Former actor Lyle Waggoner had a moment of inspiration while filming the 1970s TV series “Wonder Woman” that wound up changing his life.

He and his fellow actors were on location, staying in trailers that had been rented from individuals. It occurred to him that he could start a business where he could design and supply trailers for actors working on film and TV shoots. That spark led him to launch Star Waggons in 1979, a venture that later ignited into a full-blown business providing trailers for production offices, wardrobe and makeup, and even schoolrooms for child actors on set.

More than three-and-a-half decades later, the now 80-year-old and his family, including his sons and company co-Presidents Jason Waggoner, 47, and Beau Waggoner, 45, have traveled to far-flung locales and grown the business, supplying other areas of entertainment including the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival as well as this year’s Academy Awards and Golden Globes.

But most of Star Waggons’ business still comes from motion picture and television production. The family said its Sylmar firm enjoyed a banner run last year, with revenue hitting approximately $17 million – an increase of 18 percent over the previous year.

While Jason Waggoner was not sure if that increase could be duplicated this year, he credits some of the boost to the emergence of streaming platforms such as YouTube, Hulu, Apple TV and Netflix.

“New media needs more content, and as most of that is video driven, this is a perfect situation for us,” he said. “What used to be a guy (shooting with an) iPhone evolved into video content with expanded production values with better equipment, like our trailers.”

And while many businesses in Los Angeles struggled with the issue of runaway production over the past decade, Waggoner and his sons said they saw the trend as an opportunity to grow geographically. They opened their first satellite office in New Mexico when that state’s tax credits prompted the 2003 opening of Albuquerque Studios. That led to a network of satellite offices in New Orleans; Atlanta; Vancouver, Canada; Hawaii and other production hubs.

But since the California Senate passed the $330 million California Film and Television Tax Credit Program in 2014, productions have come back to Los Angeles and surrounding areas, which means more local demand for Star Waggons vehicles.

Reinventing the wheels

Though Lyle Waggoner handed over the reins of the company to his sons back in 2005, he still walks through its six-acre headquarters beaming with the same megawatt smile familiar to generations of “The Carol Burnett Show” and “Wonder Woman” viewers.

Inside Star Waggons’ 50,000-square-foot showroom, a handful of the company’s 800 trailers can be viewed, and they are as meticulously appointed as a five-star hotel suite. And that’s before they are customized.

A basic 40-foot trailer costs up to $10,000 a week to rent, though some fetch as much as $2 million based on desired upgrades. Exact costs depend on who will be occupying them and what purpose they’re intended to serve during a shoot.

For instance, a schoolroom trailer for child actors or a production office outfitted with satellite TV and other equipment typically costs between $50,000 and $75,000 a week. Wardrobe trailers run between $150,000 and $200,000, while makeup trailers start at $150,000 and go up to $350,000 for the more sophisticated models. Each trailer is designed according to the specific needs of each shoot.

“Whenever we design a trailer, we always consult with the individuals who will be using them day in and day out,” said Lyle Waggoner. “Our job is to allow all the professionals to do their best possible work whenever production is in progress.”

There are always special requests from top-tier actors, such as creating rooms wide enough to accommodate themselves and a yoga instructor, or installing a kitchen. Other innovations, while less visible, are equally important to clients.

Star Waggons has stepped up its efforts to integrate several sustainable practices into all aspects of its business including all-natural cleaning products, LED lighting and solar panels on trailers.

Tommy Tancharoen, a transportation coordinator at Culver Studios, has worked with Star Waggons since Lyle Waggoner started it as a side business. While Tancharoen said he works with several trailer firms out of necessity, Star Waggons is his first choice, especially when he needs something quickly or for shoots in Hawaii such as the “Jurassic Park” movies, “King Kong” and “Godzilla.”

“Though I work with competitors, especially if stock is low at Star Waggons, there is a certain ease I have with the staff that I can’t find with other companies,” he said. “Because of our long relationship, I can call them over a weekend or late at night and they’ll accommodate me.”

Family focus

Hollywood productions have changed a lot since Lyle Waggoner started out working in the industry. IMDB.com lists his first on-screen credit as a 1966 episode of “Gunsmoke.”

“Early in my career, they put us actors in a plywood room on wheels that could be rolled around the studio lot,” he recalled. “By the time I was on ‘Wonder Woman,’ they gave me a very nice motor home rented from a private owner in the (San Fernando) Valley.”

And that’s when he got the idea for Star Waggons.

“As the consummate entrepreneur,” Waggoner said, “I asked the producers if they would consider renting a motor home from me if I owned one.”

They agreed, so Waggoner went out and bought one. As the years went by, he accumulated a fleet of motor homes and turned Star Waggons into his full-time job.

He credits the Investment Tax Credit from the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 as a major factor in growing Star Waggons in the early days.

“If you bought a piece of equipment for your business, the government gave you a 10 percent tax credit,” he said. “I realized that if I bought a $50,000 motor home, I could knock $5,000 off my taxes. I grew my business up to 90 motor homes as a result.”

In 1988, Star Waggons switched its inventory from motor homes to trailers because they offered the perfect mix of cost effectiveness and flexibility, he said. Unlike motor homes, trailers can be towed and they don’t have transmissions, which require maintenance.

These days, Jason Waggoner focuses on rentals and business matters while brother Beau Waggoner concentrates on the manufacturing and customization of the trailers. On their watch, the number of trailers has increased from 400 to 800. Although their father doesn’t come into the office as often, he still keeps his eyes on the road, and his sons pick his brain all the time.

“My boys keep me constantly informed,” Lyle Waggoner said. “In our owners’ meetings, we discuss what acquisitions and investments will make sense.”