The sultry Heather Thomas of ‘The Fall Guy’ struggled with addiction – but look at her now, at 66

Renowned for her role alongside Lee Majors in “The Fall Guy,” Heather Thomas, who celebrated her 66th birthday on September 8, seemed destined for a stellar Hollywood career. However, her life took a dramatic turn when she rushed to the hospital after the show’s finale, believing her father had an emergency.

Upon arrival, Thomas discovered her father was well, and it was her own health at stake. This marked the beginning of a transformative journey for the 28-year-old actress, altering both her personal life and career.

Continue reading to uncover the events that shaped the former pinup girl of the 1980s!

Endowed with talent and movie star beauty comparable to Farrah Fawcett and Heather Locklear, Heather Thomas pursued her calling. At just 14, she hosted the NBC series “Talking with a Giant,” where she interviewed celebrities alongside four other teens.

Eager to elevate her career as an actor, director, and writer, the now 66-year-old Thomas studied film and theater at UCLA. A year before graduating, she appeared in the short-lived comedy series “Co-Ed Fever” (1979).

In 1980, she secured her breakthrough, winning her first leading role in the TV series “The Fall Guy,” playing Lee Majors’ sidekick. Portraying Jody Banks, a stuntwoman-bounty hunter, Thomas became a sex symbol, a title she embraced with mixed feelings.

However, her rise to fame coincided with struggles. Drug use, initiated in the sixth grade, escalated during her time at UCLA. Cocaine use intensified in 1981, and her obsession with weight led to unhealthy practices.

To combat lethargy induced by diuretics, Thomas turned to more cocaine for energy. Her drug use began affecting her career, leading to weight loss and on-set challenges. Despite her claims of not using cocaine on set, sources revealed that her drug problem was widely known.

Thomas, weighing 105 pounds and experiencing lethargy, fell asleep between takes, impacting her career. Concerns peaked when she passed out in front of Lee Majors, prompting her mother’s intervention.

After the series finale, her mother informed her about her father’s health, leading to Thomas checking into a three-week drug program at St. John’s Hospital. Diagnosed with pneumonia, scarred lungs, and inflamed kidneys, Thomas realized she needed a change.

Committed to recovery, Thomas met and married Allan Rosenthal, co-founder of Cocaine Anonymous. Despite the divorce in September 1986, she faced additional challenges, including a car accident causing severe leg injuries.

Post-detox, divorce, and surgery, Thomas made a comeback with smaller roles in TV series and films like “Cyclone” (1987) and “Red Blooded American Girl” (1990). In the 1990s, she embraced a new chapter, marrying Skip Brittenham and becoming a stepmother before giving birth to her only biological child, India Rose, in June 2000.

Shifting her focus to writing and experiencing privacy breaches from stalkers, Thomas stepped back from acting. In 2017, she briefly returned in “Girltrash: All Night Long.” Now an activist, Thomas served on the boards of the Rape Foundation and Amazon Conservation Team, embracing her role as a feminist while reflecting on her journey.