Lindsay Wagner, who plays “Bionic Woman,” did not have a pleasant upbringing despite being born into a seemingly ideal family. Therefore, it was vital for her to focus all of her attention on her children once she got married for the third time and began having children. Sadly, this line of thinking led to the end of her marriage.
Fans of the actress would likely agree that Lindsay Wagner was the shining star of the iconic television series “Bionic Woman.” She wowed viewers with her stellar performance as the blonde beauty Jaime Sommers, whom she referred to as “the first female cyborg,” and they were charmed by her.
It was difficult to avoid developing feelings for the athletic persona who developed into a government worker and an action woman later on.
After her turn in “The Paper Chase” in 1973, it has continued to be one of the most notable parts that Wagner has played since the role’s first release.
Wagner did not come from a renowned family and did not inherit acting genes; he was born and raised in Los Angeles. Her father, Bill Wagner, was a school photographer, while her mother, Marilyn Ball, worked first as a construction contractor and then, later, as a production consultant. Her father’s name was Bill Wagner.
On the other hand, she depicted an extraordinary skill that was held in check by a wound from her upbringing. When she was seven years old, Wagner’s parents split, and she became the product of a shattered household. This caused her to be consumed with pain for a long time before she even considered becoming an actor.
As a result of the difficulty she had in dealing as a young kid, she learned to suppress her feelings. She was fortunate enough to discover a safe haven when she was studying acting with James Best, an instructor based in Los Angeles.
This occurred unintentionally due to the fact that Wagner was Best’s babysitter. It wasn’t long after he suggested that she enroll in lessons that she was cast in an episode of Lee Majors’ sitcom as a guest star.
Later on, Wagner ventured out into the fashion world and began working as a model under Nina Blanchard’s management. No matter what she did for a living, she always made sure to keep up a healthy level of physical activity.
Other jobs she has included working as a clothing salesperson at a store, serving as a cocktail server, and frequently performing with a rock band.
It wasn’t until she was 22 years old that she was blessed with a Universal contract that paid her $162 per week on average. After a few years had passed, she emerged as the genuine article, playing the role of Jaime Sommers, in which she displayed one of her many qualities: drive.
Wagner was eager to construct the kind of life she had longed for since she was a kid, even as she pursued celebrity. The actress had a deep affection for her family, and by 1971, which was a good number of years before she appeared on the science show, she was already married.
Wagner was a young lady who was successful and gorgeous, so it was not hard for her to find a guy who was interested in her to the same extent that she was interested in him. Due to the actress’s unwavering commitment to these partnerships, their development ultimately resulted in weddings.
1971 was the year of her first wedding, which was to the music publisher Allan Rider.
After having a role in the show as Jaime, the on-screen diva eventually got to know the actor Michael Brandon and fell in love with him. This time, the couple stayed married for over three years before deciding to divorce one another.
At this moment, Wagner had reached a stage where he was dissatisfied with marriage. She was sure that exchanging vows and vowing to stay together on paper should never be a choice that is made in a hurry, despite the fact that she afterward moved on with producer Jack Haley Jr. According to what she says:
“At this stage in my life, I have already been married too many times. If I were to settle down with somebody right now, it would be a really stupid way for me to replicate my past mistakes… more suffering than anything else.”
Wagner had reached his breaking point after more than fifty instances. In 1978, she penned the last episode of the program, during which she acknowledged that she was experiencing a loss of coordination in her personal life.
She also struggled with health problems, as if that were not enough to cope with already. She fought with anemia and used drugs that almost caused her hair to become irreparably damaged. Her mental and physical energy levels also began to decrease, which had a negative impact on her credibility when she was working on sets of other projects.
Wagner, to our great relief, was able to recuperate from the arduous schedule of performing as a cyborg. But the results of her hard work came dangerously close to being denied to her.
If she had been on board the doomed American Airlines Flight 191 in May of 1976 when it crashed on its way from Chicago to Los Angeles, the narrative may have turned out quite differently. Wagner was fortunate enough to avoid dying since she changed her flying plans and went to Portland rather than sticking to the original plan on Flight 191.
In 1981, Wagner wed Henry Kingi Sr., making this her third and last marriage. A judge of the peace presided over the wedding, which was held at the couple’s house and was an intimate affair. Additionally, this was Henry’s second time getting married.
As was the case with Wagner, Henry’s roots are in the performing world. He is a guy who has an amazing reputation for stunts, which resulted in his being inducted into the Hollywood Stuntmen’s Hall of Fame as a member of the hall of fame. In addition, he has garnered fame as a result of his appearances in over three hundred films and television programs.
The beginning of their union seemed like something out of a fairy tale, and it ultimately allowed Wagner to fulfill her dreams of starting a family and being a mother. In 1984, after welcoming two kids, Alex and Dorian, the former couple decided to end their marriage and divorced.
The busy actress continued to flourish as a mother despite the fact that she had separated from her husband. She devoted her time to caring for her children while also instituting guidelines to provide direction for their life.
Her unique instructions for her children included forbidding them to consume red meat and instructing them to avoid watching repeats of their mother’s old television programs whenever possible. Wagner continued by saying the following in reference to one of the episodes of the series “Bionic Woman”:
“They do not consider it to be a fantasy. They are observing their mother who has a pistol held to her head as they stare at her. In my opinion, it is not a very healthy lifestyle choice.”
As a result of following in their father’s footsteps and acting in movies, the boys have developed into incredibly self-assured and smart young men today. His brother has been in “Antlers” and “Venom,” while Alex has appeared in “Tenet,” “Blade Runner,” and “Spiderman: Homecoming.”
As was to be anticipated, Wagner is over the moon pleased with her children since they have grown up to be admirable members of society and have selected appropriate professions in which to thrive. In her words:
“I’m blessed. I am blessed with extremely great children that are doing well in life.”
In addition to the true joy that motherhood brings Wagner and the knowledge that she has been a positive influence on her own children, she has utilized her various abilities, especially her ability to write and speak in public, to motivate and instruct a great number of others.
She began her career as an actor but then shifted her focus to writing books that help readers improve their lives by drawing on her own personal experiences.
The woman who has two children is also a motivational speaker, and she uses her platform to educate others. Even though she spends her time helping other people via her job, the actress has not forgotten about herself.
Wagner is in her 60s, yet she manages to have an appealingly young appearance thanks to her ability to strike a good balance and retain a spiritually healthy lifestyle.
