Lyle Wesley Waggoner was an American actor and model, known for his work on The Carol Burnett Show from 1967 to 1974, and for playing the role of Steve Trevor and Steve Trevor Jr. on Wonder Woman from 1975 to 1979. He is dead at 84, died on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
Waggoner was born in Kansas City, Kansas, the son of Marie (Isern) and Myron Waggoner, and spent part of his childhood in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. In 1953, he graduated from Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, and then studied briefly at Washington University in St. Louis. He then joined the United States Army, serving two years in West Germany as a radio operator.
After his discharge, Waggoner studied mechanical engineering in the junior executive program at the General Motors Institute of Technology. He then sold encyclopedias door to door. He made his acting debut as a muscle man in a Kansas City production of Li’l Abner, after which he created a sales promotion organization that enabled him to make enough money to finance a trip to Los Angeles and start an acting career.
The cause of Lyle Wesley Waggoner’s death was complications of cancer, his agent, Robert Malco
Mr. Waggoner’s melodious voice, square jaw, and muscular physique made him seem cut out to be a leading man. But his most recognizable parts were in support of others — Ms. Burnett on her hit comedy-variety show, and Ms. Carter, who played Wonder Woman on ABC and then CBS in the 1970s.
Mr. Waggoner started on “The Carol Burnett Show” when it began in 1967 and stayed with the program for seven seasons. He went from the eye-candy announcer to valuable player in an ensemble cast that also included Harvey Korman, Tim Conway and Vicki Lawrence, in addition to Ms. Burnett.
