Courtesy of Constantine Liuzunie
Natalie’s mother, Maria Zudilova, with her family in Siberia, 1919. Maria claimed they were Romanovs. Seated from left: Maria’s father, Stepan Zudilov, 42; Maria, 11; her “aristocrat” mother, also named Maria, 36; sister Zoia, 12; brothers Gleb, 4, and Boris, 6. Back row from left: half-sister Kallisfenia (Kalia), 13; half-brother Mikhael, 20; half-sister Apollinaria (Lilia), 17; half-brother Semen, 18.
Courtesy of Constantine Liuzunie
Musia as Queen of the Russian Invalids Ball in San Francisco in 1936, assuming a pose like the Russian royalty she claimed to be.
Courtesy of Phyllis Quinn
Musia with her trophies as Queen of the White Russian Veterans Balls in San Francisco, a glory she would relive while channeling her dreams through Natasha.
Courtesy of Ed Canevari
Natasha’s first publicity photo, a few weeks after producers changed her name to “Natalie Wood.” She mailed it to her only friend, Edwin, on May 2, 1945, signing her real name, Natasha, in parentheses, signifying the beginning of the split in her persona.
Courtesy of Lana Wood
Natasha at the christening of baby sister, Svetlana, in 1946, when “Natalie Wood” first appeared on-screen in Tomorrow Is Forever.
Courtesy of Constantine Liuzunie
The three sisters– Natasha, Olga, and Svetlana– with their mother, the formidable Maria/Musia/Mud.
Republic Pictures
Natalie in 1948 with the cast of The Green Promise, the movie where she injured her left wrist and nearly drowned. The wrist healed improperly and she wore a bracelet over it for the rest of her life. From left: Marguerite Chapman, Natalie, Walter Brennan, Connie Marshall, unidentified man, Ted Donaldson.
Robert Banas Collection, courtesy of Robert Banas
Michael Panieff’s ballet class reads Christmas cards. At left is Natalie; at right “Taffy” Paul; second from right is Jill Oppenheimer. Natalie would marry actor Robert Wagner twice; Taffy would change her name to Stefanie Powers and play Wagner’s wife on TV; Jill would become Jill St. John, Wagner’s third wife.
Robert Banas Collection, courtesy of Robert Banas
Natalie, 11, before she began to wear a bracelet over her disfigured left wrist.
Courtesy of Jim Williams
Natalie and her first love, Jimmy Williams. Their tragic romance would be mirrored by her role as Deanie opposite Beatty in Splendor in the Grass. Williams would become her personal prototype for Jimmy Dean in Rebel Without a Cause.
Courtesy of Jim Williams
Jimmy Williams’ favorite photo of Natalie, smiling for him at Fulton Jr. High.
Jim Westmoreland collection, courtesy of Jim Westmoreland
An enigmatic Natalie at 16, before Rebel Without a Cause. She gave this picture to her beau Rad Fulton, signed “Squirt,” his nickname for her.
From the collection of Steffi Sidney, courtesy of Steffi Sidney
The historic first read-through of Rebel Without a Cause in Nick Ray’s bungalow at the Chateau Marmont, March 1955. Clockwise from lower left corner: Ray, Jim Backus, Natalie, Nick Adams, Mitzi McCall, Leonard Rosenman (on sofa at right), Bev Long (in ponytail).
From the collection of Steffi Sidney, courtesy of Steffi Sidney
Sixteen-year-old Natalie and her 43-year-old lover, Nick Ray, with Clifford Odets and actress Steffi Skolsky in Ray’s bungalow.
Courtesy of Ben Cooper
For fan magazines, 16-year-old Natalie was photographed on set-up dates with wholesome actor Ben Cooper. Here they share a hot fudge sundae.
Courtesy of Ben Cooper
Maria enthusiastically posed with Natalie.
Perry Lopez Collection, courtesy of Perry Lopez
Natalie, Jimmy Dean, and actor Perry Lopez in a Warner Brothers dressing room during Rebel Without a Cause. Lopez still thinks of Natalie every day.
Tab Hunter Collection, courtesy of Tab Hunter and Allan Glaser
Natalie at the height of teen stardom in fall 1956, arriving with costar Tab Hunter for the New York premiere of The Burning Hills.
Courtesy of Faye Nuell Mayo
Behind the scenes at Natalie’s first wedding to Robert Wagner, December 28, 1957. Faye Nuell congratulates them as Lana, barely visible, stands beside Nuell and Maria lurks behind Natalie, her ever-present shadow.
From the collection of Steffi Sidney, courtesy of Steffi Sidney
Natalie and R.J. go over photos with Steffi Skolsky for their profile in Datebook. This photograph was taken in R.J.’s dressing room at Fox circa November 1958.
Courtesy of Janet Leigh
Natalie and R.J. congratulate publicist Warren Cowan and actress Barbara Rush at their wedding in Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis’ home.
Murray Garrett, photographer, Murray Garrett Archive.
Natalie at her twenty-first birthday party at Romanoff’s, cohosted by R.J. and her secret crush, Frank Sinatra.
Olga Viripaeff Collection, courtesy of Olga Viripaeff
A glamour shot of “Natalie Wood,” Natalie’s movie star persona, from the early 1960s. She signed this one for her sister Olga’s sons Alexis and Dmitri.
Courtesy of Tony Mordente
Dancer Tony Mordente goes over Natalie’s steps for a number in West Side Story. The other dancers thought she was aloof; she was actually deeply insecure about her singing and dancing.
Bettman/CORBIS
Natalie with Warren Beatty at the Academy Awards in 1962. Contrary to gossip, he was not the reason she left Robert Wagner.
By permission of Delmar Watson
Natalie, 23, fulfills the vow she made at 16: to put her handprints in the cement at Grauman’s. Behind her smile, she was devastated by her recent breakup with R.J.
Martin Jurow Collection, courtesy of Martin Jurow
Natalie with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in Paris during The Great Race, her least favorite shoot. She made a suicide attempt at the end of filming, November 1964.
Henry Jaglom Collection, courtesy of Henry Jaglom
Natalie with beau Henry Jaglom, spring 1966. Later that year, Frank Sinatra would hire someone to follow them.
Courtesy of David Gorton
Natalie boating off Catalina with her date, lawyer David Gorton, one of her “boys of ’66.” The couple to their left are Edd Byrnes and Asa Maynor, Natalie’s good friends.
Sydney Pollack Collection, courtesy of Sydney Pollack
Natalie attends the fall ’66 London premiere of This Property Is Condemned with director Sydney Pollack, who credits her with his big break.
Courtesy of Wayne Case
Natalie, touched by her ovation during a tribute at the San Francisco Film Festival in October 1976. She thought no one would remember her.
Courtesy of Robert Redford
Natalie and fiancé, Gregson, on the set of Downhill Racer with director Michael Ritchie (far left) and Gregson’s producing partner and Natalie’s close friend Robert Redford (far right). Taken in Idaho Springs, Colorado, April 1969.
Courtesy of Phyllis Quinn
Three generations: Maria, Natalie, and Natasha, whose birth gave Natalie another chance at childhood.
Courtesy of Peggy Griffin
Natalie holds daughter Courtney at a backyard birthday party with best friend, Peggy Griffin, circa 1975. Nanny and cook Willie Mae Northen is in the background at left.
Courtesy of Peggy Griffin
Probably the only photo taken of Natalie cooking: aboard the Splendour in 1977, making her famous huevos rancheros. She was at the peak of her happiness.
Courtesy of Betty Batausa
Natalie’s last visit to San Francisco, June 1981, the summer before she drowned. At left is her daughter Courtney; on the other side, daughter Natasha.
Courtesy of Olga Viripaeff
One of Olga’s favorite pictures: Natalie talks to Frank Sinatra’s pianist while Olga and her son Michael look on.
Courtesy of Constantine Liuzunie
Fahd’s last days. Taken in the backyard at Canon with Mud, R.J., and Natalie, who held his hand at the end.
Photo courtesy of Betty Batausa
The Splendour–“the boat that took her away,” Mud described it.
Sheriff’s Department photo
The Valiant, the Wagners’ dinghy, in the cove at Blue Cavern Point where it was found tangled in kelp at 5:30 A.M. on Sunday, November 29, 1981.
Tonya Crowe Collection, courtesy of Tonya Crowe
Natalie’s final glamour shot and one of her last autographs as “Natalie Wood,” signed with her usual warmth to two-time screen daughter Tonya Crowe.