Heather Thomas, best known for her role alongside Lee Majors in The Fall Guy, was once on the path to becoming a major Hollywood star. With her striking beauty and undeniable talent, she seemed destined for success. However, behind the scenes, she battled personal struggles that nearly derailed her life and career. Now, at 66, she has emerged as a symbol of resilience and transformation.
Thomas, who celebrated her birthday on September 8, initially appeared to have it all. She was a natural in front of the camera, hosting Talking with a Giant at just 14, where she interviewed celebrities. Determined to further her career, she pursued film and theater studies at UCLA. By the time she graduated, she had already landed roles in television, including the short-lived Co-Ed Fever in 1979.
Her big break came in 1980 when she was cast as Jody Banks in The Fall Guy. Playing a stuntwoman-bounty hunter, she became an instant fan favorite, particularly among male viewers who saw her as a sex symbol. However, this label was something she had mixed feelings about. “There’s obligatory condescension that goes with that,” she admitted in an interview. “You fill that archetype, the blonde bimbo. But at that point, I was just having fun.”
Unfortunately, the fun included substance abuse, a habit that had begun long before her Hollywood fame. Thomas revealed that she started using drugs in the sixth grade to maintain high grades. “I was taking acid and making straight A’s. I just thought it was mind-expanding,” she recalled.
By the time she reached UCLA, she had turned to cocaine, and her addiction worsened when she landed her role on The Fall Guy. Struggling with her image as a sex symbol, she also became obsessed with her weight. She used Lasix, a diuretic known for causing severe lethargy, and countered its effects with more cocaine to stay energized. “At first, I was in a honeymoon stage with the drug. It enabled me to stay up all night and work the next day,” she admitted. Though she insisted she never used on set, others saw the toll it took on her. “Word was out on Heather,” a source revealed. “People knew she had a problem.”
As her addiction spiraled, her health and career suffered. She dropped from 125 to 105 pounds and often fell asleep between takes. “Sometimes I was in a mini-coma,” she confessed. Eventually, she passed out in front of her co-star Lee Majors, prompting her manager to intervene. Her mother, Gladdy Ryder, devised a plan to get her help. When The Fall Guy wrapped, her mother told her that her father was in the hospital, prompting Thomas to rush to St. John’s Hospital. Instead of finding her father, she was met by concerned family and friends who urged her to check into a three-week drug program.
Thomas later admitted that entering rehab was a relief. When she checked in, 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 intervened, I probably would have gone on my merry way until I lost my job or I died,” she said. Doctors told her she should have been dead three years earlier.
Determined to stay clean, Thomas surrounded herself with positive influences. She married Allan Rosenthal, the co-founder of Cocaine Anonymous, though they divorced in 1986. That same month, she was struck by a car while crossing the street, suffering serious leg injuries.
After her recovery, Thomas attempted to revive her career with smaller roles in TV and film, including Cyclone (1987) and Red Blooded American Girl (1990). However, the 1990s marked a turning point for her. She married entertainment lawyer Skip Brittenham in 1992, became a stepmother to his daughters, and later had her own child, India Rose, in June 2000.
Reflecting on her past, Thomas revealed that one major reason she stepped away from acting was persistent stalking. “I was getting so stalked. I had one guy climb over the fence with a knife. I had two little girls who needed raising, so that was that. But I think now I’ve gotten so old that people won’t bother me much,” she told Reuters.
In 2017, she made a brief return to the screen in Girltrash: All Night Long. However, she has primarily focused on writing and activism. She has served on the boards of the Rape Foundation and the Amazon Conservation Team, dedicating her time to causes close to her heart.
Thomas has also spoken openly about embracing both her past as a sex symbol and her identity as a feminist. “When I was young, I did what people told me to do. But when I was older, I didn’t compromise myself. I wanted power and freedom. There’s nothing horrible about letting people see your body. I don’t think I betrayed myself, and I don’t think being a feminist means you should be ashamed of your body.”
While it’s unfortunate that Thomas never fully returned to acting, her story is one of resilience. She overcame addiction, survived personal hardships, and found fulfillment in family, activism, and writing. Fans still cherish her as Jody Banks from The Fall Guy, and her journey serves as an inspiring testament to strength and transformation.
Heather Thomas’ story is a powerful reminder that, no matter how tough life gets, redemption and reinvention are always possible.
