Editorial Reviews:
In this moving memoir, Robert J. Wagner opens his heart to share the romances, the drama, and the humor of an incredible life He grew up in Bel Air next door to a golf course that changed his life. As a young boy, he saw a foursome playing one morning featuring none other than Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, Randolph Scott, and Cary Grant. Seeing these giants of the silver screen awed him and fueled his dreams of becoming a movie star. Battling a revolving door of boarding schools and a father who wanted him to forget Hollywood and join the family business, sixteen-year-old Wagner started like any naïve kid would?walking along Sunset Boulevard, hoping that a producer or director would notice him. Under the mentorship of stars like Spencer Tracy, he would become a salaried actor in Hollywood's studio system among other hot actors of the moment such as his friends Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis. Working with studio mogul Darryl Zanuck, Wagner began to appear in a number of films alongside the most beautiful starlets?but his first love was Barbara Stanwyck, an actress twice his age. As his career blossomed, and after he separated from Stanwyck, he met the woman who would change his life forever, Natalie Wood. They fell instantly and deeply in love and stayed together until the stress of their careers?hers marching upward, his inexplicably deflating?drove them to divorce. Trying to forget the pain, he made more movies and spent his time in Europe with the likes of Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Liz Taylor, and Joan Collins. He would meet and marry the beautiful former model and actress Marion Marshall. Together they had a daughter and made their way back to America, where he found himself at the beginning of a new era in Hollywood?the blossoming of television. Lew Wasserman and later Aaron Spelling would work with Wagner as he produced and starred in some of the most successful programs in history. Despite his newfound success, his marriage to Marion fell apart. He looked no further than Natalie Wood, for whom he still pined. To the world's surprise, they fell in love all over again, this time more deeply and with maturity. As she settled into a domestic life, raising their own daughter, Courtney, as well as their children from previous marriages, Wagner became the sole provider, reaping the riches of television success. Their life together was cut tragically short, though, when Wood died after falling from their yacht. For the first time, Wagner writes about that tremendously painful time. After a serious bout with depression, he finally resurfaced and eventually married Jill St. John, who helped keep his family and his fractured heart together. With color photographs and never-before-told stories, this is a quintessentially American story of one of the great sons of Hollywood.
Customer Reviews:
Displaying 1 to 5 of 54 total reviews (Page 1 of 11):
 An entertaining and revealing autobiography
Whether you've followed Robert Wagner's career or not, I think you will find plenty to enjoy in his forthright description of how he made it in Hollywood. It was fascinating to learn how he befriended big stars, like Gable, Astaire, and Tracy. And he conveys genuine feelings about his relationships with twice-wife Natalie Wood and current wife Jill St. John. Wagner has stirred immaginations, and now warms our hearts.l
Robert Wagner has always been a quality actor and screen idol, but now has
shown he is to be admired as a decent, loving husband, father, and caring individual. His "Pieces of My Heart: A Life" is like an honest, warm, revealing conversation with an old friend. And the reader becomes just that...an old friend, as he turns the pages of this wonderful narrative.
His loves, his challenges, his delights, and his sadnesses all are shared with straight-forward descriptions that leaves the reader laughing, loving, and emphasizing with him. I loved every page, and heartily recommend the book. I recommend the book especially to aspiring actors.  Pulling Back Punches
For years Robert (a/k/a "RJ") Wagner has been regarded in Hollywood as the closest thing to royalty that we've got. His screen image is of a well-dressed, classy looking and talking gent who is always proper in looks and appearances.
This book, eagerly awaited by most, falls short of the mark. Although it sketches out his life (problems with his father/ difficulty in getting good acting roles) it seems to stop there. Yes, this is a book about Robert Wagner but as he constantly refers to Natalie Wood, you want to know about her. And let's face it, everyone is curious about what happened that night.
I'm not certain if it is to Mr. Wagner's credit, or against common sense, that he glosses over the night in question. True, there are many books out there which detail/ speculate about the night aboard the Splendour but somehow it was assumed that Mr. Wager would have, if not the last word, well then his own certainties.
Throughout the tale, Robert Wagner comes off as a strong being who has very set and firm opinions. You never get the feeling that he minces his words although he does say them with enough panache that they won't sound cruel. It is therefore a bit of a shock to get to near the end of the book and find him suddenly a bit indifferent about the matter. Perhaps it would have been better to state up front that it was too painful a memory for him and he could not talk about it.
Also suprising are his strong and harsh verbage about several people (David Niven's second wife/ his ex sister-in-law Lana Wood). Perhaps it is the shock of the mental image of Mr. Wager (impeccably tailored and coiffed) reduced to gutteral language and taking petty swipes. Whatever, he comes across childish at times when he feels the necessity to use "dirty words" to fit into the group. Often, his bomb shells are not needed and, if anything, take away from the narrative without adding a blessed thing.
It is a quick and easy read but you can't help feeling that in everything, there is a lot more that can be said on the various topics and what is there could be said a lot better. Great book on this handsome star
This book shows a star who is handsome and somewhat self-possessed, but interesting reading reflecting his vast experience shortly after the Golden Era of movies. Good read. Love you R.J!!
I only just finished Pieces of my Heart & I have to say that it is one of the best Hollywood memoirs I have ever read. RJ's account of his life is honest & frank & he has written a wonderfully entertaining book about his fascinating life in Hollywood. As a long time fan of Natalie Wood, I was thrilled to read RJ's account of their love for each other & it has given me such respect for him as a man that never had a terce word to say about his late wife. This book takes you to a place far away from the tabloid horrors of today & it it utterly refreshing to hear it told by RJ himself.. a lovely, lovely man & a living legend! HIGHLY recommended reading. More Customer Reviews:
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(54 reviews)
