But her sister Lana Wood believes there is one person to blame for the West Side Story actress death: Natalies husband, Robert Wagner. ', When asked if he thought Wagner was responsible for Woods death, he said, I would say so, yes.. Wagner had also said that Natalie had probably taken the dinghy out to go party hopping, yet the actress was wearing her nightgown and slippers. The actor had been nominated for an Oscar for 2005's "Brokeback Mountain" and was set for another nod for "The Dark Knight" when he was found dead in his New York apartment. "Later, it crossed my mind they didn't want me to say anything about what happened on the Splendour.". Natalie was pronounced dead at 7:44 a.m. on November 29, 1981. Powered by. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. 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. Gender: Male. "So your mother went down below to our bedroom to get ready to go to bed and I sat there with Chris. According to the book, their mother, Maria, had dropped 16-year-old Natalie at the Chateau Marmont to meet Douglas, a very important actor at the time. I dont believe it was premeditated, Lana Wood said. The 26-year-old actor, who had starred in PrinceValiant and A Kiss BeforeDying,began dating Natalie when the actress was 18, and he never even uttered a hello to 10-year-old Lana. So I didnt want him to feel uncomfortable or unsafe. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. 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. At the time . Heath Ledger was poised to ascend to a new level of stardom when he died at 28 in January 2008. The August 5, 1962, death of Marilyn Monroe is still shrouded in mystery. The hard-living 27-year-old's passing was ruled death by misadventure, yet theories abounded that he'd been the victim of a crime. The death was ruled an accident, but in 2018, Wagner was said to be a person of interest relating to the case. Wood died on 29 November 1981 after disappearing from a yacht she was on with her husband, Robert Wagner, . Then Wagner went downstairs, discovered that Wood was missing, and notified the coast guard. I have no idea [why he would blacklist me] other than it came back to me that he considers me a loose cannon, Lana told The Post. New details about the case and a surge in true-crime interest have rekindled fascination in this unsolved Hollywood mystery, particularly in recent years. Her name has been circulating online because police have named her husband a "person of interest" in the death of actress Natalie Wood. All I can do is attempt to have people understand the truth, and to show Natalie as she really was.. He claimed that the married couple had a fight out on the boats deck right before she went missing and that Wagner prevented him from putting out a call to shore for a missing person. We've received your submission. 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. Still, she was shocked in 1962 when Natalie showed up at their parents house, distraught and with a bleeding hand. Awake with Walken and feeling high from the alcohol, Wagner says that Walken then told him that he believed Wood, a brilliant actor, needed to continue acting. All rights reserved. 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. 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.. ", volatile East Coast/Wast Coast rap war of the era, Her husband, Simon Monjack, died five months later, In 2009, police in Sussex, England, began to look into his death. I sat there with Chris, and we started talking, and he started to mention to me about your motherhow wonderful she was, and what a great actress she was, and how he enjoyed working with her. Wagner, in turn, recounts the final voyage he took with Wood, during Thanksgiving weekend 1981with Dennis Davern and Christopher Walken, Woods costar in the 1983 sci-fi film Brainstorm. Work doesnt play the same role in my life it used to, she said of her decision to focus on her marriage and children. I think it was a matter of, Were not going to look too hard, were not going to turn on the searchlight, were not going to notify anybody right now. I know who I am.. While Natalie passed away on Nov. 29, 1981, Robert began a relationship with actress Jill St. John not even three months later, on Valentine's Day 1982. Investigator calls Robert Wagner a "person of interest" in Natalie Wood drowning death. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Eventually, Rowland Perkins, president of the Creative Artists Agency, called her and told her that Wagner had gotten her blacklisted in the industry. Wood died over Thanksgiving weekend in 1981 at age 43 when she drowned while spending time with Wagner and actor Christopher Walken on her familys boat. The People story, published this week, finds the 86-year-old actor opening up about his relationship with his stepdaughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner. Privacy Notice I was confused., That really affected her entire life how she looked at things and how she perceived things, Lana recalled. When they married for a second time, Robert and Natalie had a daughter together: Courtney Wagner, who they raised together with Natasha. Six days later, he was dead at 25. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Later that night, Wagner could not locate his wife on the Splendour. What has Christopher Walken said about Natalie Wood's death? Because the truth is, there is nothing more to it.. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Natasha adds, She has literally accused my dad of killing my mom when thats the farthest thing from the truth.. Wood, who had first appeared on screen shortly before her fifth birthday in Happy Land (1943), first encountered Wagner a few years after her debut. Ruled an accidental drowning, experts theorized Wood fell into the water while trying to secure the dinghy. Lana was asleep in the car when Natalie finally came back, disheveled and upset, whispering angrily at their mother. 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. 00:43. She started selling dolls and got a job as a salesperson for Sprint. In the early 1990s, Dennis Davern began calling her, talking about Natalie and Wagners troubled relationship. But Natalie later told her what had happened: Maria had arranged a meeting with Kirk Douglas, who sexually assaulted Natalie. Its been almost 35 years since actress Natalie Wood drowned while boating with husband Robert Wagner and friend Christopher Walken off Catalina Island in Southern California. It was a love match anchored in the history of old Hollywood. After a day of drinking, tempers reportedly flared in the evening with Wagner breaking a bottle, supposedly over Woods apparent closeness to Walken. ), Lanatold The Post that she doesnt believe Natalie and Walken ever slept together, but that they were close and had great chemistry. But the cause of his death has been a hot topic of debate: His passing was officially due to natural causes, but a, As a master of martial arts and an action star, Bruce Lee was reaching the zenith of his career when he died at 32 in July 1973. He was on the boat the night she died, but has never spoken publicly about her death. They made appearances playing themselves in Robert Altman's 1992 satire The Player, and Seinfeld fans might even recognize the couple from their appearance in 1997's episode, "The Yada Yada.". Did Robert Wagner remarry after Natalie Wood died? Friends told me to put on the breaks, Wood recalled of her decision to reunite with her ex-husband after she accepted an invitation to his house in Palm Springs. SkipperDennis Davern's story has reportedly passed a number of polygraph tests. Its quite extraordinary.. He claims to have found Wagner at the swim steps, and noticed Wood and the dinghy were missing. The couple divorced, with the press blaming the breakup on Natalies affair with her Splendor in the Grass co-star Warren Beatty. Later, he was unable to find his wife, searched the boat along with the captain and noticed the dinghy was missing. It was a terrible thing.. We drove a Corvette across the country, Wood recalled of the time. In 2018, 48 Hours broadcast a special about Woods death and the L.A. County Sheriffs Department told them that Wagner was now a person of interest in her death after reopening the investigation in 2011. At first, Lana didnt believe it. Wood died on 29 November 1981 after disappearing from a yacht she was on with her husband, Robert Wagner, and friend Christopher Walken. Hopeful conspiracy theorists swore that the King was still alive and well in the years following his collapse in his bathroom at Graceland. 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. Best Known For: Robert Wagner is an actor who began his movie career in the 1950s and later found success on television. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department has cleared Robert Wagner in its investigation into the death of his late wife Natalie Wood. Following the split, Wood plunged into therapy, often attending sessions five times a week. At that point, Wood went below deck to go to bed, and allegedly, no one saw her alive again. 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. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind is an intimate portrait of actor Natalie Woods life and career, told through the eyes of her daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner and others who knew her best. Wagner discovered her missing around 1 a.m. and called the shore boat, then later the Coast Guard. Did you encounter any technical issues? Shes played Jack Nicholsons daughter, Gwyneth Paltrows sister, and Nicolas Cages estranged wife. But her sister Lana Wood believes there is one person to blame for the . Wagner remarried in 1963 to actress Marion Marshall, with whom he had a daughter, Katie, born in 1964. I wanted him to feel safe enough to unfold, like a flower, and be honest, and show his humanity. She slipped and fell in the water. Now, she has written Little Sister: My Investigation into the Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood (Dey Street Books), out Tuesday. 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. I was really angry about it. Natasha Gregson Wagner was 11 when her mother, the Oscar-nominated actor Natalie Wood, drowned off Catalina Island. 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. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. He and Walken argued about Wood putting her career ahead of her family, and Wagner admits that he smashed a wine bottle out of anger. They chose the 1972 Academy Awards ceremony as their first public outing as a newly reformed couple. She had a scrape on her cheek, and no injuries consistent with foul play, officials said. Terms of Use Their first marriage lasted from 1957 to 1962, and the Hollywood stars would go on to remarry in 1972. Their romance and subsequent marriages kept fans enthralled over the course of two decades. It was a terrible thing., Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial, He added: Look, were in a conversation I wont have. The things that they were saying that Natalie did that the nightgown-wearing actress had taken the yachts dinghy to party hop among the boats parked in the harbor they might as well have been saying that she was trying to fly to another planet. Michael Jackson's 2009 death from an overdose of propofol stunned the world. John Lennon was shot and killed outside of his Manhattan apartment on December 8, 1980. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Following Wood's death in late 1981, Wagner became the legal guardian of her daughter by producer Richard . Along with their two previous children from earlier marriages, they formed a Hollywood family unit admired by fans new and old. We pay for your stories! Everything just went out from under me, Wagner says, his voice faltering. Shes also one of our great actorsand is at last getting her showcase. Dennis Davern was one of only four people on Speaking to his stepdaughter, Wagner recalls opening another bottle of wine, and Wood retiring to bed. A child star turned teen idol, .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Natalie Wood had grown up on film screens in front of millions of Americans, and at age 18 had made the transition to serious adult actress. Natasha and Courtney have created a fragrance named after their mother. We all would have, says Wagner, adding, I dont pay very much attention to [the speculation], Natasha. was the love of her life, Mia Farrow recalls in Natasha Gregson-Wagners 2020 documentary Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind. I picked up the bottle and smashed it on the table. A UK release date has yet to be announced. Getty. I just heard about Natalie, said her friend on the line. However, it wasn't 3:30 a.m. -- four hours later -- that Coast Guard was called to . This story has been shared 16,031 times. Robert Wagner has been cleared in the case probing Natalie Wood's death. Natalie Wood: What Remains documentary trailer, What happened that night only she knows, because she was alone, Christopher Walken said of Woods tragic death in 1997, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Damien Chazelles The Eddy sounds wonderful but the plot is weak, On Earth Were Briefly Gorgeous shows how often love is tied to pain, Lionel Shriver: Most Covid victims wouldve died within a year anyway. However, both Natasha and her sister Courtney think Lana is simply wrong. Wood had a net worth of about $2.5 million in 1981, the equivalent to approximately $7 million today. They were totally out of character.. At Woods' wake, Davern claims he was introduced to Walken's lawyer. Its not a continuous thing, just a moment, a turn, her hair, some kind of look. Clickhereto upload yours. His sudden and shocking passing came just a month before the premiere of his classic 1973 film, "Enter the Dragon.". When she went out there, there was a slight mist that night and the assumption is she went out there and slipped and hit her head and rolled into the water, says Wagner. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. 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. I knew the circumstances that had surrounded her death, because he told me, and Im sure we visited it here and there, but it wasnt as pointed as it was for the documentary. But as he went downstairs to check on his wife, he says, "she wasn't there." They had a daughter, Courtney. He was 33 years old. Why Did Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood Marry Twice? Wagner, known to friends and family as R.J., had dreamed from a young age of life as a working actor and had become a handsome fixture around Hollywood by the mid-1950s. Did Robert Wagner remarry after Natalie Wood died? Washed up on shore on Catalina [Island].. Natalie Woods 1981 drowning death has remained one of Hollywoods great mysteries for four decades. Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind airs Tuesday, May 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and HBO Latino. 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. Her . All Rights Reserved. 2. In an . News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. His first marriage was to actress Stacy Keach's ex-wife, Jill St. John, in 1990. He said: I saw the dinghy was missing and fired up the engines to start searching. Keep reading while we investigate Robert's relationship history. This makes her Robert's stepdaughter. In 1981, she was making the sci-fi movie Brainstorm with Walken, and the two hadbecome pals. . Im so sorry, Lana. You can imagine., An emotional Wagner then recalls howbefore returning to the familys Beverly Hills homehe met with his therapist to discuss how he should tell Natasha and Courtney about their mothers death. In 2011, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department reopened the case, interviewing other key witnesses, whom the original detectives never bothered pursuing. Both parties began dating again and would go on to marry other people, but they "never stopped loving each other," according to Wood. Chris Wood // Getty Images After Thanksgiving 1981, Wood and Wagner began planning one of their frequent boat trips to Catalina Island, off the coast of . "All leads in the Natalie Wood case have been . When People brought up Woods death in a 1986 interview, the actor responded by snapping, I dont know what happened. Looking for more? Wood was also found to have blood alcohol higher than the limit. Pushed by Lana on the matter, Natalie told her: Sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you dont know., I would have really liked to hear, I love him dearly and I cant live without him, something like that, Lana said. But it would be Woods 1981 death by drowning and its surrounding circumstances an apparent late-night fall over the side of the family yacht on which she was vacationing with husband Wagner and actor Christopher Walken off the coast of Californias Catalina Island that would eclipse any professional or romantic legacy the couple could ever have envisaged. Just two years later, he married model Christie Brinkley with whom he had a highly publicized affair while still married to St . She was 27. Everybody flirts on sets.. He also says, I dont think theres a day that has ever gone by in my life that there hasnt been a moment that I havent thought about Natalie and how much she meant to me in my heart, in my soul., Natalies younger sister, Lana Wood, has always thought Wagner was involved. Thanks for contacting us. Davern said he made his way to the back of the ship. Wagner told People the family was "shattered" by the loss of Wood, Her daughters have developed a perfume named for her. The official cause of death was an overdose . My bond with Natasha is very, very intense, he told People. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. 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. I remember it used to drive her crazy because the way the water hit up against the boat, it would bang and she was so sensitive to noise, says Gregson Wagner. But to give me a quote about devils? Natalie Wood's yacht captain, Dennis Davern who was on board the boat the night the actress died claimed in a new interview that her former husband Robert Wagner held him hostage to preve R.J. 7:56 PM EDT, Wed April 13, 2016. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Dennis Davern, 62, former captain of the Splendour, the yacht that actress Natalie Wood was on before she died, Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood at home in 1976, The Splendour, where the disappearance occurred, Natalie Wood starred in the Warner Brothers Motion Picture, Splendor in the Grass, American film stars Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood were married in 1957, Natalie Woods sister Lana Wood says that she thinks Robert Wagner murdered the Hollywood icon, There were rumours of jealousy between Wagner and Christopher Walken, Christopher Walken stared in films including The Deer Hunter and Catch Me If You Can, American actor Robert Wagner aboard a powerboat, The Prince Valiant - the inflatable dinghy used by Natalie Wood, moored at the harbor in Avalon, Calif., after it washed up on the rocks on Santa Catalina Island, Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).
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