Wonder Woman (1974 film)

Wonder Woman

DVD cover.
Based on Wonder Woman
by William Moulton Marston
Written by John D. F. Black
Directed by Vincent McEveety
Starring Cathy Lee Crosby
Theme music composer Artie Butler
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
Production
Running time 75 minutes
Production company(s) Warner Bros. Television
Distributor Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Release
Original network ABC
Original release
  • March 12, 1974 (1974-03-12)

Wonder Woman is a 1974 television film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Vincent McEveety and starring Cathy Lee Crosby. The film was a pilot for an intended television series being considered by ABC. Ratings were described as "respectable but not exactly wondrous," and ABC did not pick up the pilot.[1] Instead, Warner Brothers and ABC developed a different Wonder Woman television concept that fit the more traditional presentation of the character as created by William Moulton Marston, turning away from the 1968–72 era that had influenced the pilot. The New Original Wonder Woman, which premiered in 1975, starred Lynda Carter and eventually led to the Wonder Woman TV series. Crosby would later claim that she was offered the chance to reprise the role in that series.[2]

Background

Cathy Lee Crosby in the first Wonder Woman film.

Wonder Woman's first broadcast appearance in live-action television was a movie made in 1974 for ABC. Written by John D. F. Black, the TV movie resembles the Wonder Woman of the "I Ching" period. Wonder Woman (Cathy Lee Crosby) did not wear the comic-book uniform, demonstrated no apparent super-human powers, had a "secret identity" of Diana Prince that was not all that secret, and she was also depicted as blonde (differing from the black hair established in the comic books). This 1974 film follows Wonder Woman, assistant to government agent Steve Trevor (Kaz Garas) as she pursues a villain named Abner Smith (Ricardo Montalban) who has stolen a set of code books containing classified information about U.S. government field agents. Along the way, she has to outwit Smith's chief assistants: the handsome yet dangerous George (Andrew Prine) and a rogue Amazon, Angela (Anitra Ford), who Smith has taken on as a bodyguard; a brief duel between Wonder Woman and Angela is the film's only significant action sequence, which occurs during the final third of the story.[3]

The pilot aired originally on March 12, 1974[4] and was repeated on August 21 of that year.[5] Ratings were described as "respectable but not exactly wondrous."[1] ABC did not pick up the pilot, although Crosby would later claim she was offered the series that was eventually given to Lynda Carter.[6] An ABC spokesperson would later acknowledge that the decision to update the character was a mistake.[1]

Warner Brothers released this pilot into syndication as a stand-alone 90-minute telefilm, where it played on independent TV stations throughout the 1970s and 1980s. On December 11, 2012, Warner Brothers made the Cathy Lee Crosby pilot available as a Video On Demand purchase through their online store.

Cast

Home media

Warner Home Video released the TV film to DVD in 2012 through Amazon.com and their Warner Archive collection.[7][8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Shales, Tom (1975-11-07). "Wonder Woman Tries Comeback". The Washington Post.
  2. ↑ Joby, Tom (1980-05-12). "Cathy Crosby turns down 'Wonder Woman' offer". Associated Press.
  3. ↑ Bergeron, Tom (2004). "Forward". What Were They Thinking?: The 100 Dumbest Events in Television. By Hofstede, David. Back Stage Books. pp. 31–33. ISBN 0-8230-8441-8.
  4. ↑ "TV Staff Previews". Uniontown (PA) Morning Herald. 1974-03-12.
  5. ↑ "TV Key Best Bets". Wisconsin State Journal. 1974-08-21.
  6. ↑ Joby, Tom (1980-05-12). "Cathy Crosby turns down 'Wonder Woman' offer". Associated Press.
  7. ↑ "Wonder Woman (1974) (MOD) -". www.WBShop.com.
  8. ↑ "Wonder Woman TV Movie Pilot". 11 December 2012 – via Amazon.


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