Lyle Waggoner
Lyle Waggoner | |
---|---|
Born | Lyle Wesley Waggoner April 13, 1935 Kansas City, Kansas,U.S. |
Died | March 17, 2020 | (aged 84)
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1956–2005 |
Spouse |
Sharon Kennedy (m.1961) |
Children | 2 |
Lyle Wesley Waggoner[1](/ˈwæɡnər/WAG-nər;April 13, 1935 – March 17, 2020)[2]was an American actor, sculptor, presenter,travel trailersalesman and model, known for his work onThe Carol Burnett Showfrom 1967 to 1974 and for playing the role ofSteve Trevorand Steve Trevor Jr. onWonder Womanfrom 1975 to 1979.[2]In his later career he founded a company, Star Waggons, which rented luxury trailers to studios.
Early life
[edit]Waggoner was born inKansas City, Kansas,on April 13, 1935, the son of Marie (Isern) and Myron Waggoner, and spent part of his childhood inExcelsior Springs, Missouri.[1][3]On an episode ofThe Carol Burnett Show,Waggoner stated he had three sisters and one brother. In 1953, he graduated fromKirkwood High SchoolinKirkwood, Missouri,and then studied briefly atWashington University in St. Louis.He then joined theUnited States Army,serving two years inWest Germanyas a radio operator.[4]
Following his military discharge, Waggoner studiedmechanical engineeringin the junior executive program at theGeneral 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 aKansas Cityproduction ofLi'l Abner,after which he created a sales promotion organization that enabled him to make enough money to finance a trip toLos Angelesto pursue his acting career.[4]
Career
[edit]By the mid-1960s, Waggoner was appearing regularly in television and films, including an episode ofGunsmoke( “The Wishbone” in 1966). He was a finalist for the title role in the TV series version ofBatman,but lost the role toAdam West.[5]
In 1967, he appeared inCatalina Caper(withTommy Kirk,a former child actor trying to restart his career as a young adult), a film which would eventually be lampooned byMystery Science Theater 3000.He also had a minor guest-starring role in the season-three episode "Deadliest of the Species" of the TV seriesLost in Space.[6]
Also in 1967, Waggoner began a seven-year stint onThe 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 aPlaygirlcenterfold. Waggoner leftThe Carol Burnett Showin 1974 in the hopes of advancing his career as a lead actor. His spot on the show was filled by frequent guest starTim Conway(and his role as announcer byErnie Anderson). He later appeared on some of the show's reunion specials.
In 1976, Waggoner was appointed "mayor" ofEncino, California,by the localchamber of commerce.The "mayor" is not an actual government official as Encino is not an independent town but rather part of the city ofLos Angeles;the post is an honorary "goodwill ambassador" position. In addition to Waggoner, other holders of the title have includedSteve Allen,Mike Connors,Fred Travalena,Ronnie Schell,andCesare Danova.[7]
A year after leavingCarol Burnett,Waggoner landed the role of Steve Trevor for the pilot and first season of the television seriesWonder WomanstarringLynda Carter.[5]Initially set duringWorld 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 includingCharlie's Angels,The San Pedro Beach Bums,Happy Days,Mork & Mindy,The Golden Girls,Ellen,and most recentlyThe War at Home.Waggoner also played at least three roles onThe Love Boat,Fantasy Island,andMurder, She Wrotethroughout their respective runs.
In 1979, while working onWonder Woman,Waggoner discovered that themotorhomehe 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,andReturn to the Batcave).
In 1990, Waggoner co-produced and appeared in a consumer-product show calledConsumer Americawith 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 aninfomercial,"Let's Talk With Lyle Waggoner", which advertised "Y-Bron", supposedly a natural product that would cure maleimpotence.[12]Scottsdale, Arizona,based Twin Star was later fined $1.5 million for unsubstantiated claims about Y-Bron.[13][14][15][16]
Personal life
[edit]Waggoner was married to Sharon Kennedy, an actress, financial consultant, and realtor.[1]They married in 1961 and had two sons.[11]He resided nearJackson, Wyoming,where he was a sculptor.[17]His works can be seen at galleries inJackson Hole, Wyoming,andLander, Wyoming.
Death
[edit]Waggoner died in his home in theLos Angelesarea at the age of 84 on March 17, 2020, from cancer.[18][19][20][2][5][6]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1966 | Swamp Country | Deputy Mel | |
1967 | Catalina Caper | Angelo | Alternate title:Never Steal Anything Wet |
1967 | Journey to the Center of Time | Alien (as Lyle Waggner) | |
1972 | Love Me Deadly | Alex Martin | |
1978 | Zero to Sixty | Gay Bar Bartender | |
1984 | Surf II | Chief Boyardie | |
1989 | Murder Weapon | Dr. Randolph | |
1989 | Danger USA | Ben | Alternate title:Mind Trap |
1990 | Gypsy Angels | Preacher | |
1990 | The Girl I Want | Coach | |
1990 | Dream a Little Evil | Death | Direct-to-video film |
1991 | Wizards of the Demon Sword | Lord Khoura | |
1991 | Dead Women in Lingerie | Daddy |
Television
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1966 | Gunsmoke | Aikens | Episode: "Wishbone" |
1967 | Lost in Space | Mechanical Man | Episode: "Deadliest of the Species" |
1967–1974 | The Carol Burnett Show | Various Characters | Main cast (182 episodes) |
1969 | The Governor & J.J. | Garrett Spaulding | Episode: "Romeo and J.J." |
1972 | Once Upon a Mattress | Sir Studley | TV movie |
1973 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Eric Lundgren | Episode: "The Day After Forever" |
1973 | The Barbara Eden Show | Barry Michaels | TV pilot |
1973 | Letters from Three Lovers | Sam | TV movie |
1975 | The New Original Wonder Woman | Major Steve Trevor | TV movie |
1976 | Maude | Jim | Episode: "The Case of the Broken Punch Bowl" |
1976–1979 | Wonder Woman / The New Adventures of Wonder Woman | Major Steve Trevor(1976–77) Colonel Steve Trevor Jr.(1977–79) |
Main cast (59 episodes) |
1977 | The Love Boat II | Roger | TV movie |
1977 | The San Pedro Beach Bums | Jason | Episode: "Love Boat Bums: The Bums Take a Cruise" |
1978 | Flying High | Gavin | Episode: "Fun Flight" |
1979 | The Love Boat | Lance Wilson | Episode: "Second Time Around" |
1979 | Supertrain | Peter Sebastian | Episode: "A Very Formal Heist" |
1979 | Time Express | David Lane | Episode: "The Copy-Writer/The Figure Skater" |
1979 | The Love Boat | Jay Cavanaugh | Episode: "The Scoop" |
1980 | The Gossip Columnist | Terry Anderson | TV movie |
1980 | The Great American Traffic Jam | Wilbur Stokes | TV movie |
1980 | Happy Days | Bobby Burns | Episode: "Dreams Can Come True" |
1980 | Fantasy Island | Monty | Episode: "Gigolo" |
1980 | Charlie's Angels | Jack Barrows | Episode: "Island Angels" |
1981 | Bulba | Hampton Fraser | TV pilot |
1981 | Mork & Mindy | Xerko | Episode: "There's a New Mork in Town" |
1981 | Fantasy Island | Gilberto DeVincenzo | Episode: "The Perfect Husband" |
1982 | The Ugily Family | Kenny Bing | TV pilot |
1982 | The Love Boat | Dr. Tucker Martin | Episode: "A Dress to Remember" |
1982 | Romance Theatre | Jeremy | Episodes: "The Simple Truth" (Parts 1–5) |
1983 | Fantasy Island | Al | Episode: "No Friends Like Old Friends" |
1983 | Gun Shy | The Masked Stranger | Episode: "What Do You Mean 'We' Amigo?" |
1984 | Happy Days | Frederick Hamilton | Episode: "Like Mother, Like Daughter" |
1984 | Murder, She Wrote | Marty Strindberg | Episode: "Hooray for Homicide" |
1985 | The Great American Strip-off | Himself - Host | |
1986 | Hardcastle and McCormick | Dex Falcon | Episode: "If You Could See What I See" |
1986 | Simon & Simon | Don Manning | Episode: "The Last Big Break" |
1986 | The New Mike Hammer | Leo Raffle | Episode: "Requiem for Billy" |
1987 | It's a Living | Marlon Brando/ Hector Rodriquez | Episode: "Her Back to the Future" |
1990 | The Golden Girls | Himself | Episode: "Mrs. George Devereaux" |
1991 | Murder, She Wrote | Vic DeMarco | Episode: "Where Have You Gone, Billy Boy?" |
1993 | Murder, She Wrote | Ben Wright | Episode: "The Big Kill" |
1993 | Daddy Dearest | Hank | Episode: "Thanks, But No Thanks" |
1995 | Burke's Law | Reece Robertson | Episode: "Who Killed Mr. Game Show?" |
1995 | Cybill | Himself | Episode: "The Cheese Stands Alone" |
1996 | Ellen | Vic | Episode: "Not So Great Expectations" |
1997 | Pauly | Master of Ceremonies | Episode: "Life's a Drag" |
1998 | Alright Already | Himself | Episode: "Again with the Satellite Dish" |
1998 | The Naked Truth | Himself | Episode: "Hooked on Heroine" |
1999 | Love Boat: The Next Wave | Tom Brooks | Episode: "Three Stages of Love" |
1999 | That '70s Show | Himself | Episode: "Red's Last Day" |
2003 | Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt | Himself - Narrator | TV movie |
2003 | Living Straight | Robert Cord | TV movie |
2005 | The War at Home | Jack | Episode: "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", (final appearance) |
Theatre
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1956 | Li'l Abner | Muscle Man | [1][4] |
1970–1971 | Boeing, Boeing | Bernard | [1][21] |
1973 | Teahouse of the August Moon | Performer | [1] |
1973 | Born Yesterday | Paul Verrall | [1][22] |
References
[edit]- ^abcdefg"Lyle Waggoner Biography (1935-)".Filmreference.
- ^abcdBrennan, Sandra (February 18, 2015)."Lyle Waggoner".Movies & TV Dept.The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon February 19, 2015.
- ^"The Graduate Magazine of the University of Kansas".March 23, 1934.RetrievedMarch 23,2020– via Google Books.
- ^abc"Profile: Lyle Waggoner".Lawrence Journal-World.June 17, 1978. p. 11.
- ^abcde"Lyle Waggoner, foil on 'The Carol Burnett Show,' dies at 84".Los Angeles Times.March 17, 2020.RetrievedMarch 19,2020.
- ^abD'Angelo, Bob (March 17, 2020)."Lyle Waggoner, TV star of 'Carol Burnett,' 'Wonder Woman' shows, dead at 84".FOX23 News.RetrievedFebruary 1,2023.
- ^Watson, Carol (December 19, 1991)."Everyone Is Mayor (Sort of)".Los Angeles Times.
- ^Vlessing, Etan (September 1, 2021)."Star Waggons, Zio Studio Services Sold to Hudson Pacific for $222M".The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^Wells, Jane (February 16, 2016)."Actor ditches acting to build luxury movie trailers".CNBC.
- ^Green, Catherine (May 30, 2013)."Getting the Star Treatment with Lyle Waggoner".Los Angeles.
- ^ab"About Us".StarWaggons.RetrievedMay 27,2017.
- ^Hines, William; Randal, Judith (December 1, 1988)."Experts Warn of Self-Treatment for Impotence".Los Angeles Times.
- ^"Infomercial Host To Refund Consumers of Weight, Baldness, and Impotence Treatments"(Press release). Federal Trade Commission. June 29, 1993.
- ^Middleton, Kent R.; Lee, William E.; Stewart, Daxton R. (July 6, 2017).The Law of Public Communication.Routledge.ISBN978-1-3516-9234-2.
- ^R, Judith; al; Hines, William (November 8, 1988)."On TV, Chit-Chatting About Impotence".The Washington Post.
- ^Kanner, Bruce (October 21, 1991)."30 Mintutes: Selling with Infomercials".New York.pp. 24–25.
- ^Wiebe, Jamie (May 22, 2015)."Actor Lyle Waggoner Selling Golf-Friendly Home in La Quinta".Realtor.
- ^"Lyle Waggoner: 'Carol Burnett Show' Star Dead at 84".TMZ.March 17, 2020.RetrievedMarch 17,2020
- ^Caplan, David (March 17, 2020)."Lyle Waggoner, Star of 'Carol Burnett Show,' Dead at 84".Audacy.RetrievedApril 10,2023.
- ^Day, Nate (March 18, 2020)."Lyle Waggoner, 'The Carol Burnett Show' star, dead at 84".Fox News.RetrievedMarch 19,2020.
- ^"Program: Lyle Waggoner in 'Boeing-Boing'"(pdf).Illinois University collections.December 26, 1970 – January 3, 1971.RetrievedApril 10,2023.
- ^"Born Yesterday at Dayton Memorial Hall 1973".About the Artists.RetrievedFebruary 1,2023.
External links
[edit]- 1935 births
- 2020 deaths
- Male actors from Kansas City, Kansas
- Male actors from Missouri
- Military personnel from Kansas
- American entertainment industry businesspeople
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American sketch comedians
- Artists from Kansas
- Deaths from cancer in California
- 20th-century American male actors
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- People from Excelsior Springs, Missouri
- Businesspeople from Kansas
- Businesspeople from Missouri
- Comedians from Missouri
- 20th-century American comedians
- 21st-century American comedians
- Playgirl Men of the Month
- Washington University in St. Louis alumni