shows were retcon'd in movies - but often disastrously like the Ben Stiller/Owen Wilson Starsky & Hutch *comedy* what a waste. Also, the Dukes of Hazzard with Jessica Simpson... need I go on. Actually, rather than a movie, they should develop a real good 6 MILLION DOLLAR MAN/BIONIC WOMAN triple A video game - I could see that being big. You are playing as either Steve or Jamie and you learn about your new powers and have all sorts of adventures that only you can get out of - a video game would be able to be closer to the spirit of the original TV shows without trying to fast forward to today's world etc like the modern movies remakes often try to do to make it "current" in trying to be more relatable. Kinda like Godzilla had it's time being a sort of commentary on nuclear weapons/Hiroshima, 6 Million Dollar Man also is a unique product of it's time and has a delightful charm because of it's ties to 1970's way of life. NASA was still landing people here and there on the moon - the shuttle was being developed. Jim Fixx and his jogging boon - the fitness craze. People were hang-gliding and hot air ballooning in the seventies - all the kind of adventure things we saw in the shows. It wouldn't fit in so well today. this hilarious mashup of Steve Austin's finest moments aptly serves to remind us - just how dang hard they all really worked to bring us these amazing action packed 1 hour episodes each week, week after week, all those years, all shot on film, without CGI... without AI, lol...Lee Majors - one tough fella, a hero. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kH23hpWAnKmKnJY

[@scifiandmore]

@studioshitatakeakasshita7093, First let me tell you that is a long KZbin handle to get through, lol. Second, I’m not sure, but I think you just became my favorite person on the planet. You brought up so many good things. You even brought up the fugitive, OMG, that’s amazing. I have Battlestar Galactica and Dr. Who scripts written. There is a lot I have coming that I think you will enjoy. Seriously, your comment is the best comment I have ever received. Subscribe to the channel, and let me know if there is something you would like to see. I will do my best to make it happen. Thank you so much for your comment, and stay tuned. There is more to come. Mike

[@benrobertsuk]

Excellent comment,you brought me back to my innocent childhood days,and made me shed a tear.😢 Take care my friend and good tidings to you and all❤ UK🇬🇧🍻

[@thisolddog2259]

Him and Kirk did pretty good with the ladies!

[@snoopytrekschannel]

..I appreciate your video. Wasn't what I expected. Was hoping it was more of a behind the scenes, how the show were developed and produced. That for example Stephanie Powers was actually supposed to play Jamie Sommers, and Monte Markham was originally considered as Steve Austin, that both shows were in the top 10 almost every week, Lindsay's emmy win for her show, that the reunion movies were done to meet the demand of millions of worldwide fans. Lots of great stories out there. And oh yeah, I've met Lee and Lindsay twice now. Amazing people and I was 14 all over again. Thanks

[@rmolina217]

Sorry for the inconvenience, but the Lifting Body depicted was the Northrop HL-10, not the M2-F2. Similar, same company, same mission. But not the same machines. The info about Mr. Peterson´s misfortune are accurate, including the crashed craft, the M2-F2. Since it´s replacement, the M2-F3 was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1973, the producers of the show may have had access only to it´s "older brother", the HL-10. It´s currently on display at the entrance of the Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards, CA. Mr Peterson has flown the HL-10 too, albeit only once.

[@scifiandmore]

@rmolina217, No worries, always happy to get accurate information. I thought I had gotten the lifting body depicted correct. But I think where my error came in was during my research on Mr.Peterson’s crash specifically, the M2-F2 came up with regularity, and I stayed on that point instead of taking the next step to confirm if that was the actual aircraft depicted in the show. Anyway, thanks for a great breakdown of the aircraft’s. It is greatly appreciated. Comments like these are awesome because you walk away learning something. Thank you again, and Stay tuned, there is more sci-fi to come. Have a great day. Mike

[@rmolina217]

@@scifiandmoreAlways a pleasure of being helpful. Keep up the excelent work you do.

[@davidsmith1162]

Always Enjoyed Watching The Six Million Dollar Man. Absolutely Loved Lee Majors. Saw Just About Every Episode. Loved His Wife(RIP Farrah Fawcett).

[@44excalibur]

The one problem I always had with The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman was that there was no way that Steve Austin and Jamie Sommers' human parts would be able to withstand the unbearable strain their bionic parts would put on them.

[@yourhandlehere1]

Shhhhh.

[@sfoeric]

I loved this show growing up in the 70s.

[@mjbl1787]

I had most of the toys. wishi still did...

[@ojivey8273]

Loved the show. I served in the air force, during the latter half of the 19970'2. According tho the story line. Colonel Steve Austin was born during WW2. That made his age, during the show, at around 35 or 36 yrs old. Assuming he was commissioned, as a second lieutenant at 22, there is no way that he could be a full colonel, at 35. The highest rank, he could have, would be a major.

[@jamesdetrick258]

The leisure suits Steve always wore! Running around the forest in dress shoes and not slipping

[@Writ3r_Dude]

Movie magic...lol.

[@thearthound]

Very cool episode, thanks. My request is for the very short lived... The Time Tunnel. Such a great concept, & cancelled way too soon.

[@charlesforbin6937]

TRIVIA FACTOID.......MARTIN BALSAM WAS FIRST CHOICE (BY STANLET KUBRIK) TO BE THE VOICE OF THE HAL 9000 IN 2001 MOVIE......BUT WAS CONSIDERED TO 'MID-WESTERN' SOUNDING.....

[@MemphiStig]

As a kid, I was a Big Valley fan, then this came along, and it was maybe my favorite besides Star Trek. I had a lot of the toys, and I watched both shows religiously. Well, maybe not religiously. They moved it from Friday to Sunday night, and we went to church, so I couldn't watch it. I wrote a letter to the local station complaining, and someone wrote me back saying sorry, it's a network thing. Oh, well, i caught up in re-runs eventually. My friend, a girl, and I frequently played this as kids. I especially loved Lindsay Wagner, surely one of the most beautiful women ever, and a fantastic actress. Lifetime crush. And Farrah Fawcett, Lee's wife. The Golden Goddess of the 70's. You totally left her out. (She was on the show once iirc.) And oh my, Stephanie Powers. Oh, but I could talk all day. Thanks for the video.

[@Minimalist-Lifestyle]

Excellent ! A very well researched video.

[@maraudermitchelli]

Excellent thank you for taking me back to my childhood.

[@evolv.e]

Great video. Loved 6 Million Dollar Man & Bionic Woman growing up. Also loved BSG, Buck Rogers, and Knight Rider. But then again, who didn’t? Great time to be alive. And yes, my friends and I also did the slow mo moves with bionic sounds at school during recess too!

[@ruthiemax3229]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGTZgKidqbOofJo

[@JF-lt5zc]

Same. Loved those shows. My friends and I also did the noises, slow motion runs, all of it. This summary was great. As a kid, I loved the big foot stuff and thought the ice tunnel was SO cool. We went to universal studios and they still had it as part of the tour. Thought I was going through a time warp. I will say, the Battlestar Galactica exhibit was disappointing, even for my 10 year old self. And, the crux of all of these shows, as noted, was Glen A Larson. That dude made my childhood!

[@scifiandmore]

@evolv.e, Thank you for your comment, it is greatly appreciated. I literally enjoyed all the shows you listed in you comment. I think your friends and my friends back in the day would have had a great time hanging our together. I would say we were all the right age to really enjoy all of those shows. Again, thank you so much for your comment, it is greatly appreciated. Stay tuned, there is more sci-fi to come. Have a great day. Mike

[@johnshields6852]

This show aired when I was about 10, back then the thought of prosthetic limbs, made super strong was a possibility in the near future, at least that's what I thought, seemed plausible

[@stechriswillgil3686]

Massive hit here in Britain. I took was a ten year old, and got the red tracksuit for my birthday! I used to run about making that funny noise when he uses his bionic eye. I WAS the bionic man ! Neighbours thought I was an odd little boy !

[@sparky6086]

When the original 3 TV movies came out, the military was seen as uncool, because of the controversial Vietnam War, so that's likely why they made the 6 Million Dollar Man a civilian in those. Also, this was conceivable, because the government went out of their way to describe Neil Armstrong as a civilian, not mentioning, that he once was Navy pilot. This was to keep up Eisenhower's theme to avoid militarizing space, because of the Cold War. Remember, they actually converted GI Joe from a military action figure into subversive tree hugger around that time. Boys always like playing soldier, so even though GI Joe remained a tree hugger for quite sometime, the general public disdain for ordinary GI's didn't last, so the TV show was able to go back to him being an Air Force Colonel.

[@ojivey8273]

Loved the show. I served in the air force, during the latter half of the 19970'2. According tho the story line. Colonel Steve Austin was born during WW2. That made his age, during the show, at around 35 or 36 yrs old. Assuming he was commissioned, as a second lieutenant at 22, there is no way that he could be a full colonel, at 35. The highest rank, he could have, would be a major.

[@MarcusAurileus]

The lifting body Austin pilots is the HL-10....but it is the M2-F2 that is shown crashing.

[@garyclark5419]

i remember the episodes where they have the robots with the faces pulled off

[@Sashazur]

Like the movie Westworld that was made roughly the same time.

[@AdultThirdCultureKid1971]

So do I. I saw an episode in which Jamie encountered a female robot with no face.