The Solid Gold Kidnapping

Steve Austin is dispatched to Mexico to rescue an American ambassador kidnapped and held for ransom; now accustomed to his bionic powers, Steve hardly breaks a sweat in freeing the ambassador. But this kidnapping is followed up by another, this time a high-ranking American diplomat who is deep into peace negotiations with China – and this time the ransom is higher as well: one billion dollars. The only lead in the crime is the corpse of a man believed to have been one of the kidnappers, but this may still be useful to Dr. Erica Bergner, who believes that cells from his brain can be extracted and injected into another human being, allowing the recipient to access the dead man’s memories. She volunteers herself as the guinea pig for this unprecedented procedure, and is Steve’s only source for further information on the ambassador’s whereabouts.

teleplay by Larry Alexander
story by Alan Caillou and Larry Alexander
directed by Russ Mayberry
music by Oliver Nelson
“Six Million Dollar Man” words & music by Glen A. Larson / performed by Dusty Springfield

Cast: Lee Majors (Steve Austin), Richard Anderson (Oliver Goldman), Alan Oppenheimer (Dr. Rudy Wells), Elizabeth Ashley (Dr. Erica Bergner), Terry Carter (Mel Bristo), John Vernon (Julian Peck), Maurince Evans (Chairman of the Board), Luciana Paluzzi (Contessa DeRojas), Leif Erickson (William Henry Cameron), Craig Huebing (Roger Ventriss), David White (Ambassador Scott), Marcel Hilliare (Customs Inspector), Leigh Christian (Lady Skier), James Sikking (Second OSO Agent), Maurice Marsac (Derk Clerk), Vito Scotti (2nd Taxi Driver), Rudy Challenger (Executive), Karen Klein (Stewardess), Jan Arvan (Doctor), Danielle Aubry (Nurse), Jack Ragotzy (1st Taxi Driver)

Notes: In syndicated rerun packages, this movie was split into two one-hour episodes of the same name. Terry Carter, later of Battlestar Galactica, appears as OSI agent Mel Bristo, while Maurice Evans appears without the ape makeup he wore as Dr. Zaius in the first two Planet Of The Apes movies. This movie seemed to represent an attempt to steer The Six Million Dollar Man firmly into James Bond territory, a direction which would be rethought in favor of more of a “superhero” feel going into the weekly series in January of the following year.