THis show was more important than many folks realize. I was born in the late 70s with VERY deformed legs. Most doctors wanted to amputate my legs. One said he could save them but if it didn't work they'd amputate when i was 5. THe original doctors inisisted on early amputation as if you cut a baby's legs off they don't know any different, but an older kid gets trumatised. Dad agreed to trying to save my legs and them decorated my nursery with nothing but bionic man stuff. I got EVERY toy. When star wars came out i got every robot. The thinking, if i lost my legs i would be just like my heroes. They ended up saving my legs, but i had 18 operations growing up, Sitting there having injections and some surgery without anasthesia would have been more trumatc if i didn't have a role model who often sat in a chair and had his limbs rebuilt infront of him. I don't think it's too extreme to say the 6 million Dollar man" saved my life. the truma i would have had without a role model would have been too much.
I am so grateful for all of the work you do Dan. Every post you do takes me back to the best memories of my life. I am a nostalgic person and I think that all of us who grew up in the 60's, 70's and 80's consider ourselves lucky to have had surely the best shows ever made for children and teenagers.
Prior to Star Wars, The Six Million Dollar Man defined my childhood! I still remember getting the action doll when I was in the 2nd grade. God, such great memories!
The Six Million dollar Man, Star Wars, and Superman The Movie defined my early childhood. I had a Steve Austin doll, the original Millennium Falcon, and my uncle Davey, who was one of those guys who put up billboards, plastered a huge Superman across my wall. I also had a Lou Ferrigno Incredible Hulk poster on my door. Wonderful, wonderful memories.
A magical time to be a kid! I am so greatful to have experienced it firsthand. Sunday nights SMDM was must see tv and then the thrill of discussing the episode the next morning on the school bus and at school with classmates. Memories I'll cherish forever!
I met Richard Anderson a few years before he passed. He had a lot of great stories of his years in Hollywood. Very nice gentleman, it was a pleasure meeting him.
@@Estes705 he was. I didn’t want to bring up his stuff on 6MDM. But I did bring up his early role in 1952s Scaramouche and he was surprised I saw the film (it’s a fav). And he started the conversation telling me all kinds of stuff from then as well as his role on Perry Mason. Great guy, I could have listened to him for hours telling me all that stuff.
@@the60skid48 I don't recall all the details, but one story I've heard credited to him is an experience of his while filming an episode of The Rifleman (the 1960's Western TV series). I can't do the story justice, but it went something along the lines of him recounting filming inside on the set of the town. The air conditioning was broken on the sound stage and it was over 100 degrees inside. One of the horses used during the filming got badly overheated and runny pooped all over the place, even splattering the mess onto the side of one of the buildings on set. The crew cleaned it up as best they could, but the production was behind schedule and there wasn't time to do a good thorough cleaning, so basically everything the horse "messed on" looked clean but still reeked of manure. The rest of the day everyone on set had to endure the stench of hot steaming horse manure. Some cast & crew couldn't stand the smell & had badly upset stomachs during filming. The next day supposedly wasn't much better. Lol
I had an uncle that lived out in California and worked from a defense contractor. He told me that during a missile test he was at a location for several days. During lunch someone asked him if he ever heard of the Six Million Dollar Man. He was then introduced to the real Six Million Dollar Man, the man who was piloting the test vehicle you see crashing at the beginning of every show.
@@FIREBRAND38 It was Bruce Peterson, who survived, but lost an eye due to secondary infection. Continued to be a test pilot and worked later at Northrup. Lived to be 72.
Interesting side-note about that test aircraft. The Bell HL-71 [I think that's the correct designation] testbed program (they show a few frames of the actual footage of the aircraft being launched, at the beginning credits of the tv show) was used to test wingless-airfoil and flight control capeabilities for gliding-in from high atmospheric re entry. It usually was launched from under the wing of a B52 aircraft, and then glided-in for landing. All of this research was being dome in the 1950's and 1960's, in preparation for... ...the reusable "Space Shuttle" program of the 1980's.
Born in 1967, I grew up on "The Six Million Dollar Man." Thank you so very much for this video! I agree wholeheartedly with you about the remakes. Great new set, btw,
Hats off to John Saxon!!! He was in the episode "Day Of The Robot." Totally scared the heck out of me!!! And when Steve knocked his face off,!!!!!! Wow! Still stuck in my head!!!
@@Darcsyde100 Just rewatched FP after Dan’s recent video on it. Good catch! Anderson was on so many series during the 60’s to 80’s. In the 1992 movie, The Player, he played himself. Such a recognizable character actor.
I’m 57 now and I believe Six Million Dollar Man was my absolute favorite show. In 1974 I was in fourth grade. I cried when Jamie died. It was amazing having her saved and getting her own show.
I'm 58 and I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who cried when Jamie died. I bet I'm also not the only Generation Jones-er who drove his parents nuts by constantly "running" around the house in slow motion - and yes, I made the accompanying sound effect and music.
Dear Mr. Monroe, Again & again you do a show on a show that I love to watch thanks for the link to Fans of the 6 Million Dollar Man & The Bionic Woman I signed on
Interesting tidbit, my father lost his right arm in a industrial accident in 1972. Part of his settlement with the company was a fully paid for life, physical rehabilitation through the UCLA Rehab Center. I often went with him for his rehab therapy sessions, where he would, over time, be fitted for prosthetics. Those film props were created with the help of those technicians at UCLA. I saw the real-life versions of the props being used... in real life. My father and I watch the Six Million Dollar Man religiously.
I met Lee Majors in Charleston SC in the early 1990's. I was fixing the A/C in his hotel room. He came in with golf bags. He was absolutely the nicest person. He was kind and jovial and polite in a southern sort of way. I've always really liked him. The episode with the Bigfoot scared the crap out of me. They did that really well.
As a big fan of TSMDM, this episode was a home run! Lot of information and curiosities. Love it! Can we start making new suggestions: The Man from Atlantis, perhaps? Thanks!
The infamous slow-mo "bionic" sound effect is almost certainly Hanna-Barbera/Sound Ideas' stock "Singing Sword" clip, created by recording a steel ruler on the edge of a table being twanged then slowed down 200x. During the shooting of a 1976 episode set at an amusement park, a crew member moving what he thought was a prop hanged man in one of the park's attractions realized it was an actual mummified corpse, soon identified as bank robber Elmer McCurdy killed in 1911, stolen by then passed down between various carnies. If Elmer's ignominious fate as a forgotten, passed-down sideshow attraction eventually mistaken for a dummy generations later sounds familiar to comic book fans, it's because 2 years later Jonah Hex writer Michael Fleisher wrote it as Hex's tragic ending while the story was still fresh in the public's mind. I have the original action figure with the solid unjointed hand and the engine block, Maskatron, and the bionic transport/repair station. Steve's likeness is arguably one of the most accurate 1970s action figure sculpts of a character based off an actual person; an ancient forum suggested a possible artist's name and at the time he had a website with similar-looking Civil War figurines, but he never replied to emails asking whether the Kenner $6MM figure's bust was his work or not. The OSI that Steve worked for was fairly obviously a nod to OSS (the WWII name for what became the CIA), but at the time selling a hero working for the CIA *and* violating its charter by doing domestic operations, at the same time Congress was threatening to defund it altogether for doing exactly that, was as good a reason as any to invent a generic alphabet agency with vaguely defined powers. Great video, thanks for the info. I do wonder from time to time whether the eyeball ended up in anyone's collection.
I remember getting the "Six Million Dollar Man " issue of Mad Magazine and they have Steve on the operating table....you hear "We can rebuild him, we can make him better, stronger, faster..." Out of the side of the panel comes Farrah Fawcett who quips, "...Faster isn't awlays better." I fell out of my chair. Being about 8 in the 1970's was fun.
Pretty sure I had that issue too, but my brain is too senior to remember for sure. I always picked up the latest issue of Mad back then, and sometimes Cracked, Crazy or something else while waiting for the next Mad issue. I was a fairly precocious child and got a lot of adult humor, but I'm not sure I would have got that joke at 8. Maybe at 10. 🙂
Didn't know Lee Majors insisted on no killings. Great idea. Always liked the way he portrayed the character --- not as Superman, but as a normal guy who had lost his own arm and legs Definitely a phenomenon on TV in the 70s. Appointment tv for sure. And Steve's great leisure suits!
Whenever I find myself on an operating table, about to be anaesthetized, I always say "STEVE AUSTIN, A MAN BARELY ALIVE!" The footage of Austin wiping out at the beginning of the show was actually test pilot Bruce Peterson crashing a Northrop M2-F2, a crash which Peterson survived.
@ 25:44 - I am glad that *someone* is prepared to express an opinion about this - I don't go to the cinema to *encounter* politics or culture wars - I to to *ESCAPE* them. Great video - please don't be scared to add your opinions since this is your channel, built on your hard work and extensive research, which, coupled with a great storytelling style (and a great "ending hook") makes these very enjoyable to watch. How about an interview with one of your heroes, in your inimicable style? I'd buy THAT for a dollar!
Richard Anderson (not to be confused with MacGyver) has the unique distinction of portraying the same character on two different shows on two different networks at the same time. The Bionic Woman started on ABC but moved to NBC during its final season.
Great episode, Dan. Thanks for the shoutout, although I'm not the curator of The Classified Exhibit. That's Kelly's position. I just help with admin work and the writing.
The Six Million Dollar Man was a superhero show before such shows were really a thing. The Incredible Hulk, Man From Atlantis (effectively Aquaman) and Wonder Woman came after SMDM started airing.
The Six Million Dollar Man was a very good adaptation of Martin Caidin's novel, Cyborg. This was THE show to watch back from 1974-1978, following its three 1973 TV movie adaptations. Lee Majors was perfectly cast as Col. Steve Austin, though the show opted not to utilize all the bionic capabilities presented in the novel. Hope to see a follow up video covering the original Bionic Woman next.
While taking the tram tour of Universal Studios, back in the '80s, before we entered the ice tunnel, the tour guide told us that during filming in the tunnel, Mr. Majors would get dizzy and fall down (the wall rotates around, over and under the tram) so they placed fake eyes on his eye lids and he ran through the tunnel with his eyes closed.
In 1976, my mom made me a Steve Austin tracksuit for Halloween and I was the envy of my school. There were three other bionic men, but they all had the Ben Cooper costumes. I admit I was looking forward to the Mark Wahlberg iteration, but maybe it was for best that it didn't happen.
Dan, thanks for the video. Everybody remembers Bigfoot buy my FAVORITE episode was the 4th season Venus probe two parter ("Death Probe" parts 1 and 2). Such a great idea and well executed for TV in the 1970s. Good stuff!
When they were filming an episode at an amusement park on a dark ride, one of the crew moved a mannequin and it broke revealing bones. It turns out it was actually a gunslinger from Oklahoma that had been embalmed, never claimed and had ended up in a sideshow traveling around the country. He was coated in a wax-like substance and displayed for decades without anyone knowing it was actually a corpse.
Another great video, Dan! Wow, Lee Major's two rules, "no blood, no killing" were pure genius! Truly a reflection of a time when ethics mattered, heroes were different from villains, and there really was a belief that the future could be bright. Thank you for taking us back to those hopeful days!
Loved this show as a kid! Couple years back my wife got me the box set and we had a great time rewatching it. It holds up really well and was so much fun to play 'oh look! it's that actor!' as well as enjoying those cool 70's fashions and cars. and the 'Season 6' comic series was short lived but a lot of fun.
Lee Majors was great casting, and I loved the show as a kid (still do today). Richard Anderson was an essential part of the show, and brought his gravitas to The Bionic Woman as well
I got to meet Lee Majors last Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee at Fanboy expo. He was super Awesome. I had Him sign my TV guide from 1974. Also had a photo made with Him.
I’ve heard that the bionic exhertion sound effect was created by recording the sound of a metal ruler being thwacked on the edge of a table top, and then the recording being slowed down. Sounds crazy enough to be true.
You missed one. As a kid I had Six Million Dollar Man sneakers. The sole read "Bionic Man"--if you stepped in mud (or in my case, wet cement) the text was left for all to see. Pure joy.
G'day it's Steven from down under again Thank you for taking me down memory lane. I recall owning a Steve Austin action figure with a hole in the back of his head where you could see through his bionic eye and if memory serves me correctly there was also a rubber skin-like sleeve on his right arm that could be rolled up to reveal the printed mechanics of his bionic arm too. To this day I still enjoy the opening sequence of this show, it's seriously cool. I also have to admit that I had a school boy crush on Lindsey Wagner, she was a strong and beautiful female character which for me was comparable to my other crush at the time, Linda Carter, two gorgeous and talented actors. "MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU"
I and many others agree with your opinion on the remakes & reboots & political views inserted in legacy movies and shows. That's one of the reasons you're so popular.
My good sir, I can't thank you enough for such a wonderful review of such a beloved show. The sentimental value of the same is priceless, and for that you have my utmost thanks and appreciation. I can hardly wait for your next posting. Keep 'em coming!!! 👍👍👍
This show got me through some really dark times. I stumbled on one of the channels (metv or roku maybe) that played marathons every week. I drank my coffee with Steve Austin every morning. Thanks Lee.
Two things, first you didn't mention the short lived TV series remake of the Bionic Woman in 2007. Second is just a fun fact. The cast mold of the Bionic Bigfoot toy was reused to make a large Chewbacca action figure by Kenner toys.
I met Lee Majors and Richard Anderson (RIP) at a Comic convention in New York in 2008. I received their autographs and shook hands. They were unbearably cool and very nice. 👍
I had 2 Oscar Goldman figures my friends got me for my birthday, not knowing what the other have bought. I eventually got the Steve Austin one later. Those were good times.
I worked on a pilot w Lee Majors that was starring him as himself, and the gist was he had created bionics in real life and was using a desperate college student to test his gear. It was pretty awesome and very funny but never released 😢
I read that the “plane” that he posed sitting in the “HL10” was a real lifting body, the M2 -F2 and the crash is real footage. The pilot of that plane actually lived through the crash. He did lose an eye. I don’t think he needed a bionic body though… That plane was rebuilt and renamed M2-F3 and flown again multiple times. They were testing control of a plane that led to the Space Shuttle.
As I recall, there were writers rules for Steve and Jamie. They could jump up 2 but not 3 floors. Without damage, they could jump down 3 but would sustain damage from a jump down of more than 3 floors. With they did this, both did have put their life at risk.
Great video as always Dan! Always got a kick out of the sound effects, the slide whistle with the Steve Austin leaps and falls, the “springy” sound associated with the slow motion running that always made me think he needed oil…and the “boop boop boop boop” connected with his bionic eye. 😅
One piece of triva: When Lee Majors was running through the ice tunnel, they had to do multiple takes because he kept falling down because the spinning tunnel made him disoriented.
My whole family loved the Six Million Dollar Man. My parents couldn't afford the toys, but they did buy me all of the novels (some of which were available from the Weekly Reader Children's Book Club in school). They also bought us the board game. Last year I puchased the blu-ray box set of the whole series. The picture quality is amazing and I'm very glad to have the series available to watch whenever I want.
This was great! What a walk down memory lane. I remember reading, "Cyborg" decades after I'd become a fan of the show. I had no idea what or whom the book was about, not even bothering to read past the title before purchasing it from a used book store. Imagine my surprise and delight in realizing what I held in my hands as I finished the first chapter. I was more excited than at the premiere of the TV series. I highly recommend every fan of the TV show pick up a copy of the book, but don't read it too fast! Relish it. Enjoy the images painted by the author in your mind's eye, pre-, and post-crash; detail that just couldn't be communicated through television. It will give you renewed interest in the tv series. I can't wait to purchase those DVDs! Thanks for covering this iconic series. Keep it up! 🍻
I loved this show growing up. I will never forget when I got my tonsils out and when my dad asked what would make me feel better after my surgery, I told him I wanted the Six Million Dollar Man figure. He drove to 5 different stores across the tri state area to find one for me. I took that doll everywhere I went until I discovered Star Wars.
So many great memories growing up as a young boy at that time. I had the repair module and the figure with the arm and bionic eye. How movies and shows were so great and now, its trash.
Born 1977 so I missed this. But it sounds awesome. I’ve seen the toys and they look amazing. Kinda sad I missed the Mego era. Yall had some great toys!!!
C'mon Dan, now that you've done Battlestar Galactica, Galactica 1980, the Planet of the Apes TV series, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and now The Six Million Dollar Man, it's time you do Space 1999!
I got the Six Million Dollar Man and the capsule for Christmas one year. It's probably still the one Christmas morning gift of my childhood that stands above the rest. I was a little too old to be believing in Santa, but I held on to that longer than most kids. My mom said she (Santa) went all over town looking for that because it was the one of the most popular toys that year.
Actually in the original novel by Martin Caiden Steve Austin had extensive modifications to his spine and existing skeletal structure, probably just an oversight by the producers of the series
I think they had a short lived series, "Misfits of Science." About kids with special abilities. I think Lee Majors came on that series as The Six Million dollar Man." To encourage them not to be afraid to be different. Lee also made guest appearances on Bionic Woman too. The original series.
........My favourite bit of The Six Million Dollar Man - which we saw in every episode - is the opening sequence, when the letters are being spelt out together with that test run, even years later its still cool. 👍👍👍
I was in 3rd grade and remember talking to my friends about the upcoming bout between Bigfoot and the Bionic man. We were split on who would be victorious, I thought Bigfoot would win.
Ha! Me too. My parents actually got me my own TV because of six million dollar man. My parents really didn't want to watch it but because it was such a big deal to me and my neighborhood and school friends. During that time, there was hardly a young boy that didn't make " The Sound" whenever jumping on or off something.
Cool. I was named after Lee Majors. I had both the Six Million Dollar Man and Maskatron action figures. I also had the model kit shown in the video, of Steve kicking down a door. Good memories.
I adored TSMDM, had all the epic merch, etc. The piece de resistance was when my folks took us to Universal Studios and not only got to see TSMDM stage show, but we actually got selected out of the crowd to have become the characters. It was actually pretty odd because me and my 3 brothers were sitting separate from our parents, and they needed 2 groups, and they randomly chose my brothers and I and then chose our parents from way on the other side of the audience. They were floored when we said, "you're not gonna believe this, but we're together." Anyway, my folks did the tug of war and pickup truck things and after doing the run effect, I got to "jump" over the airplane. The greatest treasure is we have silent super 8 mm home movies of it. GREAT memories.
When "The Six Million Dollar Man" first came out, it was preemptedpted by the local station in Dallas Ft. Worth. They broadcast adult oriented (R) movies. The station rebroadcast the show after the 10 o'clock news when kids were in bed. A kid based letter writing campaign helped convince the local station to stop preempting the show.
With respect, I was slightly disappointed that you didn't have more on the 'Evil Venus Probe'. I believe it appeared twice on SMDM and once on Bionic Woman. I was a child when I watched these episodes and found them to be quite scary and riveting to watch. I was more afraid of the probe then the Bigfoot episodes. Other than that, I'm enjoying the series.
I didn't appear on the Bionic Woman. I watched all of them a couple of years ago. I temember it being in $6M Man twice though. It looked like it was the toughest, heaviest machine possible at the time.
25:23 Same here. A wise man once said "How does it feel to live long enough to see all your favourite francises go down in flames?" I know how it feels.
Thank you so much. Enjoyed the entire presintation sir. I was born in 62, so I was 11 wjen it came out. I actually looked through the back of the head of a six million dollar man head and thought it would be like a binocular. Kind of grotesque but, loved the tv series! God bless, have a great week sir!
Dan, I really admire your professionalism and the production quality of your videos. As an aspiring video creator, I want to know what camera(s) you use, editing programs/software, studio equipment, how you acquire graphics & pictures/photos, etc. Every video I've seen you've done such a superb job. It's never boring, never dry and always engaging! Thank you!!
Loved this show and the Bionic Woman so much! I always wanted the Venus Space Probe toy but alas, never got around to buying it. Trying to find one now in excellent condition is going to require a bank loan! Thank you for the excellent deep dive into this show!
THis show was more important than many folks realize. I was born in the late 70s with VERY deformed legs. Most doctors wanted to amputate my legs. One said he could save them but if it didn't work they'd amputate when i was 5. THe original doctors inisisted on early amputation as if you cut a baby's legs off they don't know any different, but an older kid gets trumatised. Dad agreed to trying to save my legs and them decorated my nursery with nothing but bionic man stuff. I got EVERY toy. When star wars came out i got every robot. The thinking, if i lost my legs i would be just like my heroes. They ended up saving my legs, but i had 18 operations growing up, Sitting there having injections and some surgery without anasthesia would have been more trumatc if i didn't have a role model who often sat in a chair and had his limbs rebuilt infront of him.
I don't think it's too extreme to say the 6 million Dollar man" saved my life. the truma i would have had without a role model would have been too much.
@@deanallenjones lovely story...thanks for sharing❤
@@deanallenjones Great testimony, both me and my daughter have a similar one. Blessings!
As a kid, when any of us would try to lift anything heavy, or jump, we would make the "nu-nu-nu-nu-nuh" sound.
and did it help? like hell it did
@robertpease9834 same for me it was the best pretending to be like Steve austin
Haha I did it too
@@robertpease9834 so did I
😂😂😂😂 YES??? You could be one of my siblings!
I am so grateful for all of the work you do Dan. Every post you do takes me back to the best memories of my life. I am a nostalgic person and I think that all of us who grew up in the 60's, 70's and 80's consider ourselves lucky to have had surely the best shows ever made for children and teenagers.
Prior to Star Wars, The Six Million Dollar Man defined my childhood! I still remember getting the action doll when I was in the 2nd grade. God, such great memories!
The Six Million dollar Man, Star Wars, and Superman The Movie defined my early childhood. I had a Steve Austin doll, the original Millennium Falcon, and my uncle Davey, who was one of those guys who put up billboards, plastered a huge Superman across my wall. I also had a Lou Ferrigno Incredible Hulk poster on my door. Wonderful, wonderful memories.
A magical time to be a kid! I am so greatful to have experienced it firsthand. Sunday nights SMDM was must see tv and then the thrill of discussing the episode the next morning on the school bus and at school with classmates. Memories I'll cherish forever!
I met Richard Anderson a few years before he passed. He had a lot of great stories of his years in Hollywood. Very nice gentleman, it was a pleasure meeting him.
@@the60skid48 I've heard he was a complete book of interesting stories!
@@Estes705 he was. I didn’t want to bring up his stuff on 6MDM. But I did bring up his early role in 1952s Scaramouche and he was surprised I saw the film (it’s a fav). And he started the conversation telling me all kinds of stuff from then as well as his role on Perry Mason. Great guy, I could have listened to him for hours telling me all that stuff.
@@the60skid48 I don't recall all the details, but one story I've heard credited to him is an experience of his while filming an episode of The Rifleman (the 1960's Western TV series).
I can't do the story justice, but it went something along the lines of him recounting filming inside on the set of the town. The air conditioning was broken on the sound stage and it was over 100 degrees inside.
One of the horses used during the filming got badly overheated and runny pooped all over the place, even splattering the mess onto the side of one of the buildings on set.
The crew cleaned it up as best they could, but the production was behind schedule and there wasn't time to do a good thorough cleaning, so basically everything the horse "messed on" looked clean but still reeked of manure.
The rest of the day everyone on set had to endure the stench of hot steaming horse manure. Some cast & crew couldn't stand the smell & had badly upset stomachs during filming. The next day supposedly wasn't much better. Lol
I had an uncle that lived out in California and worked from a defense contractor. He told me that during a missile test he was at a location for several days. During lunch someone asked him if he ever heard of the Six Million Dollar Man. He was then introduced to the real Six Million Dollar Man, the man who was piloting the test vehicle you see crashing at the beginning of every show.
Bruce A. Peterson
@@FIREBRAND38 It was Bruce Peterson, who survived, but lost an eye due to secondary infection. Continued to be a test pilot and worked later at Northrup. Lived to be 72.
@@TripleBerg Yeah, I said Bruce Peterson.
@@FIREBRAND38
Maybe he didn't see your comment. He did give an interesting backstory.
Interesting side-note about that test aircraft. The Bell HL-71 [I think that's the correct designation] testbed program (they show a few frames of the actual footage of the aircraft being launched, at the beginning credits of the tv show) was used to test wingless-airfoil and flight control capeabilities for gliding-in from high atmospheric re entry.
It usually was launched from under the wing of a B52 aircraft, and then glided-in for landing.
All of this research was being dome in the 1950's and 1960's, in preparation for...
...the reusable "Space Shuttle" program of the 1980's.
Born in 1967, I grew up on "The Six Million Dollar Man." Thank you so very much for this video!
I agree wholeheartedly with you about the remakes.
Great new set, btw,
I love the fact that the aircraft he flew in the show helped the real one become world famous. The m2f2 lifting body
Hats off to John Saxon!!! He was in the episode "Day Of The Robot." Totally scared the heck out of me!!! And when Steve knocked his face off,!!!!!! Wow! Still stuck in my head!!!
The sound effects on that episode were amazing
Yeah he was great in that episode, he was pretty great in every role he did.
I'm surprised you didn't mention Richard Anderson's Sci-Fi heritage as Chief Quinn in Forbidden Planet.😁
Nice catch✔️
@@Darcsyde100 Just rewatched FP after Dan’s recent video on it. Good catch! Anderson was on so many series during the 60’s to 80’s. In the 1992 movie, The Player, he played himself. Such a recognizable character actor.
Yes, true. He was also a guest star on “The Big Valley”. Which featured Lee Majors.
I’m 57 now and I believe Six Million Dollar Man was my absolute favorite show. In 1974 I was in fourth grade. I cried when Jamie died. It was amazing having her saved and getting her own show.
I'm 58 and I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who cried when Jamie died. I bet I'm also not the only Generation Jones-er who drove his parents nuts by constantly "running" around the house in slow motion - and yes, I made the accompanying sound effect and music.
Nice to hear a healthy attitude to 'the message ' there near the end. Keep up the good work.
Dear Mr. Monroe,
Again & again you do a show on a show that I love to watch thanks for the link to Fans of the 6 Million Dollar Man & The Bionic Woman I signed on
Interesting tidbit, my father lost his right arm in a industrial accident in 1972. Part of his settlement with the company was a fully paid for life, physical rehabilitation through the UCLA Rehab Center.
I often went with him for his rehab therapy sessions, where he would, over time, be fitted for prosthetics. Those film props were created with the help of those technicians at UCLA. I saw the real-life versions of the props being used... in real life. My father and I watch the Six Million Dollar Man religiously.
Just met Lee Majors today, nice fellow, still in good spirits 😀
I met Lee Majors in Charleston SC in the early 1990's. I was fixing the A/C in his hotel room. He came in with golf bags. He was absolutely the nicest person. He was kind and jovial and polite in a southern sort of way. I've always really liked him. The episode with the Bigfoot scared the crap out of me. They did that really well.
As a big fan of TSMDM, this episode was a home run! Lot of information and curiosities. Love it! Can we start making new suggestions: The Man from Atlantis, perhaps? Thanks!
The infamous slow-mo "bionic" sound effect is almost certainly Hanna-Barbera/Sound Ideas' stock "Singing Sword" clip, created by recording a steel ruler on the edge of a table being twanged then slowed down 200x.
During the shooting of a 1976 episode set at an amusement park, a crew member moving what he thought was a prop hanged man in one of the park's attractions realized it was an actual mummified corpse, soon identified as bank robber Elmer McCurdy killed in 1911, stolen by then passed down between various carnies. If Elmer's ignominious fate as a forgotten, passed-down sideshow attraction eventually mistaken for a dummy generations later sounds familiar to comic book fans, it's because 2 years later Jonah Hex writer Michael Fleisher wrote it as Hex's tragic ending while the story was still fresh in the public's mind.
I have the original action figure with the solid unjointed hand and the engine block, Maskatron, and the bionic transport/repair station. Steve's likeness is arguably one of the most accurate 1970s action figure sculpts of a character based off an actual person; an ancient forum suggested a possible artist's name and at the time he had a website with similar-looking Civil War figurines, but he never replied to emails asking whether the Kenner $6MM figure's bust was his work or not.
The OSI that Steve worked for was fairly obviously a nod to OSS (the WWII name for what became the CIA), but at the time selling a hero working for the CIA *and* violating its charter by doing domestic operations, at the same time Congress was threatening to defund it altogether for doing exactly that, was as good a reason as any to invent a generic alphabet agency with vaguely defined powers.
Great video, thanks for the info. I do wonder from time to time whether the eyeball ended up in anyone's collection.
I remember getting the "Six Million Dollar Man " issue of Mad Magazine and they have Steve on the operating table....you hear "We can rebuild him, we can make him better, stronger, faster..." Out of the side of the panel comes Farrah Fawcett who quips, "...Faster isn't awlays better." I fell out of my chair. Being about 8 in the 1970's was fun.
Pretty sure I had that issue too, but my brain is too senior to remember for sure. I always picked up the latest issue of Mad back then, and sometimes Cracked, Crazy or something else while waiting for the next Mad issue.
I was a fairly precocious child and got a lot of adult humor, but I'm not sure I would have got that joke at 8. Maybe at 10. 🙂
Didn't know Lee Majors insisted on no killings. Great idea. Always liked the way he portrayed the character --- not as Superman, but as a normal guy who had lost his own arm and legs Definitely a phenomenon on TV in the 70s. Appointment tv for sure. And Steve's great leisure suits!
Whenever I find myself on an operating table, about to be anaesthetized, I always say "STEVE AUSTIN, A MAN BARELY ALIVE!"
The footage of Austin wiping out at the beginning of the show was actually test pilot Bruce Peterson crashing a Northrop M2-F2, a crash which Peterson survived.
So much fun!!!! Thank you for another great episode!!!
Your best video to date, imo. I turn 58 this week but will always cherish the memories of this show as part of my childhood :)
I always remember the episode Day of the robot with John Saxon
@ 25:44 - I am glad that *someone* is prepared to express an opinion about this - I don't go to the cinema to *encounter* politics or culture wars - I to to *ESCAPE* them. Great video - please don't be scared to add your opinions since this is your channel, built on your hard work and extensive research, which, coupled with a great storytelling style (and a great "ending hook") makes these very enjoyable to watch. How about an interview with one of your heroes, in your inimicable style? I'd buy THAT for a dollar!
Richard Anderson (not to be confused with MacGyver) has the unique distinction of portraying the same character on two different shows on two different networks at the same time. The Bionic Woman started on ABC but moved to NBC during its final season.
He's why the other guy uses the middle name "Dean."
Great episode, Dan. Thanks for the shoutout, although I'm not the curator of The Classified Exhibit. That's Kelly's position. I just help with admin work and the writing.
The Six Million Dollar Man was a superhero show before such shows were really a thing. The Incredible Hulk, Man From Atlantis (effectively Aquaman) and Wonder Woman came after SMDM started airing.
The Six Million Dollar Man was a very good adaptation of Martin Caidin's novel, Cyborg. This was THE show to watch back from 1974-1978, following its three 1973 TV movie adaptations.
Lee Majors was perfectly cast as Col. Steve Austin, though the show opted not to utilize all the bionic capabilities presented in the novel.
Hope to see a follow up video covering the original Bionic Woman next.
While taking the tram tour of Universal Studios, back in the '80s, before we entered the ice tunnel, the tour guide told us that during filming in the tunnel, Mr. Majors would get dizzy and fall down (the wall rotates around, over and under the tram) so they placed fake eyes on his eye lids and he ran through the tunnel with his eyes closed.
Been there, was told the same story. That rotating tunnel did mess with your senses.
In 1976, my mom made me a Steve Austin tracksuit for Halloween and I was the envy of my school. There were three other bionic men, but they all had the Ben Cooper costumes. I admit I was looking forward to the Mark Wahlberg iteration, but maybe it was for best that it didn't happen.
Let's hope it still won't. I get the shakes just imagining a "today" version of TSMDM.
Dan, thanks for the video. Everybody remembers Bigfoot buy my FAVORITE episode was the 4th season Venus probe two parter ("Death Probe" parts 1 and 2). Such a great idea and well executed for TV in the 1970s. Good stuff!
Hey Doug, thank YOU for the kind words and for the support!
Steve Austin lifting body was the Northrop M2-F2 with Bruce Peterson who was the pilot when it crashed losing sight in one eye due to infection.
When they were filming an episode at an amusement park on a dark ride, one of the crew moved a mannequin and it broke revealing bones. It turns out it was actually a gunslinger from Oklahoma that had been embalmed, never claimed and had ended up in a sideshow traveling around the country. He was coated in a wax-like substance and displayed for decades without anyone knowing it was actually a corpse.
That's right. His name was Elmer McCurdy and you can look up the story.
Another great video, Dan! Wow, Lee Major's two rules, "no blood, no killing" were pure genius! Truly a reflection of a time when ethics mattered, heroes were different from villains, and there really was a belief that the future could be bright. Thank you for taking us back to those hopeful days!
For the Jenny Agutter fans, she was in S6, E3: Deadly Countdown, part 1😊
Been a fan since 73 i was 6 yrs old and been a fan ever since!!
Dan,
You said that it premiered in 1963 but it actually premiered in 1973!!!!
Was about to say the same thing!
Yep, good call
Ditto
Loved this show as a kid!
Couple years back my wife got me the box set and we had a great time rewatching it.
It holds up really well and was so much fun to play 'oh look! it's that actor!' as well as enjoying those cool 70's fashions and cars.
and the 'Season 6' comic series was short lived but a lot of fun.
The six million dollar man and the incredible hulk were my favorite tv shows in the 70's! Those fem-bots were really creepy!!
Lee Majors was great casting, and I loved the show as a kid (still do today). Richard Anderson was an essential part of the show, and brought his gravitas to The Bionic Woman as well
We liked the sound effects for the Day of the Robot episode the best. Plus the Military March background music immensely.
Best intro ever: 6 Million Dollar Man
Best theme ever: The Bionic Woman
Most beautiful lady ever: Lindsay Wagner...
I got to meet Lee Majors last Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee at Fanboy expo. He was super Awesome. I had Him sign my TV guide from 1974. Also had a photo made with Him.
Six million dollars would be the bill for a minor medical procedure these days
I’ve heard that the bionic exhertion sound effect was created by recording the sound of a metal ruler being thwacked on the edge of a table top, and then the recording being slowed down. Sounds crazy enough to be true.
9:22 - Never mind Bigfoot - that episode is memorable for Stephanie Powers!
Yes indeed! But you could not remember how to spell Stefanie's name?
You missed one. As a kid I had Six Million Dollar Man sneakers. The sole read "Bionic Man"--if you stepped in mud (or in my case, wet cement) the text was left for all to see. Pure joy.
G'day it's Steven from down under again
Thank you for taking me down memory lane.
I recall owning a Steve Austin action figure with a hole in the back of his head where you could see through his bionic eye and if memory serves me correctly there was also a rubber skin-like sleeve on his right arm that could be rolled up to reveal the printed mechanics of his bionic arm too.
To this day I still enjoy the opening sequence of this show, it's seriously cool.
I also have to admit that I had a school boy crush on Lindsey Wagner, she was a strong and beautiful female character which for me was comparable to my other crush at the time, Linda Carter, two gorgeous and talented actors.
"MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU"
A fun fact. A young Sandra Bullock in an early role starred in the second Reunion movie Bionic Showdown.
My brother used to say "gentlemen, we can rebuild him, we have the Meccano set"
I and many others agree with your opinion on the remakes & reboots & political views inserted in legacy movies and shows. That's one of the reasons you're so popular.
My good sir, I can't thank you enough for such a wonderful review of such a beloved show. The sentimental value of the same is priceless, and for that you have my utmost thanks and appreciation. I can hardly wait for your next posting. Keep 'em coming!!! 👍👍👍
Lee Majors and Lindsay Wagner will both be guests at Retro Con this September in Oaks, PA!
This show got me through some really dark times. I stumbled on one of the channels (metv or roku maybe) that played marathons every week. I drank my coffee with Steve Austin every morning. Thanks Lee.
Two things, first you didn't mention the short lived TV series remake of the Bionic Woman in 2007. Second is just a fun fact. The cast mold of the Bionic Bigfoot toy was reused to make a large Chewbacca action figure by Kenner toys.
I met Lee Majors and Richard Anderson (RIP) at a Comic convention in New York in 2008. I received their autographs and shook hands. They were unbearably cool and very nice. 👍
I had 2 Oscar Goldman figures my friends got me for my birthday, not knowing what the other have bought. I eventually got the Steve Austin one later. Those were good times.
Awesome video, Thank You. My favorite so far.
I worked on a pilot w Lee Majors that was starring him as himself, and the gist was he had created bionics in real life and was using a desperate college student to test his gear. It was pretty awesome and very funny but never released 😢
I read that the “plane” that he posed sitting in the “HL10” was a real lifting body, the M2 -F2 and the crash is real footage. The pilot of that plane actually lived through the crash. He did lose an eye.
I don’t think he needed a bionic body though…
That plane was rebuilt and renamed M2-F3 and flown again multiple times. They were testing control of a plane that led to the Space Shuttle.
As I recall, there were writers rules for Steve and Jamie. They could jump up 2 but not 3 floors. Without damage, they could jump down 3 but would sustain damage from a jump down of more than 3 floors. With they did this, both did have put their life at risk.
This was the first program I saw on TV. My 4 year old child brain was hooked by the intro. I still love the intro.
The seven million dollar man was a fantastic episode. Along with John Saxon and William shatner and big foot very memorable episodes
I had the Steve Austin figure, and the Oscar Goldman with the exploding briefcase.
Jesus that was over 45 years ago...😭
How cool is that?! Thanks for sharing!
@@MoviesMusicMonsters 🤣👍👌💪💪
Totally agree about inserting political "messages", either leftist or right-wing is wrong and it defeats the purpose of a remake.
It's like we're not allowed straightforward, feel good, escapist action fun anymore.
@@Benjiesbeenbetter. Abso-fraggin-lutely!
Great video as always Dan! Always got a kick out of the sound effects, the slide whistle with the Steve Austin leaps and falls, the “springy” sound associated with the slow motion running that always made me think he needed oil…and the “boop boop boop boop” connected with his bionic eye. 😅
One piece of triva: When Lee Majors was running through the ice tunnel, they had to do multiple takes because he kept falling down because the spinning tunnel made him disoriented.
I recall going through the ice tunnel on a Universal Studios ride and still remember the vertigo feeling.
@michaelschramm1064 I went through it, too. That's how I first found out about this piece of trivia.
@@markabele8794 Nice!
I super appreciated the tour through the merchandise.... Man, deep nostalgia for me there.
You goofed...the movie was 1973, not 1963...lol. That's okay, we understood what you meant. Keep up the great work!
My whole family loved the Six Million Dollar Man. My parents couldn't afford the toys, but they did buy me all of the novels (some of which were available from the Weekly Reader Children's Book Club in school). They also bought us the board game. Last year I puchased the blu-ray box set of the whole series. The picture quality is amazing and I'm very glad to have the series available to watch whenever I want.
This was obligatory watching for my whole family on Saturday nights in the 1970s.
This was great! What a walk down memory lane. I remember reading, "Cyborg" decades after I'd become a fan of the show. I had no idea what or whom the book was about, not even bothering to read past the title before purchasing it from a used book store. Imagine my surprise and delight in realizing what I held in my hands as I finished the first chapter. I was more excited than at the premiere of the TV series. I highly recommend every fan of the TV show pick up a copy of the book, but don't read it too fast! Relish it. Enjoy the images painted by the author in your mind's eye, pre-, and post-crash; detail that just couldn't be communicated through television. It will give you renewed interest in the tv series. I can't wait to purchase those DVDs!
Thanks for covering this iconic series. Keep it up! 🍻
I remember being DEVESTATED as kid during the episode that Jamie "died". I was traumatized.
I loved this show growing up. I will never forget when I got my tonsils out and when my dad asked what would make me feel better after my surgery, I told him I wanted the Six Million Dollar Man figure. He drove to 5 different stores across the tri state area to find one for me. I took that doll everywhere I went until I discovered Star Wars.
Wow, that is super freaking cool, thank you so much for sharing such a heartwarming memory :) Cheers, Dan
Thanks again for bringing back the memories.
Thank YOU for the support!
There was a Bionic woman remake about 20 years ago. If I remember correctly, the bad guy she fought was Starbuck from Battlestar galactica .
So many great memories growing up as a young boy at that time. I had the repair module and the figure with the arm and bionic eye. How movies and shows were so great and now, its trash.
Born 1977 so I missed this. But it sounds awesome. I’ve seen the toys and they look amazing. Kinda sad I missed the Mego era. Yall had some great toys!!!
C'mon Dan, now that you've done Battlestar Galactica, Galactica 1980, the Planet of the Apes TV series, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and now The Six Million Dollar Man, it's time you do Space 1999!
I got the Six Million Dollar Man and the capsule for Christmas one year. It's probably still the one Christmas morning gift of my childhood that stands above the rest. I was a little too old to be believing in Santa, but I held on to that longer than most kids. My mom said she (Santa) went all over town looking for that because it was the one of the most popular toys that year.
I love this show and all the nostalgia
Great job on this, as always Mr. Monroe! I used to watch The Six Million Dollar Man regularly in the 70's.
Bionic arm, bionic legs. He picks up honkin boulder and forgets his spinal column has normal human strength and collapses like an accordion.
Well, with a bit of thought, a way to enhance his spine, etc., would have been found. Maybe similar to Wolverine's skeleton enhanced.
Actually in the original novel by Martin Caiden Steve Austin had extensive modifications to his spine and existing skeletal structure, probably just an oversight by the producers of the series
Still to this day one of the few intros that can HYPE you up! Undoubtedly ICONIC‼️ Death Probe scared the crap out of me.
I think they had a short lived series, "Misfits of Science." About kids with special abilities. I think Lee Majors came on that series as The Six Million dollar Man." To encourage them not to be afraid to be different. Lee also made guest appearances on Bionic Woman too. The original series.
........My favourite bit of The Six Million Dollar Man - which we saw in every episode - is the opening sequence, when the letters are being spelt out together with that test run, even years later its still cool. 👍👍👍
I was in 3rd grade and remember talking to my friends about the upcoming bout between Bigfoot and the Bionic man. We were split on who would be victorious, I thought Bigfoot would win.
Ha! Me too. My parents actually got me my own TV because of six million dollar man. My parents really didn't want to watch it but because it was such a big deal to me and my neighborhood and school friends. During that time, there was hardly a young boy that didn't make " The Sound" whenever jumping on or off something.
Great episode Dan! Brings back so many memories! One show I'd love to see you cover is The Man From Atlantis.
Cool. I was named after Lee Majors. I had both the Six Million Dollar Man and Maskatron action figures. I also had the model kit shown in the video, of Steve kicking down a door. Good memories.
Wow, that is super freaking cool, thank you so much for sharing. Cheers, Dan
I adored TSMDM, had all the epic merch, etc. The piece de resistance was when my folks took us to Universal Studios and not only got to see TSMDM stage show, but we actually got selected out of the crowd to have become the characters. It was actually pretty odd because me and my 3 brothers were sitting separate from our parents, and they needed 2 groups, and they randomly chose my brothers and I and then chose our parents from way on the other side of the audience. They were floored when we said, "you're not gonna believe this, but we're together." Anyway, my folks did the tug of war and pickup truck things and after doing the run effect, I got to "jump" over the airplane. The greatest treasure is we have silent super 8 mm home movies of it. GREAT memories.
When "The Six Million Dollar Man" first came out, it was preemptedpted by the local station in Dallas Ft. Worth. They broadcast adult oriented (R) movies. The station rebroadcast the show after the 10 o'clock news when kids were in bed. A kid based letter writing campaign helped convince the local station to stop preempting the show.
With respect, I was slightly disappointed that you didn't have more on the 'Evil Venus Probe'. I believe it appeared twice on SMDM and once on Bionic Woman. I was a child when I watched these episodes and found them to be quite scary and riveting to watch. I was more afraid of the probe then the Bigfoot episodes. Other than that, I'm enjoying the series.
I didn't appear on the Bionic Woman. I watched all of them a couple of years ago. I temember it being in $6M Man twice though. It looked like it was the toughest, heaviest machine possible at the time.
25:23
Same here. A wise man once said "How does it feel to live long enough to see all your favourite francises go down in flames?"
I know how it feels.
Thank you so much.
Enjoyed the entire presintation sir.
I was born in 62, so I was 11 wjen it came out.
I actually looked through the back of the head of a six million dollar man head and thought it would be like a binocular.
Kind of grotesque but, loved the tv series!
God bless, have a great week sir!
The idea of Bigfoot combined with aliens is nothing less than pure genius.
My favorite episodes!
I’ve been watching some reruns here in the UK. It was a surprise to see Jenny Agguter appear in an episode. What a varied career she has had.
Dan, I really admire your professionalism and the production quality of your videos. As an aspiring video creator, I want to know what camera(s) you use, editing programs/software, studio equipment, how you acquire graphics & pictures/photos, etc.
Every video I've seen you've done such a superb job. It's never boring, never dry and always engaging! Thank you!!
Loved this show and the Bionic Woman so much! I always wanted the Venus Space Probe toy but alas, never got around to buying it. Trying to find one now in excellent condition is going to require a bank loan! Thank you for the excellent deep dive into this show!
Hoping you're able to get that Venus Space Probe toy in tue future :) I appreciate the support, thank you so much. Cheers, Dan