Natalie Wood: My Personal Experiences

November 29, 1981 stands as one of the worst dates in Hollywood history. Everyone awoke that Sunday morning to the shocking news of Natalie Wood's drowning off Santa Catalina Island. A pall was cast over the movie capital where the stunning death seemed impossible. How could the 43-year-old actress, a happily married woman in the prime of life with two young daughters and a beloved member of the Hollywood community, suddenly be gone in a senseless fatal accident? While the tragedy is often viewed as murky, the circumstances do not matter, since a shining star was lost forever.

Wood was and remains my favorite movie star. I was depressed about her passing to the point of not viewing her movies for a long time. And watching the little girl in "Miracle on 34th Street" inspired such sadness that I did not watch the film for 20 years. To my mind, Wood epitomized everything a movie star should be by possessing glamor, charisma, great physical beauty, talent and a gracious attitude toward her fans. I saw her in person numerous times so imagine the satisfaction of your personal favorite living up to expectations. Never difficult like so many past and present stars. She always faced cameras wearing a smile without fleeting and handled her stardom with grace. The actress called this putting on her "face" but so what if she was acting to the world, she left us with happy encounters. Wood was a big star behaving in a professional manner at all times who recognized the responsibilities coming with stardom.