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. Their first marriage lasted from 1957 to 1962, and the Hollywood stars would go on to remarry in 1972. Later, he was unable to find his wife, searched the boat along with the captain and noticed the dinghy was missing. Soon, he claims to have been stuck in Wagners home, getting around only by a limousine that would wait out the front of wherever he wanted to go. Police said he died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications, including painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills. 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. 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. 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. Robert and Natalie married twice. Lana never felt shy around Natalies Hollywood friends like Dennis Hopper and Tab Hunter, who would often come over and swim, or her boyfriends like hotel heir Nicky Hilton. All I can do is attempt to have people understand the truth, and to show Natalie as she really was.. Natalie Wood: What Remains is available to stream on HBO Go in the US. Did Robert Wagner remarry after Natalie Wood died? Robert Wagner, a 26-year-old square-jawed aspiring contract player at 20th Century Fox, had looks, charisma and his sights on big-screen stardom. The daughter of Lionel Richie said the process has been one of the greatest experiences of her life. John Lennon was shot and killed outside of his Manhattan apartment on December 8, 1980. The official cause of death was accidental drowning, with a coroner suggesting it had occurred as she tried to get on the dinghy. In 1981, she was making the sci-fi movie Brainstorm with Walken, and the two hadbecome pals. 00:00. I said, I just lost you. And you know what? 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. ', When asked if he thought Wagner was responsible for Woods death, he said, I would say so, yes.. 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). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. He was in Hong Kong at the time of his death, which was blamed on a brain edema caused by an allergic reaction to painkillers. I dont know what happened, Walken said of the incident to People in 1986. THE captain of the yacht where star Natalie Wood died says he believes her husband, Robert Wagner, is responsible, and claims he stopped search efforts. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. I remember him walking down the hall past my room and that he had very blue eyes, she said. Most recently, the two starred in the TV movie Northpole, where Jill played Mrs. Claus and Robert fittingly played Santa. Both parties began dating again and would go on to marry other people, but they "never stopped loving each other," according to Wood. 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. They found her body this morning, the friend explained. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. 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. Heavy notes that the next time Walken spoke about the incident was in 1997, in which The Hollywood Reporter said he described Woods death as an accident in Playboy Magazine. I was confused., That really affected her entire life how she looked at things and how she perceived things, Lana recalled. A documentary about the death of Hollywood star Natalie Wood has aired in the US, reigniting conversation about the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death. I was right. Four months later and out on bail, Sid died of a drug overdose. 2023 Cable News Network. I was terrified. Nirvana frontman had been found dead at 27. 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. Not even close.. Their romance and subsequent marriages kept fans enthralled over the course of two decades. 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. He didn't live to see the Academy award him the best supporting actor Oscar for his role of the Joker. 10,832, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved They too had a daughter, Natasha, born in 1970, but separated a year later after Wood overheard an inappropriate conversation between Gregson and his secretary, according to Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood by Suzanne Finstad. We have not been able to prove this was a homicide. 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. Their first marriage lasted from 1957 to 1962, and the Hollywood stars would go on to remarry in 1972. 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. And it turns out that Robert moved on from Natalie very shortly after her tragic death by drowning. For one, Wagner had told police that his wife probably tried to take the dinghy out when she drowned, but Davern said Natalie couldnt operate the dinghy. Robert Wagner has broken his silence about the death of wife Natalie Wood 34 years after she mysteriously drowned while the pair were on a weekend boat trip with actor Christopher Walken. Natalie Wood's daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner doesn't believe her adopted father, Robert Wagner, killed her mother. The Dr. Phil show provides the most comprehensive forum, 48 Hours "Natalie Wood: Death in Dark Water" reveals new witnesses in investigation. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Following Woods' death, Natasha's biological dad, Gregson . It was a terrible thing.. The outlet shared that the show's creators originally wanted Wagner's wife, Natalie Wood, to appear in their series.But Wagner, who previously worked with Powers, felt she was the best choice . Nobody heard anything, an emotional Wagner tells his stepdaughter in the documentary, adding: That night has gone through my mind so many times.. Still, she was shocked in 1962 when Natalie showed up at their parents house, distraught and with a bleeding hand. A true gentleman, says Wagner. "The next morning, Natalie's body was found near the dinghy - about half a mile from the Splendour. She and her young daughter moved in with Maria, who was living in one of Natalies old condos. Later that night, Wagner could not locate his wife on the Splendour. Wood remarried Wagner in 1972, within three months of her second divorce. was now a person of interest in her death, Natalie Woods Death: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn Have Split After Six Years. We drove a Corvette across the country, Wood recalled of the time. I turned to my mother and said, Im going to marry him.. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. 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. But to give me a quote about devils? Best Known For: Robert Wagner is an actor who began his movie career in the 1950s and later found success on television. Shes also one of our great actorsand is at last getting her showcase. Then she turned on the TV. 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. NATASHA GREGSON WAGNER. My bond with Natasha is very, very intense, he told People. Elvis Presley's death at 42 in August 1977 left some fans so shocked, they refused to believe it. At first, Lana didnt believe it. And Natalie's own sister, Lana Wood deemed a credible source by detectiveshas spent years publicly sharing her doubts that Wood's death was an accident and demanding that Wagner, her . 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. Authorities classified her death as an accident, concluding the 43-year-old star of . When you take something, and you put it into the light, it doesnt feel as hampering, and thats what we were doing. Article continues below advertisement. But many still believe that Reeves was murdered. 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. 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. Wood died on 29 November 1981 after disappearing from a yacht she was on with her husband, Robert Wagner, and friend Christopher Walken. 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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. Robert and Natalie married twice. The studio system played a hand in their first date, an arranged meeting in 1956 set up to garner publicity for the admired actress (she had appeared the previous year alongside James Dean in the hit Rebel Without a Cause) and the on-the-cusp supporting player. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Natalie was, at that moment, supposed to be on a yacht with Wagner and her friend and current co-star Christopher Walken. At the time of Woods' death, Natasha was only 11 years old, leaving her with a sense of loss that she has continued to nurse over the years. 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). ; 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. 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. The interview, filmed inside her airy Los Angeles home, is just one segment in a stunning tribute to Woods abridged lifefull of previously unseen home movies, family photographs, film highlights, and loving memories from Gregson Wagner; her sister, Courtney; Gregson Wagners father and Woods second husband, Richard Gregson; Robert Redford; and Mia Farrow, among others. 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. Woods rise to fame had been fostered by her mother, once an aspiring performer herself, and she was signed to a 20th Century Fox contract before age 10. Their happy reunion would last only nine years. Wood left the boat after the spat and stayed in a Catalina hotel on Nov. 27, said Davern . did Robert Wagner remarry after Natalie tragically died at the age of 43. 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. What happened that night only she knows, because she was alone, he said. 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 the early 1990s, Dennis Davern began calling her, talking about Natalie and Wagners troubled relationship. The actor is absent from the documentary and has rarely spoken about Woods death but there have been brief mentions made in the past. He married Jill St. John, an actress he had met nearly 30 years prior. In 2013, bruises on Woods body led the Los Angeles County coroners office to change the cause of death from accidental drowning to drowning and other undetermined factors., Bruises cited in amending Natalie Woods death certificate. In 2011, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department reopened the caseafter Daverns 2009 book, Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour,revealed hehad heard the married couple arguing before Natalies disappearance. Already the "Queen of Tejano" to fans of the genre, singer Selena was on the cusp of crossing over into pop stardom when she was murdered by Yolanda Saldivar in March 1995. 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. She had gone to bed before us, and her room was at the back. In a new documentary Natalie Wood: What Remains Behindpremiering May 5 on HBOGregson Wagner sits down with her stepfather, who largely raised her, to interview him about that tragic night. But that doesnt mean I dont think he did it. Lana nabbed her first film role when she was 7, playing a younger version of her sisters character in the Western The Searchers.. Its a ing bore.). What has Walken said about the incident? Police believe a 27-year-old named Andrew Cunanan killed, those who've claimed the British Royal family, over custody of the former Playboy Playmate's body, Now, Wagner is speaking to People magazine. According to Front Page Detectives, Robert Wagner, who turns 91 on February 10, could face a grand jury with respect to new interrogation into the death of his wife Natalie Wood and it sounds . 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. Even her 90-year-old widower Robert appears in the documentary, detailing his relationship with the West Side Story star, as well as sharing anecdotes of the two times the actors married. From the offset, Davern, who had been captaining the couple's boat for six years, said he had an ominous feeling about the voyage. Sign up for our daily Hollywood newsletter and never miss a story. I did lie on a report several years ago We didnt take any steps to see if we could locate her. Following Wood's death in late 1981, Wagner became the legal guardian of her daughter by producer Richard . By the time Lana was born, in 1946, 8-year-old Natalie was already a movie star, acting alongside Orson Welles in Tomorrow Is Forever and filming Miracle on 34th Street., I basically grew up on her sets, Lana said, adding that her mother would drag baby Lana to watch Natalie work. Audiences would know Wagner from films including The True Story of Jesse James, The Pink Panther, and the Austin Powers franchise. Thanks for contacting us. Hes not going to be arrested. Ana de Armas Shares Story About Robert De Niro and Her Dad During. The couple divorced, with the press blaming the breakup on Natalies affair with her Splendor in the Grass co-star Warren Beatty. And yet I was asking him to step outside of his comfort zone to talk about the night that [Wood] died. Asked whether she went into the conversation hoping to disprove specific theories, Gregson Wagner said, I wasnt really concerned with disproving these outlandish theories, I was more just wanting to have the kind of conversation that he and I have had in the past about other things, but on camera. So I didnt want him to feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Davern said he made his way to the back of the ship. 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. ), Lanatold The Post that she doesnt believe Natalie and Walken ever slept together, but that they were close and had great chemistry. 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. Hopeful conspiracy theorists swore that the King was still alive and well in the years following his collapse in his bathroom at Graceland. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Classic rock legend dead at 71 just months after his brother, Jerry Springer revealed his single happiest moment in final interview before death, Stew Leonard, founder of famous grocery chain, dies at 93 after brief illness, Little Sister: My Investigation into the Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood, Kirk Douglas sexually assaulted a teenage Natalie. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Five years after Wood died, Walken told People: I dont know what happened. Look, were in a conversation I wont have. View our online Press Pack. Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind (2020) | Official Trailer | HBO, The greatest roles of her life were behind the scenes. Musician and poet Jim Morrison of The Doors was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment in 1971, also at the age of 27. 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. A Warner Bros. Gregson Wagner and her stepfatherwho clearly have a close, loving relationshipdo not address some reports, like the one stating that Woods body was found with fresh bruises on her body, or Daverns allegation that Wood and Wagner were fighting the night of her death. 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. When it comes to weighing the impact of Wood's death, and Wagner is deemed a suspect in a murder . It was definitely exhausting. He claims to have found Wagner at the swim steps, and noticed Wood and the dinghy were missing. Michael Jackson's 2009 death from an overdose of propofol stunned the world. was the love of her life, Mia Farrow recalls in Natasha Gregson-Wagners 2020 documentary Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind. A coroner found that Natalie had fresh bruises on her body that didnt look like they were from the boat but from a person. Lana woke up in her Los Angeles home the morning of Nov. 29, 1981, to a ringing phone followed by a blood-curdling scream. Fashion designer Gianni Versace was fatally shot on the steps of his Miami Beach, Florida, mansion on July 15, 1997. It isnt for my sake, its for Natalies, Lana said of the book. Although Elvis' death was ruled to be the result of an irregular heartbeat, there were accusations that prescription drug abuse was a factor. RadarOnline was first to report the news. 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. It was here when he says that Wood excused herself. They were totally out of character.. All you can do is truly love and care for them.. The screen siren died in her Los Angeles home at the age of 36. Wagner and . Wagner, Wood and her then-costar Walken took a trip on the couples boat, Splendour, to Catalina Island during Thanksgiving weekend 1981. During the weekend Davern recalled terrible fights, with Wood even asking the captain to take her ashore. In 2011 the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department reopened the investigation into Woods death due to new information becoming available. Plus, she couldnt swim and had a severe phobia of dark water due to that prophecy her mother had received from a fortune teller, who not only told her she would have a famous daughter, but also that her daughter would drown. 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. But did Robert Wagner remarry after Natalie tragically died at the age of 43? What has Christopher Walken said about Natalie Wood's death? Join our commenting forum. As Robert tells the story of Natalie's last evening, he maintains that he last saw her when the actress excused herself for bed. Getty Images. After the tragic death of his wife, Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner remarried twice. "I remember I had a few glasses of vino and I was feeling pretty good," he recalls in the documentary to Natasha. We knew each other better than we knew ourselves, she recalled. Everybody flirts on sets.. The couple spent much of their honeymoon on a yacht, navigating the Florida Keys.