Heather Thomas, known for her role alongside Lee Majors in *The Fall Guy*, turned 66 on September 8. She was on track for a very successful Hollywood career.
However, after the show’s finale, her mother appeared on set, and Thomas rushed to the hospital, thinking her father had an emergency. But when she arrived at the Santa Monica hospital, her family and friends told her that her father, Leon, was fine—it was her they were worried about.
This marked the start of a new chapter in the 28-year-old’s life, which would change both her personal life and career.
Read on to find out what happened to the famous 1980s pinup girl!
Heather Thomas had talent and natural beauty that compared to stars like Farrah Fawcett and Heather Locklear. She was born to be in the spotlight.
At just 14, she hosted an NBC show called *Talking with a Giant*, where she and other teens interviewed celebrities.
Wanting more, Thomas studied film and theater at UCLA, aiming to be an actor, director, and writer. Before she graduated, she appeared in a short-lived comedy series called *Co-Ed Fever* in 1979.
In 1980, Thomas, who was born in Connecticut, landed her first major role in *The Fall Guy*. She played Jody Banks, a stuntwoman and bounty hunter, alongside Lee Majors, who was famous for his role in *The Six Million Dollar Man*.
Her role made her popular, especially among male viewers, who saw her as a sex symbol. Thomas had mixed feelings about this label.
“There’s a kind of condescension that comes with it,” she told *People*. “You fit the stereotype of the blonde bimbo. But at the time, I was just having fun.”
Unfortunately, Thomas’s fun also involved drugs, a habit that began before her role as Jody Banks.
She revealed that her drug use started in sixth grade to help keep her grades up. “I was taking acid and getting straight A’s. I thought it was mind-expanding,” Thomas said.
As Heather Thomas grew older, the drugs she used also changed.
While studying at UCLA, Thomas started using cocaine. By 1981, just one year into her role on *The Fall Guy*, her drug problems got worse.
Feeling pressure to live up to her image as a sex symbol, the 5-foot-7 actress became obsessed with her weight. She began taking Lasix, a diuretic that can cause extreme tiredness.
To fight the tiredness, she used more cocaine to stay energized.
“At first, I loved the drug. I felt like I was getting a lot out of it. It kept me awake all night, and I could still work the next day,” she said, but claimed she never used it on set. “Cocaine isn’t accepted on sets. It’s no longer cool. It’s just a personal nightmare.”
However, a source close to Thomas told *People* that her drug use was hurting her career. “People knew Heather had a problem,” the source said.
Thomas’s weight dropped from 125 to 105 pounds, and she began falling asleep between scenes. She admitted, “Sometimes, I was in a mini coma.”
One day, she passed out in front of her co-star, Lee Majors. He contacted her manager, who then called her mother.
After the final episode of *The Fall Guy* was filmed, Thomas’s mother, Gladdy Ryder, showed up on set and told her that her father was in the hospital.
Thomas rushed to St. John’s Hospital, but when she arrived, she was met by her family and friends. They were there to admit her into a three-week drug rehabilitation program.
“That day was a big relief for me,” Thomas said. When she checked into detox, she had pneumonia, scarred lungs, and inflamed kidneys. “I’d been on a roller coaster, and I wanted to get off. If my family hadn’t stepped in, I probably would have kept going until I lost my job or died.”
She also said, “The doctors told me I should have been dead three years ago.”
Determined to recover, Thomas surrounded herself with people who supported her goal of staying drug-free. That’s when she met Allan Rosenthal, co-founder of Cocaine Anonymous, and married him when she was 28. They divorced in September 1986.
That same month, Thomas was hit by a car while crossing the street, leaving her with serious injuries to both legs.
After detox, divorce, and surgery to repair major damage in one of her legs, Heather Thomas returned to acting with smaller roles in TV series. She also appeared in movies like *Cyclone* in 1987 and the 1990 Canadian film *Red Blooded American Girl* with Christopher Plummer.
With her struggles behind her, Thomas started fresh in the 1990s. While working to revive her career, she married entertainment lawyer Skip Brittenham in 1992. She became a stepmother to his two daughters, Kristina and Shauna, and gave birth to her only biological child, daughter India Rose, in June 2000.
Talking about her decision to step away from acting, Thomas said, “I had about 45 restraining orders, and I was on everything from a toilet seat cover to an ashtray. Then I fell in love, had two little girls, and decided to give up acting to write for a while.”
In 2017, Thomas made a brief comeback in the movie *Girltrash: All Night Long*, one of her 26 acting credits.
However, Thomas has focused mostly on writing. She said it wasn’t a lack of roles that drove her away from acting but the constant threat of stalkers invading her privacy. “One guy climbed over the fence with a knife. I had two little girls who needed raising, so that was that. Now, I think I’m old enough that people won’t bother me as much.”
Today, Thomas is also involved in activism. She has served on the boards of the Rape Foundation and the Amazon Conservation Team.
Identifying as a feminist, which some find surprising for a former sex symbol, Thomas explained how she embraced both roles.
“When I was younger, I did what people told me. But as I got older, I didn’t compromise myself. I wanted power and freedom, and my career gave me that. I don’t think being a feminist means you should be ashamed of your body,” she said.
It’s unfortunate that Heather Thomas wasn’t able to fully revive her acting career, but we’re glad she got the help she needed and is now on a lifelong journey of recovery.
The 1980s had so many great shows, and we loved watching her as Jody Banks in *The Fall Guy* alongside Lee Majors, the Six Million Dollar Man!
We’d love to hear your thoughts about Heather Thomas and her journey to recovery!
My Stepmom Burnt My College Acceptance Letter in a Fireplace — But She Wasn’t Smiling When a Stranger Showed Up at Our Door
When my stepmom burnt my college acceptance letter in the fireplace, I thought my dreams were gone. But then a stranger showed up at our door, holding a pink suitcase and a message from my late mother that changed everything.
This happened when I was 18, but I remember every detail like it was yesterday. It was the moment my life changed and I learned how strong I really was.
It was a warm April afternoon in the early 2000s, one of those Southern days when the sun feels like it’s going to melt your skin.
Sunny day in a town | Source: Midjourney
I was walking home from the animal shelter where I volunteered, clutching a bag of treats for Buster, my grumpy ginger cat. He was my comfort, my companion, and the one constant I could rely on in a life that often felt overwhelmingly lonely.
When I was a child, my mother passed away, leaving my dad and me to figure out life together. For a while, it felt like we were a team until he remarried Kelly. She never liked me and made sure I knew it.
Woman with arms crossed and a serious face in a living room | Source: Midjourney
From the beginning, she seemed to resent me, as if I was some competition for my dad’s love. After he tragically passed away in a car accident just after my 17th birthday, Kelly became my only guardian.
No extended family stepped in. No friends of my parents. It was just me and her. In a sense, I was grateful that I hadn’t been taken away to a group home. But she still didn’t like me.
18 year old woman looking sad in a living room with a blonde woman behind her | Source: Midjourney
Walking up the driveway, I shook off the heaviness that thinking about her always brought. I focused instead on the dream that had kept me going through all of her jabs, her undermining, and her disdain: college.
Today, I was supposed to get my acceptance letter. My escape plan was finally becoming real.
But as I opened the front door, a wave of heat slammed into me. It made no sense. It was spring in the South! The air outside was already hot, but inside, it felt like a sauna.
Wave of heat from a living room fireplace | Source: Midjourney
The sound of crackling fire drew my attention to the living room. I dropped my bag on the floor and stood frozen in the doorway, watching Kelly, who was perched by the roaring fireplace, staring into the flames, fixated.
“Kelly,” I asked cautiously, “why’s the fireplace on?”
She didn’t even turn to look at me. Instead, she smiled a cold, sharp smirk that made my stomach twist. “Oh, don’t worry, dear. I just thought you should see your college dreams go up in flames.”
Woman kneeling by a fireplace smiling evilly | Source: Midjourney
My breath caught in my throat. “What?” I croaked as I moved closer.
She gestured lazily at the fire, where I could see the remains of what looked like a large envelope and crisp papers reduced to ash.
“Your acceptance letter came,” she said casually, “but you don’t need it. You’ll be working at my café this summer and for the foreseeable future to thank me for being such a great stepmother. College isn’t in the cards for someone like you.”
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe, and the room blurred as tears welled up in my eyes.
18 year old woman looking horrified in a living room | Source: Midjourney
My escape plan, the life I had worked so hard to build for myself, had just been incinerated before my eyes. “Why would you do this?” I managed to whisper.
Kelly shrugged. “I’m doing you a favor, Pamela. You’d never make it in college anyway. It’s better for you to stick to practical work.”
I wanted to scream, to throw something, to demand she explain how she could be so cruel. But wait, maybe I could call the school? But the sharp ring of the doorbell cut through all my thoughts.
Man ringing a doorbell with his finger | Source: Midjourney
Kelly frowned and stood up, smoothing down her sweater. “Stay here,” she snapped. “I’ll get it.”
Wiping at my cheeks, I followed her to the door, though I didn’t have the energy to argue. I assumed it was one of our neighbors, here to chat or drop something off.
But when she opened the door, it wasn’t a familiar face. Standing on the porch was a distinguished-looking man in a crisp suit, holding a bright pink suitcase.
Man in a grey suit on a porch with a pink suitcase | Source: Midjourney
“Are you Pamela?” he asked, his eyes meeting mine with warmth.
“Yes,” I said cautiously, stepping forward.
“I’m Mr. Robertson,” he said, holding out his hand to me. “I’m here because your mom asked me to.”
I blinked. “My mom?” The words felt foreign in my mouth. I barely remembered her. “I don’t understand.”
18 year old woman surprised in a doorway of a house | Source: Midjourney
Mr. Robertson nodded as if he’d expected my confusion. “Your mother and I knew each other when we were students at the state college. We stayed in touch over the years, and she always spoke about you with such love and hope for your future. I’m now the Dean of Admissions. When I saw your application come through, I knew I had to ensure her dream for you became a reality.”
Two students on a college campus | Source: Midjourney
I glanced at Kelly, whose face turned a shade of red I’d never seen before. She was about to explode. “This is highly inappropriate,” she sputtered, stepping forward. “I should call the school to report you for intervening in admissions. Besides, Pamela is busy this summer. She has obligations. She won’t be going—”
A woman looking upset in the doorway of a house | Source: Midjourney
Mr. Robertson held up a hand, silencing her with one look. “Ma’am, I understand your concerns, but Pamela’s acceptance to the college is well-deserved. She has exceptional qualifications and wrote an essay that moved the admissions committee deeply. She’s earned this opportunity,” he stated seriously. “I just wanted to meet her and make sure she knows it.”
Man with a serious expression in the doorway of a house | Source: Midjourney
My throat tightened with his words, but breathing became even harder when he pulled a worn photograph from his suitcase. It was my mother, young and vibrant, smiling in her graduation cap and gown. Standing beside her was a much younger Mr. Robertson.
“Your mom always wanted this for you,” he said, handing me the photo. “And she would be so proud of you.”
For a moment, I couldn’t speak. The weight of everything, the loss of my mom, the grief for my dad, and the years of enduring Kelly’s belittling, overwhelmed me. But alongside the sadness, I felt something else: hope.
18 year old woman smiling in the doorway of a house | Source: Midjourney
Mr. Robertson continued, “Obviously, your classes don’t start until September, but I’d like to offer you a summer internship in my office after your graduation. It’s just admin work, but it’ll give you a chance to familiarize yourself with the campus, earn some money, and get a head start.”
“She can’t go!” Kelly snapped, shrilly. “She has to work at the café all summer. We’re much too busy! Besides, I burned her acceptance letter already!”
Woman yelling angrily in the doorway of a house | Source: Midjourney
Something inside me surged. For one second, after seeing my future burning in that fireplace, I had given up. Mr. Robertson had come just at the right time, like a message from my mom—an angel.
So, I turned to her, wiping my tears. “No, Kelly,” I said, breathless but resolute. “I’m not a child. You can’t control me anymore. I let you, but I shouldn’t have, not since I turned 18. Even if Mr. Robertson hadn’t arrived, I would’ve called the school to explain. I AM going to college, no matter what you do.”
18 year old woman looking determined in the doorway of a house | Source: Midjourney
She opened her mouth to argue, but Mr. Robertson stepped in, reaching inside his pink suitcase again and producing an envelope. “Ma’am, I have a copy of her acceptance. Pamela deserves this opportunity. She earned it,” he said. “If you interfere, I’ll be forced to take further action.”
“But she owes me,” Kelly insisted, her features twisting.
“No, I don’t,” I retorted, feeling the truth of those words fully. I don’t think I could’ve uttered them earlier or without Mr. Robertson by my side.
18 year old woman smiling in the doorway of a house | Source: Midjourney
Kelly glared at us, but the fight quickly went out of her. She turned on her heel and stormed away from the open front door into her bedroom.
I focused back on Mr. Robertson, who handed me his business card. “Call me later so we can finalize the details, so you’ll be ready after you finish high school,” he said. “Your mother would be so proud of you. Never forget that.”
I nodded, smiling brightly at my savior, who returned my grin.
Man smiling in the doorway of a house | Source: Midjourney
As he walked away, I stood on the porch, holding tightly to the photo, his card, and the copy of my acceptance letter. The three items that proved I was not only free but also not so alone.
That night, I packed a bag. Then, working up the courage, I called my friend Sarah, who told me to come live with her and her parents. Before, she’d been just a school companion, but from that moment on, she became family.
I moved out of Kelly’s house the next day with my cat, leaving behind my stepmother’s toxic grip for good.
Ginger cat in a woman’s arms | Source: Midjourney
Over the next few weeks, I finished high school happily, knowing that a brighter future awaited me. By early June, I started my internship and loved every minute, although it was mostly menial work.
Despite my pay, I had to take out some student loans. However, Mr. Robertson helped me apply for scholarships whenever he found any.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t live in the dorms with Buster, but I found pet-friendly student housing nearby.
Ginger cat with woman in the background | Source: Midjourney
The rest is history. It’s been around 20 years, and I have a family now, a solid career, and more happiness than I could hope for. Buster died a few years ago. He was my soul cat, but we now have 3 more kitties to adore.
Sarah is still very much in my life, too.
I don’t know what happened to Kelly. I didn’t bother to keep in touch with her. But I learned something from her that I’ve never forgotten. There will always be people who try to put you down, extinguish your light, and force you to become someone you’re not.
Happy woman with arms up outdoors | Source: Midjourney
You can’t give up when that happens. Instead, you need to rise. Fight for your dreams and shine brightly, because you are capable of so much more than they can imagine.
Leave a Reply