Robert Wagner To Break Silence on Wife's Death

Actor Robert Wagner is about to break his silence on events surrounding the death of his wife, movie star Natalie Wood, who drowned in 1981 after disappearing from a yacht, The Sunday Times reports.

In his upcoming autobiography Pieces of My Heart, the 78-year-old actor attempts to dispel rumors that he was somehow involved in the death of Wood, the Oscar-nominated actress he married twice, the Times reports.

The tragic nature of Wood's death lead to rumors that the actress was having an affair with Christopher Walken, who was aboard the yacht with Wagner and Wood the night she died, and that the affair was discovered by Wagner.

Among revelations cited by the Times, Wagner admits for the first time that he was jealous of Walken for his early career success. He also says he felt his wife was being "emotionally unfaithful" to him on the set of 'Brainstorm,' in which Wood co-starred with Walken.


Wagner's account of events are that tensions boiled over during a late dinner on the yacht, which was moored off the island of Santa Catalina near Los Angeles. Wagner said he became upset when Walken suggested that Wood do more movies instead of caring for their two young children, lost his temper and smashed a wine bottle on the table, prompting Wood to go below to the cabin.


Wagner said he eventually calmed down with Walken but when he went to check on his wife discovered that she was missing and so was the yacht's dinghy. The coast guard found the empty dinghy a few hours later and Wood's body was also discovered floating nearby.


Wagner has been married to his current wife, 67-year-old actress Jill St. John, since 1990.



http://www.etonline.com/media/photo/2008/08/55757/400_rwagner_081708_getty56726089.jpg