One of the last stalwarts of old Hollywood, Robert Wagner screamed “movie star.” Trends come and go, but the actor has maintained his relevance and his place in the conversation for decades. Even when surrounded by contemporary actors and talent, Wagner still commanded the screen, displaying a timeless performance quality that can’t be replicated – whether he was starring in “The Towering Inferno” or “Two and a Half Men.” However, he never changed the way he portrayed himself on and off screen, exuding the air of a suave, worldly gentleman with a keen interest in the finer things in life.
However, behind the camera, the actor has experienced notorious controversies and scandals in his personal life. From the mysterious death of his first wife, Natalie Wood, to his secret affair with Barbara Stanwyck, Wagner found himself thrust into the spotlight for reasons that he may have wanted to avoid going public in the first place. As time went on, however, he began to speak out publicly about his views.
With all that said, let’s take a look back at the story of Robert Wagner and his rise to Hollywood superstardom.
Robert Wagner’s relationship with Irving Thalberg Jr. sparked his interest in acting
Wagner’s acting journey is a story filled with many famous faces, as he became interested in the performing arts at an early age and often saw him cross paths with some of Hollywood’s most famous icons. In a conversation with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Wagner discussed how he attended boarding school in California and developed a friendship with Irving Thalberg Jr., the son of the famous producer. On the weekends, they would visit different families. At Thalberg’s home, he met Irving’s mother, the famous actress Norma Shearer, who was starring in “Marie Antoinette.” This introduced Wagner to the world of acting and his interest in the craft through his interactions with Shearer.
In addition, Fred Astaire’s son attended the same school as Wagner, which gave him the opportunity to live in the Astaire home. Wagner recalled how Astaire picked him up from school and they later starred together in It Takes a Thief, playing father and son.
Robert Wagner calls Spencer Tracy his mentor
As the old saying goes, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Wagner’s career got a boost after he caught the eye of one of the biggest stars of Hollywood’s golden age A major push. According to Digital Journey, Spencer Tracy watched Wagner perform as Tony Petrakis in 1953’s Twelve Mile Under and was impressed by the young star’s first starring role — — so much so that he landed a role for Wagner in the 1954 western “Broken Gun,” with Tracy playing Matthew Devereaux and Wagner playing his son Joe. Their experience in the film proved to be positive, and Tracy invited Wagner to star in 1956’s “The Mountain,” in which the actors played brothers Zachary and Chris Taylor.
In 2002, Wagner said on “Larry King Live” that Tracy was his mentor and helped him start his journey to Hollywood. “When I met Spencer Tracy…Spencer put his arm around me and said, ‘You know what, you really got it. You can really make a difference in this business,'” Wagner explained. Says how Tracy offered him a co-starring role in The Mountain, which went a long way toward making him a star himself.
He doesn’t like his breakthrough movie
Robert Wagner’s first blockbuster was 1954’s Prince of Valiant, adapted from Hal Foster’s comic strip of the same name. The film promised swashbuckling action and adventure, with Wagner himself playing the title role of Prince Valiant. According to Tor, the film was a big deal at the time, as 20th Century Fox acquired the rights to the property and invested $3 million. While that figure may not be enough to cover the cost of costumes in modern Marvel movies, in the 1950s it was a significant investment.
Despite having Henry Hathaway as director and starring such well-known actors as James Mason and Janet Leigh, Prince of Valiant did not do well at the box office, and plans for a sequel, Valiant and Aletta, fell into disrepute after accounting About to be cancelled. Years later, Wagner revealed to interviewer Tom Cote that many people still mentioned the film to him. “A lot of people call me Prince, especially in Hollywood,” he said, “because I did a movie a few years ago called Prince Valiant. It wasn’t a very good movie, and I was in that picture It gets a lot of bad rap, so people are always like, ‘Hi, how are you, Prince?'”
He had an affair with Barbara Stanwyck
Robert Wagner was considered a heartthrob by the media and public, and his name was associated with numerous celebrities during his career. However, he and his partner had a romance that was not made public. Wagner’s autobiography “Pieces of My Heart: A Life”, co-authored with Scott Eyman, confirmed that Wagner had a relationship with “Titanic” actress Barbara Stanway Dating Barbara Stanwyck. The actor explained that since Stanwyck is 23 years older than him, they decided not to reveal their relationship status to the world.
“Because of the age gap, neither of us wanted our romance to be in the press, and with the help of Stanwyck’s publicist, her best friend Helen Ferguson, we kept it a secret,” Wagner wrote. “People who knew about us kept it secret.” rare.”
Wagner said both Nancy Sinatra Sr. and Spencer Tracy were aware of their affair. He also suspected that several people knew about it but said nothing about it. Wagner explained that he had to pretend to date other women because the studio wanted to portray him as a woman-pleaser. However, he said it was all for show because he was loyal to Stanwyck.
He attributes his success to 20th Century Fox
The stories of old Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s have become legendary. So many movie classics and movie stars were born in that era, and most people regard it as the pinnacle of the entertainment industry. Wagner told the Los Angeles Times that this was a special time, both in terms of success in Hollywood and in his own life.
He explained that being a part of 20th Century Fox helped him a lot. He was contracted to the company from the age of 18 to 30 and he always felt at home there. Wagner also described how Fox invests in its talent, opening a film school and providing coaches to its actors to improve their skills and progress.
That being said, Wagner acknowledged that he should abide by the studio’s policies and rules. “You played the game,” he said. “You’re an asset. You’re what they nurture. Film actors are considered royalty, and it’s great to be accepted and nurtured by these people.”
The controversial death of Natalie Wood
Questions about Natalie Wood’s death still dominate. There is endless debate about what happened on the night of November 28, 1981, although there are some facts that everyone agrees on. That Thanksgiving weekend, actor Christopher Walken was on board their boat, along with Robert Wagner and his wife, Natalie Wood. Her drowned body was found in the water the next morning, while a dinghy was found nearby. She had bruises and cuts on her body.
Officials believed it was an accident; however, the ship’s captain, Dennis Davin, made public his version of events in 2018. Davin claimed on “Megyn Kelly Today” that Wagner pushed Wood off the boat, causing her to drown. In the podcast, the captain also said that Wagner effectively held him as a “hostage” for more than a year to prevent him from telling others what happened.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Wagner denied having anything to do with Wood’s death. He explained that he and Walken were discussing a performance-related topic on the boat and Wood decided to go to the bathroom. When Wagner went to bed, Wood was not there. Wagner believes Wood must have found the loose dinghy and tried to tie it up, causing her to fall over the boat and drown, which would explain the bruises and marks on her body.
Robert Wagner disappointed with ‘Hart to Hart’ cancellation
From 1979 to 1984, the TV mystery series “Hart to Hart” entertained audiences for five consecutive seasons. In the play, Wagner plays Jonathan Hart and Stephanie Powers plays his wife Jennifer. The couple travels around the world in luxury and style, but eventually becomes embroiled in a crime they must solve. After the series was cancel, the story went on to be make into eight television movies.
Despite running for five seasons, Wagner wasn’t happy with the show’s sudden axing. “I was very disappoint with the cancellation of Hart v. Hart,” he told the Washington Post in 1985. “We’ve been together for so long. I mean, Stephanie and I even picked out wallpaper for our TV living room. What really pisses me off is (executives) waiting until the last minute to do it.”
Nearly four decades later, Wagner praised “Hart to Hart” and how it continues to have a loyal fan base. He explained to Decision magazine that both he and Powers are grateful for the audience’s love and enthusiasm for the show, and both actors have enjoyed creating a series that will stand the test of time. Robert also revealed that he and his partner have been in constant contact.
He loved his role in Austin Powers
Throughout his illustrious career, Wagner never shied away from diversifying his filmography or venturing into unexpected territory. He showcased his comedic talents as George Lytton in the Pink Panther series and returned to the genre in the Austin Power films. In the movie, Wagner plays Number Two, Dr. Evil’s sycophantic henchman and second-in-command. The series isn’t afraid of slapstick and silliness, and Wagner is in on the joke and plays it well when necessary.
Wagner explained on “Larry King Live” how he enjoyed the experience of filming “Austin Powers” and equated it to filming “The Pink Panther” )fun of. He added that the opportunity arose after he met Mike Myers on an episode of “Saturday Night Live.” Myers created the Austin Powers story and starred in the film. The two fell in love at first sight, and Miles later proposed to Wagner.
“He wrote the role of No. 2 for me and he sent me the script and he said, ‘I wrote this role for you and I want you to play it,'” Wagner said. “I said, ‘Oh, Mike, this is great.'”
The real reason he left Two and a Half Men
In the season 4 finale of Two and a Half Men, “Whores and Ice Cream,” Evelyn Harper (Holland Taylor) introduces her sons Charlie (Charlie Sheen) and Alan (Jon Cryer) to her With her new boyfriend Teddy Leopold (Robert Wagner), everyone is fascinate by his charm. Teddy appears throughout season five, and is ultimately reveal to be a con man name Nathan Cronk who is trying to trick Evelyn. Finally, Nathan dies after suffering a heart attack during sex and his secret life is exposed.
This storyline played a big role in season five, but given the chemistry between Wagner and the rest of the cast and his comedic timing, it’s surprising he didn’t get more time on the sitcom of. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Wagner revealed that he couldn’t make a choice. “I loved doing this show,” he said, “but they decided to take the guest artists off the show and go back to the original (format).” Although he’s sad that his time on “Two and a Half Men” is coming to an end, He joked that his character’s sexual death was a perfect way to get him off Two and a Half Men.
He credits Michael Weatherly with his NCIS role
Robert Wagner stars as Anthony DiNozzo Sr. – NCIS agent Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly)’s father. The main reason Wagner left the show was because producers were concern about the health risks pose by his advanced age and having him travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wagner spoke on “The Talk” about how he originally landed the role of Tony’s father on “NCIS.” He explained how Weatherly came to play Wagner in the 2004 two-episode TV movie Natalie Wood Mysteries and then suggested that Wagner play the role of his father on NCIS.
“He was a wonderful young man and he suggested that I be his father,” Wagner said. “Of course, I know Mark Harmon very well and I’ve met the producers and the writers and they said, ‘Okay, let’s go.'” So, it’s awesome and I love doing it . “
Robert Wagner’s favorite Robert Wagner film is The Pink Panther
From working with Steve McQueen and Paul Newman in The Towering Inferno to co-starring with Spencer Tracy in The Mountain, Wagner chooses his favorite movies , there’s an embarrassing amount of wealth to choose from. However, for the actor, one classic 1963 film far outshines the rest.
In a 2013 interview with Palo Alto Weekly, Wagner explain. How The Pink Panther remains his top choice for a favorite project. And how it changed from working with Peter Sellers to working with director Blake Edwards. What an experience it was to make the film. However, an accident left him in great pain for weeks and worrying about whether his vision would ever return to normal.
In a scene where Wagner’s George Lytton and French actress Capuchin’s Simone Crusoe take a shower together. Both actors are burn by soapy water. “The results were horrific because my cornea was burn. And I was blind for three weeks,” Wagner said, adding that after the accident, producers considered replacing him. However, his co-stars and director worked hard to get him to stay and devised a plan while his eye recovered.
Robert Wagner has a special on Fighting for Aspen
As Robert Wagner’s career ended, he found himself spending more time at home. In his memoir, “Pieces of My Heart: A Life,” the actor revealed that he and his wife, Jill St. John, spent time together in Aspen, Colorado. There is a home and an apartment in Los Angeles, California. Aspen, however, was Wagner’s true home.
He revealed that his wife had lived in the former mining town for many years before they officially married. After meeting her, his love for Aspen grew, thanks in part to the beauty of the mountains. Wagner and St. John married in 1990 and bought a house in the town in 1995.
Wagner also mentioned that he planned to make Aspen his final resting place after his death. “When my time comes, I will be buried in Aspen in an old cemetery originally established in the 19th century,” he wrote.
