[NationalEnquirer] What late ’70s, early ’80s sitcom star went to his grave with a huge secret surrounding the mystery of Natalie Wood’s de*th? The legendary character actor didn’t want to get involved in the case, but he wasn’t shy about sharing what he knew about that fateful night Natalie drowned off the coast of Catalina Island!
Harry Morgan?
How about Lionel Stander? He played Max, a limo driver on Hart to Hart — which starred Robert Wagner! Hart to Hart ran from 1979 to 1984 and Stander died in 1994. You may not have heard of him but I believe he would be considered legendary because he started his acting career in 1926 and then starred in films for every year until the late 40s.
I like this guess.
Really, good guess!!
Was Stander a sitcom star?
John Ritter was 10 years younger than Natalie; but does he have any connection to her or RJ?
I totally thought of John Ritter when reading this too…I’ll have to see if I can find a connection to Wagner or Walken.
Ditto, folks.
I wonder exactly what he knew? Obviously it was something other than the official story if he kept silent until he died.
I like the John Ritter guess. Wasn’t John Ritter on the same boat the night Natalie died? I think I read that somewhere. Does anyone know who was all on the same boat/yacht?
someone dies and someone doesn’t want to get involved…how does that make any ethical sense?
Harry Morgan.
Robert Stack
Did Stack and Wagner hang out together? They seemed like two of a kind so I could see Stack knowing what happened.
As to how, it’s possible that Wagner or Walken confessed to a friend and made them swear to not go to the authorities.
Someone else telling about this would only know by heresay, so that’s no good, is it? And I’m sure that the mystery man’s name is still protected, even in death. And since he’s dead, he can’t testify, so what good would it do to name him?
IMHO, RW pulled off the perfect crime.
They knew each other 50 years. Also Stack is mentioned as a friend in RW’s book. I read Wagner taught Stack to play golf. A 50 year friendship says a lot.
Robert Stack was not in any sit-com.
I’m going to say Telly Savalas. Or does sitcom have to be haha/comedy?!
What sitcom was Telly Savalas ever in? Kojak was not a sitcom.
“Sitcom” MEANS “situation comedy.”
Norman Fell?
Tony Randall?
I am liking the Tony Randall guess
Tony Randall was more early to mid 70s than late 70s-80s.
Actually, his work in the late 70s was The Tony Randall Show and the early 80s was Love, Sydney. The Odd Couple ran 1970-75. I am still liking this guess. TR was a man who could keep a secret!
But what did he possibly have to do with this story? How would he know anything? From the lack of clues given we could pull out the name of ANY dead sitcom star from that time. I really don’t think this story is true.
“From the lack of clues given we could pull out the name of ANY dead sitcom star from that time.”
Agreed.
Also, how could this man go to his grave with his secret yet he wasn’t shy about sharing what he knew? If the National Enquirer meant he didn’t go to the police that’s one thing. But that’s quite different than never saying a word to anyone. The way this blind was written makes it sound as if the guy told quite a few people.
There were other people on the boat/yacht that night , besides Wagner,Wood and Walkens. So maybe some of the other guess seen,or heard something?
How would he know anything about it when we have never heard about him being on the scene?
If he wasn’t shy about sharing what he knew, why didn’t anyone ever contact the police about it? Why have we never heard about this before? If he’s dead, why is his name being kept secret? I really question items like this as to their veracity.
Outlineboy, i really enjoy reading your comments and like how you bring up very valid points – in particular when everyone is swinging one way about a topic or a guess, you say something that is really obvious that goes against what everyone else is saying!
“If he’s dead why is his name being kept secret?”
Yup. I’m with you again. The only thing I could come up with is that his family/loved ones may want to keep this quiet so as not to damage his reputation postumously. But would legal acton be taken against the individual who released the information? Stuff like this (many worse accusations, actually) have been printed in tell-all auto/biographies. Makes little sense to me.
No one will ever know what really happened to Natalie Wood. Everyone was drunk and irrational. Nothing will come of this and that’s sad. But, only Robert Wagner and Christoper Walken know what happened and they aren’t talking. It’s past the statute of limitations. Nothing can happen.
Awful to perhaps be murdered and have the killer walk away from it.
If the case is reopened as a homicide there is no state of limitations on a homicide.
Only if one of them confessed to a crime. Unless, they can prove premeditated murder:
“If investigators manage to learn Wood’s death was not an accident, however, they won’t likely be able to prosecute anyone for foul play. Whether it was a case of involuntary manslaughter or second degree murder, the statute of limitations has long passed.
If the LAPD could prove Wood’s death was a planned first degree or felony murder, that would be another matter. A “willful, deliberate and premeditated” murder has no statute of limitations in California and would still be prosecutable, but the LAPD would be hard-pressed to find proof of intent for Wagner, Walken, Davern or some unknown assailant — unless of course one of them decided to confess or admit to being a witness.”
How about Tom Bosley?
I like the Tom Bosley guess, I’m riding that one.
Actually, when this tragedy happened, my friend an actress who was a friend of Natalie’s, said that Natalie actually knew that Walken and Wagner were having a fling together for a while. She didn’t want Walken on the boat and Wagner invited him. Supposedly, Natalie walked in on them getting it on and was disturbed by it all. They had all been drinking and getting touchy feely with each other, she was the odd man out.She threatened to tell all and then it got ugly. It was understood that Wagner would have his man-flings on the side as long as he didn’t flaunt it in her face. He didn’t want to be exposed…neither of them. It makes sense now that Walken hired an attorney just in case.
Could be Tony Randall. He prbably knew a lot of gossip through his work in film, tv, and theater. I have heard that in Hollywood the talk almost immediately after Natalie’s death that the fight was over RJ’s tryst with Walken, which Natalie was very upset about. Makes sense to me. To closeted Closte Tony, who married very late in life, this would have been a choice tidbit.
Knowing gossip is not the same as knowing truth.
Tony Randall was married for 50 years to his first wife, then 9 years to his widow. Although, I have to admit that I always got a “gay vibe” from him. He was probably just metro. Also, I never thought RJ was anything but all hetro.
Is this the fifth blind alluded to earlier??
It’s gotta be someone from MASH. I think the “d*eath” is a clue and they used to spell MASH as M*A*S*H. So either Harry Morgan or my guess is maybe Mclean Stevenson. He was pretty big during that time.
Dammit, Colombo would have had this solved years ago.