THE APEX TIMES
Wilford Lloyd “Bud” Baumes, Producer of ‘The Love Boat’ and Executive Producer of ‘Wonder Woman,’ Dies at 86
The television producer, who helped develop ABC’s long-running The Love Boat and executive produced Wonder Woman, died June 28 in Cincinnati. No cause of death was disclosed.
Wilford Lloyd “Bud” Baumes, a television producer known for developing ABC’s long-running series The Love Boat and serving as executive producer for TV’s Wonder Woman, has died. He was 86, according to an obituary notice published by Mihovk-Rosenacker Funeral Homes in Cincinnati and reported by Deadline.
Deadline reported that Baumes’ death occurred June 28. The funeral home did not provide a cause of death in the information made public.
Baumes was born November 24, 1939. Prior to his work in television, he served in the U.S. Navy, a biographical detail Deadline included in its report.
In television, Baumes’ credits included the development of The Love Boat, an ABC series that became a fixture of American network television during its original run and subsequent syndication.
He also held a senior production role on Wonder Woman. Deadline described him as an executive producer for the series, placing him among the team responsible for shaping the show’s creative and production direction.
Beyond these headline credits, Baumes’ full list of television work and professional roles was not detailed in the reported account. As with many obituaries, the public record shared at the time focused on his most widely recognized projects, his basic biography, and the timing of his death.
With no cause of death disclosed, the immediate public timeline centers on family and funeral-home arrangements, while industry acknowledgment will likely follow through standard channels used by entertainment communities connected to the shows he helped produce.
Why It Matters
- Baumes’ work helped shape two major network-era television brands, The Love Boat and Wonder Woman, which continued to reach audiences through ongoing reruns and distribution.
- His death highlights the role of production leadership in network television development, where early creative and production decisions can define long-running series.
- Because no cause of death was released, the public focus remains on biographical record and family arrangements rather than speculation or contested reporting.
- Fans and industry members associated with the series may look to official studio, network, and cast communications for tributes and documentation of his contributions.
Sources
Key Facts
- Wilford Lloyd “Bud” Baumes, a TV producer associated with The Love Boat and Wonder Woman, died at age 86.
- Deadline reported Baumes died on June 28 in Cincinnati.
- Mihovk-Rosenacker Funeral Homes in Cincinnati announced the death and did not list a cause of death.
- Baumes was born on November 24, 1939.
- Deadline reported that Baumes served in the U.S. Navy before entering television production.
- Deadline described Baumes as the developer of ABC’s The Love Boat and an executive producer for TV’s Wonder Woman.