WONDERLAND • The Ultimate Wonder Woman Site

	Lynda Carter was three or four-years-old, when she first caught a glimpse of Dinah Shore on TV. Dinah was delivering a rousing "See the USA in your Chevrolet" before signing off with her trademark kiss-sent to millions of viewers throughout the country.

	"I knew then that's what I wanted to do" recalls Lynda, who was far too young to communicate her excitement to her parents. "You know, blowing kisses and having people applaud. I thought that was a great job."

	Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Lynda got her man as a singer with a band when she was 14. At 17, she left home to tour with a group that played Holiday Inns and second-rate lounges in Las Vegas, Nevada and the Catskills in New York. Realizing that kind of life "leads nowhere" and fearful of becoming a "washed-up lounge singer," Lynda returned home.

	Soon after, she signed with a commercial agent who encouraged her to join the Miss USA competiton. As Lynda tells it, "I turned around and, a month later, I was wearing a crown."

During her reign, she traveled the world and moved to L.A., studied acting and pursued a music career. Her break came two-and-a-half years later when she won the lead in "Wonder Woman."

"Wonder Woman," the camp series based on the vintage comic strip, aired from 1974-79. Since then, Lynda has starred in five variety specials, six movies for TV, a short-lived series with Loni Anderson called "Partners in Crime," as well as her own nightclub act, and a steady stream of Maybelline commercials. Nonetheless, people always seem to remember her only as Wonder Woman. Lynda laughs at the irony of having rid herself of the "stigma" of Miss USA only to have replaced A with Wonder Woman.

We caught up with Lynda A her suite 0 a fashionable hotel on Sunset Boulevard. She stays here when her schedule is tight to avoid the long commute to and from her 18-acre ranch in Malibu. She leads a bi-coastal life these days, dividing her time between Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., where she's lived for the past three years with her second husband, lawyer Robert Altman.

Lynda, dressed casually in black jeans and an oversized sweater, relaxs into a sofa, and slides a pair of thick-framed glasses over her nose. She sips her Perrier and sighs deeply, saying we've caught her in the midst of several life changes.

CF: Sounds like an interesting time. What are some of these changes you're going through?

LC: For most of my life, I've been single-minded about my career. It's been work, work, work. Now I'm thinking in other terms. There's more to life for a woman.

CF: Like children?

LC: Like children, like a family, like having an opportunity to enjoy life with another person. I'm finally finding a balance between work and real life. I've never enjoyed life like I do now Bob and I ski, we surf and scuba dive. We go to ballet, concerts, theatre and movies. I never used to go to theatre and movies. Never. I was married to a man (Manager Ron Samuels) who didn't do that. All we did was go to parties and play tennis. That was it.

CF: Did you realize something was missing in your life?

LC: Oh yes. I was pretty beaten down during my first marriage. A was a low point for me, personally. That's why I bought the ranch in Malibu eight years ago. That helped. It gave me back Arizona. There were oak trees instead of cacti, but it was still way out, and it gave me a sense of peace and space. I'm selling the ranch-that's another big (Mange. It's going to be difficult for me, emotionally. I love it there, but it's too difficult to get out there when I'm here on business. I've already had sell my horses because I wasn't around to ride them.

CF: Is love really better the second time around?

LC: The difference between marriage at a young age and when you're more adult is that as an adult you have a better sense of self and a better sense of relationship. Bob and I make the necessary sacrifices, happily, and with love. We're supportive of one another, which is very different from my first marriage. But that's how it's got to be, especially in a two-career family. I spend as much time as I can in Washington, D.C. I say good-bye to work, and I love it. Then, when I come back here, or go on th road, I work with a fervor. Bob visits me every weekend. It takes effort, but we make it work.

CF: Looking back on your years as Wonder Woman, was it mostly a positive experience?

LC: Oh, yes. I'm proud of the show because I fed we broke ground for women.

CF: In what sense?

LC: At that time, there were no 20-ish girls getting leads on TV. The only roles for young women were as girlfriend, hooker, secretary or mistress. They were always third or fourth banana. Item were women like Valeria Harper, Carol Burnett and Mary Tyler Moore, but they were from a different genre. 'Wonder Woman' was the first network show in which a woman my age had the lead. 'Bionic Worman' came on simultaneously, but that was a spinoff. As a result of the success of both shows, producers realized that young, pretty women could carry a series. 'Charlie's Angels,' 'Three's Company,' and all the rest of the beautiful body shows followed.

CF: So you broke ground with 'Wonder Woman' I don't think you're given credit for that, do you?

LC: I'm given no credit whatsoever ... The role itself was pretty vacuous. People have asked me how I was able to make such an impossible character work. I had a sense of humor about her, but never made fun. I played her strong. Unfortunately, the scripts never allowed her to be hurt, or fall in love, or feel much of anything at all. I fought for more emotional involvement, but as a young actress, I couldn't battle the studio and producers. They'd say, 'You can't make Wonder Woman do that!'

CF: Has that role typecast you in any way? I mean, do you find people in your nightclub audience coming to see Wonder Woman?

LC: Sure. Because despite my five specials and six movies, I haven't had a role with as much impact as Wonder Woman up to this point in my career. I think there's a tedency to align actors with the role that brought them into prominence. Clint Eastwood is always going to be Dirty Harry. Dustin Hoffman's always going to be The Graduate. Not that I'm comparing myself to them.

CF: I didn't realize until recently that Debra Winger played your kid sister in the early episodes of 'Wonder Woman.' Somehow I can't picture the two of you as soul sisters. Did you read what she had to say about you in Esquire?

LC: No.

CF: Let me just read this to you... 'Lynda Carter was a mannequin-only concerned with her looks and the fact that I wouldn't wear the same eye makeup as she did. The whole thing was a nightmare.'

LC: I hadn't read that, and I'm disturbed by it. Debra was going through a difficult time, there was a lot of pressure on her, and I tried to be supportive. We went out nights, as friends, and discussed her problems. She'll know what I'm talking about. I liked her then, I like her now. I think she's extremely talented. I'm sorry she feels that way. Maybe she wants to forget that she started in TV. Maybe she wants to forget that period in her life because she was going through difficulties. Who knows? But I'm going to mention it next time I see her I heard what you said about me.'

CF: Don't take it too personally. You should read what she had to say about Shirley MacLaine and Richard Gere.

LC: Well, Shirley is the most professional person on earth. So if I'm in the same company as Shirley MacLaine, I feel fine.

CF: Exactly. But her comments did raise the point that your entire career has been based on looks. Is that ever a burden?

LC: In this town, face and body are always a burden. I don't care if you're a journalist, publicist or actress. It bothers me, yes.

CF: With beauty such an important ingredient, how do you see your career progressing as you get to your 40s and 50s?

LC: (Laugh) Oh, God. That's a ways off. How old do you think I am? I'm in my 30's, and this couldn't be a better time for women. When my mother was my age, she considered herself middle-aged. These days, 35 is the prime of life. We've got 55-year-old women who are considered gorgeous, even with their wrinkles. It's absurd to even think about it. All I'm hoping is to look good at whatever age I am.

CF: Let's talk about 'Stillwatch' your TV movie that airs this Spring. It's a suspense drama in which you play a journalist trying to find out about her past. You were also executive producer on this project. Is this your first experience at the helm?

LC: No. I've executive produced three movies and all five of my specials.

CF: I didn't realize that.

LC: That's because I've never taken credit for then, At the time, the powers that be in the industry didn't want to see an actress' name there. But the projects were mine did the deficit financing, got the people together, wrote the music, did all the work. But I was afraid to claim credit, so my ex-husband put hit name on A. Suddenly, Ron Samuels was the producer of all my specials.

CF: 'Partners in Crime,' the short-lived series in which you starred with Loni Anderson, seemed like a cute idea. Why was it cancelled?

LQ It was a cute idea, a great idea. Actually, it was my agent's idea, and I warmed to it. The idea was to get two women, each of whom could easily handle their own series, and put them together. We hired Leonard Stern to work with us. He was responsible for 'MacMillan and Wife' He's very innovative and good at creating clever relationships. But because of production problems, everything changed hands in mid-stream. We lost our writers, we lost the concept. They were giving us pages of scripts patched together. We didn't even know the story line. Loni and I hated the way things were being done. We were stuck on location in San Francisco for eight months trying to hold each other together. We were each other's saving grace. We saved a lot of shows simply because we had great chemistry.

CF: What does your work with Maybelline involve?

LC: It's exciting because I'm Fashion and Beauty Director I'm not just a spokesperson. I'm very involved with the company, giving them feedback and sharing my ideas. I go down to Memphis and work on colors. I've been with Maybelline for seven years, and I just renewed my contract for another five.

CF: You've made the best dressed list on numerous occasions. Who are your favorite designers?

LC: Generally, I look for what works for me, more than the label of a particular designer. So often I'll like a certain designed but then he'll change and I move on to something else. I love Chanel. I also have a lot of Gianfranco Ferre and Yves St. Laurent. I like clean lines, primary colors and not a lot of patterns.

CF: You've got to stay in shape for your nightclub act. How do you fit exercise into your schedule?

LC: I do something every day, floor exercises, tennis, swimming, racquetball. I'm a demon on the racquetball court. Very often, my husband comes home in the evenings at 8.30. Well have soup, or salad, or take-out, because I don't cook. Then we'll play racquetball for an hour, come home and watch the news. That's a common occurrence. Even if I've played during the day, I'll go out again with him.

CF: What do you consider your greatest character weakness?

LC: Letting my innate shyness get the better of me. I have to make an effort not to be anti-social. I'd generally rather stay home with a book or watch the soaps.

CF: You watch the soaps? Any one in particular?

LC: I like the whole afternoon lineup 'All My Children,' 'One Life to Live' and 'General Hospital.' I first got into them during 'Partners in Crime' when my driver watched them in the motor home. Later, when I took a couple of months off, I became addicted. I wouldn't even take calls when they were on. It got ridiculous, so I finally had to wean myself off them. But the Washington Post carries a capsulization, and I still keep track of them that way.