The Tragic Life of the Talented Natalie Wood

#34: Her Body Was Discovered Floating Near Catalina Island The Next Morning

At dawn on November 29, 1981, authorities found her body floating facedown near the shore, about a mile from the yacht. She was wearing a nightgown, socks, and a red jacket. The yacht’s dinghy was found beached nearby, its oars still inside and motor switched off.

The discovery shocked Hollywood and the public. A glamorous actress known for grace and composure had died under circumstances that seemed anything but. Questions surfaced immediately: why had she gone out alone at night, and how had someone so afraid of water ended up drowned in the open sea?