Hollywood Mystery: Natalie Wood

It is a strange story, even by Hollywood standards. It happened in 1981, so, with the passage of time you would think the interest would go away. The shelf life on any story is no more than a blink of the eye nowadays. Still, this case sputters on. And, now, with the reopening of the investigation--- and, the rumors which are getting stronger--- we may finally learn what happened that November night when Natalie Wood drowned...... The facts are these: Natalie Wood, 43 years of age, was found floating in the Pacific Ocean, just off  Santa Catalina Island on the morning of November 29, 1981. She had been in the water several hours before her death. A small, rubber inflatable dinghy was nearby. The autopsy report said that she had a blood alcohol level of 0.14, almost twice over the legal limit. She had two types of prescription drugs in her system, one for motion sickness and one that was a painkiller. Both drugs were legally prescribed by her doctor. However, because she had these drugs in her system, when mixed with the alcohol, this made her even more intoxicated. There were also bruises on her body and arms and an abrasion on her left cheek. The coroner, Thomas Noguchi, concluded that the bruises had occured when she fell in the water, perhaps, hitting the boat or dinghy along the way of the fall. Natalie Wood was on the boat with her husband, Robert Wagner, and, also two other men, fellow actor Christopher Walken, and the ship's captain, Dennis Davern. All three men later testified that after a night of dinner and drinks, the two actors went to bed and Natalie stayed up. After the men retired, nobody saw her again. After a certain amount of time, Wagner became concerned that he could not find his wife anywhere on the boat. After checking with Walken and Davern, Wagner called the shore patrol, who then alerted the police. Robert Wagner told the authorities that his wife was missing and that a dinghy was also missing from the boat. The police asked Wagner if he thought that Natalie would have taken the dinghy out by herself. Robert Wagner did not think so. His wife was terrified of deep water...... The coroners office, working with the L.A. police, concluded that it was an accidental drowning. No foul play involved. It seemed like a sad ending to one of Hollywood's most popular stars. From childhood star in ''Miracle On 34th Street'' to ''Splendor In The Grass'' to ''West Side Story'', Natalie Wood seemed to have a charmed life. She was beautiful, popular, certainly dated around with the famous, and, was generally well-liked in the industry. She was married [ for the second time ] to Robert Wagner, himself a well-liked, if lightweight actor. They had children together and seemed to be the Golden Couple. Natalie Wood seemed to be on top of the world. There appeared to be no dark clouds in her life. Her only fear in life, of all things, was of drowning in deep, dark water....... Soon after the investigation was closed, the rumors started. Natalie Wood, it was determined by police, decided either to get away from the boat for awhile and took the dinghy out into the water, or,  perhaps, she heard the dinghy knocking against the boat and tried to untie it and then fell in. There was a story that a boat nearby heard a woman crying for help in the middle of the night. This voice was pleading for someone to save her from the water. The nearby boat frantically searched for the source of the cry, but, found nothing. If this story is true--- and the police did check out the lead, but, found nothing came of it---- then why did not Wagner, Walken , and Davern not here the same voice? If Natalie accidently fell in the water, unless she knocked herself out somehow, there must have been some call for help from her. She was conscious, according to the coroner, for a little while. Why did the three men not hear her?......... There have been other rumors of this night that have always made the rounds in the gossip mill. One story was that Wood and Walken were having an affair. They both, at the time of her death, were co-starring in a forgettable movie together called, ''Brainstorm''. The stories that came from the set of the movie of a location fling between these two already were widespread. Robert Wagner must have heard them. Wagner himself, the star of the TV series, ''Hart To Hart'', was the subject of much gossip directed at the chemistry he and his co-star, Stefanie Powers had. Surely, Natalie Wood must have heard these rumors also. Why, Walken was invited on that ship that night has always kept people wondering. Allegedly, there was some kind of fierce verbal fight between Wagner and Walken at dinner that night. Over Natalie, perhaps? Another rumor that night was that the three were engaged in a threesome. And, there has also been the open question of why Natalie had bruises on her. Did she receive them before or after she went into the water? Finally, the big question: why did a woman, notorious for her fear of dark water, attempt to go out alone on a dangerously small dinghy in the middle of the night?..... Something else happened in this story. For years the pieces did not add up to a logical conclusion. What did the boat's captain know? Does he know more and was paid for his silence. Or, does he know nothing and is innocent in this? Was Natalie Wood beaten by someone on the boat before her drowning? Maybe, by a jealous husband, with alcohol in his system, confronting his wife's lover? And, what is Walken's role in all of this? What does he know? Both Walken and Wagner have dodged this question for decades. Walken denied having an affair with Natalie. But, a public denial does not mean that nothing happened between the two of them. And, Robert Wagner. He sure rebounded quickly after his wife's death. Within months, he was living with his future wife, Jill St. John. We are talking only a few months after Natalie's death. Mr. Grieving Husband sure was in a hurry to run to another woman's arms...... So, recently, we have the investigation reopened. There might be something to these rumors after all. The coroners office and the police have determined that Natalie Wood may have received her bruises prior to hitting the water. If this was true, then there was a raging male on board who gave her these marks. Someone who was  angry enough at her to possibly do harmful and deadly damage to her. There are only three who could have done this, remember. And, finally, the boat's captain, Dennis Davern, has come out within the last year and said that there was indeed an argument that night between the three actors. Why he has kept his silence this long is a mystery [ usually, when someone breaks a silence, money is the reason ]. But, his speaking up cannot be dismissed. He would be a reliable witness, certainly, the most important. Wagner and Walken continue to deny any foul play, but, if I was Wagner [ whom I have always suspected ] I would be a little worried. I am sure he has contacted a lawyer recently...... The coroner's office has amended the death certificate these last few days in the death of Natalie Wood. The cause of death went from being ''accidental drowning'' to ''undetermined''......