You probably recognize her face from late-night reruns or those grainy YouTube clips of 80s reality TV. Cathy Lee Crosby was everywhere for a while. If you go looking for Cathy Lee Crosby pics today, you aren't just looking at a retired actress; you’re looking at a time capsule of a very specific, high-octane era of Hollywood. She wasn't just another blonde starlet. She was a professional tennis player who competed at Wimbledon, a boundary-breaking superhero, and the face of one of the weirdest shows to ever hit primetime.
Honestly, the story behind those photos is way more interesting than just "actress poses on red carpet."
The Wonder Woman Nobody Remembers
Long before Gal Gadot or even Lynda Carter, there was Cathy Lee. In 1974, she stepped into the boots of Diana Prince. But if you see the Cathy Lee Crosby pics from that era, you’ll notice something "off." No golden tiara. No star-spangled bottoms. Instead, she wore a red and blue zip-up tunic that looked more like something a stylish gym teacher would wear to a track meet.
The 1974 Wonder Woman TV movie was a weird experiment. It was basically a James Bond-style spy flick. Diana Prince didn't have flight or super-strength; she just had elite combat skills and a lot of gadgets.
Fans were... confused.
The ratings were actually decent, but ABC decided to pivot. They wanted a more comic-accurate version. Cathy Lee reportedly turned down the chance to reprise the role for the series that eventually went to Lynda Carter. Can you imagine? Most people would've killed for that contract. But she moved on. She had bigger fish to fry, and quite frankly, she didn't want to be typecast as a cartoon character for the rest of her life.
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That’s Incredible! and the Birth of Reality TV
If you grew up in the early 80s, Monday nights belonged to That’s Incredible!. Alongside John Davidson and Fran Tarkenton, Crosby hosted a show that featured everything from guys catching arrows with their bare hands to a very young Tiger Woods showing off his golf swing.
Looking at promotional Cathy Lee Crosby pics from this period, she defines "80s Glamour." We’re talking feathered hair, bold shoulder pads, and that constant, bright-white smile.
Behind the scenes, it wasn't always sunshine and rainbows. There’s a famous bit of industry lore—the "Nipple Memo." Apparently, ABC executives suggested that Crosby go braless on air to boost ratings. She told them, basically, to get lost. She was a serious athlete and a college graduate with a degree in psychology. She wasn't there to be eye candy. She stayed on the show until 1984, proving she was a legitimate hosting powerhouse.
The Athlete Behind the Photos
One thing that often gets lost in the shuffle of her acting career is that she was a legit athlete. Most "sporty" actresses in the 70s just held a racket for a photo op. Not her.
She was ranked as high as number 7 in the U.S. in singles for junior tennis. She played at Wimbledon—twice. When you see Cathy Lee Crosby pics from the 60s, she’s usually on a court, mid-swing, looking intense. That physical discipline stayed with her. It’s why she did many of her own stunts in films like Coach (1978), where she played a high school basketball coach who—in a plot that definitely wouldn't fly today—falls for one of her players.
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Relationships and the Public Eye
Celeb life in the 80s was messy, and Crosby’s personal life made plenty of headlines. Her long-term relationship with NFL star Joe Theismann was the stuff of tabloid gold. They were the ultimate power couple of the era.
Things ended poorly.
In the early 90s, the split turned into a multi-million dollar legal battle. Crosby sued him for $4.5 million, claiming he’d promised to support her. He countersued. It was ugly. They eventually settled out of court, but it changed the way people saw her. She wasn't just the "Incredible" host anymore; she was a woman fighting for her worth in a very public arena.
What She’s Up To Now
Today, Cathy Lee Crosby stays relatively low-profile compared to the peak of her fame. She’s in her late 70s (turning 81 in late 2025) and has focused a lot of her energy on philanthropy. She’s worked as a Special Ambassador for Children for the UN and founded the "Get High on Yourself" foundation.
If you see recent Cathy Lee Crosby pics, she still has that same spark. She hasn't disappeared into the "Where are they now?" void. She’s just picky about her projects.
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Why We’re Still Searching for Her
There’s a nostalgia for the era she represents. A time when TV was a shared experience and "reality" meant watching a guy try to jump over 20 school buses on a motorcycle. Crosby was the anchor for all that chaos. She brought a sense of groundedness and genuine curiosity to everything she did.
Whether she’s in a tennis skirt, a 1970s "spy" suit, or sitting behind a hosting desk, she remains a symbol of an era that wasn't afraid to be a little weird.
If you want to dive deeper into her filmography, check out The Laughing Policeman (1973) for a glimpse of her early dramatic chops. It’s a gritty crime drama that’s a far cry from the "Incredible" stunts of her later career. You can also track down her autobiography, Let the Magic Begin, which covers her time in Hollywood and her spiritual journey, including a brief stint with Scientology that she later moved away from.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking for high-quality, authentic Cathy Lee Crosby pics, don't just stick to a basic image search. Here’s how to find the real gems:
- Search for "Press Photos" on eBay: These are original 8x10 glossies sent to newspapers in the 70s and 80s. They often have the original "slug" (description) on the back, which provides context you won't find on Pinterest.
- Check the Warner Archive: Since they released the 1974 Wonder Woman on DVD/Blu-ray, they often have high-resolution promotional stills available in their digital galleries.
- Look for Tennis Archives: Searching "Cathy Lee Crosby Wimbledon 1960s" will give you a look at her life before Hollywood, which is arguably when she was at her most disciplined and fierce.
- Avoid AI-Generated Content: Be wary of "upscaled" images on social media that might distort her features; stick to archival sites like Getty Images or Alamy for historical accuracy.