Lee Majors’ net worth reaches $15 million, built from his remarkable three-decade career in Hollywood. His path to success became clear through iconic television roles that captured America’s heart.
Lee Majors earned his fortune through standout performances in “The Big Valley,” “The Six Million Dollar Man,” and “The Fall Guy.” His legendary status grew stronger with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. His marriage to Farrah Fawcett from 1973 to 1982 made them Hollywood’s most powerful couple and enhanced his market appeal during that time.
The Unexpected Path to Fame
Lee Majors, born Harvey Lee Yeary on April 23, 1939, in Wyandotte, Michigan, built a remarkable career despite facing tragedy early in life. His father died in a work-related accident before his birth, and a car crash took his mother’s life before he turned two. His aunt and uncle, Harvey and Mildred Yeary, stepped in to adopt and raise him in Middlesboro, Kentucky.
Athletics shaped his early path. His natural talent in track and football earned him a scholarship to Indiana University. His college years took an unexpected turn when he transferred to Eastern Kentucky University in 1959.
Life changed forever the next year. A devastating football injury left him paralyzed for two weeks and crushed his sports career dreams. This setback became a turning point that shaped his future success. Though he recovered from paralysis, doctors found that there was a spinal condition called spondylolisthesis.
A chance moment redirected his path while he worked toward his History and Physical Education degree. His friends dared him to try out for Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible.” He landed the lead role of John Proctor, revealing an acting talent that would become the foundation of his wealth.
The year 1962 brought a crucial decision after graduation. The St. Louis Cardinals football team offered him a tryout, but he chose a different direction. He moved to Los Angeles and started working as a Recreation Director at North Hollywood Park, earning $2.83 per hour.
A lucky break came through new connections. He met Dick Clayton, James Dean’s former agent, who encouraged him to pursue acting. He changed his name from Harvey Lee Yeary to Lee Majors, a tribute to his childhood hero Johnny Majors, a football player who later became a coach.
His commitment to acting included six months of drama study at MGM and training with respected acting coach Estelle Harman. Hard work led to his first screen role – an uncredited part in Joan Crawford’s 1964 thriller “Strait-Jacket”. Soon after, he started appearing in popular TV shows like “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “Gunsmoke”.
The Roles That Made Lee Majors a Household Name
Lee Majors found his place in Hollywood and landed a role that shot him to stardom. The year 1965 saw him beat out more than 400 other actors—including Burt Reynolds—to play Heath Barkley in “The Big Valley”. This western drama ran until 1969, where Majors played the Barkley family’s illegitimate son who fought to prove himself. Viewers across America quickly picked up his character’s catchphrase “Boy howdy!”.
“The Big Valley” didn’t just prove Majors’ acting chops—it set him up for bigger things. The 1970s brought his most memorable role as Colonel Steve Austin in “The Six Million Dollar Man.” His portrayal of a former astronaut who got rebuilt with bionic implants after a terrible crash made him a superstar. People of that generation were captivated by the basic contours of a man “rebuilt” with extraordinary abilities.
The 1980s saw Majors keep his TV winning streak going with “The Fall Guy,” where he played stuntman Colt Seavers. This was a big deal as it meant that he starred in shows that ran over 100 episodes in three straight decades. This kind of staying power helped propel his net worth upward.
Success came with tough choices. To cite an instance, he had to pass on what became Jon Voight’s role in “Midnight Cowboy” when “The Big Valley” got an unexpected final season renewal. Still, his net worth grew steadily through his TV work.
“Acting is a tough business and the percentage of people who make it is very low—it’s about one percent,” Majors once noted. “I’ve had disappointments and heartbreaks and setbacks and roles I didn’t get, but something always came along that made me better or was even a better role”. His resilience and screen presence built the foundation of Lee Majors’ wealth.
