Richard Smedley

R.J. Wagner, born 1930 in Detroit, was the son of a steel executive whose family moved to Los Angeles when he was seven. After making his uncredited screen debut in The Happy Years (1950), Wagner was signed by 20th Century Fox to become a beloved romantic lead actor. His life was surrounded by Hollywood glamour, as he was informally adopted by his stepfather, actor Robert Wagner, after his mother, film star Natalie Wood, married him a year after separating from her first husband, British producer Richard Gregson. His daughter, Katie Wagner, followed in his footsteps and became an actress and television host. Their family was joined by Richard Smedley, an actor who married Johni Willingham in 1979, and by Marion Marshall, an actress and Robert Wagner's third wife. The Wagner family was completed by Lana Wood, Robert's first wife and an actress, and Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner's second wife, a Russian-American actress. The glamorous family was rounded off by Lana's daughter Natasha Gregson, who was also an actress. Jill St. John, an incredible piece of 1960s eye candy, also joined the family, playing roles in lightweight comedy, spirited adventure and spy intrigue. With a pedigree of Hollywood royalty, the Wagner family combined talent and glamour to leave an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.