Robert Wagner: A Legendary Life In Hollywood

How Much Is Robert Wagner Worth Today?

Listen up, folks. Robert Wagner, the Hollywood icon with a career spanning decades, has amassed a net worth of $20 million. And guess what? That number is a combined total with his wife of many years, the lovely actress Jill St. John. Wagner’s fame skyrocketed thanks to his starring roles in TV shows like "It Takes a Thief," "Switch," and "Hart to Hart." These shows not only cemented his place in television history but also kept his bank account looking pretty healthy.

Where Did It All Begin?

A Childhood Shaped by Opportunity

Robert Wagner’s story begins in Detroit, Michigan, where he was born on February 10, 1930, as Robert John Wagner Jr. His mom, Hazel, worked as a telephone operator, while his dad, Robert Sr., made a name for himself selling paint to the automotive industry and lacquer to Ford. That lacquer, by the way, ended up on Ford dashboards, earning the family a tidy fortune. When Wagner was just 7 years old, the family packed up and moved to Los Angeles. His dad had earned enough money to retire in style, building a custom home in Bel Air with a view of the Bel Air Country Club. It took over a year to finish, but it was worth the wait.

Now here’s an interesting twist: Robert Jr. was sent to California ahead of the family. At just 7 years old, he boarded a train all by himself and headed to the Hollywood Military Academy. Can you imagine that today? He went on to attend four different military schools in Southern California, rubbing shoulders with the kids of famous actors. Wagner graduated from Saint Monica Catholic School in 1949, ready to take on the world—or at least Hollywood.

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A Career That Defined an Era

From Extras to Superstar

Fast forward to the 1950s, and Robert Wagner was diving headfirst into the world of acting. He started as an extra, but his big break came in 1950 when he landed an uncredited role in "The Happy Years." At just 20 years old, he signed with Twentieth Century Fox, where his first film, "Halls of Montezuma," cast him alongside Richard Widmark. The same year, he played another supporting role in "The Frogmen," again starring Widmark. Wagner’s talent began to shine when he delivered a powerful performance as a shell-shocked soldier in the 1952 film "With a Song in My Heart."

By 1953, Wagner was no longer just supporting others—he was stealing the spotlight. He starred in films like "Beneath the 12-Mile Reef," "Prince Valiant," and "A Kiss Before Dying," which earned him critical acclaim. In 1954, he took on the lead in the popular Western "Broken Lance." Then, in 1956, he was borrowed by Paramount to play Spencer Tracy’s brother in "The Mountain." Back at Fox, he starred in "Between Heaven and Hell" and "The True Story of Jesse James," though these films didn’t quite hit the box office jackpot. Determined to revive his career, Wagner starred alongside his then-wife Natalie Wood in "All the Fine Young Cannibals" in 1960.

In 1961, Wagner and Wood formed their own production company, Rona Productions. He made waves in 1962 with "The War Lover," co-starring Steve McQueen, filmed in England. After his split with Wood, Wagner spent a few years in Europe, appearing in films like "The Longest Day," "The Condemned of Altona," and "The Pink Panther." While the latter was a massive hit, Wagner’s role was so small that he didn’t get much recognition.

The late 1960s marked Wagner’s true comeback. He played Alexander Mundy in the hit series "To Catch a Thief," which aired on ABC from 1968 to 1970. Acting alongside Fred Astaire earned him an Emmy nomination for Best TV Actor. In the mid-70s, Wagner starred as Pete Ryan in "Switch," followed by the wildly successful "Hart to Hart" in the late ‘70s. He even earned four Golden Globe nominations for his work on that show. In the ‘90s, Wagner found new fans as Number 2 in the "Austin Powers" franchise. Since then, he’s guest-starred on shows like "Seinfeld," "Boston Legal," "Two and a Half Men," "Hustle," and "NCIS."

A Life Beyond the Spotlight

Love, Loss, and Legacy

Wagner’s personal life was as dramatic as his career. In his memoirs, he admitted to affairs with some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including Joan Crawford, Elizabeth Taylor, and Joan Collins. His first marriage to Natalie Wood in December 1957 ended in divorce in 1962. He then married Marion Marshall in July 1963, with whom he had a daughter, Katie, before they divorced in 1971. Wagner was engaged to Tina Sinatra from 1970 to 1972, but after their split, he rekindled his romance with Wood, and they remarried in 1972, welcoming a daughter, Courtney.

Tragedy struck in 1981 when Natalie Wood drowned near Catalina Island aboard the yacht Splendour. Wagner, Christopher Walken, and Dennis Davern, the captain, were on board. The circumstances surrounding her death were murky, with bruises and abrasions found on her body, a blood alcohol content of 0.14%, and traces of medication in her system. Wagner recounted in his memoir "Pieces of My Heart" that he and Wood had argued before her disappearance. Witnesses from a nearby boat claimed to have heard a woman screaming for help during the night. The coroner ruled her death an accident by drowning and hypothermia, but the case was reopened in 2011 after Davern admitted to lying during the initial investigation. He claimed to have witnessed an argument between Wagner and Wood and accused Wagner of preventing him from turning on the searchlights and contacting authorities. In 2018, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department named Wagner a person of interest in the investigation, though he has denied any involvement. After Wood’s death, Wagner became the legal guardian of her daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner.

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Just months after Wood’s passing, Wagner began dating actress Jill St. John. Eight years later, they tied the knot in 1990, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Real Estate: A Home Fit for a Legend

A Life Between Brentwood and Aspen

In 1983, Wagner purchased a 1+ acre property in LA’s Brentwood neighborhood for $220,000. The home, originally built in 1940 by renowned architect Cliff May, was meant to be his personal residence. Wagner eventually bought the property next door, creating a 1.6-acre compound complete with a main house, guest house, tennis courts, and horse stables. He even reached out to Cliff May to renovate and expand the property. In 2007, Wagner and St. John sold the estate for $14 million to Rita Hogan, an heiress to a Japanese video game empire, and her husband, Oscar-winning cinematographer Richard Edlund. Despite owning the home for over a decade, the couple never moved in. Unfortunately, Rita passed away in 2019, and the mansion was sold again in 2021 for $11 million.

After selling the Brentwood mansion, Wagner and St. John relocated full-time to Aspen, Colorado, where they had owned a house since 1995. They also maintain a condo in Los Angeles, keeping one foot in both worlds.