50th Anniversary of TV’s Wonder Woman

[Photo Credit: InsideTheMagic.net]

Back on November 7, 1975 the pilot of Wonder Woman aired on ABC as a made-for-TV movie entitled The New Original Wonder Woman, starring Hollywood legend Lynda Carter, a former beauty queen who was crowned Miss World USA in 1972, and who had only appeared in two other TV projects prior to landing that soon-to-be-coveted role of the legendary Amazonian princess and superhero who had been gracing comic books since October of 1941.

This pilot movie was the live-action launch on the small screen of the origin story of Princess Diana (aka Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman) and United States Army Air Corps intelligence officer Major Steve Trevor (the late Lyle Waggoner).

Much like the origin story in the comic books, Trevor was on a mission during the height of World War II against the Hitler regime. He was flying to the Devil’s Triangle to intercept a Nazi plane headed to bomb the U.S. Both planes were eventually destroyed, and as the two pilots – Trevor and a German pilot (played by future soap star Eric Braeden) – parachuted toward land, the Nazi shot Major Trevor. Soon enough, the Major landed – badly injured – on the shores of Paradise Island (otherwise known as Themyscira) where he was found by two Amazonian women: one of them being the Princess, and (supposed) only daughter of Queen Hippolyta, who was played by funny lady Cloris Leachman in one of her more dramatic turns, by the way.

NOTE: This was Leachman’s only appearance in Wonder Woman as Queen Hippolyta was soon to be played by The Addams Family alum, Morticia Addams herself, Carolyn Jones.

Princess Diana helped to nurse Major Trevor back to health, and when he was well enough, he would need to be returned to the United States so the Queen set an athletic competition to determine which Amazon would take him back. Diana was forbidden by her mother to compete, but she did so regardless – in disguise no less – and won. She returned Trevor via her invisible jet and caused quite the stir throughout DC in her now infamous star-spangled outfit, complete with the lasso of truth and knee-high boots, that was designed by her own mother.

While the Nazi plot of the movie continued, Wonder Woman learned some of the intricacies of American crime in the 1940’s and even a little bit about the stage and theatrics of that time, and in the latter part of the movie a key historical moment happened: Diana did the now famous twirl to transform into Wonder Woman, and so started the move that would be mimicked everywhere by girls and boys.

You can see that scene – with an enhanced CGI effect – below:

NOTE: In the special features of the TV show’s first season, Carter explained that the twirl was her suggestion when producers were looking for a way for Princess Diana to change into Wonder Woman.

In the movie’s final scenes, Wonder Woman fought off Marcia, a German spy, played by then glamour girl Stella Stevens, who was posing as a secretary and girlfriend to Major Trevor. Beyond the athletic competition on Paradise Island, this was the only real action sequence in the movie that foretold all of the fights for which Wonder Woman would be involved as the movie quickly turned into a weekly TV series.

Needless to say, the movie ended with Wonder Woman saving the day, stopping the Nazis and even saving Major Trevor, and the final scene introduced the world and Major Steve Trevor to Yeoman Diana Prince, his new bespectacled secretary.

[Photo Credit: Wonderland-Site.com]

RELATED: How to Watch Wonder Woman Online

On April 21, 1976, the first season of Wonder Woman debuted on ABC with the series still set in the 1940s during World War II. That season ran for 13 episodes and included an appearance in three episodes by future Academy Award nominee Debra Winger as Drusilla, Princess Diana’s younger sister, who would become known as Wonder Girl.

You can watch the opening and ending credits for that one season of Wonder Woman below:

In September of 1977, the series – now known as The New Adventures of Wonder Woman – moved over to CBS, airing on that network for two seasons and comprised of 46 episodes. This new version of the series was set in the then-current day, late 1970s.

Season 2 and Season 3 of The New Adventures of Wonder Woman found Diana Prince now working as an agent with the Inter-Agency Defense Command, a CIA/FBI-type organization that fought crime and espionage. Carter was the only cast member whose character continued in the show with Waggoner appearing in flashbacks as the original Major Steve Trevor and then as Trevor’s son, Steve Jr. The final episode of The New Adventures of Wonder Woman aired on CBS on September 11, 1979.

You can see the remade opening title for The New Adventures of Wonder Woman below:

It should be noted that while this version of Wonder Woman is the one that most TV fans remember, a pilot for Wonder Woman was made in 1974 with blonde actress Cathy Lee Crosby playing the superhero, who in that version wore a much different suit and demonstrated no apparent super-human powers. That pilot aired twice on March 12, 1974 and then again on August 21, 1972. But that pilot never moved forward and was soon revamped into the version that would star Carter. It should also be noted that future Charlie Angel’s star Jaclyn Smith and former model turned actress Joanna Cassidy, who went on to appear in Blade Runner and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, were also in the top running for the lead role that eventually went to Carter.

In light of the upcoming anniversary of the series, a 50th Anniversary of Wonder Woman with Lynda Carter will be celebrated by the folks at The Paley Center for Media at its 2025 Paley Honors Spring Gala to be held on May 19 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. The Paley Center will also be spotlighting the 50th Anniversary of Good Morning America as well as media and sports trailblazer Crystal McCrary and business icon, innovator and visionary leader Joe Tsai.

In the words of Maureen J. Reidy, the President of The Paley Center for Media, “Lynda Carter’s iconic portrayal remains a timeless symbol of strength, courage and empowerment.” In my mind, and in the minds of many others, Lynda Carter is the epitome of Wonder Woman despite the others who have portrayed her on screen (i.e., most notably and most recently Gal Gadot) and in the numerous animated projects which included the lasso-wielding superhero (who was voiced by the likes of Felicity and The Diplomat alum Keri Russell and Nikita star Maggie Q, just to name two). Carter even made a cameo in 2020’s Wonder Woman 1984 as the ancient Amazon warrior Asteria.

Lynda Carter has since dedicated her life to philanthropy and activism, working with several organizations such as the Smithsonian American Women’s History Musuem, the City of Hope and the ERA Coalition. She has also fiercely advocated Susan G. Komen for the Cure, abortion rights and legal equality for LBGTQIA people, recognizing Wonder Woman’s status as an LGBTQIA icon. She is also an accomplished singer and stage performer, having performed since she was a child.

And on a more personal level, Lynda Carter was one of my early TV heroes – not just because she portrayed Wonder Woman – but because she was just so perfect in the role and really made an impact on my childhood TV viewing. In fact, in addition to Carter, there were several other female actresses at that time who had an impact on me, including Lindsay Wagner as Jamie Sommers in Bionic Woman, the soon-to-be Days of Our Lives star Diedre Hall in the short-lived Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, the late JoAnna Cameron as Andrea Thomas in the little known Saturday morning series The Secrets of Isis and the original Charlie’s Angels: Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson.

What actors had an impact on your childhood TV memories? Please share them in our comments section below.

Happy Anniversary to the one and only Lynda Carter and the TV version(s) of Wonder Woman!

(Featured Image Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Television)