Robert Wagner marked his 96th birthday on Tuesday in intimate photos shared by his stepdaughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner.
Advertisement
The 55-year-old posted the tribute to her stepfather just three months after the 44th anniversary of the passing of her mother — and Wagner's late wife — Natalie Wood, who drowned in 1981 at the age of 43.
One snap, shared to her Instagram Stories, showed Wagner blowing out the candles on his two cakes while surrounded by loved ones.
Another saw him smiling while sitting inside of a restaurant, which appeared to be French eatery Cache Cache in Aspen Colorado, with Wagner rocking their hat.
He was seated next to his grandson Riley, 19, the son of his daughter Katie Wagner, 61, whom he shares with late ex-wife Marion Marshall.
Advertisement
The Hart To Hart star accessorized with a colorful silk scarf wrapped around his neck.
Robert Wagner marked his 96th birthday on Tuesday in intimate photos shared by his stepdaughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner, 55; Seen with his grandson Riley
A younger Wagner pictured emerging from a pool circa 1955
In yet another photograph, he was pictured relaxing on the couch with Natasha giving him a sweet kiss on the head.
Snapshots of the festivities also showed the pool area decked out with lights and large displays of the actor’s initials, RJ - for Robert John — and the number 96.
Advertisement
Natasha also posted a poignant throwback from 1972, showing her as a young child at London's Heathrow Airport alongside her stepfather, her mother Natalie, her half-sister Katie Wagner and her maternal grandmother Maria.
A message was also shared on the Hollywood veteran's Instagram account after thousands of fans wished him well.
'Hello everyone... Thank you so much for contributing to the Birthday Wishes!! I know RJ will be thrilled and honored when he reads the messages,' the note read.
This comes three months after the anniversary of the passing of his movie star wife Natalie. She drowned off the coast of the Southern California island Catalina.
Wood had Natasha with film producer Richard Gregson. The two got married in 1969. They separated when Natasha was ten months old, and later divorced in 1972.
Advertisement
Wood went on to re-marry Wagner in 1972. They had previously been married from 1957 until 1962. Their daughter Courtney, 51, was born on March 9, 1974.
Wagner also shares daughter Katie from his previous marriage to Marshall, which lasted from 1963 until 1971.
Wagner had a big Hollywood career that began in the 1950s with films such as The Happy Years and Teresa. He starred in the 1956 hit film A Kiss Before Dying then was in films like Winning and TV shows such as The Streets Of San Francisco.
The 55-year-old posted the tribute to her stepfather just three months after the 44th anniversary of the passing of her mother — and Wagner's late wife — Natalie Wood
In yet another photograph, he was pictured relaxing on the couch with Natasha giving him a sweet kiss on the head
Advertisement
Natasha also posted a poignant throwback from 1972, showing her as a young child at London's Heathrow Airport alongside her stepfather, her mother Natalie, her half-sister Katie Wagner, and her maternal grandmother Maria
Snapshots of the festivities also showed the pool area decked out with lights and large displays of the actor’s initials, RJ - for Robert John — and the number 96
A message was shared on the Hollywood veteran's Instagram account after thousands of fans wished him well. 'Hello everyone... Thank you so much for contributing to the Birthday Wishes!! I know RJ will be thrilled and honored when he reads the messages,' the note read
But he didn't find big fame until 1979 when he played Jonathan Hart opposite Stefanie Powers on the TV series Hart To Hart.
The show was about a rich, good-looking married couple who solved murders as a hobby. It had a total of 111 episodes and went off the air in 1984. The series still does well in re-runs as it has a cult following.
Advertisement
Hart To Hart was created by author Sidney Sheldon.
Each episode revolved around self-made millionaire Jonathan (played by Wagner) and freelance writer Jennifer (starring Powers) who are the child-free Harts, though they do dote on the rescue dog Freeway.
Their sidekick was the streetwise butler Max, played by Lionel Stander.
Famous guest stars on the series included Ray Milland, Capucine, Eve Arden, Tommy Lasorda, Tippi Hedren, Julie Newmar and Robert Davi.
Later, there were several spin off Hart To Hart movies.
Advertisement
He subsequently had success opposite Mike Myers in Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery in 1997.
Wagner is wed to Jill St John; they tied the knot in 1990 after eight years of courtship.
Wagner was the star of Hart To Hart with Stefanie Powers; They are seen in a promo image
The two had known each other since the 1950s, as she was a good friend of the actor and his late wife, Wood, who died by drowning when taking their boat's dinghy out off the coast of Catalina Island in November 1981.
The couple had been drinking with Natalie's Brainstorm co-star Christopher Walken, now 82, and the actress went to bed before the men.
Advertisement
Her body was discovered the next day.
The actor was considered a 'person of interest' in the case, but he was never arrested, though there was a lot of speculation, without proof, that the Splendor in the Grass star had somehow orchestrated his wife's death.
At the time, the coroner ruled her death an accidental drowning, but after the case was re-opened in 2011, the death certificate was changed to reflect 'drowning and other undetermined factors.'
Robert was officially cleared as a person of interest in 2022.
Natasha has fiercely defended him amid all the speculation.
Advertisement
In her 2020 book, More Than Love, An Intimate Portrait of My Mother, Natalie Wood, she wrote, 'No one in my world questioned my dad's love for my mom or his utter despair at her loss.'
'We can never know with complete certainty how my mother ended up in the water.'
Wood died in a mysterious boating accident in 1981. Wagner was officially cleared as a person of interest in 2022 and Natasha has fiercely defended him; Wood pictured with Wagner circa 1960
The star shockingly drowned to death after falling from a yacht off Catalina Island during Thanksgiving weekend; Wood and Wagner (left) on their boat Splendour, with captain Dennis Davern (right), just weeks before she died
Instead the still-grieving daughter has chosen to 'focus on the things I do know - My father would never have harmed my mother or failed to save her if he knew she was in danger,' wrote Natasha, who was just 11 when her mother died.
Advertisement
'And I focus on my love for my mother, my dad, my family,' Natasha stated.
'My mother was not a tragic, doomed person. Her life was devoted to her art, her children, her husband and her heart.'
In December, Wagner posted a photo from his 1957 wedding to the West Side Story actress, expressing his continued love for her. '66 years ago on December 28th 1957, Natalie was my girl and now she was my wife. Happy Anniversary, Nat. More than love.'