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!
In a shocking turn of events, pop sensation Lizzo has been removed from consideration for the Super Bowl LVII Halftime
In a shocking turn of events, pop sensation Lizzo has been removed from consideration for the Super Bowl LVII Half time Show following a series of disturbing allegations made against her by former dancers.
The allegations include claims of sexuaI harassment and fat-shaming, which have cast a shadow over Lizzo’s self-proclaimed image as a body-positive activist. This unexpected development has sent shockwaves through both the entertainment industry and Lizzo’s fanbase, leaving her team scrambling to salvage her career and reputation.
Earlier this month, three of Lizzo’s former backup dancers, Crystal Williams, Noelle Rodriguez, and Arianna Davis, filed a lawsuit accusing the singer of fostering a hostile work environment.
The lawsuit sent ripples through the media, particularly due to Lizzo’s public advocacy for body positivity and self-acceptance. The controversy has brought her career into question, prompting the NFL to swiftly drop her from consideration for the coveted Super Bowl Halftime Show perfor mance, a spot she was rumored to be one of the front-runners for in 2024.
A source close to the NFL reveaIed that talks of Lizzo’s involvement in the Halftime Show or even performing the National Anthem have been quashed in the wake of these allegations.
Despite Lizzo’s vehement denial of the accusations, the potential damage to her image and career seems insurmountable at this point. The abrupt removaI from the Super Bowl consideration has sent shockwaves through her fanbase, industry insiders, and media outlets alike.
As Lizzo’s potential career-saving opportunities dwindle, her team faces an uphill battle to counteract the negative press and public sentiment.
A source revealed that her team is desperately trying to come up with a strategy to save her sinking ship. The source further discIosed that the situation is becoming increasingly challenging as more people come forward with similar accusations against the artist. The allegations are eroding her image as an icon of body positivity and empowerment, leaving many questioning her authenticity and integrity.
Despite the immense success and significant earnings Lizzo has enjoyed throughout her career, it appears that her moment in the spotlight is at risk of fading away.
The source asserted, No one knows if she will be able to recover from this. If she speaks out, her statements are shredded. If she stays quiet, she is called a coward. Either way, it does not appear at this moment that she can recover from this.
The impact of the allegations has been magnified by the fact that they are coming from indivi duals who were a part of Lizzo’s inner circle. In an interview with Good Morning America, Crystal Williams, Noelle Rodriguez, and Arianna Davis shared their experiences, revealing stories of alleged harassment and mistreatment.
The dancers claimed that Lizzo created an environment that was both se xuaIIy charged and hostile. These allegations directly contradict Lizzo’s image as a champion of body positivity and empowerment, raising concerns about the authenticity of her public persona.
Leave a Reply