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.
GREAT READ ABOUT A REAL MOVIE STAR THEY DON'T HAVE ANY OF THESE TODAY!!! Robert Wagner has been a favorite since before I hit my teenage years..I just bought a 2nd copy for a best friend from "our generation" sure I could have shared mine but no way..I want to look at it again & again..I watched all his TV shows with Hart to Hart being a show I wouldn't miss..I followed his career all through out my life and his..I may have even had Natalie Wood and RJ paper dolls..they did those back then for the favorites..if you are young you can't even begin to understand the "magic" that Natalie Wood and RJ had through all the turbulent times and the most exciting times...growing up loving the stars as he did and then to live all his dreams..wow..how blessed...I along with half the world was terribly saddened, deep felt grief when he lost Natalie..But the children kept him going... Then the Lord got him back with Jill St John and he has been blessed once again in his life, with joy and happiness...If you like to read about "real movie stars" the good old days of Hollywood this is a MUST HAVE BOOK FOR YOU.. MAY God continue to bless you Robert Wagner..a true MOVIESTAR!!!!!!!!!
Stellar read I saw Mr Wagner promoting his book on T.V. and I was intrigued. I found it to be a very well written and engaging book in more ways than one. He is truly one of the last of Hollywoods golden era. Stellar read!
A well-crafted memoir Robert Wagner is one of those actors whose presence in a production neither induces nor discourages my watching it. My recollection is that he always seems at his best in roles calling for an attractive guy who looks good in his clothes and gets his lines right. And this well-written, briskly paced memoir reveals a person who seems exactly that. Namely, a healthy, relatively uncomplicated, good-looking, good-natured chap who shows up on time and does his job (lending credence to Woody Allen's assertion that 80 percent of success is just showing up.) The major figure in Mr Wagner's life was the actress Natalie Wood, whom he married twice. Unhappily, his major claim to public attention may ultimately be the widely discussed tragedy of her death in a manner considered mysterious if not suspicious at the time.
Robert Wagner lived in Hollywood, saw the screen stars of his youth -- the 1940s -- in person, and decided that he wanted to be one. He made the acquaintance of some of them through his job as a caddy at the BelAir Country Club and thereby gained access to the Hollywood scene, mostly, I surmise, on the strength of his wholesome good looks. He was very young and without the perspective of university, military, or career experiences to temper the education that show business provided. I compliment him for many years of success, for what are apparently many positive personal relationships, and for having turned out as "normal" as he apparently has in a business where thousands of good-looking, more-talented people fail.
Pieces of My Heart Pieces of My Heart is an interesting read with great insight into Mr. Wagners private life and career. However, in almost every chapter there are repeated references to Natalie Wood and his father, which gets a bit tedious. I finished the book believing that Mr. Wagner is the nice man I always thought he might be.
Interesting Story This book is very interesting if you ever enjoyed Robert Wagner in the movies or television series he was in. I think he and Natalie Wood were very much in love and what a tragedy it was for her to die so suddenly. I would recommend anyone who is a RW fan to buy this book.
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