Biography of Natalie Wood
Wood, born Natalia Zakharenko on July 20, 1938 in San Francisco, Calif., starred in multiple films as a child and received her big break in the entertainment industry in 1947s “Miracle on 34th Street” when she became an instant child movie star at the age of four. Wood played Susan Walker and is still remembered today as the little girl who doubted Santa Claus in the classic Christmas film.
Wood was unique in the fact that despite being a successful actress as a young child, she was still able to make an easy transition through adolescence without ever being out of work. Before the public knew it, Wood had blossomed from a pigtail-wearing kindergartener to a beautiful teenager, capable of playing the love interest of many. She appeared in 18 films as a child. Her sister, Lana Wood, was also an actress and most notably a Bond girl, and eventually became a Playboy Playmate.
The beautiful screen legend retained her star status as a teenager and made a smooth transition to grown-up roles, thanks to films such as 1955s “Rebel Without a Cause,” in which she starred alongside James Dean. As Jim Stark and Judy, the on-screen couple personified the feelings of the restless mid-50s American youth, and the classic film truly became a movie for all time. As an on-screen film companion of James Dean and an off-screen companion of the incomparable Elvis Presley, Wood was admired and envied by many young girls of the day for both her relationships and her glamour.
Her next film, The Searchers(1956), helped Wood to remain her superstar status as a teen actress as she starred alongside cowboy legend John Wayne. The Searchers was an epic Western film which told the story of Ethan Edwards, a bitter, middle-aged loner and Civil War veteran who spends many of his years “searching” for his abducted niece. The film turned out to be very influential in the movie world, inspiring other Western films, science fiction movies and even Bollywood films throughout the years.
The acting career of Wood continued to blossom, as she was adept at both comedy and serious drama. Some of her most well-known parts include her roles as Maria in the 1961 classic musical “West Side Story” and as Deanie in the critically acclaimed 1961 film “Splendor in the Grass.” Other significant films in which Wood starred include “Gypsy” (1962) and “Love With the Proper Stranger” (1963).
After filming "This Property is Condemned" (1966), she stayed away from films for the following three years. She finally returned to acting to play the role of Carol Sanders in "Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice"(1969). Following that film, she made few appearances on television, but spent most of her time with her family and friends. Her only major role until 1980 was in the television mini-series "From Here to Eternity."
Wood began filming for a film called "Brainstorm" in 1981, though the film was not released in 1983 and she unfortunately, did not live to see final version of the movie. The film was a science-fiction movie about a deranged husband and wife team who co-invent a special computer device which allows sensations and higher brain functions to be scanned directly from the brain.
Wood was sailing off of Santa Catalina Island with her husband Robert Wagner and their friend, Christopher Walken, when she disappeared one evening, supposedly while trying to get into a dinghy. Wood’s body washed ashore the next morning and the cause of death which cut her successful and family-oriented life short was determined as drowning.
In addition to Wagner, Wood was survived by her two daughters, Natasha Gregson Wagner, from her previous marriage to Richard Gregson, and Courtney Wagner, her daughter with Robert Wagner. Additional survivors included her stepdaughter Katie Wagner, her sister Lana, and her mother.
During her career, Wood was nominated for three Academy Awards and seven Golden Globes. Wood won the Golden Globe for “Most Promising Newcomer-Female” in 1957 alongside Carroll Baker and Jayne Mansfield, and took home the Golden Globe for “Best TV Actress-Drama” in 1980 for “From Here to Eternity.”
The Russian and French brunette bombshell will always be remembered for her acting capabilities, her ability to ease into adult roles from her pigtailed years as a child actor and her unfortunate death that was mourned by the world.
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
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