The original Wonder Woman has experienced many highs and lows in recent years. After
briefly appearing in a surprise mid-credits scene in Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman: 1984,
Lynda Carter is mourning the loss of her husband, Robert Altman - not to be confused with the
famous 20th-century director of the same name. Altman died February 3rd, 2021 following complications
from a medical procedure, according to The Washington Post.
The 73-year old Altman was the co-founder and CEO of ZeniMax Media, the parent company
of gaming business Bethesda. The company tweeted,
"He was a true visionary, friend, and believer in the spirit of people and the power of what
they could accomplish together. He was an extraordinary leader, and an even better human
being."
Carter and Altman were a match made in superhero heaven. They wed in 1984 and have two children,
James and Jessica. Of course, Carter had a lot to say when reminiscing about her 37-year
marriage to the love of her life.
She took to social media to mourn the loss of her loving husband. Carter captioned her
post,
"One week ago, my beloved husband Robert A. Altman passed away. Robert is the love of
my life and he always will be. Our 37 years of marriage were an extraordinary gift. We
shared the passion I hope everyone is lucky enough to experience in their lifetime."
Carter went on to thank the family's fans and supporters during this difficult time
before writing directly to Robert:
"You are the most honorable person that I have ever had the privilege to know. And I
got to be your wife and the mother of your children. Thank you for giving me all the
love in my life. Nothing could prepare our family for this moment, but we will do the
best to follow our dreams and honor the legacy you've left behind. I will love you always
and forever."
It seems Altman and Carter shared a romance straight out of the movies.
Wonder Woman Lynda Carter found her soulmate in Robert Altman, but the film and TV star
was married before. Carter first wed producer and talent manager Ron Samuels in 1977. Carter
was 25 years old at the time, while Samuels was, quote, "a lot older," Carter admitted.
Looking back, Carter told Closer that she shouldn't have said yes to "the first person
that proposes." Carter and Samuels divorced in 1982. Carter opened up, saying, "I was
just stupid."
Samuels reportedly represented other leading female TV stars, including Lindsay Wagner
from Bionic Woman. He also worked as a film producer until 2015, per his IMDb page.
Carter, the former Miss World USA, performed her own stunts on Wonder Woman, and according
to the Daily Mail was at one time was the highest-paid woman on TV. Yet her professional
life took a private toll amid her marriage to Samuels: a struggle with alcoholism. She
said,
"I didn't even start drinking till I was in my mid-20s.”
The Daily Mail points out that the timeline matches with her being "unhappily married"
to Samuels.
Carter admitted that her road to recovery hinged on her happiness:
"I would stop drinking for two or three years, then start again and it just felt terrible.
That was a long time ago and now I'm very happy."
Her divorce and lack of "substance" in her life also led Carter to relocate to Maryland,
where she eventually met Altman, then a young lawyer in Washington, D.C.
Lynda Carter and Robert Altman stayed in Potomac, Maryland, where they raised children Jessica
and James. As to the secret behind their almost 40-year marriage? Carter told The Daily Mail
in January 2021,
"It works because we have different personalities."
Carter continued, joking,
"He's very smart, very charming and very even-tempered, and while he's a lot of fun and has a great
sense of humor, around other people he's more self-contained. I have always been... attention-seeking!"
Per The Washington Post, Carter met Altman while at a Maybelline cosmetics event. She
was the spokesperson, he was an attendee. Carter was first skeptical about how well
she could connect to attorney Altman. She admitted,
"When you hear lawyer, you think, how dull. But Robert is a very successful lawyer who
loves rock and roll."
After close to 40 years together, the actor-singer and attorney proved to be two halves of the
same whole. Carter told The Daily Beast in 2018,
"I married an amazing human being. He's the love of my life and he is a tremendous father.
He is a lot of fun to be with...He's my best friend. I adore him. So we have a really,
really great marriage."
Our sincere condolences to Lynda Carter and her family.