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Robert Wagner

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Robert Wagner
Wagner in 1967
Born
Robert John Wagner Jr.

(1930-02-10) February 10, 1930 (age 94)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1950–present
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 1957; div. 1962)​

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    (m. 1972; died 1981)​
  • ​
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    (m. 1963; div. 1971)​
  • ​
    (m. 1990)​
Children2, including Katie
Relatives

Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930)[1] is an American actor. He is known for starring in the television shows It Takes a Thief (1968–1970), Switch (1975–1978), and Hart to Hart (1979–1984). He later had recurring roles on Two and a Half Men (2007–2008) and NCIS (2010–2019).

In films, Wagner is known for his role as Number 2 in the Austin Powers trilogy of films (1997, 1999, 2002), as well as for Prince Valiant (1954), A Kiss Before Dying (1956), The Pink Panther (1963), Harper (1966), The Towering Inferno (1974) and The Concorde ... Airport '79 (1979).

Early life

[edit]

Wagner was born in Detroit, to Thelma Hazel Alvera (née Boe; 1898–1993), a former telephone operator, and Robert John Wagner Sr (1890–1964), a traveling salesman who worked for the Ford Motor Company.[2] He had one older sister, Mary Scott (1926–2023).[3][4]

Wagner's mother came from La Crosse, Wisconsin. Her parents were both immigrants from Norway, who married in La Crosse in 1887.[5] Wagner's father was a native of Kalamazoo, Michigan. His parents were from Germany.[6]

The family moved to Bel-Air, an upscale area of Los Angeles, in 1937.[7]

Career

[edit]

20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures

[edit]

Wagner became interested in acting, and after an unsuccessful screen test directed by Fred Zinnemann for his film Teresa (1951), was represented by Albert R. Broccoli.[8] He made his uncredited film debut in The Happy Years (1950); was signed by agent Henry Willson and put under contract with 20th Century Fox.[9]

"I started off as an ingenue", recalled Wagner. "I was 19 years old. I was the boy next door. But you always felt you could work your way up, that you could have a better part in the next picture. [Head of Fox] Darryl Zanuck was always placing me in different positions."[9]

Wagner's first film for Fox was Halls of Montezuma (1951) a World War II film. Wagner had a supporting role, with Richard Widmark as the star. The studio then had him perform a similar function in another war movie, The Frogmen (1951), again with Widmark; the cast also included another young male under contract to the studio, Jeffrey Hunter, with whom Wagner would often work. Let's Make It Legal (1951) was a comedy where Wagner again supported an older star, in this case Claudette Colbert.[10]

Wagner first gained significant attention with a small but showy part as a shell-shocked soldier in With a Song in My Heart (1952).[10]

"You were part of 20th Century Fox", he said. "You felt proud of being part of the organization. When I wasn't working, I was on the road, going out and selling movies or dancing on the stage and meeting the public. They never let you rest."[9]

20th Century Studios started to give Wagner better roles. He was the romantic male lead in Stars and Stripes Forever (1952), a biopic about John Philip Sousa starring Clifton Webb. He supported James Cagney and Dan Dailey in John Ford's version of What Price Glory (1952) and supported Webb again in Titanic (1953). He was in a minor Western, The Silver Whip (1953) with Rory Calhoun.[10]

Leading man

[edit]
Wagner in Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953)

Fox gave Wagner his first starring role in Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953). Reviews were poor but the movie was only the third ever to be shot in CinemaScope and was a big hit.[11]

Jean Peters with Wagner in Broken Lance (1954)

Also popular was a Western, Broken Lance (1954), where Wagner supported Spencer Tracy for director Edward Dmytryk, appearing as Tracy's son. Fox gave Wagner the lead in an expensive spectacular, Prince Valiant (1954). While popular, critical reception was poor and Wagner later joked his wig in the movie made him look like Jane Wyman. He was teamed with Jeffrey Hunter in a Western, White Feather (1955).[10]

Wagner was borrowed by Paramount for The Mountain (1956), directed by Dmytryk, where Wagner was cast as Spencer Tracy's brother, having played his son just two years earlier in the same director's Broken Lance. He received more critical acclaim for the lead in A Kiss Before Dying (1956), from the novel by Ira Levin; it was made for Crown Productions, a company of Darryl F. Zanuck's brother in law (the leads were all under contract to Fox) and released through United Artists.

Back at Fox Wagner was in Between Heaven and Hell (1956), a war movie, and The True Story of Jesse James (1957), playing the leading role for director Nicholas Ray (Jeffrey Hunter was Frank). Both movies were box office disappointments and it seemed Wagner was unable to make the transition to top-level star. This appeared confirmed when he was the lead in Stopover Tokyo (1957). In 1959, Wagner disparaged the film:

When I started at Fox in 1950 they were making sixty-five pictures a year. Now they're lucky if they make thirty. There was a chance to get some training in B pictures. Then TV struck. Everything went big and they started sticking me into Cinemascope spectacles. One day, smiling Joe Juvenile with no talent was doing a role intended for John Wayne. That was in a dog called Stopover Tokyo. I've really had to work to keep up.[12]

Wagner supported Robert Mitchum in a Korean War movie, The Hunters (1958), and appeared with a number of Fox contractees in a World War II drama, In Love and War (1958).

After a cameo in Mardi Gras (1958), Wagner supported Bing Crosby and Debbie Reynolds in Say One for Me (1959).

Trying to kick-start his career, Wagner appeared with his then-wife Natalie Wood (they married in 1957) in All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960), made for MGM.

In January 1961, Wagner and Wood formed their own company, Rona Productions, named after the first two letters of both their first names. Rona signed a three-picture deal with Columbia pictures for Wagner's services, which was to start with Sail a Crooked Ship (1961) and The Interns. He also had a deal to make one more film at Fox, which was to be Solo, the story of a jazz drummer directed by Dick Powell, or The Comancheros with Gary Cooper.[13]

Wagner made Sail a Crooked Ship but his part in The Interns went to James MacArthur. Solo was never made, and The Comancheros was made instead with John Wayne and Stuart Whitman. Wagner did make The War Lover (1962) with Steve McQueen that was filmed in England.[14]

Europe

[edit]

Wagner's first marriage to Wood had broken up, and he relocated to Europe. He had a small role in The Longest Day (1962), produced by Daryl Zanuck for Fox. He had a larger part in The Condemned of Altona (1962), a commercial and critical disappointment despite being directed by Vittorio de Sica and co-starring Sophia Loren.[14]

Considerably more popular was The Pink Panther (1963), a massive hit, although Wagner's part was very much in support to those of David Niven, Capucine, Peter Sellers, and Claudia Cardinale. It was directed by Blake Edwards, who wanted Wagner for the lead in The Great Race (1965), but Jack L. Warner overruled him.[15]

Return to Hollywood and Universal Pictures

[edit]
With Jill St. John in How I Spent My Summer Vacation (1967)

His return to America found him playing in the theatre for the first time with the lead role in Mister Roberts for one week at a holiday resort just outside Chicago.[16] The disciplines of the theatre were not his forte and Wagner was glad to be back in Hollywood to find a good supporting role in the modern-day private investigator hit, Harper (1966), starring Paul Newman.

Wagner signed with Universal Pictures in 1966, starring opposite future wife Jill St. John in the films How I Spent My Summer Vacation, a made-for-TV movie released in the United Kingdom as Deadly Roulette, and Banning (1967). He returned to Italy to make a caper film with Raquel Welch for MGM, The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968).

Television star

[edit]

In 1967, Lew Wasserman of Universal convinced Wagner to make his television series debut in It Takes a Thief (1968–1970) on ABC-TV. ""I was opposed to doing Thief", Wagner said later. "But Lew Wasserman said: 'I want you to be in TV Guide every week. This is your medium, you've got to try it, you'll be great.' Roland Kibbee wrote the part for me, and I would have missed all that if I hadn't listened to Lew."[17]

While the success of The Pink Panther and Harper began Wagner's comeback, the successful two-and-a-half seasons of his first TV series completed it. In this series, he acted with Fred Astaire, who played his father. Wagner was a longtime friend of Astaire, having gone to school with Astaire's eldest son, Peter. Wagner's performance would earn him an Emmy nomination for Best TV Actor.[14]

During the making of the series he made a film for Universal, the comedy Don't Just Stand There! (1968) with Mary Tyler Moore. It was not a success. More popular was Winning (1969), a racing car drama where Wagner supported Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. He also guest-starred in The Name of the Game (1970).

Wagner's friend and agent Albert Broccoli suggested that he audition to play James Bond, but he decided it was not right for him.

Wagner appeared in the series pilot, City Beneath the Sea (1971), that was not picked up. The following year, he produced and cast himself opposite Bette Davis in the made-for-TV film Madame Sin, which was theatrically released overseas as a feature film.[18]

He was a regular in the BBC/Universal World War II prisoner-of-war drama Colditz (1972–1974) for much of its run. He reunited with McQueen, along with Paul Newman and Faye Dunaway, in the disaster film The Towering Inferno released in the same year. It was a massive hit, although Wagner's part was relatively small.[14]

Switch

[edit]
with Eddie Albert in Switch, 1975

By the mid-1970s, Wagner's television career was at its peak with the CBS-TV television series Switch (1975–1978, opposite Eddie Albert, Sharon Gless, and Charlie Callas) after re-signing a contract with Universal in 1974. Albert had been a childhood hero of Wagner's, after he watched the movie Brother Rat, along with a few others. The friendship started in the early 1960s, where he also co-starred in a couple of Albert's movies. After the end of the series, the two remained friends until Albert's death on May 26, 2005. Wagner spoke at his funeral, and gave a testimonial about his longtime friendship with him.

In partial payment for starring together in the Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg production of the TV movie The Affair, Wagner and Natalie Wood were given a share in three TV series that the producers were developing for ABC.[19] Only one reached the screen, the very successful TV series Charlie's Angels, for which Wagner and Wood had a 50% share, though Wagner was to spend many years in court arguing with Spelling and Goldberg over what was defined as profit.[20]

Wagner and Wood acted with Laurence Olivier in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1976), as part of Olivier's television series Laurence Olivier Presents for the UK's Granada Television.[21]

Wagner had a small role in some all-star Universal films, Midway (1976) and The Concorde ... Airport '79 (1979).[22]

Hart to Hart

[edit]

Wagner's third successful series was Hart to Hart, which co-starred Stefanie Powers and Lionel Stander and was broadcast on ABC-TV from 1979 to 1984. No one else was seriously considered for the role. George Hamilton had a high-profile at the time and was suggested, but producer Aaron Spelling said that if he was cast "the audience will resent him as Hart for being that rich. But no one will begrudge RJ [Wagner] a nickel."[23]

During the series run, Wagner reprised his old Pink Panther role in Curse of the Pink Panther (1983).[24] He also had a supporting role in I Am the Cheese (1983).[25]

Wagner played an insurance investigator in the short-lived TV series Lime Street (1985).[14]

In 1985, he reflected, "Bad-guy roles work if they're really good parts, but they don't come along very often. I think that what I've been doing has worked for me. Sure I'd like to do a Clint Eastwood, grizzled, down-and-out guy, but there aren't many scripts like that... What has been projected for me is an international quality that can take me anywhere and get me into all kind of involvements; to do otherwise would mean a character role."[26]

Later career

[edit]

Wagner appeared in a TV movie with Audrey Hepburn, Love Among Thieves (1987) and in a miniseries with Jaclyn Smith, Windmills of the Gods (1988). He and St. John worked with Pierce Brosnan in the miniseries remake of Around the World in 80 Days (1989). For Tom Mankiewicz he played a supporting part in Delirious (1991). More widely seen was Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993), where Wagner played a producer.[27] Wagner played Love Letters on stage with Stefanie Powers.[28] They also reprised their Hart characters in a series of TV movies.[29]

Wagner in 2013

Wagner's film career received a boost after his role in the Austin Powers series of spy spoofs starring Mike Myers. Wagner played Dr. Evil's henchman Number 2 in all three films: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002). He also had small roles in Wild Things (1998), Crazy in Alabama (1999), Play It to the Bone (2000), Becoming Dick (2001) and Sol Goode (2001).

Wagner became the host of Fox Movie Channel's Hour of Stars, featuring original television episodes of The 20th Century-Fox Hour (1955), a series which he had appeared on in his early days with the studio. In 2005, he became the television spokesman for the Senior Lending Network, a reverse mortgage lender and in 2010 he began serving as a spokesman for the Guardian First Funding Group, also a reverse mortgage lender. In June 2011, Guardian First Funding was acquired by Urban Financial Group, who continued to use Wagner as their spokesperson.[30][31]

In 2007, Wagner had a role in the BBC/AMC series Hustle. In season four's premiere, Wagner played a crooked Texan being taken for half a million dollars. As Wagner is considered "a suave icon of American caper television, including It Takes a Thief and Hart to Hart", Robert Glenister (Hustle's fixer, Ash Morgan) commented that "to have one of the icons of that period involved is a great bonus for all of us".[32] Wagner also played the pivotal role of President James Garfield in the comedy/horror film Netherbeast Incorporated (2007). The role was written with Wagner in mind. He had a recurring role of a rich suitor to the main characters' mother on the sitcom Two and a Half Men. His final appearances on the show were in May 2008.

Wagner has guest-starred in 13 episodes of NCIS[33] as Anthony DiNozzo Sr., the father of Anthony DiNozzo Jr., played by Michael Weatherly. Weatherly had previously appeared as Wagner in the TV movie The Mystery of Natalie Wood.[34]

Wagner was set to star as Charlie in the 2011 remake of Charlie's Angels, but he had to exit the project due to scheduling conflicts.[35]

Despite his apparent feeling of distaste when he was working with Raquel Welch on The Biggest Bundle of Them All,[36] they reunited 50 years later on the 2017 Canadian series Date My Dad.[37]

Personal life

[edit]
With Jill St. John in 1959
With Natalie Wood in 1960

In his memoirs, Wagner said he had had affairs with Yvonne De Carlo, Joan Crawford, Elizabeth Taylor, Anita Ekberg, Shirley Anne Field, Lori Nelson, and Joan Collins.[38] He also claimed a four-year romantic relationship with Barbara Stanwyck after they acted together in the movie Titanic (1953).[39] According to Wagner, because of their age difference—he was 22, she was 45—they kept the affair secret to avoid damaging their careers.[40] He is also rumored to have had affairs with men,[41] although Wagner identifies as heterosexual.[42]

In 1956, when he was 26 years old, Wagner became involved with 18-year-old actress Natalie Wood. They were married on December 28, 1957, in Scottsdale, Arizona. At some point during the first half of 1961, according to several published accounts, Wood caught him having an extramarital affair with a man in the couple's home.[43] They announced their separation on June 20, 1961, and divorced on April 27, 1962.[44]

With Katie Wagner in 2013

While working on location in Europe, Wagner reconnected with an old friend, actress Marion Marshall. After a two-year courtship, Wagner, Marshall and her two sons from her marriage to Stanley Donen moved back to America. Wagner and Marshall married on July 21, 1963, at the Bronx Courthouse. They had a daughter, Katie (born May 11, 1964). They separated in June 1970 and divorced on October 14, 1971.[45]

Wagner was engaged to Tina Sinatra from June 1970 until January 1972.[46] Immediately afterwards, Wagner rekindled his romance with Wood. They remarried on July 16 aboard the Ramblin' Rose, anchored off Paradise Cove in Malibu.[47] They had a daughter, Courtney (born March 9, 1974). Following Wood's death in 1981, Wagner became the legal guardian of her daughter by producer Richard Gregson, Natasha, then 11. He also gradually cut ties with his former sister-in-law, Lana Wood.[48] Lana has claimed publicly that the reason behind the couple's first divorce was that Natalie caught Wagner in the arms of another man.[49]

On Valentine's Day[50] 1982, Wagner began dating actress Jill St. John, whom he had known since the late 1950s.[51] After eight years together, they married on May 26, 1990, in Pacific Palisades.[52] The marriage is the fourth for both Wagner and St. John and it has lasted longer than all six of their previous marriages combined. The couple co-starred in six films between 1967 and 2014—most of them low-budget—as well as the pilot episode of Hart to Hart, and also appeared onstage in a 1996 production of Love Letters.

Wagner became a first-time grandfather in 2006 when Katie Wagner, his daughter with Marshall, gave birth to her son Riley John Wagner-Lewis.[53]

In 2007, Wagner and St. John sold the Brentwood ranchette they had lived in since 1983 for a reported $14 million.[54] The couple now reside in Aspen, Colorado, where they built a vacation home in 1995.[55] They retain a condo in L.A.[56]

Death of Natalie Wood

[edit]

On November 29, 1981, Wood died under mysterious circumstances near, within a mile of, or on the 55-foot yacht Splendour while it was moored near the isthmus of Santa Catalina Island. Wood had been on board the Splendour along with Wagner, Christopher Walken, who was co-starring with her in the motion picture Brainstorm (1983), and Dennis Davern, the Splendour's captain.[48] No explanation has ever been given for the absence of Walken's wife Georgianne.[57] According to Wagner, Wood was not on the yacht when he went to bed, and, according to his spokesman, he thought Wood had taken off on a small inflatable boat by herself, as she had done before.[58] Wood's body was found about a mile away from the yacht, while the inflatable boat was found beached nearby.[58] The autopsy report revealed that Wood had 39 fresh bruises on her body, including an abrasion on her left cheek.[59]

Later, in his memoir Pieces of My Heart, Wagner acknowledged that he had an argument with Wood before she disappeared but had calmed down and gone to bed.[58][59] The autopsy found that Wood's blood alcohol content was 0.14% and there were traces of two types of medication in her bloodstream: a motion-sickness pill and a painkiller, both of which increase the effects of alcohol.[60] Two witnesses, who had been on another boat nearby, stated they had heard a woman scream for help during the night.[61] Following his investigation, Los Angeles County coroner Thomas Noguchi ruled her death an accident by drowning and hypothermia.[62]

Wagner, Walken, and Davern initially all told detectives that Wood had left in a dinghy to go ashore;[63]the case was reopened in November 2011 after Davern publicly stated that he had lied to police during the initial investigation and that Wood and Wagner had had an argument that evening. He alleged that Wood had been flirting with Walken, that Wagner was jealous and enraged, and that following Wood's disappearance, Wagner had prevented Davern from turning on the search lights and notifying authorities. According to Davern, Wagner was responsible for Wood's death and he believed that Wagner had intentionally kept the investigation into Wood's death "low-profile".[59][64][65][66]

In 2012, Los Angeles County Chief Coroner Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran amended Wood's death certificate and changed the cause of her death from accidental drowning to "drowning and other undetermined factors".[67] The amended document included a statement that the circumstances of how Wood ended up in the water are "not clearly established." On January 14, 2013, the Los Angeles County coroner's office issued a ten-page addendum to Wood's autopsy report. It stated that she may have sustained some of the bruises on her body before she went into the water and drowned.[68]

On February 1, 2018, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department named Wagner a "person of interest" in the investigation into Wood's death.[63] Robert Wagner has denied any involvement in Wood's death.[69][63][70] On May 27, 2022, Lieutenant Hugo Reynaga announced that all leads in the case have been exhausted and that the case remains open and unsolved.[71]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1951 The Frogmen Lt. (jg) Franklin
Halls of Montezuma Pvt. Coffman
Let's Make It Legal Jerry Denham
1952 With a Song in My Heart GI Paratrooper
Stars and Stripes Forever Willie Little
What Price Glory? Private Lewisohn
1953 Beneath the 12-Mile Reef Tony Petrakis First lead role
Titanic Gifford "Giff" Rogers
The Silver Whip Jess Harker
1954 Broken Lance Joe Devereaux
Prince Valiant Prince Valiant
1955 White Feather Josh Tanner
1956 A Kiss Before Dying Bud Corliss
Between Heaven and Hell Sam Gifford
The Mountain Christopher Teller
1957 The True Story of Jesse James Jesse James
Stopover Tokyo Mark Fannon
1958 The Hunters Lt. Pell
In Love and War Frank "Frankie" O'Neill
1959 Say One for Me Tony Vincent
1960 All the Fine Young Cannibals Chad Bixby (based on Chet Baker)
1961 Sail a Crooked Ship Gilbert Barrows
1962 The Longest Day US Army Ranger
The War Lover Lt Ed Boland
The Condemned of Altona Werner von Gerlach
1963 The Pink Panther George Lytton
1966 Harper Allan Taggert
1967 Banning Mike Banning
1968 The Biggest Bundle of Them All Harry Price
Don't Just Stand There! Lawrence Colby
1969 Winning Luther Erding
1972 Madame Sin Anthony Lawrence
1974 The Towering Inferno Dan Bigelow
1976 Midway Lieutenant Commander Ernest L. Blake
1979 The Concorde... Airport '79 Kevin Harrison
1983 Curse of the Pink Panther George Lytton
I Am the Cheese Dr. Brint
1991 Delirious Jack Gates (uncredited)
1992 The Player Himself
1993 Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Bill Krieger
1997 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery Number Two
1998 Wild Things Tom Baxter
1999 Crazy in Alabama Harry Hall
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Number Two
2000 Play It to the Bone Hank Goody
Becoming Dick Edward
2001 Sol Goode Sol's Dad
2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember Number Two
2003 Hollywood Homicide Himself
2004 El Padrino Paul Fisch
2006 Everyone's Hero Mr. Robinson Voice only
Hoot Mayor Grandy
2007 Netherbeast Incorporated President James Garfield
Man in the Chair Taylor Moss
A Dennis the Menace Christmas Mr. Wilson
2009 The Wild Stallion Novak
2010 Life's a Beach Tom Wald
2014 The Hungover Games Liam
2016 Thirty Nine Father
Lend a Hand for Love Narrator Short film
2017 What Happened to Monday Charles Benning
2020 Jay Sebring....Cutting to the Truth Self Documentary
2021 Space Jam: A New Legacy Number Two Archival recording

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1953 Juke Box Jury Himself Unknown episodes
1957 The Dinah Shore Chevy Show Himself One episode
1963 The Eleventh Hour Kenny Walsh Episode: "And God Created Vanity"
1966 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Lt. Commander Nick Raino / Harry Brophy Episodes: "The Enemy on the Beach" and "Runaway Bay"
1967 How I Spent My Summer Vacation Jack Washington Television movie
1968–1970 It Takes a Thief Alexander Mundy 66 episodes
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (1970)
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (1970)
1970 The Name of the Game Nick Freitas Episode: "The War Merchants"
The Red Skelton Hour Colossal Boy Episode: "The Family Business"
1971 The Name of the Game Dave Corey Episode: "The Man Who Killed a Ghost"
City Beneath the Sea Brett Matthews Television movie
Crosscurrent / The Cable-Car Murder Howard McBride Television movie
Perlico - Perlaco Robert Wagner Television movie
1972 Killer by Night Dr. Larry Ross Television movie
The Streets of San Francisco David J. Farr Episode: "Pilot"
1972–1974 Colditz Flight Lieutenant Phil Carrington 14 episodes
1973 The Affair Marcus Simon Television movie
1975 The Abduction of Saint Anne Dave Hatcher Television movie
1975–1978 Switch Pete T. Ryan 71 episodes
1976 Death at Love House Joel Gregory (Jr. & Sr.) Television movie
Laurence Olivier Presents Brick Episode: "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"
1977 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Himself Episode: "The Mystery of the Hollywood Phantom: Part II"
1978 The Critical List Dr. Nick Sloan Television movie
Pearl Capt. Cal Lankford Television miniseries
1979–1984 Hart to Hart Jonathan Hart 111 episodes
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (1980)
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (1981)
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (1983)
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (1984)
1980 The Jacques Cousteau Odyssey Narrator 2 episodes
1981 The Fall Guy Himself Episode: "The Meek Shall Inherit Rhonda"
1984 To Catch a King Joe Jackson Television movie
1985–1986 Lime Street James Greyson Culver 8 episodes
1986 There Must Be a Pony Ben Nichols Television movie
1987 Love Among Thieves Mike Chambers Television movie
1988 Windmills of the Gods Milk Slade Television miniseries
Indiscreet Philip Adams Television movie
1989 Around the World in 80 Days Alfred Bennett Television miniseries
1991 This Gun for Hire "Raven" Television movie
False Arrest Ron Lukezic Television movie
1992 Jewels Charles Davenport Television miniseries
1993 Les audacieux Charles Madigan Television movie
1994 Parallel Lives Sheriff Television movie
The Arsenio Hall Show Himself One episode
North & South: Book 3, Heaven & Hell Cooper Main Television miniseries
1995 Cybill Jonathan Hart Uncredited
Episode: "Virgin, Mother, Crone"
1997 Seinfeld Dr. Abbot Episode: "The Yada Yada"
1999 Fatal Error Albert Teal Television movie
Camino de Santiago William Derek Television miniseries
2000 Rocket's Red Glare Gus Baker Television movie
Becoming Dick Edward Television movie
2001 The Retrievers Durham Haysworth Television movie
2003 A Screwball Homicide Sheldon Bennett Television movie
On the Spot Barry Butters Episode: "Little Brenda Dynamite"
2003–2006 Hope & Faith Jack Fairfield 7 episodes
2005 The Simpsons Himself Episode: "Goo Goo Gai Pan"
The Fallen Ones Morton Television movie
Category 7: The End of the World Senator Ryan Carr Television movie
2006 Las Vegas Alex Avery Credited as Robert J. Wagner
Episode: "Cash Springs Eternal"
Boston Legal Barry Goal Episodes: "BL: Los Angeles" and "Spring Fever"
2007 Hustle Anthony Westley Episode: "As One Flew Out, One Flew In"
2007–2008 Two and a Half Men Teddy Leopold 5 episodes
2008 Pretty/Handsome Scotch Fitzpayne Unaired pilot
The Bonnie Hunt Show Himself One episode
2010–2019 NCIS Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. 13 episodes
2012 Happily Divorced Douglas Episode: "Meet the Parents"
The League "Gumpa" Duke Episode: "Bro-Lo El Cordero"
2013 Futurama Himself (voice) Episode "Calculon 2.0"
2014 Hot in Cleveland Jim Episode: "Bossy Cups"
Northpole Santa Claus Television movie
2017 Date My Dad Armand Episode: "Graduation Day"
2018 Donna's Inferno The Evil One Unknown episodes

Books

[edit]
  • Wagner, Robert J. (with Scott Eyman) (2008). Pieces of My Heart: A Life. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0-06-137331-2.
  • Wagner, Robert J. (with Scott Eyman) (2014). You Must Remember This: The Life and Style of Hollywood's Golden Age. New York: Viking. ISBN 978-0-670-02609-8.
  • Wagner, Robert J. (with Scott Eyman) (2016). I Loved Her in the Movies: Memories of Hollywood's Legendary Actresses. New York: Viking. ISBN 978-0-525-42911-1.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Birthdays". The Modesto Bee. The Associated Press. February 10, 2021. p. 2A. Actor Robert Wagner is 91.
  2. ^ Wagner (2008), p. 9.
  3. ^ Wagner (2008), p. 10.
  4. ^ Robert Wagner on Instagram: Today is a very hard day. Early this morning, my sister, Mary, passed away. While she is no longer in pain, she will be terribly missed. Please keep her children and grandchildren in your thoughts.
  5. ^ "Robert Wagner Family: Wives, Daughters, Ex-Girlfriends, Parents, Grandparents".
  6. ^ "Pieces of My Heart". NPR. July 15, 2011. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
  7. ^ Fessier, Bruce (January 25, 2017). "Robert Wagner surviving celeb fame and taking it to writers fest". The Desert Sun.
  8. ^ p.34 Wagner, Robert & Eyman, Scott Pieces of My Heart Random House, 2010
  9. ^ a b c King, Susan (March 27, 1999). "Q. & A.; Busy, Ageless Robert Wagner Sits Down for a Heart to Heart". Los Angeles Times (Home ed.). p. 2.
  10. ^ a b c d "The Life Story of ROBERT WAGNER". Picture Show. Vol. 60, no. 1573. London. May 23, 1953. p. 12.
  11. ^ Schallert, Edwin (December 2, 1953). "Drama: Robert Wagner to Star in 'Lord Vanity;' Heavy Giles Role to Douglas". Los Angeles Times. p. B9.
  12. ^ THOMAS McDONALD (June 14, 1959). "PRESENTING A HAPPY 'ACT': WAGNER AND WOOD". The New York Times. p. X7.
  13. ^ HOWARD THOMPSON (January 21, 1961). "WAGNER STEPS UP WORK IN MOVIES: Actor Forms Concern, Signs 3-Picture Columbia Deal". The New York Times. p. 18.
  14. ^ a b c d e Megan Rosenfeld (August 9, 1985). "Robert Wagner, Durably Dapper: The Actor Moves Into '55 Lime Street,' His Fourth Series, and This Time He's a Father Durable Robert Wagner". The Washington Post. p. E1.
  15. ^ p. 249 Curtis, Tony & Golenbock, Peter American Prince: My Autobiography Random House, March 30, 2010
  16. ^ Harris, Warren G (1988). Natalia and R.J.: The Star-Crossed Love Affair of Natalie and Robert. Graymalkin Publishers. ISBN 978-1-935169-86-4. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  17. ^ Bergman, Anne (February 3, 2000). "MOVIES; Ever the Man About Town; After a half-century in Hollywood, the roles keep coming for the ever charming Robert Wagner". Los Angeles Times (Home ed.). p. CAL.12.
  18. ^ Wagner. p.216.
  19. ^ Wagner. Page 205.
  20. ^ Wagner. Page 208.
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  22. ^ "Robert Wagner "You Must Remember This" Book Signing Event – Book Signing Central". Booksigningcentral.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  23. ^ Tom Mankiewicz, My Life as a Mankiewicz: An Insider's Journey Through Hollywood (with Robert Crane) University Press of Kentucky 2012 p 222
  24. ^ "Curse of the Pink Panther". February 2, 2009. Archived from the original on October 25, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2019 – via Amazon.
  25. ^ "I Am the Cheese (1983)". Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2019 – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  26. ^ Lawler, Sylvia (June 20, 1985). "TV'S REIGNING MALE MOVIE STAR ROBERT WAGNER IS A STUDIO SYSTEM PRODUCT WHO HAS RETAINED HIS LUSTER ON THE SMALL SCREEN". Morning Call (FIFTH ed.). p. D.03.
  27. ^ Mann, Roderick (July 5, 1986). "ROBERT WAGNER: RELUCTANT STAR IN A VERY BUSY UNIVERSE". Los Angeles Times (Home ed.). p. 1.
  28. ^ Herman, Jan (June 4, 1993). "THEATER / JAN HERMAN A Little Heart-to-Heart Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers Turn a New Page on Old TV Romance in 'Love Letters' Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers Will Be Airing Their 'Love Letters' in Cerritos". Los Angeles Times (Orange County ed.). p. 23.
  29. ^ King, Susan (October 31, 1993). "Can Two Harts Win Friday Night's Hand? THE FIRST OF FOUR MYSTERY MOVIES ON NBC TESTS THE SPARKS". Los Angeles Times (Home ed.). p. 4.
  30. ^ Biography for Robert Wagner at IMDb
  31. ^ "Robert Wagner Becomes Spokesman for Senior Lending Network; Senior Lending Network To Embark on Nationwide Marketing Campaign". Business Wire. February 14, 2005. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012.
  32. ^ "'Hustle' cons way onto American soil". Archived from the original on April 22, 2007. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  33. ^ "Flesh and Blood" (2010), "Broken Arrow" (2010), "Sins of the Father" (2011), "You Better Watch Out" (2012), "Dressed to Kill" (2014), "The Artful Dodger" (2015), "No Good Deed" (2015), "Reasonable Doubts" (2016), "Family First" (2016), "Home of the Brave" (2016), "Nonstop" (2017), "Death from Above" (2018) and "Bears and Cubs" (2019)
  34. ^ "The Mystery of Natalie Wood (2004)". Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  35. ^ "Wanted: New Charlie for 'Charlie's Angels'". Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  36. ^ "Raquel Welch – Her Career, Being Difficult & Some Gossip – HaphazardStuff". July 9, 2019. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
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  38. ^ Robert Wagner with Scott Eyman Eyman, Pieces of My Heart: A Life (HarperCollins, 2009)
  39. ^ Wagner Page 58
  40. ^ Friedman, Roger (August 2, 2002). "Robert Wagner on Natalie Wood, 'Tadpoling' and Survival". Fox News. Archived from the original on May 24, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  41. ^ Perroni, Sam (December 21, 2021). "Chapter 9: The Bond Girl". Brainstorm: An Investigation of the Mysterious Death of Film Star Natalie Wood. Franklin, TN: Post Hill Press (Simon & Schuster). pp. 21, 81. ISBN 9781637583746.
  42. ^ "Natalie Wood's anguish after seeing husband Robert Wagner 'romping' with butler". Daily Mirror. March 23, 2020.
  43. ^ Perroni, Sam (December 21, 2021). "Chapter 9: The Bond Girl". Brainstorm: An Investigation of the Mysterious Death of Film Star Natalie Wood. Franklin, TN: Post Hill Press (Simon & Schuster). pp. 21, 81. ISBN 9781637583746.
  44. ^ See "Film Pair Separate" The Berkeley Gazette, Jun. 20, 1961. See also "Newly Divorced Natalie Wood Off To Europe With Boyfriend" Hickory Daily Record, Apr. 28, 1962.
  45. ^ "Robert Wagner's Marriage Ends". The Spokesman-Review. October 14, 1971. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  46. ^ Joyce Haber (June 30, 1970). "Tina Sinatra Plans To Marry Wagner". The Ithaca Journal. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  47. ^ Finn, Natalie (February 3, 2018). "Inside Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner's Tumultuous Romance". E! Online. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  48. ^ a b Wallace, David (October 18, 1983). "A Sister Remembers". People. Archived from the original on November 20, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  49. ^ "Sister of Natalie Wood reveals 'gay affair' caused divorce". News.com.au. July 29, 2018. Archived from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  50. ^ Valentines Special – Cooking With Anton, February 11, 2010, event occurs at 7:47
  51. ^ Wallace, David (August 30, 1982). "Friends Say It's Love". People. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  52. ^ "After 8 years, Wagner weds Jill St. John". The Province. May 28, 1990.
  53. ^ Wagner. Page 325.
  54. ^ "Sale price *finally* revealed (after more than a year!) for the 4,556-square-foot house in Los Angeles' Brentwood area that actor Robert Wagner and actress Jill St. John sold in July 2007; couple fet". BergProperties.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  55. ^ Post, Bill Husted | The Denver (September 18, 2008). "Aspen is home, sweet home for actor Wagner". Archived from the original on June 14, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  56. ^ Wagner (2008), p. 323.
  57. ^ Marti Rulli; Dennis Davern (2009). Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour. Phoenix Books. p. 219. ISBN 978-1-4804-9756-6.
  58. ^ a b c Winton, Richard (July 9, 2012). "Natalie Wood death probe yields more unanswered questions". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 20, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
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  62. ^ Noguchi, Thomas T.; DiMona, Joseph (1983). Coroner. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 43. ISBN 0-671-46772-7.
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