Lyle Waggoner had that classic, old-school Hollywood look—the kind of jawline that seemed carved out of granite and a smile that could light up a whole soundstage. You probably remember him best as the charming Steve Trevor alongside Lynda Carter in Wonder Woman, or maybe as the suave straight man who somehow kept a straight face during the absolute chaos of The Carol Burnett Show.
But as the years roll by and we see fewer of those classic TV icons on the red carpet, people start asking the same question: Is Lyle Waggoner still alive?
The short answer is no. Lyle Waggoner passed away on March 17, 2020. He was 84 years old.
Honestly, his passing felt like the end of an era for a lot of fans who grew up with 1970s television. He didn't just fade away into the background, though. Unlike many actors who struggle when the phone stops ringing, Waggoner actually became one of the most successful businessmen in Hollywood history. He basically reinvented how movies get made behind the scenes.
The details of Lyle Waggoner’s passing
It wasn't a sudden thing. Waggoner died at his home in the Los Angeles area after a battle with cancer. His family was right there with him, including his wife of 60 years, Sharon Kennedy.
He had been sick for a while, according to reports from his sons, Jason and Beau. When the news broke, the tributes poured in from everyone he’d worked with. Carol Burnett herself put out a really touching statement, calling him "funny, kind, and multi-talented," but more importantly, a "loving friend."
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It’s easy to forget that before he was a TV star, he was just a guy from Kansas City who joined the Army and worked as a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman. He even tested for the role of Batman in the 1960s. He famously lost out to Adam West, but he didn't let that stop him. That rejection actually cleared the path for him to join The Carol Burnett Show in 1967.
Why Lyle Waggoner still matters today
You might wonder why people are still searching for his name in 2026. Part of it is nostalgia, sure. But Waggoner’s legacy is actually physically present on almost every major film set in America.
While he was filming Wonder Woman, he noticed something. The motorhomes provided for the actors were, well, kinda crappy. They were often just private vehicles rented from random people in the San Fernando Valley. Waggoner, being an "entrepreneurial-oriented" guy (his words), asked the producers: "If I bought a motorhome, would you rent it from me?"
They said yes.
That was the birth of Star Waggons.
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What started as one trailer turned into a fleet of hundreds. If you’ve ever seen a "behind-the-scenes" photo of a celebrity standing outside a massive, silver, luxury trailer with their name on the door, there’s a massive chance that trailer came from Waggoner’s company. He fundamentally changed how talent, makeup artists, and wardrobe crews are treated on location.
A massive business legacy
- The Growth: By 2016, Star Waggons was pulling in about $17 million a year.
- The Fleet: They eventually managed over 800 custom-built trailers.
- The Sale: In 2021, the company (along with Zio Studio Services) was sold to Hudson Pacific Properties for a staggering $222 million.
Even though he’s gone, his sons continued to run the business for years, and just recently in 2025, the brand saw a massive revival under Quixote, introducing new solar-powered, eco-friendly "Star Waggons" to the industry. He basically built an empire out of a side hustle.
Life beyond the screen
Lyle wasn't just an actor and a businessman. Later in life, he became a pretty serious sculptor. He spent a lot of time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where he had a home. You can actually still find his bronze sculptures in galleries out there. They often had this weird, cool mix of elegance and humor—sorta like the man himself.
He also famously became the first-ever centerfold for Playgirl magazine in 1973. It was a huge deal at the time and cemented his status as a "Hollywood Hunk," though he always took that title with a grain of salt and a self-deprecating joke.
Remembering the "Nice Guy" of Hollywood
There are plenty of stories about actors being difficult, but you rarely hear that about Lyle Waggoner. He seemed to genuinely enjoy his life. In an interview back in 2011, he said he was just "thankful" for the attention. He loved that he could walk down any street in the U.S. and have someone say, "Hey, Lyle, how are you?"
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He knew he was lucky, and he used that luck to build something that outlasted his acting career.
If you’re looking to revisit his best work, The Carol Burnett Show is still the gold standard. Watch the "Went with the Wind!" sketch or any of the "Family" sketches. You'll see him playing the straight man with such perfect timing that he makes the comedians around him look even better. That’s a rare skill.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Researchers:
- Watch the Classics: You can find most of The Carol Burnett Show on streaming platforms like Prime Video or Shout! Factory. It’s worth it just to see his comedic range.
- Look for the Logo: Next time you see a behind-the-scenes clip from a Marvel movie or a show like Dancing With the Stars, look for the "Star Waggons" logo on the trailers. That’s his living monument.
- Visit Wyoming: If you’re ever in Jackson Hole, stop by the local art galleries. Seeing his sculptures in person gives you a much better sense of the man's creative depth beyond the "Steve Trevor" persona.
- Verify the Sources: When looking up celebrity statuses, always check major trades like The Hollywood Reporter or Variety. Waggoner’s death was widely reported in March 2020, and any claims to the contrary are simply internet rumors.
Lyle Waggoner lived the kind of life that most people in Hollywood only dream of—he was a star, a respected artist, and a wildly successful mogul who stayed married to the same woman for six decades. That’s a pretty incredible run by any definition.