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Date and Issue: 1977.
"I guess I'm just a good, old-fashioned girl," said Lynda Carter, superstar/superheroine of TV's hit comic-series Wonder Woman. “I believe in love, romance, honesty, sincerity and truth. In many ways I am Wonder Woman and her alter ego, Diana Prince. Maybe that's why I got this choice role when so many seasoned actresses were turned down for the part " The decision to hire Lynda Carter for the Wonder Woman series was not hard to make. Her appearance is just what the show needs. The six-foot actress has long, silky black hair, sparkling blue eyes and fills her costume to perfection Although she's happy today, Lynda does admit that it was hard to be the tallest girl in school.
“I was taller than most of the boys and all of the girls," Lynda told us. “That left me out of a lot of activities, including being a cheerleader. I compensated for it by singing and writing music. I have been doing that since I was ten." Lynda's singing career really gained momentum at 15 when she was hired to sing with a folk group, Just Us. She toured the country after graduating high school in Phoenix, Arizona, and sang with a number of groups.
When I was a teenager, I recorded a lot of records that went nowhere,” Lynda remembers. "We (the group) did one record in England, but it was stopped because of all the hassles with work permits. I didn't like that-being somewhere where I wasn't free to perform."
In 1973 Lynda became bored with her singing career, and entered the Miss Arizona World beauty pageant on a whim. After winning the local title she went on to win the Miss World USA title, and then to lose the Miss World title. The only logical next step was -Hollywood. In the midst of drama lessons and a few auditions, Lynda suddenly became a star.
That stardom may soon be responsible for her realization of a long overdue dream. "One of the happiest things that is happening to me right now is that I have a new album out called Portraits. The notoriety I gained as Wonder Woman has made this possible. Funny, though, many people in Hollywood look at me as an actress and have been asking, 'Can she sing' not knowing that singing is what I've been doing for fifteen years!"
In person, Lynda Carter is stunning, fresh and full of the joy of life, not to mention success. Her presence is strong and that makes the character she plays much more powerful, not only on the tube, but in real life, too. Almost a walking encyclopedia of Wonder Woman lore, Lynda has one of the world's most extensive research libraries of materials on her character. “I got a lot of stuff while we were working on the pilots. I had a large collection before the show was even aired," Lynda boasted. “A lot of this material was in the form of gifts from friends when I got the role. After the show became successful the gifts and stuff poured in from everywhere."
People want fantasy, romance, and old-fashioned ideas,” Lynda explained. “They are tired of violence and overkill. Old-fashioned ethics and ideas are where the future of this country is. Old-fashioned ethics are becoming new-fashioned. Truth and beauty are in. I think that's what part of the character is all about.”
Under Lynda's contract, she isn't really able to do much else than the show, and her schedule limits her time even more. What isn't spent rehearsing stunts and shooting the show is gobbled up with singing, writing, preparations for her LP recording and two live acts, one for Las Vegas and one for concert tours. When her own network TV special comes up later this year, she will really feel the squeeze time wise. It is no wonder that what little leisure time Lynda has is jealously guarded and kept for her husband (who is also her manager) Ron Samuels, who also guides the careers of a Charlie's Angel (Jaclyn Smith) and The Bionic Woman (Lindsay Wagner).
Ron and Lynda had several business meetings before their romance blossomed. One day he came to the Wonder Woman set and they had lunch. The next day it was tennis. The following day it was love. That was it!
"On one of those dates," Lynda confided, "I was watching his mouth as he talked to me and he asked me what I was thinking. I told him honestly that I was wondering what it would feel like to kiss his lips. He really blushed! As it turned out he was impressed with the fact that I always honestly say what is on my mind and no other woman he ever knew was that straightforward.”
"On our third date Ron told me that if I was really as honest and beautiful inside as he thought, then I was the girl he wanted to marry," Lynda confided. “He was the only man I had ever dated who I thought of in terms of marriage. It was just good, old-fashioned values, feelings honest and true. We have had a very romantic storybook relationship right down to the wedding."
"We discuss work and business." Lynda continued, “but he is my husband and lover first and manager afterwards. Many Hollywood show business marriages fall apart because of the actress/manager relationship. One person living off another's success. Ron and I were both well off before we met, so neither of us is dependent upon the other for work.
“I'm just so happy that I finally met him. My mother always told me I would know when the right man would appear and I just knew it was Ron from the start. "If I hadn't met Ron I might never have gotten married at all,” Lynda confessed. "The strong men who are also gentle and understanding are almost non-existent for me. Ron is strong and aggressive, but also gentle and very sensitive. More sensitive, in fact, than I am. So I feel very lucky that I found him. He's the only man I have met in my entire life that I feel I can lean on, believe in and trust."
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