In 1975, Lynda Carter (born July 24, 1951) was 24 years old and at the start of her iconic run as Wonder Woman in the TV series that premiered that November. She had just been crowned Miss World USA in 1972 (reaching the top 15 at Miss World), and her striking beauty, height (around 5’9″), long dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and warm smile made her a perfect fit for the role of Diana Prince/Wonder Woman.
That year was the transformative year for Carter. After a few years of touring in bands and taking small television guest roles, her career reached a turning point on November 7, 1975, when she debuted as the lead in ABC’s pilot TV movie, The New Original Wonder Woman.
Before landing the part, Carter had nearly exhausted her savings pursuing acting in Los Angeles and was reportedly down to her last $25 in the bank, contemplating a move back home to Arizona. After actress Joanna Cassidy dropped out of contention, producers cast the 24-year-old Carter, who perfectly fit the physical look and earnest moral compass envisioned for the iconic DC superhero.
The 1975 pilot movie was a major success, leading directly to the full weekly series that ran for three seasons from 1976 through 1979 across ABC and CBS.
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