Natalie Wood's Little Sister Has Plenty To Say

"A cold case revived — and a life’s arc considered."

Lana Wood, Natalie Wood's younger sister was recently interviewed for an article and has some pretty interesting things to say, mostly about her sister's death during a night spent with her husband, Robert Wagner, and a guest, Christopher Walken, onboard their boat.

(This was discussed in a 2011 thread here on ATS.)

A few years back the captain of their boat said that there was more to the story.

As Lana tells it, her sister could not swim__at all__and doesn't buy that she got into the dinghy.

According to Detective Hernandez, Lana has been indispensable and credible. “She is the one family member willing to cooperate in the investigation,” he said. “We work for the victim’s family. So we consider Lana Natalie Wood’s family and that’s who we’re working for, to try and find out the truth about what happened to her sister. The case is going to stay open until we find out the truth of what happened.” Mr. Wagner’s publicist, Alan Nierob, declined to make his client available for comment on his relationship with Lana, or the case.

But as far as Lana is concerned, the notion that Natalie accidentally drowned after getting into a dinghy, alone, on a stormy night is preposterous. “Let’s be truthful about who she was and how she was,” she said. “I am not making judgments. I am not supposing. I’m not doing any of those things. I’m simply looking at facts. Natalie didn’t swim. Her fear of dark water was deeply ingrained.” At CrimeCon Lana discussed another detail. “Natalie would not go anywhere not fully made-up, wearing something terrific,” she said. “She certainly would not get into a dinghy in her nightgown by herself. She would get dressed, put on full makeup and have Dennis Davern take her ashore to stay in a motel on Catalina, which is exactly what she did the night before, when she wanted to leave.”

Unless Wagner comes forth with the real story, we may never know. But why would he?

On another note she was a witness to Natalie, then a 16-year-old, entering the car after an audition at a hotel and telling her mother and her that she had been raped by a well-known actor over twice her age. Her mother told her to forget about it. Lana never did.

It's interesting that the Times didn't allow for comments, so here we are.

a reply to: cfnyaami

Natalie Woods mother was one of the worst stage mothers ever. So long as Natalie got the part she probably wasn't too interested in what happened in the audition. The casting couch was a very real thing for both men and women.

As for Natalie's drowning, I think she did get in the dinghy. Drugs and alcohol make people do stupid things, especially when angry.

originally posted by: Identified
a reply to: cfnyaami

Natalie Woods mother was one of the worst stage mothers ever. So long as Natalie got the part she probably wasn't too interested in what happened in the audition. The casting couch was a very real thing for both men and women.

Since the #Me too came about I often wonder about the child actress's

of long ago and their over ambitious and pushie mothers.......

Shirley Temple, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, Brook Shields, Liza Minelli

and others all seem to have had addiction problems which isn't surprising.

As for Natalie's drowning, I think she did get in the dinghy. Drugs and alcohol make people do stupid things, especially when angry.

True about the drink and drugs, but surely the two men. her husband and

Christopher Walken could have saved/stopped her?

Here is what supposedly happened to Shirley Temple among other things.

n her first visit to MGM, Mrs. Black wrote in her autobiography, the producer Arthur Freed unzipped his trousers and exposed himself to her. Being innocent of male anatomy, she responded by giggling, and he threw her out of his office.

This is from gawker but there are other sites that say the same thing. I believe it comes from her autobiography.

Shirley Temple

a reply to: eletheia

I agree, It isn't at all surprising they had addiction problems when you consider what they probably had to put up with. Not only the pushy stage parents but also disgusting directors and co stars who thought they deserved to sample the newest thing on set. Then you add some long hours and the need to stay thin and beautiful. Yep, a perfect combination for drug addiction.

It's my understanding that Natalie took off in a huff claiming she was going to bed and the two men stayed up drinking more. True, this is their story and we don't have Natalie's side but I can believe they either didn't hear her or mistook any sound she made for her having more tantrums. I'm sure they both kick themselves thinking they could have stopped her if only....

This all seems plausible, and like you said, unless one of them comes forward to say something else happened we will never be able to prove otherwise.

Who knows what happened, but one thing is certain: Natalie Wood's little sister was not on the boat.

a reply to: cfnyaami

That rape was rumored to be Kirk Douglas, of all people.
gawker.com...

a reply to: feldercarb

Oh geez! I believe it though.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

That was a juicy read. Thanks for the link.

Other actors then thought she would sleep with anyone for a part.

I can't imagine being a young girl having to navigate the Hollywood sexual cess pool.

a reply to: Identified

I can't imagine being a parent and allowing your child, boy or girl, to participate in Hollywood in any way. I'd rather take the bullet and work double shifts while personally going without than sell out your own kids to that demonic industry for the almighty dollar.

We all know who killed her. She argued with him that night. What's puzzling is that Christopher Walken won't discuss it.

Same thing with a certain Star Trek actor - we all know he did a terrible deed. Some people are beyond the law.

originally posted by: Maverick7
Same thing with a certain Star Trek actor - we all know he did a terrible deed. Some people are beyond the law.

Who are we talking about here? Only one I can think of is the George Takei accusation, which wasn't exactly an iron clad case against him.

Never mind, I forgot about Shatner's wife. Duh...

originally posted by: Maverick7
We all know who killed her. She argued with him that night. What's puzzling is that Christopher Walken won't discuss it.

Same thing with a certain Star Trek actor - we all know he did a terrible deed. Some people are beyond the law.

We know no such things. Some of us believe in any rumor that floats around. Innocent until proven guilty? Not around here. It's Trial by Internet or Trial by Newspaper.

a reply to: eletheia

Maybe they were otherwise occupied.

...At CrimeCon Lana discussed another detail...

Anyone know if Lana Wood receives financial compensation for appearing at CrimeCon ?

originally posted by: schuyler

originally posted by: Maverick7
We all know who killed her. She argued with him that night. What's puzzling is that Christopher Walken won't discuss it.

Same thing with a certain Star Trek actor - we all know he did a terrible deed. Some people are beyond the law.

We know no such things. Some of us believe in any rumor that floats around. Innocent until proven guilty? Not around here. It's Trial by Internet or Trial by Newspaper.

Why would Walken refuse to discuss it if she had gotten in a boat drunk? He knows what happened. He said there was yelling. Wood was deathly afraid of deep water.

So I'll amend that - if you're not brain dead, you can draw your own conclusions.

I have always wondered what is Christopher Walken´s alibi, police has stated he is not a suspect but is it ever told to public why he isn´t ?
He does have dark side in him, terrific actor/performer he has stated in interview ""No matter what character I'm playing, it's me. I'm the only person in my life that I can refer to."

originally posted by: dollukka
I have always wondered what is Christopher Walken´s alibi, police has stated he is not a suspect but is it ever told to public why he isn´t ?
He does have dark side in him, terrific actor/performer he has stated in interview ""No matter what character I'm playing, it's me. I'm the only person in my life that I can refer to."

Oh, I don't know Robert Wagner, but I think he would give up Walken in a heartbeat if it were he who did it. Though he might have a dark side I don't see him killing or hitting women on any level of his psyche or persona. He'd a pussycat inside IMO. BUT, we know there were 'substances' in use back then. Could a coked up Walken have gone too far? If Kirk Douglas could rape and slap then all your misconceptions are out the virtual window. I never would have believed Rock Hudson was uh, non-traditionally motivated, shall we say.

Just the fact that he's a dancer tells me that...were there dancing psychopaths? I guess. Roy Scheider played one in 'All That Jazz'.

a reply to: Maverick7

You are propably right, there were gossips that Natalie and Christopher had a relationship. Wagner himself was a cheater and according Natalia´s sister he cheated with a man. Maybe Natalia was a beard for him to keep his imago as a straight man ( bi maybe) and when Natalia maybe was into someone else .. snap
Christopher had a pretty much gotten his career going couple years earlier with The Deer Hunter movie. Maybe he was paid ( movie contracts etc ) silent, movie industry has a lot to hide and wouldn´t be the first time either.

Maybe they all were under influence and it was an accident but the rest keeping silence about it cos possible criminal charges.

originally posted by: cfnyaami
a reply to: eletheia

Maybe they were otherwise occupied.

Hmmmn...... many a true word and all that!

Wagner has not commented on Lana Wood’s allegations of a gay love affair.

NATALIE Wood’s sister has claimed the late actress found husband Robert Wagner cheating on her with a man before she mysteriously died. n 1981, Wood and Wagner were on his yacht Splendour with actor Christopher Walken and Captain Dennis Davern when the actress died.

Three men on the yacht with her? Wonder if Walken had a girlfriend/wife/boyfriend

and why would they not be there too?

Davern has given numerous interviews to media about that tragic night but in an interview with NBC News’ David Gregory in 2011 he said, “I made some terrible decisions and mistakes. I did lie on a report several years ago.
I made mistakes by not telling the honest truth in a police report,” Davern added.
He said that he felt Wagner had been responsible for Wood’s death.

Walken said “What happened that night only she knows, because she was alone,” Walken said. “She had gone to bed before us, and her room was at the back.

She was sleeping alone ?

Wagner has co-operated with the police investigation over the years but declined to answer questions when the case was re-opened on the 30th aniversary of Wood’s death.

www.news.com.au... 8df2dc5533a2563e7b6d9493f

Edit to add link I took it from doesn't appear to be working.