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Pieces of My Heart: A Life
In this moving memoir, Robert J. Wagner opens his heart to share the romances, the drama, and the humor of an incredible life
He grew up in Bel Air next door to a golf course that changed his life. As a young boy, he saw a foursome playing one morning featuring none other than Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, Randolph Scott, and Cary Grant. Seeing these giants of the silver screen awed him and fueled his dreams of becoming a movie star. Battling a revolving door of boarding schools and a father who wanted him to forget Hollywood and join the family business, sixteen-year-old Wagner started like any naïve kid would—walking along Sunset Boulevard, hoping that a producer or director would notice him.
Under the mentorship of stars like Spencer Tracy, he would become a salaried actor in Hollywood's studio system among other hot actors of the moment such as his friends Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis. Working with studio mogul Darryl Zanuck, Wagner began to appear in a number of films alongside the most beautiful starlets—but his first love was Barbara Stanwyck, an actress twice his age. As his career blossomed, and after he separated from Stanwyck, he met the woman who would change his life forever, Natalie Wood. They fell instantly and deeply in love and stayed together until the stress of their careers—hers marching upward, his inexplicably deflating—drove them to divorce.
Trying to forget the pain, he made more movies and spent his time in Europe with the likes of Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Liz Taylor, and Joan Collins. He would meet and marry the beautiful former model and actress Marion Marshall. Together they had a daughter and made their way back to America, where he found himself at the beginning of a new era in Hollywood—the blossoming of television. Lew Wasserman and later Aaron Spelling would work with Wagner as he produced and starred in some of the most successful programs in history.
Despite his newfound success, his marriage to Marion fell apart. He looked no further than Natalie Wood, for whom he still pined. To the world's surprise, they fell in love all over again, this time more deeply and with maturity. As she settled into a domestic life, raising their own daughter, Courtney, as well as their children from previous marriages, Wagner became the sole provider, reaping the riches of television success. Their life together was cut tragically short, though, when Wood died after falling from their yacht.
For the first time, Wagner writes about that tremendously painful time. After a serious bout with depression, he finally resurfaced and eventually married Jill St. John, who helped keep his family and his fractured heart together.
With color photographs and never-before-told stories, this is a quintessentially American story of one of the great sons of Hollywood.
He grew up in Bel Air next door to a golf course that changed his life. As a young boy, he saw a foursome playing one morning featuring none other than Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, Randolph Scott, and Cary Grant. Seeing these giants of the silver screen awed him and fueled his dreams of becoming a movie star. Battling a revolving door of boarding schools and a father who wanted him to forget Hollywood and join the family business, sixteen-year-old Wagner started like any naïve kid would—walking along Sunset Boulevard, hoping that a producer or director would notice him.
Under the mentorship of stars like Spencer Tracy, he would become a salaried actor in Hollywood's studio system among other hot actors of the moment such as his friends Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis. Working with studio mogul Darryl Zanuck, Wagner began to appear in a number of films alongside the most beautiful starlets—but his first love was Barbara Stanwyck, an actress twice his age. As his career blossomed, and after he separated from Stanwyck, he met the woman who would change his life forever, Natalie Wood. They fell instantly and deeply in love and stayed together until the stress of their careers—hers marching upward, his inexplicably deflating—drove them to divorce.
Trying to forget the pain, he made more movies and spent his time in Europe with the likes of Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Liz Taylor, and Joan Collins. He would meet and marry the beautiful former model and actress Marion Marshall. Together they had a daughter and made their way back to America, where he found himself at the beginning of a new era in Hollywood—the blossoming of television. Lew Wasserman and later Aaron Spelling would work with Wagner as he produced and starred in some of the most successful programs in history.
Despite his newfound success, his marriage to Marion fell apart. He looked no further than Natalie Wood, for whom he still pined. To the world's surprise, they fell in love all over again, this time more deeply and with maturity. As she settled into a domestic life, raising their own daughter, Courtney, as well as their children from previous marriages, Wagner became the sole provider, reaping the riches of television success. Their life together was cut tragically short, though, when Wood died after falling from their yacht.
For the first time, Wagner writes about that tremendously painful time. After a serious bout with depression, he finally resurfaced and eventually married Jill St. John, who helped keep his family and his fractured heart together.
With color photographs and never-before-told stories, this is a quintessentially American story of one of the great sons of Hollywood.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
194 people are currently reading
1054 people want to read
About the author
Robert J. Wagner
13 books50 followersRobert John Wagner, Jr an American actor of stage, screen, and television, best known for starring in the television shows It Takes a Thief (1968–70) and Hart to Hart (1979–84). In movies, Wagner is known for his role as Number Two in the Austin Powers trilogy of films, as well as for The Pink Panther, The Towering Inferno, and more.
Wagner was married twice to the late actress Natalie Wood and is currently married to actress Jill St. John.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Wagner was married twice to the late actress Natalie Wood and is currently married to actress Jill St. John.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
April 25, 2009
I've always like Robert Wagner. But I was thoroughly disappointed in this book. I kept wondering if this was a typical "Scott Eyman" book, as he's been a co-writer of countless celebrity autobiographies. This book was a true gossip-fest, but not in a good way. I really wasn't interested in every single woman he boinked - and there were many. And I also wasn't interested in the sexual proclivities of other movie stars or RJ's opinion on whether someone was gay or bi. His description of Henry Willson was particularly egregious: "I knew he was gay, although he wasn't mincy" & "he'd blown all his money, among other things...." Pretty condescending and unprofessional. And what about the story about RJ, Bob Mitchum, and Dick Powell hiring a girl to sit on a bench at an Air Force base without underpants on, and watching the reactions of all the men who walked by? He does say it was juvenile, and it was, but it's not a story that I would be proud to put in a book about my life.
I did like the story about Barbara Stanwyck - interesting - but I think he could have penned a much better story without all the kiss-and-tell segments. I realize that RJ was a different generation than me, but being a gentleman is always in style. This book has knocked him down a peg or two in my opinion.
I did like the story about Barbara Stanwyck - interesting - but I think he could have penned a much better story without all the kiss-and-tell segments. I realize that RJ was a different generation than me, but being a gentleman is always in style. This book has knocked him down a peg or two in my opinion.
March 13, 2009
Robert Wagner recounts his life from his early years growing up in Hollywood to the present. Lots of interesting information about the movie industry and the people Wagner has known and worked with in a career spanning over 50 years in Hollywood.
October 15, 2008
I really give this 3.5 stars.
I have a special place in my heart for Robert Wagner. I grew up watching "Hart to Hart," and then became a gigantic Natalie Wood fan when I was a teenager. Naturally, then, I had to buy his memoir as soon as it came out.
I've always thought that I'd love to sit down and have lunch with Robert Wagner; I suppose that's part of his appeal. Writing is not his strong suit - it's almost distractingly evident when his ghostwriter jumped in and doctored paragraphs and sentences - but he has had a life so fascinating that it doesn't need fancy writing to spruce it up. This is a quick read, which I suppose is a good thing since some of these autobiographies can delve into boring and painstaking detail. However, sometimes I wanted to know more. He throws out little 2-paragraph anecdotes here and there, such as when he was picked up hitchhiking in Hollywood by Errol Flynn, caddied for Clark Gable at the Bel Air Country Club, and was seduced by Joan Crawford.
That said, Wagner has known and been close friends with some Hollywood giants, and I like how he has entire chapters devoted to Fred Astaire, Barbara Stanwyck, and Natalie Wood. His account of his 3-year affair with Barbara Stanwyck (scandalous at the time because of their 20-year age difference) is surprisingly touching: clearly this was a woman he was deeply in love with, and someone he was also in complete awe of. I love that Wagner is a gentleman: he recounts each of his four marriages (two to Natalie Wood) with complete respect and admiration for said wife. One of Wagner's interesting character traits is his reverence for strong, smart and career-minded women. Each of his wives could hold her own, and each was a smart business person.
The recurring theme throughout his life's story is Natalie Wood. Her memory and the omnipresent role she played in his life clearly haunts him to this day, and represents the greatest tragedy in his life thus far. As he describes it, he lost the love of his life not once, but twice: when their first marriage fell apart, and again when she died in 1981. It is somehow satisfying to hear Wagner's firsthand account of what exactly took place the weekend she died, though nothing explosive is divulged; what happened was simply a silly, dreadful accident.
What is missing from the book is enough writing proficiency to draw an emotional reaction from the reader. I've read an embarrassing number of biographies and autobiographies about classic Hollywood stars, and several have moved me to tears because their lives were often so tragic and dramatic that when told by a skillful writer they can incite a strong emotional response. That said, I had so much fun reading this - and I still want to sit down and have lunch with Robert Wagner.
I have a special place in my heart for Robert Wagner. I grew up watching "Hart to Hart," and then became a gigantic Natalie Wood fan when I was a teenager. Naturally, then, I had to buy his memoir as soon as it came out.
I've always thought that I'd love to sit down and have lunch with Robert Wagner; I suppose that's part of his appeal. Writing is not his strong suit - it's almost distractingly evident when his ghostwriter jumped in and doctored paragraphs and sentences - but he has had a life so fascinating that it doesn't need fancy writing to spruce it up. This is a quick read, which I suppose is a good thing since some of these autobiographies can delve into boring and painstaking detail. However, sometimes I wanted to know more. He throws out little 2-paragraph anecdotes here and there, such as when he was picked up hitchhiking in Hollywood by Errol Flynn, caddied for Clark Gable at the Bel Air Country Club, and was seduced by Joan Crawford.
That said, Wagner has known and been close friends with some Hollywood giants, and I like how he has entire chapters devoted to Fred Astaire, Barbara Stanwyck, and Natalie Wood. His account of his 3-year affair with Barbara Stanwyck (scandalous at the time because of their 20-year age difference) is surprisingly touching: clearly this was a woman he was deeply in love with, and someone he was also in complete awe of. I love that Wagner is a gentleman: he recounts each of his four marriages (two to Natalie Wood) with complete respect and admiration for said wife. One of Wagner's interesting character traits is his reverence for strong, smart and career-minded women. Each of his wives could hold her own, and each was a smart business person.
The recurring theme throughout his life's story is Natalie Wood. Her memory and the omnipresent role she played in his life clearly haunts him to this day, and represents the greatest tragedy in his life thus far. As he describes it, he lost the love of his life not once, but twice: when their first marriage fell apart, and again when she died in 1981. It is somehow satisfying to hear Wagner's firsthand account of what exactly took place the weekend she died, though nothing explosive is divulged; what happened was simply a silly, dreadful accident.
What is missing from the book is enough writing proficiency to draw an emotional reaction from the reader. I've read an embarrassing number of biographies and autobiographies about classic Hollywood stars, and several have moved me to tears because their lives were often so tragic and dramatic that when told by a skillful writer they can incite a strong emotional response. That said, I had so much fun reading this - and I still want to sit down and have lunch with Robert Wagner.
December 17, 2020
After a few days of staring at the cover, I finally opened Robert Wagner’s autobiography and actually read it. Whew- Wagner gives me absolutely everything I want in a Hollywood tell-all memoir, he lists all the movies he’s made, and adds interesting anecdotes about cast and crew and then he lists all the people he’s slept with and adds interesting anecdotes about them too. He had a one night stand with Joan Crawford, “she was controlling in ways in which you’d guess, but submissive in ways in which you wouldn’t.” He cheated on Natalie Wood with Joan Collins, partially because he suspected Natalie was cheating on him with Warren Betty, who was actually dating Joan Collins at the time...yes, it’s all so good!
If you want more than just details on his salacious sex life, there’s also plenty of details about the making of The Towering Inferno, everything you’d want to know about Hart to Hart, and sadly the riff between him and Stephanie Powers (I refuse to take sides here!) And yes, for you people that slow down to gawk at wrecks on the freeway, he discusses the final weekend of Natalie Wood’s life, and I’ll just say it right now, his story sounds perfectly logical to me. But I recommend you read the book and make up you own mind!
If you want more than just details on his salacious sex life, there’s also plenty of details about the making of The Towering Inferno, everything you’d want to know about Hart to Hart, and sadly the riff between him and Stephanie Powers (I refuse to take sides here!) And yes, for you people that slow down to gawk at wrecks on the freeway, he discusses the final weekend of Natalie Wood’s life, and I’ll just say it right now, his story sounds perfectly logical to me. But I recommend you read the book and make up you own mind!
November 21, 2008
Pieces Of My Heart: a Life by Robert J. Wagner with Scott Eyman
The autobiography of a well-grounded man who never lost his awe of life or the movies. He also was humble enough to allow friends to help him in his darkest hours. A man whose gentility reminds one of an earlier time. This is the story of "Pieces of My Heart: a Life" told by Robert J. Wagner. The story is candidly told with no Hollywood excess overpowering the theme. That is not to say there is nothing Hollywood about the book, how could there not be? In fact, there are a lot of interesting insights into a number of legendary actors. What R.J., as he was known, relives in this book is very much a living history of movie acting from the 1950s to the present. Many of his best friends through the years were from the earlier days, Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy... He has the determination, the talent, the luck and the willingness to work hard, and even more, puts the movie rather than himself first; ego has no place in his agenda. His work ethic is admirable and his goal is to "always make it fresh."
He was fortunate to have grown up in California and as a boy worked at the Bel-Aire Stables. On his breaks he was able to watch the golfers at the Bel-Aire Country Club, where his father was a member. This is where he first saw some of his greatest movie heroes.
This is a deeply personal story, and he bares his all for us, and, I personally think, for his children. This is the first time he bares his soul in his memories and details of his two marriages to Natalie Wood. This book is full of love for friends, personal relationships, his children, and the profession he has chosen. This story is told not by a star but by a real person. I think he says it all when he writes "I think my ability to sustain a long career has been at least partially a result of my ability to sustain long relationships, sometimes through succeeding generations." I highly recommend this book, not just for movie enthusiasts, but for the joyous embracement of life, and the sharing of his sorrows and overcoming them.
The autobiography of a well-grounded man who never lost his awe of life or the movies. He also was humble enough to allow friends to help him in his darkest hours. A man whose gentility reminds one of an earlier time. This is the story of "Pieces of My Heart: a Life" told by Robert J. Wagner. The story is candidly told with no Hollywood excess overpowering the theme. That is not to say there is nothing Hollywood about the book, how could there not be? In fact, there are a lot of interesting insights into a number of legendary actors. What R.J., as he was known, relives in this book is very much a living history of movie acting from the 1950s to the present. Many of his best friends through the years were from the earlier days, Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy... He has the determination, the talent, the luck and the willingness to work hard, and even more, puts the movie rather than himself first; ego has no place in his agenda. His work ethic is admirable and his goal is to "always make it fresh."
He was fortunate to have grown up in California and as a boy worked at the Bel-Aire Stables. On his breaks he was able to watch the golfers at the Bel-Aire Country Club, where his father was a member. This is where he first saw some of his greatest movie heroes.
This is a deeply personal story, and he bares his all for us, and, I personally think, for his children. This is the first time he bares his soul in his memories and details of his two marriages to Natalie Wood. This book is full of love for friends, personal relationships, his children, and the profession he has chosen. This story is told not by a star but by a real person. I think he says it all when he writes "I think my ability to sustain a long career has been at least partially a result of my ability to sustain long relationships, sometimes through succeeding generations." I highly recommend this book, not just for movie enthusiasts, but for the joyous embracement of life, and the sharing of his sorrows and overcoming them.
November 28, 2011
This is one of the best celebrity autobiographies that I've read in quite some time.
Despite may tragedies, Robert Wagner has had a wonderful life and career. He writes from his heart and comes across as what he is: a very nice, caring human being who speaks the truth.
Despite may tragedies, Robert Wagner has had a wonderful life and career. He writes from his heart and comes across as what he is: a very nice, caring human being who speaks the truth.
June 17, 2009
I enjoyed this book. Old Hollywood and old actors - the greats - filled Mr. Wagner's life. Interesting stories - and again, made me wonder where people who do not have our faith get their moral compass. Mr. Wagner's moral compass - though somewhat different from mine - is one of decency in the world he lives in, loyalty, honesty, hard work and he knows how to live in a real world of family and friends, nature and the beauty of the earth and appreciates and values it, and at the same time loves the attention and life of a movie star with all it's trappings. He has survived heart ache, loss and has come through it, loving his family and enjoying life. Hat's off to Mr. Wagner! ... and hat's off to Jill St. John who loves him, has given his life meaning but who will always be second in line to Mr. Wagner's beloved Natalie. Interesting read ....
September 3, 2014
Robert Wagner - who shares my birthday of 10th February, albeit 39 years apart - was a Hollywood kid, growing up in Bel Air next to a golf course where one day he saw Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, Randolph Scott and Cary Grant walk by. Seeing his idols from the silver screen led him into acting - against his father wishes - and a career that began aged 16 as he walked down Sunset Boulevard looking for a job. Mentored by Spencer Tracy and under the wing of studio head Darryl F. Zanuck, he became a star and thoroughly enjoyed himself.
I enjoyed this and a lot of that comes from Wagner himself who (along with Scott Eyman) tells the story in a bright and breezy style that never skimps on the darker side of fame (or the harshness of his father), even as it revels in the love, fun and friendships that he enjoyed. I particularly enjoyed his recollections of adventures with stars like Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers, Laurence Olivier, Roger Moore, Tony Curtis, Roddy McDowell, Liz Taylor, Joan Collins and David Niven, with whom he was very close. Gleefully candid about his early days as a rising actor, he enjoyed the attention and the ladies, before falling in love with the much older Barbara Stanwyk. After he split from her, he fell in love with rising actress Natalie Wood and they enjoyed a fairytale marriage until the stress of career drove them to divorce (and her into the arms of Warren Beatty). It is clear that Wagner loved her a great deal but unfortunately, his description of her made me think of a spoiled, selfish brat who threw a strop when she didn’t get what she wanted. Her affair with Warren Beatty was devastating to him - and she must have realised it - and in their second marriage, at least some of the issues stemmed from his worries about her fidelity. He married former actress Marion Marshall (and took in her two sons) and with his movie career in decline went to Europe and enjoyed a resurgence. Back in Hollywood, with a new daughter and a crumbling marriage, he was drafted into TV by Universal headman Lew Wasserman and started the next stage of his career. Re-marrying Natalie Wood (gaining her daughter and having another of his own), they appeared to enjoy a wonderful settled life until the events in 1981 onboard their yacht “The Splendour”, where she was drowned at sea. I wasn’t aware of all the details surrounding Wood’s death (I remember it, but I hadn’t seen anything with her at the time and he symbolised “Hart To Hart” for me) but he deals with it well, a straight forward recount of the events with neither of the participants - him or Christopher Walken - shown as hero or villain and he compliments Walken for his gentlemanly conduct after her death. As it was, everything from “The Splendour” was stored but in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, a bridge collapsed and flattened the building. He writes “gone, all gone”, a sad end to a sad chapter.
Following this period, he met Jill St. John (who, coincidentally, had been in the same ballet class as a girl as Natalie Wood and Stefanie Powers, his co-star in “Hart To Hart”), got married, raised his children and now appears (at least, up to 2008 when this was published) to enjoy life. Embracing family and friends, he is clearly a much loved man and he reciprocates, with tales of people he’s known and - as life moves on - a melancholic view of those people who leave us. Almost always positive, he is rarely unpleasant but when he doesn’t like someone (for various reasons, usually because they have wronged him or a friend), he is remarkably candid.
This is well written but doesn’t go in-depth enough for me (apart from, perhaps, his second marriage to Natalie Wood and its untimely end) and whilst I would have preferred a little more substance it’s an enjoyable, brisk read of a life well lived and closes wonderfully on a hopeful, yet poignant note. Highly recommended.
I enjoyed this and a lot of that comes from Wagner himself who (along with Scott Eyman) tells the story in a bright and breezy style that never skimps on the darker side of fame (or the harshness of his father), even as it revels in the love, fun and friendships that he enjoyed. I particularly enjoyed his recollections of adventures with stars like Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers, Laurence Olivier, Roger Moore, Tony Curtis, Roddy McDowell, Liz Taylor, Joan Collins and David Niven, with whom he was very close. Gleefully candid about his early days as a rising actor, he enjoyed the attention and the ladies, before falling in love with the much older Barbara Stanwyk. After he split from her, he fell in love with rising actress Natalie Wood and they enjoyed a fairytale marriage until the stress of career drove them to divorce (and her into the arms of Warren Beatty). It is clear that Wagner loved her a great deal but unfortunately, his description of her made me think of a spoiled, selfish brat who threw a strop when she didn’t get what she wanted. Her affair with Warren Beatty was devastating to him - and she must have realised it - and in their second marriage, at least some of the issues stemmed from his worries about her fidelity. He married former actress Marion Marshall (and took in her two sons) and with his movie career in decline went to Europe and enjoyed a resurgence. Back in Hollywood, with a new daughter and a crumbling marriage, he was drafted into TV by Universal headman Lew Wasserman and started the next stage of his career. Re-marrying Natalie Wood (gaining her daughter and having another of his own), they appeared to enjoy a wonderful settled life until the events in 1981 onboard their yacht “The Splendour”, where she was drowned at sea. I wasn’t aware of all the details surrounding Wood’s death (I remember it, but I hadn’t seen anything with her at the time and he symbolised “Hart To Hart” for me) but he deals with it well, a straight forward recount of the events with neither of the participants - him or Christopher Walken - shown as hero or villain and he compliments Walken for his gentlemanly conduct after her death. As it was, everything from “The Splendour” was stored but in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, a bridge collapsed and flattened the building. He writes “gone, all gone”, a sad end to a sad chapter.
Following this period, he met Jill St. John (who, coincidentally, had been in the same ballet class as a girl as Natalie Wood and Stefanie Powers, his co-star in “Hart To Hart”), got married, raised his children and now appears (at least, up to 2008 when this was published) to enjoy life. Embracing family and friends, he is clearly a much loved man and he reciprocates, with tales of people he’s known and - as life moves on - a melancholic view of those people who leave us. Almost always positive, he is rarely unpleasant but when he doesn’t like someone (for various reasons, usually because they have wronged him or a friend), he is remarkably candid.
This is well written but doesn’t go in-depth enough for me (apart from, perhaps, his second marriage to Natalie Wood and its untimely end) and whilst I would have preferred a little more substance it’s an enjoyable, brisk read of a life well lived and closes wonderfully on a hopeful, yet poignant note. Highly recommended.
October 18, 2014
I really enjoyed this book because I love Hollywood's Golden Age and it's always interesting to read about it form the ones who were part of it, either as witnesses of participants in it. Robert Wagner was focused and he got the career he wanted, he wanted to be in the movies. In this book he talks about his childhood, his youth and the climax of his versatile career. He started in the movies but he also did a couple of plays and made a successful transition into TV. What I enjoyed most was his anecdotes with different actors, actresses, directors and producers from back then. He made profound and lasting friendships with many of them. He also talks about his relationships, his family and the tragic loss of his then wife, Natalie Wood. I already liked him before, but after I read the book I like him a little bit more because he really reflects his human side on these pages. He seems like a well adjusted guy with a well lived life who has had ups and downs like any of us. He has been open to learn from others about his craft and about life, and he's been humble enough to own his mistakes. It was a very entertaining book.
January 10, 2014
This is my second time reading Mr. Wagner's book and I enjoyed even more the second time. I have been a fan of his since I was a child. The first time I ever saw him was in a movie called The Pink Panther. If you have never seen it I would recommend it highly. So when he talks about how he got the part and his long friendship with the amazing David Niven I was mesmerized. I have been a fan of David Niven forever as well. Who wouldn't feel that way he was such a wonderful, funny and talented man. Robert Wagner lets you know that is very real and that he was also a great friend and mentor.
The first TV show I saw Mr. Wagner in was It Takes A Thief. This show is not shown anymore. Such a pity because it is one of the most fun and stylish shows. It is about a thief who is taken out of prison and recruited to work for the a CIA like organization. I just loved it because it was fun and exciting. The man who played his Dad was the great Fred Astaire . Of course he was a great dancer but he was also a wonderful actor. Robert Wagner talks about how he became not only a mentor but one of his dearest friends. I loved that.
The most touching part of the book was about Natalie Wood. How they met, fell in love and married way too young. And how they came back to each other only to loose Natalie in such a heart tearing devastating way. You could just feel the poor man's heart breaking as he wrote it.
I also loved his series, Hart to Hart, he and Stefanie Powers had a wonderful relationship and you could see the friendship on the screen. It was fun to read how that came about how he felt about being a Producer and Actor in a hit series.
This is just a touch about his book, I highly recommend it for not only fans of Robert Wagner but fans of movies. It teaches us what the movie system was like, what TV in the 60's and 70's are like and how it all changed as the world changed.
The first TV show I saw Mr. Wagner in was It Takes A Thief. This show is not shown anymore. Such a pity because it is one of the most fun and stylish shows. It is about a thief who is taken out of prison and recruited to work for the a CIA like organization. I just loved it because it was fun and exciting. The man who played his Dad was the great Fred Astaire . Of course he was a great dancer but he was also a wonderful actor. Robert Wagner talks about how he became not only a mentor but one of his dearest friends. I loved that.
The most touching part of the book was about Natalie Wood. How they met, fell in love and married way too young. And how they came back to each other only to loose Natalie in such a heart tearing devastating way. You could just feel the poor man's heart breaking as he wrote it.
I also loved his series, Hart to Hart, he and Stefanie Powers had a wonderful relationship and you could see the friendship on the screen. It was fun to read how that came about how he felt about being a Producer and Actor in a hit series.
This is just a touch about his book, I highly recommend it for not only fans of Robert Wagner but fans of movies. It teaches us what the movie system was like, what TV in the 60's and 70's are like and how it all changed as the world changed.
October 18, 2008
Though I found it a little conceited at first, I warmed up to this memoir. I had a hard time getting over all the name-dropping, but I realized that he really did know a lot of the Hollywood Elite and it was a way for him to remember his life, have it on paper, and for us to visit. His voice is definitely warm in this book, and it's easy to get caught up in the stories he tells. It was funny and, at times, profoundly touching - his overwhelming love of Natalie was very moving. It's a great story of moving on and learning to live with life's pains, rather than forget them or hide them away. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a easy, quick autobiography, and HIGHLY recommend grabbing Gavin Lambert's "Natalie Wood: A Life," first. These two books go hand-in-hand and are well worth the read.
P.S. What's with him thanking Debbie Reynolds twice? Anyone else pick up on that in the Acknowledgments?
P.S. What's with him thanking Debbie Reynolds twice? Anyone else pick up on that in the Acknowledgments?
September 8, 2014
Robert Wagner married Natalie Wood twice. I saw "West Side Story" in early 1962 as a Freshman in college. At that time I didn't know she had been a child actress from the age of four, but her persona struck me to the extent that I tried to see all of her subsequent movies. She seemed to captivate Wagner, who was devastated when they were divorced knowing that he would forever love her. The news of her accidental death when she was just 43 was horrifying. The book covers his life as an actor--it was published before his role on television as Agent Dinozo's father on NCIS, in his early 80s. It was an interesting read, and includes his association with many of the stars of the film industry. I share his love of golf, and liked his first encounter with four famous actors on the course when he was just 11 years old.
December 20, 2008
Guilty Pleasure time! What I REALLY wanted to know was about Catalina, of course. All the years of "WTF?" and sort of imagining Christopher Walken standing on the yacht saying "More Cowbell!" as poor Natalie drowned. Or maybe RJ got so pissed at her and CW that he offed her, OMG I have totally been reading too much trash.
Anyway, interesting stuff if you like guilty pleasures involving actors. But RJW with Barbara Stanwyck? EEEWWW. Plus I remember her as such a bitch when she came to San Juan Capistrano to be grand marshal of the Swallows Day parade, and she was arrogant and bitchy and (I think maybe) drunk. Oh well, whatever.
A true time-waste. I liked it!
Anyway, interesting stuff if you like guilty pleasures involving actors. But RJW with Barbara Stanwyck? EEEWWW. Plus I remember her as such a bitch when she came to San Juan Capistrano to be grand marshal of the Swallows Day parade, and she was arrogant and bitchy and (I think maybe) drunk. Oh well, whatever.
A true time-waste. I liked it!
May 21, 2014
I learned a lot about Robert Wagner from this book.
For example, did you know that he will be 80 in 2010? His closest friends were often those older than him -- David Niven, Spencer Tracy, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Gregory Peck, Bette Davis and "Larry" Olivier!
I discovered more about his relationships, especially with Natalie Wood and her family.
The only thing missing was an index. I would have loved to turn to the index, find what I was looking for and then go retrace my steps this way instead of having to flip through all of the pages already read to locate those few snippets that I wanted to go back and reread.
For example, did you know that he will be 80 in 2010? His closest friends were often those older than him -- David Niven, Spencer Tracy, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Gregory Peck, Bette Davis and "Larry" Olivier!
I discovered more about his relationships, especially with Natalie Wood and her family.
The only thing missing was an index. I would have loved to turn to the index, find what I was looking for and then go retrace my steps this way instead of having to flip through all of the pages already read to locate those few snippets that I wanted to go back and reread.
July 17, 2013
I have always admired RJ and his book did not make me change my mind one bit.
I felt that it was honest and well written and easy to read.
I learned a lot about him and his life and his family and his friends.
I loved reading the names of many of the older generation of actors and people that he knew and worked with and was friends with.
I compiled a good list of books that I want to read and have added to my TBR.
I felt that it was honest and well written and easy to read.
I learned a lot about him and his life and his family and his friends.
I loved reading the names of many of the older generation of actors and people that he knew and worked with and was friends with.
I compiled a good list of books that I want to read and have added to my TBR.
April 30, 2018
I often enjoy celebrity memoirs; they are guilty pleasures thanks to their gossipy stories of a crazy, privileged world. Unfortunately this book wasn't one of those memoirs... this one felt like a man bragging about his exploits. It also feels like it is a written by a man who is arrogant and a braggart. There were some lovely moments: the stories about Barbara Stanwyck were heartfelt, sweet and full of respect. It felt like it was written by a man who cared about her, not by a man who wanted to brag about his hook up with her. If he had written this way about the other women mentioned the book would have been so much better.
June 9, 2019
I enjoy well written celebrity biographies and auto biographies and this one did not disappoint. I remember the TV show "It Takes a Thief" and I loved "Hart to Hart" but I had no idea how connected RJ was to old time movie stars. A very pleasant, interesting read. I only wish it had included his appearances on NCIS.
February 18, 2018
I enjoyed this book more than i was expecting. It covers sympathetically the women in his life. I was reading a Barbara Stanwyck bio when I read this and it did add a different dimension to my understanding of who Barbara Stanwyck was.
April 7, 2011
I found the book very interesting if you are into the hollywood life...not just Robert Wagner's life but all the old silver screen stars.
He grew up in Bel Air next door to a golf course that changed his life. As a young boy, he saw a foursome playing one morning featuring none other than Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, Randolph Scott, and Cary Grant. Seeing these giants of the s...moreIn this moving memoir, Robert J. Wagner opens his heart to share the romances, the drama, and the humor of an incredible life
Under the mentorship of stars like Spencer Tracy, he would become a salaried actor in Hollywood's studio system among other hot actors of the moment such as his friends Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis. Working with studio mogul Darryl Zanuck, Wagner began to appear in a number of films alongside the most beautiful starlets--but his first love was Barbara Stanwyck, an actress twice his age. As his career blossomed, and after he separated from Stanwyck, he met the woman who would change his life forever, Natalie Wood. They fell instantly and deeply in love and stayed together until the stress of their careers--hers marching upward, his inexplicably deflating--drove them to divorce.
Trying to forget the pain, he made more movies and spent his time in Europe with the likes of Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Liz Taylor, and Joan Collins. He would meet and marry the beautiful former model and actress Marion Marshall. Together they had a daughter and made their way back to America, where he found himself at the beginning of a new era in Hollywood--the blossoming of television. Lew Wasserman and later Aaron Spelling would work with Wagner as he produced and starred in some of the most successful programs in history.
Despite his newfound success, his marriage to Marion fell apart. He looked no further than Natalie Wood, for whom he still pined. To the world's surprise, they fell in love all over again, this time more deeply and with maturity. As she settled into a domestic life, raising their own daughter, Courtney, as well as their children from previous marriages, Wagner became the sole provider, reaping the riches of television success. Their life together was cut tragically short, though, when Wood died after falling from their yacht.
For the first time, Wagner writes about that tremendously painful time. After a serious bout with depression, he finally resurfaced and eventually married Jill St. John, who helped keep his family and his fractured heart together.
He grew up in Bel Air next door to a golf course that changed his life. As a young boy, he saw a foursome playing one morning featuring none other than Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, Randolph Scott, and Cary Grant. Seeing these giants of the s...moreIn this moving memoir, Robert J. Wagner opens his heart to share the romances, the drama, and the humor of an incredible life
Under the mentorship of stars like Spencer Tracy, he would become a salaried actor in Hollywood's studio system among other hot actors of the moment such as his friends Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis. Working with studio mogul Darryl Zanuck, Wagner began to appear in a number of films alongside the most beautiful starlets--but his first love was Barbara Stanwyck, an actress twice his age. As his career blossomed, and after he separated from Stanwyck, he met the woman who would change his life forever, Natalie Wood. They fell instantly and deeply in love and stayed together until the stress of their careers--hers marching upward, his inexplicably deflating--drove them to divorce.
Trying to forget the pain, he made more movies and spent his time in Europe with the likes of Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Liz Taylor, and Joan Collins. He would meet and marry the beautiful former model and actress Marion Marshall. Together they had a daughter and made their way back to America, where he found himself at the beginning of a new era in Hollywood--the blossoming of television. Lew Wasserman and later Aaron Spelling would work with Wagner as he produced and starred in some of the most successful programs in history.
Despite his newfound success, his marriage to Marion fell apart. He looked no further than Natalie Wood, for whom he still pined. To the world's surprise, they fell in love all over again, this time more deeply and with maturity. As she settled into a domestic life, raising their own daughter, Courtney, as well as their children from previous marriages, Wagner became the sole provider, reaping the riches of television success. Their life together was cut tragically short, though, when Wood died after falling from their yacht.
For the first time, Wagner writes about that tremendously painful time. After a serious bout with depression, he finally resurfaced and eventually married Jill St. John, who helped keep his family and his fractured heart together.
May 13, 2023
I feel that Robert Wagner definitely wrote this with a soft lens focus. To my mind, he airbrushes a lot of things, for instance the circumstances of his wife's death. Everything is perfect with her until suddenly they have a huge fight on that night? I rather guiltily admit to having to read some articles around the time of the inquiry into the accident, during which Natalie's younger sister was insisting that he was guilty of killing her. It is pretty clear to me that as Natalie got older and her stardom faded, she was having some psychological troubles. Part of a way of dealing with that was probably by reassuring herself that she was still attractive to other men, and she was probably flirting with Christopher Walken. Having seeing her fall in love with another man, this was probably very traumatic for Wagner, who had been through it before, and probably explains their fight as well as the fight with Walken. None of which says that he had any part in her actual death, but I did feel that he was not entirely forthcoming in describing what happened. Undoubtedly Natalie Wood loved Wagner, but she had had a very difficult childhood and that was never going to go away as they floated off into the sunset.
That said, Wagner comes off as a very decent guy. He too had a difficult childhood, but he was definitely a pull yourself up by the bootstraps guy, and the fact that he made so many friends in Hollywood, not to mention was beloved by his kids, including a stepdaughter who has written a book about Natalie and Wagner, speaks well of him.
It doesn't bother me that he talked about various affairs, in fact I don't see how he was negative about any of the women he had relationships with, and apparently continued friendly with his second wife. His last marriage appears to have been extremely contented, if not the stuff of sparks. Jill St. John was obviously exactly what he needed at this point, and he went on to live a contented life. I guess he's still alive.
In short, it was an interesting description of what it was like to be a star in the 50s, after the great stars like Cooper and Bogart and Gable we're receding. Interesting to hear about the studio system. I almost never read stories about movie stars, but I'm not sorry I read this one.
That said, Wagner comes off as a very decent guy. He too had a difficult childhood, but he was definitely a pull yourself up by the bootstraps guy, and the fact that he made so many friends in Hollywood, not to mention was beloved by his kids, including a stepdaughter who has written a book about Natalie and Wagner, speaks well of him.
It doesn't bother me that he talked about various affairs, in fact I don't see how he was negative about any of the women he had relationships with, and apparently continued friendly with his second wife. His last marriage appears to have been extremely contented, if not the stuff of sparks. Jill St. John was obviously exactly what he needed at this point, and he went on to live a contented life. I guess he's still alive.
In short, it was an interesting description of what it was like to be a star in the 50s, after the great stars like Cooper and Bogart and Gable we're receding. Interesting to hear about the studio system. I almost never read stories about movie stars, but I'm not sorry I read this one.
July 1, 2012
I admit it -- I picked this book up again because of all the news coverage and renewed speculation about the death of Natalie Wood. While he does give his version of events (and no, I don't think he tossed her overboard), there's much more to the book than that.
I had no idea that as a young man he'd had an affair with Barbara Stanwyck, a woman more than 20 years his senior. The passages about their affair were tender and sexy, and if I was her, I'd be thrilled that an ex-lover remembered me this passionately decades after the fact.
Loved the parts about Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, two of my all-time favorites, as well as Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. His love of the business of film-making is contagious.
And the sections about Natalie are so lovely and so sad. He loved her, loved their life, loved their daughters (and raised Natasha, from her first marriage) and lost her ... twice. He seems to believe it was a stupid accident fueled by too much alcohol and I agree. And, as with Princess Diana, it's so hard to accept that someone so special could perish in a stupid accident fueled by too much alcohol, and that's why so many conspiracy theories flourish. (And because I suspect some people want to make one last buck and enjoy Natalie's reflected starlight one more time.)
I was never a fan of his before, though I do enjoy his appearances as Tony's father on NCIS. I still won't watch Hart to Hart reruns. But I did get a kick out of the time I spent with RJ as I read his memoir.
I had no idea that as a young man he'd had an affair with Barbara Stanwyck, a woman more than 20 years his senior. The passages about their affair were tender and sexy, and if I was her, I'd be thrilled that an ex-lover remembered me this passionately decades after the fact.
Loved the parts about Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, two of my all-time favorites, as well as Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. His love of the business of film-making is contagious.
And the sections about Natalie are so lovely and so sad. He loved her, loved their life, loved their daughters (and raised Natasha, from her first marriage) and lost her ... twice. He seems to believe it was a stupid accident fueled by too much alcohol and I agree. And, as with Princess Diana, it's so hard to accept that someone so special could perish in a stupid accident fueled by too much alcohol, and that's why so many conspiracy theories flourish. (And because I suspect some people want to make one last buck and enjoy Natalie's reflected starlight one more time.)
I was never a fan of his before, though I do enjoy his appearances as Tony's father on NCIS. I still won't watch Hart to Hart reruns. But I did get a kick out of the time I spent with RJ as I read his memoir.
November 14, 2008
I got this for free. It's pretty close to what you want from a celeb memoir--plenty of juicy stories about other famous people--who's a jerk (Lesley Ann Down), who the author slept with (Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyck, Yvonne De Carlo), etc. He didn't really shed any light on Natalie Wood's death, other than to say he and Christopher Walken were arguing about acting and one's commitment level to it, and much wine had been consumed. I don't think Walken and Wood were having an affair, and I doubt (ok, not completely, I'll admit) that Wood walked in on Walken and Wagner going at it, but...Maybe I'm reading between the lines too much, but I wonder if old RJ here is keeping some things in the closet, if you know what I'm saying. He had lifelong friendships with Fred Astaire and David Niven, both married men, I know, but both a little "effete" shall we say. He rebuffed advances from Noel Coward and Tennessee Williams, and many other men (so he says), he was ridonkulously good looking, and let's face it, Natalie Wood seems like the kind of drama generator that would fall in love with a gay man. She had a posse of gay friends (who also became Wagner's friends, natch), including the guy who wrote The Boys in the Band, for crying out loud! And Joan and Barbara, much older women, and he was devoted to his mother...it's all circumstantial, but it piles up. Eh, who cares? If he's gay, so what? He seems to have led an eventful, mostly magical life. Good for him.
May 8, 2014
I grew up loving Robert Wagner so this autobiography totally appealed to me. His writing style is a bit choppy as he jumped from one topic to another, sometimes every other paragraph but soon I got used to his style. His true voice shone through and it felt like sitting in his living room as he related all the events of his life. It was fun peeking in on the off-stage lives of well-loved actors and directors. Many secrets revealed. RJ. Takes the reader on his personal journey where we learn about his failures and successes and just how honest, pragmatic and loyal he is. His personality and outlook on life garnered many long time friendships, such as with Fred Astaire and David Niven. Director Darryl Zanuck adored RJ Wagner as did most people. The account of Natalie Wood's death brought me to tears, for her life cut short and RJ's profound sadness at losing the love of his life. The biography ends with hi fabulous marriage to Jill St. John , how his children are doing in their lives and his take on modern show business and the myriad changes he's seen in the business over six decades. If you love movies, you'll love his stories about directors, actors and people on the show crews. RJ is still working today at 84 years old, but only when he wants to. He's one of the most prolific actors alive and a stellar man who is his true self on and off the stage. Highly recommended read.
February 3, 2014
I've loved Robert Wagner for pretty much as long as I can remember, and since I'm in my 50s now, that is pretty long. I've watched films simply because he was in them. And no matter how disappointing the movie itself might be, I always was pleased with what Wagner gave us.
In this autobiography, the actor is brutally honest about himself, his family, his friends, and the business he works in to this day. He discusses his great love for Natalie Wood and what went wrong during their first marriage. She is and always will be the woman for him, but as he got older, he realized that others could be there for him as well, such as Jill Saint John.
He doesn't really go into great detail about his various series, from IT TAKES A THIEF to SWITCH to HART TO HART, but does discuss their appeal to him and what happened to them.
Without a doubt I loved this book and plan to get a physical copy of the book to keep, for the photographs alone. I had downloaded the book to read on my Sony eReader.
In this autobiography, the actor is brutally honest about himself, his family, his friends, and the business he works in to this day. He discusses his great love for Natalie Wood and what went wrong during their first marriage. She is and always will be the woman for him, but as he got older, he realized that others could be there for him as well, such as Jill Saint John.
He doesn't really go into great detail about his various series, from IT TAKES A THIEF to SWITCH to HART TO HART, but does discuss their appeal to him and what happened to them.
Without a doubt I loved this book and plan to get a physical copy of the book to keep, for the photographs alone. I had downloaded the book to read on my Sony eReader.
April 29, 2014
Robert Wagner has been a working actor for many decades and has seen a great deal about the culture of film, TV, and stage in the United States and Europe, as well as knowing many great and not-so-great people associated with the business. His candid but not unkind memoirs are fun to read, and while he admits to mistakes, he seems to be a fundamentally decent man who has, amazingly, managed to balance family and career and maintain his integrity in an industry where that can be almost impossible to do. Fans of Natalie Wood will of course want all the details of their relationship and her tragic death, and Wagner doesn't shy away from providing a dignified and loving account. He has known many great personalities, including Fred Astaire, John Wayne, Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck, David Niven, Sophia Loren, Sir Laurence Olivier, and many others, and has some great takes on the Hollywood scene from the time of the studio system until now. I really enjoyed this autobiography.
November 25, 2014
Great memoir from Robert Wagner. I like the fact that he tells you who he liked and who he didn't like. He discusses his marriages to Natalie Wood (twice), Marion Donen, and Jill St. John, who he's still married to today. He also discusses his May-December affair of four years with Barbara Stanwyck when he was 22 and she was 45. They parted on good terms and remained friends until her death. He discusses the controversy surrounding Natalie's death by drowning and is adamant that it was an accidental death.
This Hollywood memoir is a very good example of a satisfying mixture of personal anecdotes and his experiences in working on films and on television. I highly recommend this book if you are a fan.
This Hollywood memoir is a very good example of a satisfying mixture of personal anecdotes and his experiences in working on films and on television. I highly recommend this book if you are a fan.
August 25, 2011
I checked this out of the library, thank goodness, because if I'd spent money on it I'd be kicking myself. I have always liked Robert Wagner, yet this book dispelled any illusions I had about him. I found him petty, egotistical and kind of smarmy. Left a bad taste in my mouth and I resented the loss of time I'd spent reading it. In some ways, given that a so-called Hollywood icon wrote the book, I guess I deserved what I got. However, I have read other books about Hollywood actors, iconic and otherwise and found something touching, redeeming or otherwise interesting about them or their lives. Not so in this case. Sorry, Bob I just didn't find you very interesting...,
November 24, 2016
Well.....two quotes from the book really struck me:
RE: Fred Astaire: "Although Fred's parents were from Omaha, where he had been born, his mother radiated elegance and breeding." So if you're from Nebraska it's a given you don't have any class????
After the death of Natalie Wood: "A doctor gave me a line from Eugene O'Neill: 'Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue.' For me, my children and the people who threw themselves into holding us together were the glue."
I think the guy's probably ok but just a little too stuck on himself and was definitely not a feminist in his early years. Just in case you were wondering.
RE: Fred Astaire: "Although Fred's parents were from Omaha, where he had been born, his mother radiated elegance and breeding." So if you're from Nebraska it's a given you don't have any class????
After the death of Natalie Wood: "A doctor gave me a line from Eugene O'Neill: 'Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is glue.' For me, my children and the people who threw themselves into holding us together were the glue."
I think the guy's probably ok but just a little too stuck on himself and was definitely not a feminist in his early years. Just in case you were wondering.
November 11, 2008
RJ was the first movie star who stole my heart---when I was 13. He does a wonderful job of describing his life, and especially his relationship with Natalie Wood, his daughters, and his wife, Jill.
His basic outlook is of gratitude---for all he's been given--opportunities, love, joy in his work, loyalty given and given out. It was lovely to read his story, and he tells it with an upbeat outlook no matter what his life contained.
His basic outlook is of gratitude---for all he's been given--opportunities, love, joy in his work, loyalty given and given out. It was lovely to read his story, and he tells it with an upbeat outlook no matter what his life contained.
August 9, 2009
This will not go down in history as one of the best Hollywood autobiographies, but it's fine. The cheesy title sets expectations low and there is some fun to be had of the "and then I slept with" variety. The biggest surprise to me were the close relationships Wagner had with some genuine Hollywood legends of an earlier generation. He loved and respected Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis and, most intimately, Barbara Stanwyck -- and the feelings seemed mutual.
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