Lindsay Wagner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lindsay Wagner
Wagner in 2019
Born	(1949-06-22) June 22, 1949 (age 75) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	David Douglas High School
Alma mater	University of Oregon Mt. Hood Community College
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1969–present
Known for	Jaime Sommers – The Bionic Woman The Six Million Dollar Man The Paper Chase Scruples The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman
Spouse(s)	Allan Rider ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1973)​ Michael Brandon ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1979)​ Henry Kingi ​ ​ (m. 1981; div. 1984)​ Lawrence Mortorff ​ ​ (m. 1990; div. 1993)​
Children	2
Awards	Hollywood Walk of Fame Primetime Emmy Awards

Lindsay Jean Wagner (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. She is most famous for her main role in the TV show The Bionic Woman (1976–1978). In this science fiction series, she played a character named Jaime Sommers.

Lindsay first played Jaime Sommers in the show The Six Million Dollar Man. Her character quickly became a very popular figure in the 1970s. For her amazing work, Wagner won an Emmy Award in 1977. This was a special award for the best lead actress in a drama show. It was also the first time an actor in a science fiction series won such an award! Lindsay Wagner started acting professionally in 1971 and has continued her long career in many movies and TV shows.

Early Life and Education

Lindsay Wagner was born in Los Angeles, California. Her parents divorced when she was seven years old. She then moved with her mother to Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, near Pasadena. Later, she moved again with her mother and stepfather to Portland, Oregon. There, she went to David Douglas High School and acted in many school plays.

After finishing high school, Lindsay spent a few months in France. She then attended the University of Oregon for a year. After that, she went to Mt. Hood Community College for six months before moving to Los Angeles. Lindsay has also shared that she was diagnosed with dyslexia, which means she sometimes had difficulty with reading.

Acting Career Highlights

Lindsay Wagner started her career as a model in Los Angeles. She also gained some early TV experience. In 1969, she was even a contestant on the game show The Dating Game.

In 1971, she signed a contract with Universal Studios. This meant she would work as a regular actress in their productions. Her first big TV appearance was in the series Adam-12. She then appeared in many other Universal shows. These included Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, The F.B.I., and Night Gallery.

Wagner with Vito Scotti (center) from the television series, The Bionic Woman in 1976

Between 1971 and 1975, she also appeared in episodes of Marcus Welby, M.D. and The Rockford Files. In 1973, Lindsay started acting in movies. Her first main movie role was in Two People. That same year, she also starred in The Paper Chase. In this movie, she played the daughter of a strict law professor.

Becoming The Bionic Woman

In 1975, Lindsay Wagner took on the role of Jaime Sommers. Jaime was a former tennis player and the childhood friend of Colonel Steve Austin. Steve Austin was the main character in The Six Million Dollar Man. In the show, Jaime was badly hurt in a skydiving accident. She was given special "bionic" body parts, just like Steve Austin. However, her body rejected them, and she appeared to die.

Wagner with guest star Evel Knievel. Photo from The Bionic Woman TV show, October 1977

But fans loved Jaime Sommers so much that the show brought her back! Her "death" was explained as a secret recovery. Lindsay then starred in her own spin-off series, The Bionic Woman, which started in January 1976. She also made several guest appearances on The Six Million Dollar Man. This role helped her win an Emmy Award in 1977 for "Best Actress in a Dramatic Role."

After The Bionic Woman

After The Bionic Woman ended in 1978, Lindsay continued acting. She mostly appeared in TV movies and mini-series. She also reunited with Lee Majors for three Bionic reunion movies between 1987 and 1994. In the 1980s, she also co-starred with Sylvester Stallone in the 1981 movie Nighthawks. She also had roles in two other weekly TV series, Jessie and A Peaceable Kingdom.

Wagner kicking off in a soccer match in Argentina, February 1982

Lindsay continued acting in the 1990s and 2000s. She had a small part in the action movie Ricochet (1991). More recently, she appeared in the TV film Thicker than Water (2005). In 2010, Wagner began a recurring role as Dr. Vanessa Calder in the Syfy channel's show Warehouse 13. She also played this character in Alphas in 2011.

In 2013, Lindsay started teaching acting and directing at San Bernardino Valley College. In 2015, she appeared in an episode of NCIS as Barbara Bishop. She also played Alex Karev's mother, Helen Karev, in Grey's Anatomy in 2018 and 2019.

In 2018, it was announced that Wagner would be in the video game Death Stranding. This was her first time acting in a video game. She used special motion capture and voice acting technology for her roles as Bridget and Amelie Strand. In 2021, Lindsay starred in the holiday movie Christmas at the Ranch.

Other Work and Interests

Wagner at San Diego Comic-Con 2008

In 1987, Lindsay Wagner wrote books with Robert M. Klein about using acupressure for a natural facelift. In 1994, she co-wrote a vegetarian cookbook called High Road to Health.

She was also a spokesperson for Ford Motor Company dealerships from 1987 to 2000. From 2003 to 2009, she promoted "Sleep Number" beds in commercials.

In recent years, Wagner has led workshops for her self-help program called "Quiet the Mind and Open the Heart." This program focuses on spirituality and meditation.

Honors and Awards

Lindsay Wagner has received several important honors for her work:

• In 1977, she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Dramatic Role for The Bionic Woman.
• On December 13, 1984, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her star is located on Hollywood Boulevard.
• In 2012, she was honored with a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars.
• In 2019, the San Diego International Film Festival gave her the Humanitarian Award.

Personal Life

During the first year of The Bionic Woman, Lindsay was in a car accident with her boyfriend at the time, actor Michael Brandon. Lindsay received a severe cut on her upper lip. This accident caused the show's production to stop for several weeks.

Lindsay Wagner has been married four times. She has two sons, Dorian (born 1982) and Alex (born 1986), with her third husband, stuntman Henry Kingi.

In 1979, Lindsay was supposed to be on American Airlines Flight 191 from Chicago to Los Angeles. But she suddenly felt very ill while waiting for the plane. She decided not to take the flight. Minutes after takeoff, the plane crashed, killing everyone on board. It was the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history. Lindsay believes that feeling sick saved her life.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and Nominations

Books Written by Lindsay Wagner

• 1987: Lindsay Wagner's New Beauty: The Acupressure Facelift by Lindsay Wagner and Robert M. Klein (ISBN: 0-13-536806-5)
• 1988: 30-Day Natural Face Lift Program by Lindsay Wagner and Robert M. Klein (ISBN: 0-86188-779-4)
• 1994: High Road to Health: A Vegetarian Cookbook by Lindsay Wagner and Ariane Spade (ISBN: 0-671-87277-X)

See also

In Spanish: Lindsay Wagner para niños