One of the most popular and successful stars in the entertainment industry, Robert Wagner has had a career highlighted by three hit television series and an impressive portfolio of movies for film and television as well as becoming a best-selling author. While Wagner was still a young man under contract to 20th Century Fox, Darryl F. Zanuck cast him in "With a Song in My Heart.” The part was perhaps a minute's duration, but in that minute, the tears pouring from Wagner's eyes as he played the role of a crippled soldier responding to the singing of Miss Hayward's Jane Froman, brought immediate reaction pouring into the studio from the public. That one-minute part established Wagner as a major star, and he has been working every since.
Wagner recently wrote and released his book, You Must Remember This: Life and Style in Hollywood's Golden Age. In the fall of 2008, Wagner wrote his memoir, Pieces of My Heart for Harper Collins, debuting at #3 on the New York Times Bestseller List. The book provides an inside look at his life and career, from his days as a teen caddying for Clark Gable, to his friendships with some of the biggest Hollywood names of our time.
In 2007, Wagner appeared in the first episode of the AMC and BBC series “Hustle,” a weekly, hour-long series that follows the exploits of a crew of London-based con artists who pull off daringly intricate stings to swindle money from greedy, morally corrupt “marks.” In November 2007 Wagner appeared in the feature family film “A Dennis the Menace Christmas,” based on the hit comic strip and television show.
Wagner is a recurring guest star on the CBS hit series “NCIS” and has previously appeared in the series “Two and a Half Men,” “Hope & Faith” and “Boston Legal.” Wagner has also appeared on the big screen in the role of “Number Two,” the villainous henchman to Dr. Evil, a cryogenically revived special agent who squares off against the title character, in all 3 of the “Austin Powers” films, starring Mike Myers. His earlier classics include "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story," "The Pink Panther," "The Curse of the Pink Panther," "Midway," "The Towering Inferno," "Banning" and "Harper," "Prince Valiant," "All the Fine Young Cannibals" and "With a Song in My Heart," starring Susan Hayward.
More recent film credits include “Last of the Mustangs,” “Man in the Chair,” “Everyone’s Hero,” “Netherbeast Incorporated,” New Line Cinema’s “Hoot” with Luke Wilson, “No Vacancy” with Lolita Davidovich and Christina Ricci, “Play It To The Bone” which co-stars Woody Harrelson and Antonio Banderas, “Crazy in Alabama,” directed by Antonio Banderas and starring Melanie Griffith, “Tiara Tango,” “Sordid Affair,” the suspense thriller “The Road to Santiago” co-starring Anne Archer, Anthony Quinn and Charleton Heston, and the cult classic “Wild Things,” starring Matt Dillon and Kevin Bacon.
In 1996, Wagner returned to primetime television as star and producer, reprising his role of Jonathan Hart in three "Hart to Hart" special presentations for cable's Family Channel. Previously, he had produced five two-hour "Hart to Hart" movies for NBC. In 1993, Wagner starred in David Wolper's critically acclaimed miniseries "Heaven and Hell: North and South III" for ABC.
Wagner has starred in two other popular series: "Switch," with Eddie Albert; and "It Takes a Thief," with Fred Astaire, the latter earning him an Emmy® nomination. Wagner also starred with Jaclyn Smith in "Windmills of the Gods," the top-rated miniseries based on Sidney Sheldon's best-selling novel, with Angie Dickinson in the miniseries "Pearl," with Audrey Hepburn in "Here a Thief, There a Thief," with Lesley-Anne Down in "Indiscreet" and with Elizabeth Taylor in "There Must Be a Pony," which he also executive produced.
Sir Laurence Olivier chose Wagner to star with him in the television adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," in which Wagner co-starred with his wife, the late Natalie Wood, who played Maggie the Cat. He also starred in "This Gun for Hire," "Danielle Steel's Jewels" and "To Catch a King."
Additionally, Wagner toured the U.S. with his wife, Jill St. John, breaking house records starring on stage in A.R. Gurney’s play Love Letters, including a sold-out three week engagement at the Royal George Theater in Chicago.
