I’ve always wondered about the circumstances surrounding the death of beautiful actress Natalie Wood. Her death always seemed a little suspicious to me. There were so many things unanswered.
“In the early morning hours of Nov. 29, 1981, Hollywood’s “princess” perished in the chilly waters off Catalina Island. Authorities believed Natalie Wood accidentally slipped into the water while attempting to transfer aboard a small dinghy attached to her 55-foot yacht.” (Courtesy of Hollywood Crimes, Investigation Discovery)
Born Natasha Gurdin in 1938, Wood had a very successful movie career and was nominated for an Oscar at the young age of 17 for her work in “A Rebel Without a Cause.” There were rumors about Wood’s personal life, that she “got around.” In 1957 she married Robert Wagner, and although they divorced, they would later decide to try again. They remarried.
While working on a film with Christopher Walken, Wood, Wagner, and Walken went out for drinks on Catalina Island. Here is the remaining story:
“Days after his wife’s death, spokespeople for Wagner stated his wife died from an accidental slip. He claimed she went to bed on the yacht, but became annoyed by the insistent banging of the dinghy against the yacht. Wood went out to try and stop the noise, slipped over the side railing of the boat into the ocean, and drowned in the chilly water.
The skipper, Dennis Davern, had a different tale.
Davern claimed Walken and Wagner were fighting with each other — over Natalie Wood. Apparently, Wagner became incensed because he believed Walken wanted to sleep with his wife. Davern claimed that Wagner broke a wine bottle, held it up to Walken’s face, and screamed at the actor, “Go ahead and f*** her if you want to so badly!” The altercation upset Wood so much she hurriedly escaped to the dinghy to seek solace.
Who knows if either one of these stories is true?
Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the so-called coroner to the stars, was not certain, but he definitely had a theory. According to his book, Coroner, Noguchi learned some interesting information from a colleague who was not only a fellow coroner, but also happened to be moored near Wood’s yacht on the morning of her death. The friend hinted at something far less sinister, but possibly much more tragic.
Noguchi’s colleague believed Wood did indeed escape to the dinghy. She then slipped and fell into the water. Instead of being worried, however, she did not panic because she was only a couple of feet away from the yacht. Wood attempted to crawl up the side of the dinghy, but could not get inside due to the watered-down coat she had been wearing. Her coat probably weighed anywhere from 30-40 pounds — quite a burden for a 100-pound woman in icy cold water with a .14 percent (or higher) blood alcohol level.
As Wood attempted to get into the dinghy, she must have realized it was drifting away from the yacht out into the open sea. This realization led to a more frightened state, as there were reports of a woman screaming for help.
Simultaneously, a thoughtless band of revelers were cranking up their stereo on a party boat, drowning out her pleas for help.
According to Noguchi’s friend, Wood realized no one was coming to save her, so she had to take action. She grabbed the 11-foot dinghy and steered it back toward the shore. She was possibly aware of a wind stream that could propel her and the boat to safety. Somehow, the diminutive woman did just that. Frightened, slightly intoxicated, shivering cold and weighed down with soaked clothes, Natalie Wood was determined to live.
She almost made it.
The dinghy was found early the next morning on the shore of Blue Cavern on the northern isthmus side of Catalina Island. Her body was found floating, in her red coat, less than 200 yards from shore. She was only minutes away from saving her own life.
No one knows for sure how Natalie Wood perished. No one is talking either.
Walken and Wagner refuse to comment on that night. The skipper is not considered the most reliable source.
Was it an accident? Was there foul play?”
What is your opinion on the death of Natalie Wood? Have a great day friends!
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omg, I have always thought there was foul play involved here. What a great post!You always get me thinking!!!!! xOxO
wow, natalie wood was so beautiful! poor thing, though
I think it was an accident, although it still sounds very fishy… very tragic…
My dad was like obsessed with this lady. Her death sends up a red flag in my book. It was probably just an accident if both men loved her but it just still doesn’t sound right to me. She was beautiful! I never realized it was Christopher Walken who also was in love with her. I love hearing the back stories to things. Poor lady. R.I.P.
Natalie was said to have been afraid of drowning during her lifetime. That’s so sad that she ended up dying that way. Hopefully, it was just an accident. The story in general just seems bizarre. I guess she could have fallen off and they wouldn’t notice if all of them were completely plastered. It’s so sad though.
I remember when this happened, but never heard about all the theories as to how everything happened…wow – wonder why a movie hasn’t been made about her – guess a lot of the ‘players’ are still here to ‘discourage’ it – but it would be a fascinating tale, it appears…
I DO know I have always thought she was insanely beautiful… her eyes are just unbelieveable!
Thanks for the info, Ms. Blondie…I learned something today. Glad you are still cranking out the blog (hope all is well with the ‘unwanted guests…) …love the new ‘design’…MM in horned-rims? priceless!
VKMfan
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It is an intriguing mystery, isn’t it? So sad.
Hi dear Kori!-)*
What a nice background do you have now,these is fresh and specially for a spring time!-)))
Natalie Wood…realy amazing story, and I think you never know what is the true,an realy true!-(
SO nice actris and very special lady,I have always loves her!
Thank you,darlyng Kori for those intersting history about Natalie!
Many love and hugs,
***Violetta***
What a crazy story! So many early deaths end in such mystery. Great post!
It’s like the Kennedy assassination. We will never know for sure. One thing is certain…..Wagner and Walken will never be straightforward about that night.
I loved her and found the circumstances around her death very mysterious. She was such a beauty. I also saw somewhere that she was deathly afraid of water, and not a good swimmer at all. I vaguely remember some incident that happened while filming a movie when she was a child that involved her falling into a creek or something…
I guess we’ll never know.
I love this woman! She led a very interesting life, and then ofcourse her death. I don’t think anyone will ever know what really happened to her, although I believe it was a tragic accident. There are a couple pretty good books that delve into the theories, but I prefer to focus on her in her films. She made a lot of good ones.
I don’t know. I had never actually heard this many details before. Maybe I didn’t want to know. Robert Wagner was always one of my favorites, and I hated to think he may have played any part…
She was always so beautiful, but tragic; her eyes always seemed so sad, as though they’d seen too little joy.
I truly hope, for the sake of those left behind, that it was purely an innocent accident, that no one else was at fault, for can you imagine the burden the guilty would carry for the rest of their lives?
Truly an interesting story! I have always liked Natalie Wood. Since she married him twice, I always thought that she was very happy with Robert Wagner (I know that’s not always the case). However she died, it was truly tragic. I do believe it was an accident of some sort, I can’t imagine that either of these men had anything to do directly with her death, indirectly maybe.
I know I am repeating myself but I am very glad you are back!
Hmm.. I always heard that as well… they were drinking at the time of her death.I think they were probably drunk and she slippped and fell into the water.
I always heard he loved her so much.She was gorgeous I think!
Hi Kori
I am so glad to see you still here and really sorry for whatever hassle it is you have been having….I hope it hasn’t shaken you up too much….
Her death has always intrigued me too, I know what you mean. I think Robert Wagner wrote a book recently and I read his account of the night…..I think, as he seemed to, that it was a tragic accident. I had not heard that she was regarded as “loose” but I know that she did drink….I assume that she had just drunk too much and either fell from the boat or did try to get into a dinghy (for whatever reason) and drowned that way.
She was so beautiful though, I wonder what would have become of her. She is my husband’s favourite, he adores her!
Take care honey 🙂
I always thought that she was “rather loose” but there aren’t too many in Hollywood that aren’t. …anyway…. I don’t really think it was malicious. No doubt they were all pretty drunk & her death was a terrible accident.
Could you imagine being these 2 “jack-asses” ((Waulken & Wagner)) & having to live with the fact that given a bit of “smarts” this wouldn’t have happened.
WHAT A WASTE……
Great Post!!
Smile,
Marilyn
xxoo
maybe it was an acident.. bt who knows many things go on in hollywood deaths. like brittany murphy death suposdly it was her doctors fault but well in this case its really tricky to know. glad your back hun (:
-cris