MAGS AND BOOKS
Date and Issue: Volume 2, Number 5, January 1978.
Pages: 4 pages.
Pictures: 7 black and white pictures.
Article: 4-page article.
Author: Not stated.
Country: USA.
PREVIEW In our December Preview, beautiful Lynda Carter discussed he, role as television's Wonder Woman, her marriage, and her musical career. In the conclusion of this exclusive, on-the-set interview, Lynda further discusses her future ambitions, how she successfully combines a fast-paced career with a happy home life, and more...!
Q. Lynda, you're now busy planning a Las Vegas singing engagement for yourself this spring. Can you tell us a little about it?
A. Oh, yes. On stage I'll have some dancers and background singers. Of course, I'll have my own rhythm section and hire my own musicians, also.
Q. Can you describe what your upcoming album will be like? A lot of people will probably be surprised to discover that Wonder Woman sings!
A. That's true! The album will be released on the Epic label and will contain both songs that I've written and other people's material as well I co-write with a fellow by the name of Bob Seller. He writes for Diana Ross, Rare Earth-many people in the recording business .
Q. What inspires you as far as songwriting goes?
A. Oh, it might be something that someone says ... or a mood, a feeling. I usually write a lyric and a melody together-as opposed to writing a lyric and then putting a melody to it-or writing a melody and then putting a lyric to it. I write them both simultaneously. But I'm not such an avid songwriter anymore because I basically don't have the time. And there are so many good songwriters around whose material I can use.
Q. Is music currently consuming a great deal of your time?
A. Yes! I work in the evening and on the weekends-writing songs and recording in studios. Last night, for instance, I stayed up until 11 P.M. writing. Name up with a couple of good songs I want to use on my album. Singing? "I love it-it's a very immediate thing!"
Q. Do you love singing as much as acting?
A. Definitely. I Ave to sing! Singing is a very immediate thing, as opposed to acting, where you see your performance aired later. You can have some truly magical moments in a recording studio. The studio is dark and it's very intimate. It's like working with a small family.
Q. How do you feel about the popularity of your series virtually making you a household name in the past year or so?
A. It gives me a thrill! But I don't always realize the powerful extent of television-what it can do and how many people might recognize me from it. I do get uncomfortable about it sometimes-especially on the occasions where people want to touch me or tug at me. It's a claustrophobic feeling to makes me panic... "I used to panic when a whole group of people would recognize me."
Q. Are people constantly recognizing you in public?
A. It depends on where I am. If Ron (Samuels, her personal manager and husband) and I are just going out for dinner, it usually doesn't happen much. When people first began recognizing me, I used to panic when a whole group of them would walk towards me. I can't possibly be what they expect me to be!
Q. Which is... Wonder Woman?
A. Yes! But amazingly, many people know me directly by my real name-as opposed to the character I play-because of my being on magazine covers and the like.
Q. Were you a big movie star fan when you were growing up?
A. I was a fan of Greta Garbo and a few other actresses, but I wasn't an avid fan of anyone in particular. I feel that Katharine Hepburn has given the show business industry much dignity. She's such a good actress, and she's always worked hard at her craft and kept her self-esteem.
Q. How would you describe your home life with Ron?
A. Well, the only time we spend together alone without telephones, maids, or other people around is when we go out to dinner-so we go out to dinner a lot! (Laughs.) Ron plays a lot of tennis and we both swim a lot to keep in shape. We go to parties every once in a while, but we like to spend most of our time-_ whatever time we have left after the week is finished-by ourselves. Occasionally, well have close friends over.
Q. Lynda, how do you feel right now-about your career and your personal life? Do you sometimes feel as I you are caught in the eye of a hurricane? Like everything is spinning around you?
A. Yes, I do sometimes. I don't dwell on it ... I just try to keep straight ahead with things. Often, I let Wings get out of balance. A small incident will seem like a huge one. My emotions are often at the surface, and everything seems to affect me in a certain way.
Q. Do you have an outlet for all the tension and pressure you may sometimes experience with your busy life?
A. I'll play tennis or I'll exercise I try to think of everything as a positive experience, although you can't always do that. Or I'll get so frustrated that I'll cry at be drop of a hat! I could worry about everything if I wanted to-but worry certainly isn't going to change anything!
Q. Would you say that you are involved with the actual product people see on television -either in writing or producing.
A. I'd like to be more responsible for the entertainment value. I have a lot of ideas for scripts. So I write them down and turn them in.
Q. Are you allowed to improvise a lot with your Wonder Woman scripts?
A. Not a whole lot but there are reasons for it. Too much improvising can turn things around too much The script girl has to go and put the changes in and make sure that they're cleared. It's a lot of rigamarole, so we don't improvise too much. But I do have a great deal of freedom in changing certain dialogue around.
Q. The credibility gap is something that is stressed in dramatic training. Did you find it difficult at first to make the audience believe in Wonder Woman? Did you consider this before you accepted the role?
A. No, not before I accepted the role-I jumped at the role! It was the first professional acting I had ever done, so I didn't think twice. And, as an actress, I believe I am credible in the role. I've certainly worked on it...
Q. How do you feel when you're referred to as a comic book character?
A. I stay away from the word "comic book" because nowhere on the show is there ever a comic book seen! Although I don't want to lose the fantasy flavor, the show is a real live, action thing. The show is three-dimensional because the characters are living, breathing, human beings. Wonder Woman is definitely a fantasy-she uses her tiara as a boomerang and she can talk to her mother through her ruby ... it's fantasy! So that's the way I treat it-as opposed to something strictly make-believe. Because the show is a fantasy, many people will sit down and watch it. It's not like someone just playing a sex symbol role. "I try to be prepared so I won't regret the things I've done."
Q. As a last thought, are you satisfied with the way your career and your personal life is evolving?
A. I just try to be prepared as much as possible so I won't look back later and regret the things I've done. I could complain and say I don't have much time to myself, but to be honest, I'd rather not have much free time than too much of it!
© 1978 by The Laufer Company.
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