Off The Record
How Lynda Carter, The Original ‘Wonder Woman’ Looks Today At 71
She wowed the world when she represented the United States at the most prestigious beauty pageant in 1972, Miss World.
Beautiful Lynda Carter was given numerous opportunities thanks to this title, the most notable of which was the part of Wonder Woman.
Carter evolved into a popular hero. Women all over the world, not just the males, praised her stunning good looks and extraordinary skill.
Carter reflected on the moment she was crowned the most beautiful woman in America, saying, “I didn’t get any prizes. They smack a little banner on you, they stick a crown on your head and call you a beauty queen,” that makes the experience “bad” and “painful,” according to the author.
Carter had a rocky cinematic career until she landed the role of the renowned hero woman.
She was successful in landing a few jobs, but she was so close to financial ruin that she had to settle for a “real” job.
But then her manager called and told her that Joanna Cassidy had been passed over and that Lynda would be playing Diana Prince/Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman inspired many as one of the first female superheroes. Thousands of women marched along Fifth Avenue in New York City a few short years before the series premiered.
In an episode, Wonder Woman warned that “Any civilization that does not recognize the female is doomed to destruction. Women are the wave of the future and sisterhood is…stronger than anything.”
Carter did an excellent job in the role. Many female writers and producers found inspiration in her strong, independent persona.
When told that women would be jealous of her portraying the heroine, Carter told CBS News, “Well, I said, ‘Not a chance. They won’t be, because I am not playing her that way. I want women to want to be me, or be my best friend! There is something about the character where in your creative mind for that time in your life where you pretended to be her, or whatever the situation was, that it felt like you could fly.”
Carter wasn’t thrilled when she was named 1978’s “Most Beautiful Woman in the World” or when a poster of her baring her midriff became the year’s best seller.
“It’s uncomfortable because I just simply took a photograph. That’s all my participation was in my poster that sold over a million copies, was that I took a photograph that I thought was a dumb photograph. My husband said, “Oh, try this thing tied up here, it’ll look beautiful”. And the photographer said ‘the back-lighting is really terrific.’ So dealing with someone having that picture up in their… bedroom or their… living room or whatever I think would be hard for anyone to deal with,” she said in an interview during NBC television special Women Who Rate a 10.
She tried her hand at the theater and landed a role in the production of Chicago, in addition to appearing in films and shows such as Partners in Crime, in which she co-starred with another Hollywood beauty, Loni Anderson, and the Dukes of Hazzard.
Carter was there in 2016 when the United Nations recognized Wonder Woman as a “Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls” on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the character’s initial appearance.
“The greatest honor and responsibility of playing Wonder Woman was serving as a role model for fans around the world, particularly girls,” Lynda said during the ceremony.
“I’ve seen first-hand how a powerful yet compassionate superhero can inspire women to believe in themselves and men to support equality.”
Lynda Carter had two weddings. Ron Samuels, an agent and promoter, asked her out when he invited her to his office.
Film legends like Jennifer O’Neill, Joyce DeWitt, Jaclyn Smith, and Barbara Carreras were among the stars he directed.
They were one of the most popular couples in the entertainment industry when they were together.
But their marriage began to show signs of strain, and they eventually divorced over issues like whether or not to start a family.
“I hope he forgives me and I have forgiven him because it was painful for both people. And I wish him – honestly and truly – wish him well,” Lynda stated when their divorce was finalized in 1982.
Carter wed a Washington, DC lawyer named Robert A. Altman two years later.
Maybelline, for whom Carter was a representative, hosted a party where the two crossed paths.
It seems that the presence of the Wonder Woman actress was the deciding factor in Robert’s decision to attend.
“I know that she was a good-looking actress who modeled for Maybelline, but I couldn’t quite place her,” Robert said.
“I was intending to go back to the hotel and watch a football game and I thought the last thing I wanted was to go to dinner and get mixed up with some Hollywood actress.”
After marrying the man she regarded to be her soul mate, Carter stepped out of the spotlight to focus on raising their two children.
They remained a couple until Robert’s death in 2021. He was 73 years old when he passed away from a rare form of leukemia.
The actress never really recovered from her loss. She posted a touching message to her social media accounts on what would have been his 75th birthday.
“Today would have been your 75th birthday. To me you cannot be gone, because the love you gave so freely endures. It lives on in me, our children, and the many people whose lives you touched. You gave so much of yourself while you were here, and today we honor your love, your life, and your legacy.
“If I were up on a mountain today, I would sing to you through the mountain’s canyons. Instead, I woke to the dawn, over the ocean and sang my heart and love to you.”
The 71-year-old actress said of her sobriety, “I’ve been in recovery for 23 years. And I didn’t even start drinking till I was in my mid-20s. I would stop drinking for two or three years, then start again and it just felt terrible. That was a long time ago and now I’m very happy,” adding that her late husband helped her a lot and was her knight in shining armour.
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Lynda Carter is still regarded as one of Hollywood’s most alluring leading ladies.
She has managed to remain as stunning as she was in her youth.
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