What is Lynda Carter's Net Worth and Salary?
Lynda Carter is an American actress and singer with a net worth of $10 million. After being crowned Miss World USA 1972, she gained worldwide fame for her role in the live-action television series "Wonder Woman," based on the DC comic book character. Carter has also appeared in films such as "Super Troopers," "Sky High," and "The Dukes of Hazzard," as well as various made-for-television movies including "Hotline," "Daddy," and "Slayer."
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Lynda Carter was born in 1951 in Phoenix, Arizona to Colby and Juanita Carter. She is of English, Scots-Irish, Mexican, Spanish, and French descent. Carter has a brother, Vincent, and a sister, Pamela. Her early television debut came at age five on "Lew King's Talent Show." During high school, she joined bands and performed in Las Vegas lounges. She attended Arizona State University but left to pursue a music career. After touring with The Garfin Gathering, she shifted her focus to acting in 1972.
In Arizona, she won a local beauty contest and gained national attention by winning Miss World USA 1972. Carter then moved to New York for acting classes and made her television debut in 1974 on the police drama "Nakia." She later appeared on shows like "Matt Helm," "Starsky and Hutch," and "Cos."
"Wonder Woman" and Television Career
Carter's career skyrocketed in 1975 with her role as Wonder Woman in the titular series, which ran until 1979, first on ABC and then on CBS. Her popularity led to promotional work, including modeling for Maybelline in 1977 and a Diet 7Up commercial in 1979.
After "Wonder Woman," Carter appeared in many made-for-television movies like the thriller "Hotline" and the biopic "Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess," where she played the Hollywood actress. Other notable appearances include "Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All," "Daddy," "Partners in Crime," and "Hawkeye." She also made guest appearances on "Law & Order," "Smallville," and "Supergirl."
Music Career
In 1978, Carter released her debut album, "Portrait," featuring cover songs and original tracks. Two songs were performed in an episode of "Wonder Woman." Her second album, "At Last," was released in 2009 and reached number 10 on Billboard's Jazz Albums Chart. Subsequent albums include "Crazy Little Things" (2011) and "Red, Rock n' Blues" (2018).
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Film and Media Appearances in the 2000s
In the 2000s, Carter featured more prominently in films. In 2001, she played Governor Jessman in "Super Troopers." She portrayed a washed-up beauty queen in "The Creature of the Sunny Side Up Trailer Park" and appeared in "The Dukes of Hazzard" and "Sky High" in 2005. Additionally, Carter played Mama Morton in the West End production of "Chicago" in 2005 and toured the US with her one-woman cabaret show, "An Evening with Lynda Carter," in 2007. Her voice acting credits include roles in the video game series "The Elder Scrolls," "Fallout 4," and "Rage 2."
Personal Life and Advocacy
In 1973, Carter dated French singer Michel Polnareff. She married her former talent agent Ron Samuels in 1977, but they divorced in 1982. In 1984, she married attorney Robert A. Altman and moved to Washington, DC. They had two children, James and Jessica, and lived in a 20,000-square-foot Georgian-style house in Potomac, Maryland. Altman passed away in 2021 due to complications from a medical procedure.
Carter advocates for many causes. In 2003, she raised awareness for irritable bowel syndrome after her mother was diagnosed with the condition. She supports abortion rights and LGBTQ equality, serving as the Grand Marshal at Pride Parades in Phoenix, New York, and Washington, DC. Due to her struggles with alcoholism and addiction, Carter is a speaker at health and wellbeing events, sharing her story of recovery.
Using her fame as "Wonder Woman," Carter continues to champion change. In 2016, on the character's 75th anniversary, she joined fellow "Wonder Woman" actress Gal Gadot, director Patty Jenkins, DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson, and UN Under-Secretary General Cristina Gallach at the United Nations, promoting gender equality and female empowerment.
