Lyle Waggoner on ‘The Carol Burnett Show’ and ‘Wonder Woman’ (images public domain)
In a statement released by Waggoner’s family, it was revealed that the “loving husband, father, grandfather, entrepreneur, and actor passed away peacefully at home on March 17th at the age of 84 with his wife at his side. The cause of death was cancer.”
Waggoner may have become best known for his roles on “The Carol Burnett Show,” where he started as the announcer in 1967 but stayed on with the sketch show through 1974. Some of his most notable sketches include being interrogated by a Nazi and his finger puppet and playing a love-lorn man in “As The Stomach Turns,” a slave master in “The Oldest Man,” Olympian Mark Spitz to Burnett’s Charo, and an alien known as the Jolly Green Thing.
But that show was hardly his only claim to fame. His very first role was in “Gunsmoke” the year before he began on “The Carol Burnett Show,” and he also guest-starred on classic 1960s and 1970s series such as “Lost in Space,” “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “The Barbara Eden Show” and “Maude.”
After Waggoner left “The Carol Burnett Show,” he booked the role of Colonel Steve Trevor, Jr. on the 1975 “Wonder Woman” series, on which he starred for four years.
Additional screen credits include appearances on “Happy Days,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “The Golden Girls,” “Mork & Mindy,” and many, many more. Something I didn’t know: he was the first male centerfold in Playgirl in 1973. And in the 1960s, he tested for the role of “Batman,” but lost out to Adam West.
His last TV appearance was in 2017 for the 50th-anniversary celebration for “The Carol Burnett Show.” Even as he starred on television, Waggoner created a side gig as the founder of Star Waggons. The company provided customized dressing room trailers to production companies and studios for their stars out on location. Waggoner is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sharon; his two sons, and his four grandchildren. RIP Lyle Waggoner.
RIP 💔 Lyle Waggoner https://t.co/RxfaQcsFTC
— Rojo Wash Your Hands 🧴🧼 (@RojoRurba002) March 17, 2020
Lyle Waggoner, best known for ‘The Carol Burnett Show’ and his portrayal of Steve Trevor in the 1970’s ‘Wonder Woman’ series, has passed away at 84 years old
(via @THR | https://t.co/ehiUWytLLu) pic.twitter.com/qHJpBsh5XW — Fandom (@getFANDOM) March 17, 2020
Lyle Waggoner’s Steve Trevor was the greatest damsel in distress of the 70s pic.twitter.com/oPzUVMmfu5
— sydward squidward (@squid7000) March 17, 2020
Sad to hear that Lyle Waggoner has passed away, age 84. Lyle had a connection to Batman because he screen-tested for the title role before Adam West was ultimately cast.
RIP pic.twitter.com/yym6iPE4hS — 60s Batman 📺 (@60s_Batman) March 17, 2020
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