Robert Wagner, 96, posed for a photo with his son-in-law Barry Watson - and behind the snapshot lies a family history spanning two marriages to the same woman, a tragic death and bonds that defied biology.
Wagner shared the photo via Instagram on Thursday, April 23, featuring himself alongside Watson and granddaughter Clover.
“Join Jill and I in wishing our terrific son-in-law Barry Watson a Happy Birthday 🎉 Always fun times when you’re around-grateful for the laughs, the love and these unforgettable moments together,” Wagner wrote. “Cheers to another great year ahead!🎉 @realbarrywatson.”
You may recognize Watson from 7th Heaven, What About Brian, Samantha Who?, Hart of Dixie, Gossip Girl and more - is married to Natasha Gregson Wagner, whom he wed in 2014. The couple shares a daughter named Clover.
But the deeper story is the one connecting Robert to Natasha, because she is not his biological daughter.
The Twice-Married Family Tree
Natasha’s parents were Natalie Wood and Richard Gregson. Wood was married to Gregson from 1969 to 1972. Before Gregson, Wood had been married to Robert from 1957 to 1962. After her divorce from Gregson, she married Wagner for the second time in 1972.
When Wood died in 1981, Robert continued to keep a close relationship with his kids.
“I was so lucky I had two dads who were deeply committed to raising me and helping me through,” Natasha told People in April 2016. “They were trying to pick up the pieces for us and stumble forward and find out what our life looked like after that.”
She continued, “I’m certain because my mom died, my relationship with my stepdad is way deeper than it would have been had she lived, because he had to be my mom and dad.”
Wagner has been married to Jill St. John since 1990. He celebrated his 96th birthday in February.
“My dad is 96 today. I’ve been so lucky to have him by my side all these years,” Natasha wrote on Instagram at the time. “He is young at heart and older than I ever imagined he would be! Full of wisdom, love and good cheer. He’s funny as hell and as good as they get.”
Life After Natalie Wood’s Death
Natasha described watching her stepfather change after Wood’s death.
“After she died, when I would look at him from a distance, from my bedroom window walking into the house, there was a heaviness and a sadness to him that hadn’t been there before,” she said.
Robert also shares daughter Katie with ex-wife Marion Marshall and daughter Courtney with Wood.
“I think that grief is a lifetime of work, but the fragrance is just one little beautiful area of my life that is about beauty and something positive,” Natasha said. “Like alchemy, turning metal into gold. I turned my sadness and pain into beauty.”
Natasha also praised her mother’s lasting influence.
“She was a good teacher, even though I don’t think she knew she was teaching me anything,” Natasha notes. “She didn’t think, ‘I’m going to teach her how to survive my loss.’ But just those 11 years with her definitely taught me how to survive her loss. Because that strength and vulnerability that she had, she gave that to me.”
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
