Heather Thomas, who turned 66 on September 8, was well-known for her leading part opposite Lee Majors in The Fall Guy and was expected to have a very successful Hollywood career.
However, the stunning blonde hurried to the hospital, thinking her father had an emergency, when the actor’s mother appeared on set during the filming of the show’s conclusion.
She was informed by her relatives and friends who met her at the Santa Monica hospital that her father, Leon, was doing well and that they were worried about her.
This was only the start of a new adventure for the 28-year-old woman, whose job and personal life had totally changed as a result of her hospital stay.
Discover what became of the 1980s pinup girl by continuing to read!
With a natural beauty and ability comparable to that of Farrah Fawcett and Heather Locklear, Heather Thomas pursued her passion.
When the girl was just 14 years old, she presented the talk show Talking with a Giant on NBC, where she and four other teenagers conducted celebrity interviews.
Thomas, now 66, studied theater and cinema at UCLA with the goal of advancing her career as an actor, director, and writer. The year before she graduated, she made an appearance in the short-lived comedy series Co-Ed Fever (1979).
The Connecticut-born performer landed her first major part in 1980 in the television series The Fall Guy, supporting Lee Majors, who became well-known throughout the world in the 1970s for his portrayal of Steven Austin in The Six Million Dollar Man.
As the popular action show’s stuntwoman-bounty hunter Jody Banks, Thomas was adored by men who saw her as a sex symbol—a label about which she acknowledges she feels conflicted.
Thomas told People that there was “obligatory condescension that goes with that.” “The blonde bimbo is a stereotype that you fit into. But I was simply enjoying myself at the moment.
Regretfully, she was enjoying herself excessively when using drugs, a tendency that predates her portrayal of Jody Banks.
Her history with drugs began in the sixth grade, when she began abusing narcotics to keep her grades at the top. “I was taking acid and getting straight As,” Thomas declared. I simply believed it to be mind-blowing.
Her drug use changed as her mentality matured from that of a child to an adult.
Thomas began taking cocaine while she was a student at UCLA, and her drug use worsened in 1981, a year after she started filming The Fall Guy.
Additionally, the 5-foot-7 Thomas developed an obsession with weight and began taking Lasix, a diuretic that may produce extreme sleepiness, feeling as though she had to live up to her reputation as a sex symbol.
She took additional cocaine to give her an energy boost in order to combat the sluggishness.
“At first, I was still getting used to the medicine. I thought I was receiving a good deal on my purchase. She asserted that she had never used cocaine on site and that it had allowed her to work through the night. It is not permitted to use cocaine on sets. It’s no longer clubby to carry it out. It’s merely a personal torment.
A person close to the performer told People that her drug usage was hurting her career, despite her statements to the contrary. According to the source, “word was out on Heather.” “People were aware of her issue.”
Between takes, Thomas’s weight plummeted from 125 to 105 pounds and he was fast asleep. Thomas said, “I was in a minicoma sometimes.”
Subsequently, she fainted in front of Majors, who subsequently contacted her manager and her mother.
Her mother, Gladdy Ryder, a former special education teacher, showed up on the set of The Fall Guy to tell her daughter that her father was in the hospital after the series finale concluded.
The writer of “Trophies” hurried to St. John’s Hospital, where she was welcomed by relatives and friends who were prepared to have her admitted into the three-week drug program.
Thomas remarked of that day, “It was a big relief to me.” She also mentioned that she had pneumonia, scarred lungs, and swollen kidneys when she checked into detox. “I wanted to get off the roller coaster I’d been on.” I most likely would have continued on my merry way till I lost my job or passed away if my family hadn’t stepped in.
“The doctors said I should have died three years ago,” she continued.
Thomas, who was dedicated to her recovery, surrounded herself with people who shared her values and would help her achieve her drug-free objectives. That’s when Allan Rosenthal, a co-founder of Cocaine Anonymous, and 28-year-old Thomas first met. She later got married to him and filed for divorce in September 1986.
She was hit by a car while crossing the street that same month, severely injuring both of her legs.
Following her detox, divorce, and surgery to heal severe damage to one leg, Thomas resumed her career, albeit in minor roles in TV shows. She also starred in movies including the 1987 movie Cyclone and the 1990 Canadian movie Red Blooded American Girl, which starred Christopher Plummer.
After putting her past behind her, Thomas made a fresh start in the 1990s. In an effort to further her career, she married entertainment attorney Skip Brittenham in 1992. In June 2000, Thomas gave birth to her only biological child, India Rose, while also assuming the role of stepmother to his two daughters, Kristina and Shauna.
“I decided to give it up and write for a while,” she told Reuters, “because I had about 45 restraining orders out, and I was on everything from a toilet seat cover to an ashtray—and I was in love, and [then] had two little girls.”
With a primary focus on writing, the actress from Zapped! claimed that frequent privacy violations by stalkers drove her away from acting, rather than a lack of roles.
“I was being really harassed. One day, I witnessed a person use a knife to scale the fence. That was it; I had these two small kids who needed to be raised so badly. However, I believe that now that I am older, people won’t annoy me as much.
In addition, Thomas is currently an activist, having previously served on the boards of the Amazon Conservation Team and the Rape Foundation.
Declaring oneself a feminist—a deceptive term for a former gender symbol—Thomas elucidated the significance of both.
“When I was younger, I followed people’s instructions, but as I grew older, I refused to compromise.” I desired independence and control. This got me a house and the recognition I needed to open doors. Having people see your body is not inherently bad. I don’t believe I deceived myself. Being a feminist, in my opinion, does not entail body shame, the woman stated.
Although it’s really unfortunate that Heather Thomas was unable to return to the acting world, we’re glad she received the support she required and is now embarking on a lifelong healing process.
We really enjoyed watching her as Jody Banks in The Fall Guy with the Six Million Dollar Man Lee Majors, one of the many amazing shows from the 1980s!
What you have to say about Thomas and her recuperation would be greatly appreciated!
CATHERINE ZETA-JONES AND MICHAEL DOUGLAS CELEBRATE 23RD ANNIVERSARY WITH HEART-MELTING WISHES
When Michael Douglas, then 54, caught sight of Catherine Zeta-Jones portraying Elena Montero in 1998’s “The Mask of Zorro,” he was instantly captivated.
In that same year, both Oscar-winning actors found themselves at the Deauville Film Festival, with Zeta-Jones promoting the film alongside Antonio Banderas, and Douglas attending for his movie, “A Perfect Murder.”
Following his instincts, Douglas had his publicist arrange a meeting.
However, things didn’t quite go as planned.
“I met her in the bar and was a complete gentleman,” shared the star of “Fatal Attraction” with People magazine. He recounted inviting her back to his room for a nightcap.
Later that evening, when the now 54-year-old star of “Ocean’s Twelve” joined him, he fumbled by saying, “You know, I’m going to be the father of your children.”
Douglas remembers her response: “You know I’ve heard a lot about you, and I’ve seen a lot about you, and I think it’s time that I say goodnight.”
Meanwhile, Zeta-Jones, whose breakout role was in “The Mask of Zorro,” believed the encounter with her future husband was purely work-related.
“I was going to a film festival. I thought Michael Douglas wanted to meet me for work because I knew he was a producer as well as an actor. I genuinely thought that because I was in work mode and I was going to a film festival, and that’s where film deals are made,” explained Zeta-Jones.
“So I never thought, ‘Oh my God, he wants to date me.’ And within hours of meeting me, he told me he wanted to father my children. So I presumed this was not for a job.”
But Douglas was undeterred. Knowing he would soon be filming “Entrapment” in Scotland, he arranged for roses to be delivered to her room upon her arrival.
In a 2019 interview with Access, Zeta-Jones joked, “You know what the worst thing is? He was right.”
Despite their initial hiccups, the couple, who share the same birthday with a 25-year age gap, have faced challenges. In 2013, they briefly separated, reportedly due to stress. However, they reconciled after a year apart.
In 2010, Douglas battled throat cancer, while Zeta-Jones grappled with bipolar disorder. But through it all, their love endured.
Recently, on their 23rd wedding anniversary, the couple, now grandparents, expressed their enduring love for each other. Sharing photos from their wedding and beyond, Zeta-Jones wrote, “Today we celebrate 23 years of marriage. Darling Michael, your Nobel Peace Prize awaits, I love you… from your darling wife, a gold star Medal of Honor recipient.”
Douglas also took to Instagram to share his sentiments, writing, “Happy 23 and Me, my darling @catherinezetajones. Can’t wait for 24! Happy Anniversary.”
“One netizen expresses, ‘I’ve always admired you both, which has fueled my love for all things classic… Happy Wedding Anniversary, my all-time favorite couple.’
Another shares, ‘The most charming and perfect couple!!! Congratulations!!’ While a third adds, ‘Remarkable! You’ve got to be one of the best couples in Hollywood for sure. I admire both of your work! Thank you for so many years of fantastic entertainment.’”
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