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Warren Beatty and Natalie Wooden
Actress Natalie Wooden was a gorgeous lady, an award-winning actress, and by all accounts, a energetic, spirited lady whom everybody loved being round, in accordance with the brand new HBO documentary known as Natalie Wooden: What Stays Behind. So it’s no shock that her relationship and marriage historical past boasts among the brightest stars of the 1950s and 1960s. Right here’s what it's good to learn about Wooden’s lovers and husbands.
Wooden Married Robert Wagner in 1957
Wooden met her eventual first husband Robert Wagner (who everybody known as “RJ”) across the film studio when she was a youngster, however they didn’t exit till she was of age — the 26-year-old truly took her out on their first date for her 18th birthday.
Within the documentary, Wooden recounts how she had a crush on him on the age of 10 and informed her mom that she wished to marry him when she grew up. On December 28, 1957, her want got here true. However they separated simply 4 years later and divorced in 1962.
Wagner admits within the documentary that there was pressure within the relationship as a result of her profession was skyrocketing.
“My profession was not igniting like hers was, however that wasn’t actually a really massive consider the truth that we separated and ultimately divorced,” says Wagner. “It was the strain on her and her profession that prompted that. I additionally assume I’d have been in a position to deal with it higher if I have been older and a bit extra skilled.”
Wooden Dated Warren Beatty For Two Years, Then a String of Different Well-known Males
In 1961, Wooden co-starred with heartthrob actor Warren Beatty in Splendor within the Grass, for which she earned her first Oscar nomination. She and Beatty would go on up to now for 2 years, however Wooden’s pal, playwright Mart Crowley, says within the documentary that she didn’t cheat on Wagner and that Wooden and Beatty didn’t get collectively “till lengthy after Splendor had wrapped.”
Wagner admits that relationship made him loopy and he fled to Europe, which is the place he reconnected with actress Marion Marshall, whom he would go on to marry in 1963.
“That was a really troublesome time as a result of I used to be so upset and disturbed by every little thing that I used to be able to go after [Beatty]. I can discuss that fairly simply now, however on the time, it was slightly bit troublesome,” says Wagner, including, “I used to be alone, I didn’t have anyone in my life and I simply couldn’t keep in Los Angeles anymore and be alone, so I decided to maneuver to Europe. I talked to [Wood] and stated I used to be going to Europe and do you need to come there and he or she stated no, I've different plans. And I stated OK and I hung up the cellphone and that was it.”
Wooden’s relationship with Beatty was notoriously tumultuous. In a never-published article she wrote for Women Residence Journal, Wooden says of their relationship, “Our affair was a collision from begin to end. Whereas RJ by no means did specific hostility, Warren couldn’t cease and I contributed my share of fireworks too. In reality, we have been each so confused that we thought combating and hostility meant actual emotional honesty.”
After their cut up in 1964, Wooden struggled with some psychological well being points. Filming The Nice Rae took its toll on her and he or she tried suicide after filming wrapped, her daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner reveals within the documentary. However Gregson Wagner says she doesn’t assume her mom actually wished to die, it was extra of a cry for assist — particularly as a result of proper after she took the sleeping capsules, she instantly requested for assist from Crowley, who was spending the night time at her home that night time.
“I don’t essentially have a look at that night time as a suicide try. It was actually a cry for assist. After she swallowed the capsules, she banged on Mart’s door so clearly, she wished to reside,” says Gregson Wagner.
After that, Wooden entered remedy — then known as “evaluation” — which is one thing she ultimately inspired Wagner to do as nicely after they reconnected. He credit that with saving his life.
HBONatalie Wooden and Michael Caine
After her cut up from Beatty however earlier than her second marriage, Wooden was linked to a number of well-known males, together with singer Frank Sinatra, actor Henry Jaglom, actor Michael Caine, producer Arthur Loew Jr., Ladislav Blatnik, the shoe king of Venezuela, and actor David Niven Jr.
She additionally had a short dalliance with singer Elvis Presley in 1956, in accordance with Bobbie Ann Mason’s guide “Elvis Presley: A Life,” however the two didn’t have a lot of a connection.
Wooden Married Richard Gregson in 1969
HBONatalie Wooden and Richard Gregson
After a string of relationships with varied actors, Wooden met producer Richard Gregson by means of their mutual pal, actor Robert Redford; Gregson was Redford’s agent on the time and Redford was finest man at their wedding ceremony.
Wooden and Gregson dated for 2 years and have been married in Might 1969. They welcomed daughter Natasha in 1970 and the documentary says that was the downfall of their marriage — Wooden was so enamored together with her daughter and with being a mom that Gregson began to really feel like there was no room for him. He then had an affair with Wooden’s secretary. When she discovered, she kicked him out. Their divorce was finalized in 1972.
Wooden Remarried Wagner in 1972
Natalie Wooden And Robert Wagner
Wooden and Wagner reconnected simply as they have been each coming off splits from their respective spouses and so they remarried in July 1972. They welcomed daughter Courtney in 1974.
As a result of Gregson had left for his residence nation of England after his cut up from Natalie, Wagner adopted Natasha and he or she considers them each to be her father.
“I've two fathers, my organic father is Richard Gregson. I name him Daddy Gregson. My stepfather is Robert Wagner, who everybody known as RJ, and I name him Daddy Wagner,” she explains within the documentary.
The Wooden-Wagner family additionally generally hosted Wagner’s daughter Katie from his marriage to Marshall and Marshall’s two sons to whom Wagner was a stepfather, Peter and Joshua, from Marshall’s marriage to Stanley Donel. In reality, Joshua says within the documentary that he lived with Wooden and Wagner for some time and the wedding simply appeared to suit.
“After school, Natalie stated come and reside in our visitor home and I stayed there for years and that’s the place we turned actually shut,” says Joshua. “It appeared to be that they need to be collectively. This appeared proper.”
Wooden and Wagner have been married till her loss of life in 1981. He would go on to marry his Hart to Hart co-star Jill St. John, to whom he's nonetheless married at present. St. John helped him with the lack of Wooden as a result of she too had misplaced a partner pretty younger, and ultimately, the youngsters got here to just accept St. John of their father’s life. Gregson Wagner says she and St. John “talked about it in remedy” and it was “positively a course of,” however they're all one massive household now.
HBORobert Wagner, Jill St. John, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Katie Wagner, Courtney Wagner
Natalie Wooden: What Stays Behind airs Tuesday, Might 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and HBO Latino. It is going to be rebroadcast on Wednesday, Might 6 at midday ET on HBO and HBO Latino; on Might 6 at eight p.m. ET on HBO2, on Might 10 at 11:30 a.m. ET on HBO and HBO Latino, and Monday, Might 11 at 1:30 p.m. ET on HBO.
READ NEXT: Natalie Wooden’s Dying: 5 Quick Information You Have to Know
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