Lynda Carter Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lynda Carter
Carter in 2012
Born	Lynda Jean Carter (1951-07-24) July 24, 1951 (age 74) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	1968–present
Known for	Miss World USA 1972 Wonder Woman (1975–1979) Maybelline commercials Lens Express commercials
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Ron Samuels (m. 1977; div. 1982) Robert A. Altman (m. 1984; died 2021)
Children	2
Awards	Hollywood Walk of Fame

Lynda Jean Carter (born July 24, 1951) is an American actress and singer. She is most famous for playing Wonder Woman in the popular TV show Wonder Woman from 1975 to 1979.

Before she became an actress, Carter won the Miss World USA beauty pageant in 1972. She then placed in the top 15 at the Miss World pageant.

Carter has also appeared in movies like Super Troopers (2001), Sky High (2005), and Wonder Woman 1984 (2020). On television, she played the U.S. President in the series Supergirl.

Throughout her career, Carter has received many awards. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was added to the California Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Music
Career
Personal Life
Honors
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Music

Lynda Carter was born in Phoenix, Arizona. Her father has English and Irish roots, and her mother's family came from Mexico. She has a brother named Vincent and a sister named Pamela.

Carter started performing on TV when she was only five years old on Lew King's Talent Show. In high school, she sang in a band called Just Us. When she was 15, she started singing at a local pizza place to earn money.

At 16, she joined a band called The Relatives with two of her cousins. The famous actor Gary Burghoff was the drummer. The band performed in Las Vegas, but because Carter was so young, she had to enter the hotel through the kitchen.

In 1970, she began touring with a band called The Garfin Gathering. They played in casino lounges all over Nevada. After two years, Carter left the band to focus on becoming an actress.

Career

Left to right: Carter as Miss World USA 1972, Priscilla Barnes, Betty Jo Grove, with Bob Hope at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD.

In 1972, Carter won a beauty contest in her home state of Arizona. This led to her winning the national title of Miss World USA. She then competed in the international Miss World 1972 pageant and finished in the top 15.

After her pageant success, she moved to New York to study acting. She appeared in a few TV shows, including Starsky and Hutch, before landing her most famous role.

Becoming Wonder Woman

Carter as Wonder Woman in 1976

Carter's big break came in 1975 when she was cast as the star of the TV series Wonder Woman. She played both Wonder Woman and her secret identity, Diana Prince.

When she got the part, she was almost out of money. Carter has said she only had $25 in her bank account at the time. Her manager called to tell her she got the role just as she was thinking about moving back to Arizona.

The Wonder Woman series was a huge hit and aired for three seasons. Fans and critics loved Carter's performance. She became an icon and is still closely linked with the character today.

In 1985, DC Comics honored Carter as one of the "Fifty Who Made DC Great" for her work on the show. In 2017, she made a cameo appearance in the movie Wonder Woman 1984 as Asteria, a legendary Amazon warrior.

Librarian Carla Hayden (left) and Lynda Carter strike the famous Wonder Woman pose at the Library of Congress in 2017.

Music and Other Roles

While starring in Wonder Woman, Carter also worked on her music career. She released her first album, Portrait, in 1978. She even sang some of her own songs in an episode of the show.

After Wonder Woman ended, Carter starred in her own musical TV specials. She also acted in many TV movies. In 1984, she starred with Loni Anderson in the crime drama series Partners in Crime.

In 2001, she played a state governor in the comedy movie Super Troopers. In 2005, she played Principal Powers in the Disney movie Sky High, a school for superheroes. In the film, she made a joke about her famous role, saying, "I'm not Wonder Woman, y'know."

Voice Acting and Recent Work

Carla Hayden and Carter at a Library of Congress event in 2017.

Carter is also a talented voice actress. She has provided voices for characters in popular video games like The Elder Scrolls series and Fallout 4. In Fallout 4, she also wrote and sang five original songs for the game's soundtrack.

From 2016 to 2018, she returned to the world of DC Comics television. She played President Olivia Marsdin in the TV series Supergirl.

Carter continues to perform her music in concerts across the country. She has released several more albums, including At Last (2009) and Red, Rock n' Blues (2018).

Personal Life

Carter as the Grand Marshal at the Gay Pride parade in Washington, D.C. in 2013

Lynda Carter has been married twice. Her second marriage was to attorney Robert A. Altman in 1984. They were married until he passed away in 2021.

Carter and Altman have two children, a son named James and a daughter named Jessica. After her marriage to Altman, she moved away from Hollywood to live in Potomac, Maryland, near Washington, D.C.

Carter is a supporter of several causes. She has worked to raise awareness for irritable bowel syndrome, a condition her mother had. She also supports Susan G. Komen for the Cure and advocates for the rights of LGBT people. She has served as the Grand Marshal for several Pride Parades.

Honors

1985: Named one of the Fifty Who Made DC Great by DC Comics.
2014: Received a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.
2016: Honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Gracie Awards.
2018: Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2022: Honored with the Sor Juana Legacy Award by the National Museum of Mexican Art.
2022: Inducted into the California Hall of Fame.