The case was reopened six years ago and now has key witness accounts. It was like two parts of the same whole. Yet the story of Wagner and Woods long relationship would take a backseat to ongoing lurid headlines concerning Woods drowning. But Robert R.J. Wagner was different. Taylor Swift's Atlanta ticket prices are dropping big time. We knew each other better than we knew ourselves, she recalled. But that doesnt mean I dont think he did it. Now, HBO's latest documentary, Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind is aiming to tell the story of the Rebel Without a Cause star's life, and her whole family is opening up to discuss their most cherished memories. Here is what Wagner says happened and why Natasha doesnt think he was responsible. Wagner, Wood and her then-costar Walken took a trip on the couples boat, Splendour, to Catalina Island during Thanksgiving weekend 1981. Lana a sometime actress who was Bond girl Plenty OToolein Diamonds Are Forever had been employed behind the scenes in film production, but after her sisters death, she couldnt find any work. New details about the case and a surge in true-crime interest have rekindled fascination in this unsolved Hollywood mystery, particularly in recent years. "Hogan's Heroes" actor Bob Crane was found bludgeoned to death in his apartment on June 29, 1978, at the age of 49. Other than that, I felt absolutely nothing towards him., In 1957, When they got married the first time, I cried loudly throughout the entire ceremony, Lana said. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Wagner says in the documentary that he assumed she went out to retie the dinghy and he and Gregson Wagner recall that Wood hated the way it would bang against the side of the boat. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Natalie Wood's daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner doesn't believe her adopted father, Robert Wagner, killed her mother. Keep reading for what you need to know about Natalie Wood's widow, including whether he remarried after his wife's death. ET on HBO2, on May 10 at 11:30 a.m. It turned out the studio did not only bring him jobs but introduced him to the love of his life. 2023 Cond Nast. Natasha adds, She has literally accused my dad of killing my mom when thats the farthest thing from the truth.. We were just taking the truth and putting it into the light and it sort of empowered us I think in a way., Behold Dune: An Exclusive Look at Timothe Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, and More How to Watch Every Marvel Movie in Order David Simon on The Wire and His Equally Pissed-Off New Show, The Plot Against America Beyond Tiger King: 8 True-Crime Documentaries That Sparked a Second Look From the Law Downton Abbeys Julian Fellowes on His New Series and the Beauty of a Scheming Woman All the New 2020 Movies Streaming Early Because of Coronavirus From the Archive: The Notorious Rivalry of Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, Hollywoods Dueling Gossip Columnists. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Her first vehicle at Fox would be in the role of Susan in what would become the enduring Christmas classic Miracle on 34 Street (1947). According to Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, a 2020 documentary made by Woods daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner, the manager of a mainland restaurant where Natalie, Wagner, Walken and the yachts skipper, Dennis Davern, had dined the night before was worried they were all too intoxicated to make it back to the yacht. The 48-year-old had been in Los Angeles with plans to attend a pre-Grammys party and had just, Chris Perez, chronicled in the book "To Selena, With Love. His sudden and shocking passing came just a month before the premiere of his classic 1973 film, "Enter the Dragon.". Still, Lana said she didnt write the book to bring down her brother-in-law. After a day of drinking, tempers reportedly flared in the evening with Wagner breaking a bottle, supposedly over Woods apparent closeness to Walken. A fortune teller told her mother, Maria, that she would give birth to a famous actress, and Maria did her best to manifest that prediction. ET on HBO and HBO Latino, and Monday, May 11 at 1:30 p.m. We pay for videos too. Davern claims Walken also stormed out and went to his cabin, while Wagner stayed where he was, and began to drink with the captain. But to give me a quote about devils? 00:43. Natalie Wood and daughter Natasha in Los Angeles. Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner in 1972. Premiering in 1968, ABCs It Takes a Thief was a hit and Wagner was commanding about $10,000 per episode. 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All Rights Reserved, Natalie Woods bruises consistent with her being victim of assault: detective, LA Sheriff: Robert Wagners story doesnt really add up, Robert Wagner a person of interest in Natalie Woods death, Former Bond Girl Lana Wood no longer homeless, Nick Cannon celebrates Jada Pinkett Smith's 'Red Table Talk' cancellation: 'Good', Chance the Rapper's wife posts cryptic quote after his dance with another woman, Meghan Trainor 'can't walk' after 'nightmare' sex with 'big boy' Daryl Sabara, Famed New York socialite Patty Raynes found dead in her Palm Beach home, New photo of Meghan Markle that she 'never wanted the world to see', Michael J. Best Known For: Robert Wagner is an actor who began his movie career in the 1950s and later found success on television. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Robert and Natalie married twice. Ask yourself if an innocent man who has lost his wife is usually this reticent., Then in a 2018 interview on The Dr. Phil Show, Lana said, I think the investigation was mishandled from the beginning. She slipped and fell in the water. Inside Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner's Tumultuous Relationship, Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images, Robert Wagner and his wife Natalie Wood, circa 1970; Photo: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images, Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood at the 38th annual Golden Globes on January 31, 1981, less than a year before she died. Being on the water was a passion they both shared, though Wood often spoke of her fear of deep water., Wildly in love, the newlyweds began their life together under the constant glare of publicity, something Wood had been dealing with since her years as a child star. It will be rebroadcast on Wednesday, May 6 at noon ET on HBO and HBO Latino; on May 6 at 8 p.m. Most recently, the two starred in the TV movie Northpole, where Jill played Mrs. Claus and Robert fittingly played Santa. Though he would appear in more than 40 films, big-screen stardom would elude him as the studio system was dismantled and the entertainment industry began embracing the burgeoning television market. Natalie Wood's 1981 drowning death has remained one of Hollywood's great mysteries for four decades. If additional leads surface in the future, which have not already been investigated, the case will be reassigned to a detective to investigate the new leads.. In an . Elvis Presley's death at 42 in August 1977 left some fans so shocked, they refused to believe it. He was married to actress Natalie Wood, whose 1981 death . Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Wood, Wagner, and actor Christopher Walken were the only guests. Wagner remarried in 1963 to actress Marion Marshall, with whom he had a daughter, Katie, born in 1964. It was myself I didnt know about.. All leads in the Natalie Wood case have been exhausted, and the case remains an open, unsolved case, Lt. Hugo Reynaga told Page Six Friday. Dennis Davern was one of only four people on board the Splendour in November 1981 when the 43-year-old actress disappeared. At the time . The death of actress Natalie Wood has fueled speculation for four decades because it happened under mysterious circumstances that were initially called an accidental drowning but later changed to drowning and other undetermined factors. Now in the new HBO documentary Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, her daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner, talks to Robert Wagner, Natalies husband and Natashas adopted father, about the fateful night in 1981. All Rights Reserved. Eventually, Wagner went to check on his wife, and Davern claims the two had a scuffle. The whole thing with Lana, I just I dont even think she believes what shes saying, I just think shes angry. "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty joined CBSN with more. He focused his attention on caring for . Over the course of the investigation, the L.A. County Coroner changed Woods cause of death from accidental drowning to drowning and other undetermined factors, due to the bruises on her right forearm, left wrist, and right knee, a scratch on her neck and a scrape on her forehead. Because the truth is, there is nothing more to it.. Robert speaks out in the HBO documentary about the last moments he spent with his wife while they were on a boat off the coast of Catalina Island with her co-star Christopher Walken. In the film, Wagner recalls authorities later telling him that Woods body had been found. It bothers me that anyone would ever think that you would be involved in what happened to her because you would have given your life for my mom., Thats true, I would have. In 2011, the L.A. County Sheriffs Department reopened the case after Dennis Davern, the captain of Wagners yacht, told NBC News that he initially lied about the events of that night. In 1981, big screen legend Natalie Wood went missing from the yacht she shared with her husband, Robert Wagneronly to be found approximately six hours later, floating facedown . I always knew he was okay. Later, he was unable to find his wife, searched the boat along with the captain and noticed the dinghy was missing. During the years between the two nuptials, Natalie married and split from Richard Gregson, to whom daughter and What Remains Behind producer Natasha Gregson Wagner was born. Keep reading while we investigate Robert's relationship history. Im so sorry, Lana. Is Robert Wagner married? According to breaking news, Natalie had disappeared from the yacht during the night, supposedly taking a dinghy to her husband would later say party hop. Her body was found floating in the water the next morning, in a nightgown, socks and a down jacket. All Rights Reserved. Article continues below advertisement. The cause of death was changed from accident to undetermined in 2012. And Natalies own sister, Lana Wooddeemed a credible source by detectiveshas spent years publicly sharing her doubts that Woods death was an accident and demanding that Wagner, her brother in-law, tell the truth for once and for all., In Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, Gregson Wagner asks her stepfather to explain what happened the evening Wood fell off the boat. Not even close.. (Gregson Wagner told Vanity Fair that she asked both Walken and Lana Wood to participate in the documentary, but both declined. Its a ing bore.). He and I were both pretty wiped out by the end of those two daysyet we were also kind of euphoric too, because we thought we had gone through something really difficult together. NATASHA GREGSON WAGNER. Then she turned on the TV. That was my goal, or my intention for that interview., Asked whether she has had versions of this conversation with her stepfather about her mothers death over the years, Gregson Wagner said, Weve had versions of it. Chris was there with me he, by the way, is a very stand-up guy, a gentleman. The couple divorced, with the press blaming the breakup on Natalies affair with her Splendor in the Grass co-star Warren Beatty. I was 10 and he was 18 when I first saw him walking down the hall at 20 Century Fox, Wood recalled to People in 1976. The daughter of Lionel Richie said the process has been one of the greatest experiences of her life. Nobody heard anything, an emotional Wagner tells his stepdaughter in the documentary, adding: That night has gone through my mind so many times.. Wood was also found to have blood alcohol higher than the limit. The People story, published this week, finds the 86-year-old actor opening up about his relationship with his stepdaughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner. ", The two continued to argue, and eventually Robert "calmed down." Wagner assumed his wife had gone ashore. But they did make it back, after 10:30 p.m. Jonathan Majors Steps Down FromGotham Film Board. It has always bothered Gregson Wagner that her mother is remembered more for her death than for her accomplishments in life. The death was ruled an accident, but in 2018, Wagner was said to be a person of interest relating to the case. Wood remarried Wagner in 1972, within three months of her second divorce. Radio stations would announce we had just passed through, and people would wait for us in every little town., The media scrutiny continued as Woods star rose to even greater heights in the following years due to starring roles in Marjorie Morningstar (1958), Splendor in the Grass (1960), as the doomed Maria in West Side Story (1961) and Gypsy (1962). Robert, or R.J. as his friends called him, rarely attended social gatherings after Natalie's death. Afterward, Natalie went over and put her arm around Lana, asking her what was wrong. Both parties began dating again and would go on to marry other people, but they "never stopped loving each other," according to Wood. Later that night, Wagner could not locate his wife on the Splendour. Audiences would know Wagner from films including The True Story of Jesse James, The Pink Panther, and the Austin Powers franchise. Jill and Robert were both in the films Around the World in 80 Days, Something to Believe In, and The Calling. She slipped and fell in the water. We were all stunned, everybody. Conspiracy is a bit far-fetched but were things covered up and overlooked purposefully? Wagner says he angrily told Walken to mind his own business, before smashing a wine bottle. Wagner says that he and Walken eventually resolved the argument. The couple separated in 1961 and divorced the following year with Wood remaining silent on rumors the marriage had ended suddenly because she had had an affair with her Splendor in the Grass costar Warren Beatty. By the time of that first fateful meeting, the daughter of poor Russian immigrants was a known and respected actress. Hes not going to be arrested. Fox says Parkinson's battle getting 'harder': 'I'm not gonna be 80', Padma Lakshmi claps back at trolls: 'I have boobs, I have nipples', Kendall Jenner rocks sheer top, fur mini skirt for date night with Bad Bunny, Miley Cyrus mom, Tish Cyrus, engaged to Prison Break star Dominic Purcell, Fans confused over Lala Kent, Ariana Madixs White House dinner appearance, Woman has 'loud and full body orgasm' during LA Philharmonic concert. In the 39 years since, Gregson Wagneran actress herself who has appeared in projects including High Fidelity and Two Girls and a Guyhas not only grappled with that trauma, but with the cyclical interest in Woods deathand the suspicion around her stepfather Robert Wagner, now 90, who was on board the 55-foot yacht Splendour the night Wood drowned. All Rights Reserved. Robert Wagner has been cleared in the case probing Natalie Wood's death. In the documentary, Wagner says he and Walken got into an argument, but both thought Natalie was safe on the boat. DetectiveRalph Hernandez, who retired from the force in March, declared Wagner a person of interest in 2018 after interviewing witnesses who claimed Wood had been arguing with Wagner, now 92, at the edge of their boat before she disappeared. Wagner remarried in 1963 to actress Marion Marshall, with . Jam Master Jay, DMC and Rev Run of Run DMC attend Run DMC-Beastie Boys Press Conference on May 11, 1987 at B. Smith's Restaurant in New York City. Later, the coroner changed Woods cause of death to drowning and other undetermined factors. New witnesses led police to reclassify Woods death as suspicious. In 2018, Wagner was named a person of interest by the L.A. County Sheriffs Department. Five years after Wood died, Walken told People: I dont know what happened. He claims to have found Wagner at the swim steps, and noticed Wood and the dinghy were missing. Many people are unsure whether Robert Wagner, an American actor who has appeared on all three stages - theatre, screen, and television - is still alive or not; the veteran actor is still alive and well. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Natalie was, at that moment, supposed to be on a yacht with Wagner and her friend and current co-star Christopher Walken. On the night of her disappearance he recalls Wood storming out after another argument, and going to her room. She had told me she couldnt swim; in fact, they had to cut a swimming scene from Brainstorm [the film they were shooting at the time of Woods death]. Hope Davis Has Done Everything, and Shes Finally Everywhere. It was here when he says that Wood excused herself. The Shocking Connection Between Kirk Douglas and Natalie Wood, Natalie Wood Remarried the Same Man Twice Get to Know Her Marital History, Here's What Natalie Wood's Daughters Are up to 39 Years After Her Death. In 2010, the convicted assailant, Mark David Chapman, told a parole board that he gunned down the Beatles giant because, Twenty years after his father, Bruce Lee's, death, actor Brandon Lee died at 28 after being fatally wounded on the set of "The Crow." Then Natalie began to cry before murmuring softly, He hurt me, Lana It was like an out-of-body experience. During the weekend Davern recalled terrible fights, with Wood even asking the captain to take her ashore. Please kill the Marvel Cinematic Universe before it's too Woman has 'loud, full body orgasm' in the middle of LA concert, $76K NJ boarding school admits falling 'tragically short' in protecting teen who killed self after relentless bullying, 'rapist' taunts, Georgia player under fire after racist remark during 2023 NFL Draft on livestream, Megyn Kelly sports red MAGA-style hat in poolside pic, Jess Margera says his brother, Bam, is dying: Nothing I can do about it, Mark Wahlberg responds to Entourage reboot rumors, Kim Kardashian seemingly shades Kourtneys wedding in now-deleted caption amid feud, Kendall Jenner rocks sheer top, fur mini skirt for date night with Bad Bunny. Wagner also wants to make it clear he doesnt think Walken was involved. Jill St. John first met Robert Wagner when the two were contract players at 20th Century Fox back in 1959, and they would go on to continue working together in Hollywood. In October 1978, Nancy died from a stab wound in Room 100 of New York's Chelsea Hotel, and Sid was arrested as a top suspect. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Walken was on the yacht the nightWood drowned, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Shes also one of our great actorsand is at last getting her showcase. Then-Assistant Sheriff Robert Edmonds still vividly remembers being awakened at 5am with the news that actress Natalie Wood had gone missing from a boat moored off Catalina Island in November 1981. Did Robert Wagner remarry after Natalie Wood died? He said: I saw the dinghy was missing and fired up the engines to start searching. ", He continues to say he was "a little tee-off" about how he felt Christopher was "telling me what she should do and how she should behave." But did Robert Wagner remarry after Natalie tragically died at the age of 43? The homicide is still unsolved. He was on the boat the night she died, but has never spoken publicly about her death. Weve hung onto each other through the years and she means the world to me.. Davern's description of events do not match his statements to police at the time, but have passed several polygraph tests, according to the podcast. And I can understand that but when I just think about my dad having to deal with any of this stuff, its just so hard to even imagine when he experienced a true nightmare, says Courtney in the documentary. Nearly four decades after the unexplained drowning death of Hollywood . Lana nabbed her first film role when she was 7, playing a younger version of her sisters character in the Western The Searchers.. "So your mother went down below to our bedroom to get ready to go to bed and I sat there with Chris. The actor's life and career were cut tragically short on September 30, 1955, when the 24-year-old got into a collision while driving his. After Walken retired to bed, Wagner says that he and Davern swept up the broken bottle on the floor. Lanawrites in her bookthat she believes Wagnerand Natalie had an alcohol-fueled argument that escalated into a physical confrontation and that Wagner delivered a blow to the left side of Natalies face that knocked her unconscious., I believe, she writes, that suddenly, panic-stricken when he realized what hed done, R.J. made the fatal decision to put Natalie in the water to avoid being held responsible for what had happened., The book speculates that Wagner sentDavern who had come up to intervene to look for the missing Natalie to give himself time to untie the dinghy. Davern said in his testimonial that Wagner did tell him not to turn the searchlights on or to call the authorities until two hours later, and Lana writes that she believes that he did this to [cover] up the fact that, in a drunken, jealous, rage-filled moment, hed ended the life of Natalie Wood.. Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind portrays Wood as a spirited, loving parent who was able to overcome an overbearing mother of her own and the stress of child stardomwith the help of psychoanalysis, of which she was an early proponentto forge a fulfilling career and family life. This story has been shared 16,031 times. It isnt for my sake, its for Natalies, Lana said of the book. When you take something, and you put it into the light, it doesnt feel as hampering, and thats what we were doing. But that doesnt mean I dont think he did it: Of course he did!. Hopeful conspiracy theorists swore that the King was still alive and well in the years following his collapse in his bathroom at Graceland. The death of comedic actor and "Saturday Night Live" star Phil Hartman stunned fans in May 1998, when he and his wife were discovered shot to death in their Los Angeles home, Topless dancer-turned-model-turned reality TV star Anna Nicole Smith died at 39 in February 2007 after being found unconscious in her Florida hotel room. Their first marriage lasted from 1957 to 1962, and the Hollywood stars would go on to remarry in 1972. Davern said he made his way to the back of the ship. Robert and Natalie married twice. Wood died on 29 November 1981 after disappearing from a yacht she was on with her husband, Robert Wagner, . He was trying to make sure and sink me, but he wasnt able to, Lana said. Thirty-five years after Natalie Wood drowned while sailing off Catalina Island, her former husband Robert Wagner 86, speaks to PEOPLE in this week's cover story about his family's heartbreak . That nights gone through my mind so many times, as you can imagine. She started selling dolls and got a job as a salesperson for Sprint. The film shows Wagner remembering his final dinner with Wood and Walken, during which Wagner says he enjoyed a few glasses of vino. Wagner and Wood had been having conversations about Woods career at that pointdebating whether she should continue acting, or step away from the screen to spend more time at home with her children. Its not a continuous thing, just a moment, a turn, her hair, some kind of look. Natalie and Wagners daughter, Courtney, was born in 1974, and after making such hits as Gypsy, West Side Story and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Wood had largely disappeared from the big screen. Of course he did!. 10,832, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved ), Lanatold The Post that she doesnt believe Natalie and Walken ever slept together, but that they were close and had great chemistry. The book part memoir, part true-crime investigation using new evidence dug up by homicide detectives aims to dispel the myths and illuminate the facts surrounding Natalies tragic death. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. I wanted him to feel safe enough to unfold, like a flower, and be honest, and show his humanity. She and her young daughter moved in with Maria, who was living in one of Natalies old condos. Investigator calls Robert Wagner a "person of interest" in Natalie Wood drowning death. However, both Natasha and her sister Courtney think Lana is simply wrong. Ad Choices, Natasha Gregson Wagner on the forthcoming HBO documentary, Prompted by Vanity Fair Investigation, Police Reopen Natalie Wood Case, Natalie Woods Drowning Was Not an Accident: A New Books Shocking Findings, Director Lorene Scafaria, who helmed Sundays episode, Honeymoon States, takes, The 83-year-old actor was written off his Apple TV+ series after two separate incidents, sources tell, A Johnny Depp Drama Will Open the Cannes Film Festival. Guitarist Brian Jones, a founding member of the Rolling Stones, was found dead in a swimming pool in July 1969 after a party at his home. The real story of her death is that she drowned and nobody knows how she drowned or what happened except her, said Walken. I know who I am.. In his 2009 book, Pieces of My Heart, Wagner wrote that on that outing in November 1981, he became jealous and argued with both Wood and Walken. Lana continued to see Natalie even living with her and R.J. at one point when tensions with her mother reached a boiling point yet she noticed that her sisters new husband mostly stayed out of her way. Natalie Wood: What Remains is available to stream on HBO Go in the US. A representative for Wagner had no comment. I was in bed then. Ana de Armas Shares Story About Robert De Niro and Her Dad During. There was also a rescue worker named Roger Smith who helped pull Woods body out of the water who said they werent called until 5 a.m. Theres no question in my mind that he just delayed calling for us, Smith said, referring to Wagner. But Natalie did nothing about it, because of my mom telling her that shed ruin her career, shed never work again., After that, Natalie was so guarded And she really mistrusted men after that.. But 10 years later, both newly single, Natalie and Wagner announced they were getting married to each other a second time. March 11, 2020. The actor is absent from the documentary and has rarely spoken about Woods death but there have been brief mentions made in the past. ', When asked if he thought Wagner was responsible for Woods death, he said, I would say so, yes.. The August 5, 1962, death of Marilyn Monroe is still shrouded in mystery. 2023 Cable News Network. Four months later and out on bail, Sid died of a drug overdose. Nov. 30, 2021 8:25 AM PT. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Getty. All you can do is truly love and care for them.. His wifes death hit the family hard, he said. Her name has been circulating online because police have named her husband a "person of interest" in the death of actress Natalie Wood. Immediately afterwards, Wagner rekindled his romance with Wood. At that point, Wood went below deck to go to bed, and allegedly, no one saw her alive again. 15,640, This story has been shared 13,634 times. The role of a debonair ex-con would pave the way to his biggest success, Hart to Hart, which aired from 1979 to 1984 on ABC. He married Jill St. John, an actress he had met nearly 30 years prior. Woods body was not discovered until the following morning, November 29, floating in the water off Catalina near a dinghy belonging to their boat. The Miracle on 34th Street stars sister told The Post in 2021 that she always has believed Wagner was responsible for Woods death. ; Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images, Jennifer Garner Loves This Drugstore Skin Tint, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads.
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