Trivia

Was scheduled to be a passenger on American Airlines Flight 191 from Chicago to Los Angeles on May 25, 1979, but felt uneasy about flying on that plane. She skipped the flight, which crashed only minutes after takeoff, killing everyone on board.

Agreed to act as the "Bionic Woman" in Bionic Ever After? (1994) only on the condition that her character marries the "Six Million Dollar Man", since she felt it was unfair that fans had been waiting almost 20 years for the marriage to take place. The producers acquiesced, and the television movie ends with a wedding.

Her acting career evolved pretty much by accident. She had been a regular babysitter for The Dukes of Hazzard (1979) star James Best's children when he recommended that she attend his acting classes.

Youngest actress to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series until Jodie Comer won in 2019, followed by Zendaya in 2020.

She was a contract player for Universal studios earning $1000 per week when she guest-starred as Jaime Sommers on one of their shows The Six Million Dollar Man (1974). Her character died at the end of the two-part episode, and Universal didn't renew her contract, believing they didn't have any use for her or her character. But public outcry was so immediate and intense that Universal had to resurrect Jaime Sommers from the dead. Wagner and her agent negotiated a significant salary increase to $25000 per episode for another two-part episode of The Six Million Dollar Man (1974). That led to her own series The Bionic Woman (1976), where she commanded $500,000/per year; a guarantee of five feature films; plus 12½% of the royalties on all Bionic Woman artifacts.

Was the primary guest star on the very first episode (the pilot, actually) of The Rockford Files (1974).

The scar on her right upper lip is the result of an automobile accident she suffered in 1976.

First worked with Lee Majors when she guest-starred on his series Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law (1971) in 1971. A few years later she became famous as The Bionic Woman (1976), a role that she first played on The Six Million Dollar Man (1974), where Majors played the title role.

Before Kate Mulgrew was chosen to replace Geneviève Bujold, her name was often mentioned as a possibility to play Capt. Kathryn Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager (1995).

Mother, with ex-husband/stuntman Henry Kingi, of two sons: Dorian Kingi (born 1982) and Alex Kingi (born 1986). Her ex-stepson is stuntman Henry Kingi Jr. (born 1970).

Awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 13, 1984, at 6767 Hollywood Blvd.

Awarded a Golden Palm Star on the "Palm Springs Walk of Stars" at 205 S. Palm Canyon Drive on May 12, 2012.

Lived in Portland, OR, and attended David Douglas High School as a teenager.

In her Emmy award acceptance speech as Best Actress for The Bionic Woman (1976), she thanked two people: her then-husband Michael Brandon and guest-star Linda Wiser for being warm and supportive towards her.

Father Bill Wagner was a school photographer.

Attended Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, OR, and the University of Oregon.

Ex-niece of Linda Gray.

Daughter of Marilyn Ball, a retired building contractor and production consultant on daughter Lindsay's, Police Story: Burnout (1988) and The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story (1988).

Cousin of Kehly Sloane and Jeff Thrasher.