Lyle Waggoner
Waggoner in a 1976 publicity photo for Wonder Woman
Born
Lyle Wesley Waggoner

(1935-04-13)April 13, 1935
DiedMarch 17, 2020(2020-03-17) (aged 84)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • sculptor
  • model
  • presenter
  • salesman
Years active1956–2005
Spouse
Sharon Kennedy
(m. 1961)
Children2

Lyle Wesley Waggoner[1] (/ˈwæɡnər/ WAG-nər; April 13, 1935 – March 17, 2020)[2] was an American actor, sculptor, presenter, travel trailer salesman and model, known for his work on The Carol Burnett Show from 1967 to 1974 and for playing the role of Steve Trevor and Steve Trevor Jr. on Wonder Woman from 1975 to 1979.[2] In his later career he founded a company, Star Waggons, which rented luxury trailers to studios.

Early life

Waggoner was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on April 13, 1935, the son of Marie (Isern) and Myron Waggoner, and spent part of his childhood in Excelsior Springs, Missouri.[1][3] On an episode of The Carol Burnett Show, Waggoner stated he had three sisters and one brother. In 1953, he graduated from Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, and then studied briefly at Washington University in St. Louis. He then joined the United States Army, serving two years in West Germany as a radio operator.[4]

Following his military discharge, Waggoner studied mechanical engineering in the junior executive program at the General Motors Institute of Technology. He then sold encyclopedias as a door to door salesman.[5] He made his acting debut as a muscle man in a Kansas City production of Li'l Abner, after which he created a sales promotion organization that enabled him to make enough money to finance a trip to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career.[4]

Career

By the mid-1960s, Waggoner was appearing regularly in television and films, including an episode of Gunsmoke (“The Wishbone” in 1966). He was a finalist for the title role in the TV series version of Batman, but lost the role to Adam West.[5]

In 1967, he appeared in Catalina Caper (with Tommy Kirk, a former child actor trying to restart his career as a young adult), a film which would eventually be lampooned by Mystery Science Theater 3000. He also had a minor guest-starring role in the season-three episode "Deadliest of the Species" of the TV series Lost in Space.[6]

Left: Waggoner and other Carol Burnett Show cast members in 1967 (clockwise from bottom): Burnett, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, and Waggoner (right: the 1977 cast, with Tim Conway)

Also in 1967, Waggoner began a seven-year stint on The Carol Burnett Show, a comedy sketch and variety show, on which he appeared as an announcer and performer.[2] In 1973, Waggoner posed semi-nude for a Playgirl centerfold. Waggoner left The Carol Burnett Show in 1974 in the hopes of advancing his career as a lead actor. His spot on the show was filled by frequent guest star Tim Conway (and his role as announcer by Ernie Anderson). He later appeared on some of the show's reunion specials.

In 1976, Waggoner was appointed "mayor" of Encino, California, by the local chamber of commerce. The "mayor" is not an actual government official as Encino is not an independent town but rather part of the city of Los Angeles; the post is an honorary "goodwill ambassador" position. In addition to Waggoner, other holders of the title have included Steve Allen, Mike Connors, Fred Travalena, Ronnie Schell, and Cesare Danova.[7]

A year after leaving Carol Burnett, Waggoner landed the role of Steve Trevor for the pilot and first season of the television series Wonder Woman starring Lynda Carter.[5] Initially set during World War II, when the subsequent two seasons advanced the timeline to the 1970s, Waggoner played Steve Trevor, Jr.[5]

Waggoner also appeared in several TV movies and minor motion pictures during the 1970s and 1980s, often cast for "hunk" appeal. He made guest appearances on numerous television series including Charlie's Angels, The San Pedro Beach Bums, Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, The Golden Girls, Ellen, and most recently The War at Home. Waggoner also played at least three roles on The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, and Murder, She Wrote throughout their respective runs.

In 1979, while working on Wonder Woman, Waggoner discovered that the motorhome he was using during the production was rented by the studio from a nearby resident. Waggoner soon bought a fleet of motor homes at $50,000 apiece, renting them out to Hollywood productions for $400-$500 per week. Soon after he founded Star Waggons, a company that leased customized location trailers for use by the entertainment industry. He also started Zio Studio Services, the rental arm of Star Waggons. On September 1, 2021, Star Waggons and Zio Studio Services were sold to Hudson Pacific Properties for $222 million. Waggoner's sons, Jason and Beau, will continue to run these businesses for Hudson Pacific Properties.[8][9][10][11] Waggoner retired from full-time acting to run Star Waggons, but made occasional appearances, often parodying his earlier image (The Naked Truth, That '70s Show, and Return to the Batcave).

In 1990, Waggoner co-produced and appeared in a consumer-product show called Consumer America with co-host Shawn Bruner. The series featured novel national products from self-help to home goods and lasted for about two seasons.

In 1993, Waggoner was the host of an infomercial, "Let's Talk With Lyle Waggoner", which advertised "Y-Bron", supposedly a natural product that would cure male impotence.[12] Scottsdale, Arizona, based Twin Star was later fined $1.5 million for unsubstantiated claims about Y-Bron.[13][14][15][16]

Personal life

Waggoner was married to Sharon Kennedy, an actress, financial consultant, and realtor.[1] They married in 1961 and had two sons.[11] He resided near Jackson, Wyoming, where he was a sculptor.[17] His works can be seen at galleries in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Lander, Wyoming.

Death

Waggoner died in his home in the Los Angeles area at the age of 84 on March 17, 2020, from cancer.[18][19][20][2][5][6]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1966Swamp CountryDeputy Mel
1967Catalina CaperAngeloAlternate title: Never Steal Anything Wet
1967Journey to the Center of TimeAlien (as Lyle Waggner)
1973Love Me DeadlyAlex Martin
1978Zero to SixtyGay Bar Bartender
1984Surf IIChief Boyardie
1989Murder WeaponDr. Randolph
1989Danger USABenAlternate title: Mind Trap
1990Gypsy AngelsPreacher
1990The Girl I WantCoach
1990Dream a Little EvilDeathDirect-to-video film
1991Wizards of the Demon SwordLord Khoura
1991Dead Women in LingerieDaddy

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1966GunsmokeAikensEpisode: "Wishbone"
1967Lost in SpaceMechanical ManEpisode: "Deadliest of the Species"
1967–1974The Carol Burnett ShowVarious CharactersMain cast (182 episodes)
1969The Governor & J.J.Garrett SpauldingEpisode: "Romeo and J.J."
1972Once Upon a MattressSir StudleyTV movie
1973Marcus Welby, M.D.Eric LundgrenEpisode: "The Day After Forever"
1973The Barbara Eden ShowBarry MichaelsTV pilot
1973Letters from Three LoversSamTV movie
1975The New Original Wonder WomanMajor Steve TrevorTV movie
1976MaudeJimEpisode: "The Case of the Broken Punch Bowl"
1976–1979Wonder Woman / The New Adventures of Wonder WomanMajor Steve Trevor (1976–77)
Colonel Steve Trevor Jr. (1977–79)
Main cast (59 episodes)
1977The Love Boat IIRogerTV movie
1977The San Pedro Beach BumsJasonEpisode: "Love Boat Bums: The Bums Take a Cruise"
1978Flying HighGavinEpisode: "Fun Flight"
1979The Love BoatLance WilsonEpisode: "Second Time Around"
1979SupertrainPeter SebastianEpisode: "A Very Formal Heist"
1979Time ExpressDavid LaneEpisode: "The Copy-Writer/The Figure Skater"
1979The Love BoatJay CavanaughEpisode: "The Scoop"
1980The Gossip ColumnistTerry AndersonTV movie
1980The Great American Traffic JamWilbur StokesTV movie
1980Happy DaysBobby BurnsEpisode: "Dreams Can Come True"
1980Fantasy IslandMontyEpisode: "Gigolo"
1980Charlie's AngelsJack BarrowsEpisode: "Island Angels"
1981BulbaHampton FraserTV pilot
1981Mork & MindyXerkoEpisode: "There's a New Mork in Town"
1981Fantasy IslandGilberto DeVincenzoEpisode: "The Perfect Husband"
1982The Ugily FamilyKenny BingTV pilot
1982The Love BoatDr. Tucker MartinEpisode: "A Dress to Remember"
1982Romance TheatreJeremyEpisodes: "The Simple Truth" (Parts 1–5)
1983Fantasy IslandAlEpisode: "No Friends Like Old Friends"
1983Gun ShyThe Masked StrangerEpisode: "What Do You Mean 'We' Amigo?"
1984Happy DaysFrederick HamiltonEpisode: "Like Mother, Like Daughter"
1984Murder, She WroteMarty StrindbergEpisode: "Hooray for Homicide"
1985The Great American Strip-offHimself - Host
1986Hardcastle and McCormickDex FalconEpisode: "If You Could See What I See"
1986Simon & SimonDon ManningEpisode: "The Last Big Break"
1986The New Mike HammerLeo RaffleEpisode: "Requiem for Billy"
1987It's a LivingMarlon Brando / Hector RodriquezEpisode: "Her Back to the Future"
1990The Golden GirlsHimselfEpisode: "Mrs. George Devereaux"
1991Murder, She WroteVic DeMarcoEpisode: "Where Have You Gone, Billy Boy?"
1993Murder, She WroteBen WrightEpisode: "The Big Kill"
1993Daddy DearestHankEpisode: "Thanks, But No Thanks"
1995Burke's LawReece RobertsonEpisode: "Who Killed Mr. Game Show?"
1995CybillHimselfEpisode: "The Cheese Stands Alone"
1996EllenVicEpisode: "Not So Great Expectations"
1997PaulyMaster of CeremoniesEpisode: "Life's a Drag"
1998Alright AlreadyHimselfEpisode: "Again with the Satellite Dish"
1998The Naked TruthHimselfEpisode: "Hooked on Heroine"
1999Love Boat: The Next WaveTom BrooksEpisode: "Three Stages of Love"
1999That '70s ShowHimselfEpisode: "Red's Last Day"
2003Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and BurtHimself - NarratorTV movie
2003Living StraightRobert CordTV movie
2005The War at HomeJackEpisode: "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", (final appearance)

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
1956Li'l AbnerMuscle Man[1][4]
1970–1971Boeing, BoeingBernard[1][21]
1973Teahouse of the August MoonPerformer[1]
1973Born YesterdayPaul Verrall[1][22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Lyle Waggoner Biography (1935-)". Filmreference.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Brennan, Sandra (February 18, 2015). "Lyle Waggoner". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015.
  3. "The Graduate Magazine of the University of Kansas". March 23, 1934. Retrieved March 23, 2020 via Google Books.
  4. 1 2 3 "Profile: Lyle Waggoner". Lawrence Journal-World. June 17, 1978. p. 11.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Lyle Waggoner, foil on 'The Carol Burnett Show,' dies at 84". Los Angeles Times. March 17, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  6. 1 2 D'Angelo, Bob (March 17, 2020). "Lyle Waggoner, TV star of 'Carol Burnett,' 'Wonder Woman' shows, dead at 84". FOX23 News. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  7. Watson, Carol (December 19, 1991). "Everyone Is Mayor (Sort of)". Los Angeles Times.
  8. Vlessing, Etan (September 1, 2021). "Star Waggons, Zio Studio Services Sold to Hudson Pacific for $222M". The Hollywood Reporter.
  9. Wells, Jane (February 16, 2016). "Actor ditches acting to build luxury movie trailers". CNBC.
  10. Green, Catherine (May 30, 2013). "Getting the Star Treatment with Lyle Waggoner". Los Angeles.
  11. 1 2 "About Us". StarWaggons.com. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
  12. Hines, William; Randal, Judith (December 1, 1988). "Experts Warn of Self-Treatment for Impotence". Los Angeles Times.
  13. "Infomercial Host To Refund Consumers of Weight, Baldness, and Impotence Treatments" (Press release). Federal Trade Commission. June 29, 1993.
  14. Middleton, Kent R.; Lee, William E.; Stewart, Daxton R. (July 6, 2017). The Law of Public Communication. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-3516-9234-2.
  15. R, Judith; al; Hines, William (November 8, 1988). "On TV, Chit-Chatting About Impotence". The Washington Post.
  16. Kanner, Bruce (October 21, 1991). "30 Mintutes: Selling with Infomercials". New York. pp. 24–25.
  17. Wiebe, Jamie (May 22, 2015). "Actor Lyle Waggoner Selling Golf-Friendly Home in La Quinta". Realtor.
  18. "Lyle Waggoner: 'Carol Burnett Show' Star Dead at 84". TMZ. March 17, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020
  19. Caplan, David (March 17, 2020). "Lyle Waggoner, Star of 'Carol Burnett Show,' Dead at 84". Audacy. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  20. Day, Nate (March 18, 2020). "Lyle Waggoner, 'The Carol Burnett Show' star, dead at 84". Fox News. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  21. "Program: Lyle Waggoner in 'Boeing-Boing'" (pdf). Illinois University collections. December 26, 1970 – January 3, 1971. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  22. "Born Yesterday at Dayton Memorial Hall 1973". About the Artists. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
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