Tension on the show
Looking at the trivia section, it said that there was tensions between series stars Lynda Carter and Lyle Waggoner. Do anyone know what it was about and when did it start.
shareI've heard of that and wondered about it myself. From http://www.loony-archivist.com/wonder/faq.htm#feud --
[Waggoner] believed he was going to co-star as Maj. Steve Trevor, Wonder Woman's hunky guy-pal, when he signed onto the series but soon saw his part grow ever smaller. "That may have been true at first, in the days when Lynda still said please and thank you," a former associate on the series said of Waggoner's equal-billing notion. "Then one day someone told her she was a star, and she simply didn't want anyone else in the same scene. She feels Lyle brings the show's energy level down. As for him — well, you can't say anything bad about Lyle because the only time he ever becomes angry is when he's ignored. Maybe he's angry now, I don't know. But at least he isn't the one who throws his hairbrush across the stage when he is."
For his part, Waggoner tried to take the high road and avoid kvetching in public. "Lyle isn't on the set often enough to form a relationship with Lynda, good or bad," his publicist said. "They're cordial and that's it." The actor himself soft-pedaled any resentment. "Just say," he said with a slight smile, "the spotlight is not willing to be shared." Four years later, he couldn't even muster that. "Lyle can't think of anything positive to say about her," his representative said when asked for a comment in 1981, "so why say anything?"
It's a shame, too, because I think Season 1 when he was more of an equal co-star was much, much better than the subsequent seasons. share
Season 1 is the BEST, and I think the series suffered a bit from losing Steve Trevor the love interest. Same for the comic books.
shareOf course, the reverse can happen, too. Anybody remember POLICE WOMAN with Angie Dickinson, where feminist complaints that the character was too sexualized resulted in the show eventually being turned over to her co-star Earl Holliman?
That didn't help either.
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LBJ's mistress on JFK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXeutDmuRA
Met Lynda Carter, she's a sweetie. I doubt bad things said about her.
shareI've never met her personally but this is more my impression from what I have seen. Thanks
shareOh dear. I'm sure Lynda Carter is gracious... now. But there were LOTS of reports from people on the set that she could be difficult. Debra Winger and Lyle Waggoner have both said she could be petty, throwing hissy fits over eye shadow, for example. Yes, eye shadow. Guest stars reported Lynda wasn't welcoming and would request changes to their costuming and makeup, or stay holed up in her trailer. And of course, the infamous hairbrush throwing incident. In Lynda's defense, she was playing a double role and appeared in almost every scene, so I'm sure she was under a lot of pressure. She was also managed by, and briefly married to, Ron Samuels, an uber-agent who treated Lynda like an investment. So I don't doubt what people said about her behavior back then. But I also believe she is a very generous and gracious person now, and that's what's important.
shareIn Lynda's defense, she was playing a double role and appeared in almost every scene, so I'm sure she was under a lot of pressure.
I'm glad you added this. Lynda was 23 when filming commenced for the initial episodes. She was the star of the show -- something she had never done before in her 1-year acting career at the time -- and therefore under uber-pressure. Few people reading this could understand. I don't think having a hissy fit over eye shadow or throwing a brush on one occasion are enough to write her off as an eevil biyatch. share
Personally, I found season 1 to be best because it was set in the 40s. Had more of a comic book feel to it (up to and including the artwork between scenes).
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I agree! I know they're concentrating on movies now, but I really wish someone with the chops to pull it off would develop a new Wonder Woman series and as much as I enjoyed the 1st season set in the 40s I'd go it one, or maybe several, further.
My take on it would be that since you're dealing with an immortal being, set it in the present or even the future and flash back to any periods of interest. Doing this would allow for anything from a brief flashback during a story or even an entire season in the past of any period where the writers can contrive a good story and the production can afford the sets, dressing, and costumes.
I'd prefer the back and forth, but I could see each season being set in different periods if that was necessary to contain costs, but I'd still want scripts that took place in different seasons to be able to flashback and show footage filmed for future episodes, so quite some long term planning would be involved to best use resources and actors while they were available as the backdrops for a particular season. It would also allow for a story being told over different time periods with vignettes and flashbacks to the way the characters were then and how they've changed despite immortality, or remained untouched by time or haven't benefited from the experience -imagine the pathos and tragedy of immortals who learn nothing despite their far greater life spans... It might even be a good way to explain why they're no longer worshiped and relegated to being regarded as only legendary figures.
I think a very wide fanbase could find periods and storylines they'd enjoy this way and the novelty would be pretty cool. I think people would also enjoy spotting the evolution and behavioral changes of the title character as she deals with different times, values and problems. We might get anything from a shock to outright chuckles from a story or stories involving flashbacks to reveal past paramours, relationships, bad dates, etc. I'm pretty sure any immortal would be destined to have some good tales to tell, perhaps out of boredom alone... "It's 1967, you think she's "fast"? I dated Mercury!" "Horny? Have you met Pan?" It'd be even more fun to see which are the main character's idea of joking and which are "for real..." Talk about opportunities for a good eye twinkling shot or seven.
They could feature the ancient Greek "gods", both "evil doers" and champions, as well as historical figures of interest, both in their own times and through whatever devices transported to modern or future times, stories from various historical events and even long since gone cultures, even modern and future events and transpositions and different takes on villains and other heroes that might be long lived or "immortal" or even passed down from generation to generation. Imagine a story with Superman, that flashed back to parallels with a former lover, or friend, of Diana's called Hercules, or perhaps an invulnerable Achillies... Or how Aquaman might be Poseidon himself, etc. Maybe contrast the morals of past societies with the "modern" behaviors that many seem to think started last Tuesday.
There is so much to play with if you introduce the simple element of time to help the viewer appreciate the immortality of the character and all that goes with that condition from good, to bad, to an epic sense of perspective. I want a Princess Diana that can display the regal qualities of an immortal Amazonian Warrior Princess living in a modern or future world who when required can still display the wonder of a little girl and discover the newfound beauties of the present or the future. Maybe Princess Diana would be best described as possessing the Warrior's heart of Xena, the intelligence of a modern Marie Curie, the drive and tenacity of a suffragette/modern businesswoman, the terrible wisdom of an immortal having seen too much, the "grace" of Grace Kelly, the mischievous spirit of a water sprite, the strength of her convictions and the finest of Olympians even without her belt, the beauty of Aphrodite with a little hollywood mynx mixed in -gorgeous, but preferring to be liked for her personality if at all, and at times the sense of wonder of a little girl when she on rare occasion discovers something new, even to she who has seen it all.
The biggest problem is, where, oh where, does one find another Lynda Carter? Or does one throw their hands up and go multiple personalities ala Dr. Who and figure out a mechanism whereby the Princess is allowed to change from era to era? You can imagine that an immortal woman might find even more reasons to change her appearance throughout the ages. I can see fans losing their minds at the thought of multiple Diana's in one episode or story arc... I mean, hey, she was molded from clay and she's always seemed pretty flexible! (ugh, that was painful, and cheap, and made me laugh a little!)
Maybe, just maybe, it turns out that the Amazons are really all very long lived(or just plain immortal -must be the yoga, clean living, and only having to deal with men when they want to...) and that various Amazons have during different periods won the contest and ventured out into "man's world" in the role of Wonder Woman as needed. Certainly would allow for multiple "Diana's" and maybe even a visit or flashbacks from a certain person who has played the part before.(reason enough!) There is no reason that Queen Hippolyta now played by a former Wonder Woman couldn't have once played the role of Diana during her stint(s) as Wonder Woman. Perhaps, Wonder Woman/Diana and Hippolyta are offices or titles not merely character's names. We could be mistaken about many things concerning these mysterious she-creatures from a far off land who laugh at bullets, fly invisible planes, seem to live forever, defy gravity (I dare you to pin me down on how I intended that one!), hobnob with "gods", and are both ancient and young.
Too long to read, given your dubious writing skills.
The internet: where all think we are created equally.
Same thing happened with Wayne Rogers on MASH. He joined the cast believing he was going to be equal to Alan Alda like his character in the movie. He started to resent being relegated to the sidekick and left the show.
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