Hart to Hart Was a Family-Friendly Hit For several years, Stefanie Powers and
Robert Wagner starred together on the hit television series Hart to Hart.
The series came on the air in 1979 and stayed on the air until 1984.
The series was later revived with a chain of made-for-television features that were released
over the course of the 1990s, solidifying the audience’s love for the show’s titular couple.
That couple, of course, was the couple of Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, who were a
pair of wealthy socialites that used their connections across the globe to solve mysteries.
Hart to Hart was a hit with audiences for numerous reasons. The show was a major success
for the ABC network, and it heightened the celebrity status of stars Stefanie Powers
and Robert Wagner. In an age where television programs were getting more and more risqué, Hart
to Hart represented lighthearted programming that families could enjoy. The romance between Jonathan
and Jennifer Hart was more heartwarming than hot, and the on-screen chemistry between the real-life
stars that played them was another big part of what made Hart to Hart such a hit with the public.
Though the romance between Jonathan and Jennifer Hart was never too spicy and the program always
stayed family friendly, it was clear to fans that the two characters had a strong romantic
relationship, and this granted a great deal of heart to Hart to Hart. Of course, another aspect
of the series that kept fans coming back for more was the fact that Jonathan and Jennifer were
always traveling around the globe attempting to solve a new mystery. The show was made up of much
more than just a simple romance, and all of these ingredients came together to make it successful.
Stefanie Powers and Robert Wagner Had Great Chemistry
It was not for nothing that Stefanie Powers and Robert Wagner had a great
deal of chemistry on the screen, as Robert had actually stuck his neck out for Stefanie
to get the part of his on-screen wife. The pair had apparently already been friendly with each
other before Hart to Hart began, though they were both married to other people at the time. In fact,
both Stefanie and Robert would suffer significant spousal tragedies over the course of Hart to
Hart’s production, and this would cause them to become even greater friends during the show’s run.
Despite the fact that Stefanie and Robert were already friends when the show began and only
got closer during its filming, the two maintain that they have never been romantically involved.
As compared to on-screen wife Stefanie Powers, Robert Wagner was the older and more notable
star upon Hart to Hart’s premiere, and it was he who had been cast in the program first. Initially,
producers wanted to cast Robert Wagner opposite his real-life
wife, who was a fellow Hollywood star by the name of Natalie Wood. The producers understandably
felt that Robert would have a good deal of chemistry with his real-life partner, though
Robert felt that his on-screen chemistry would be better with Stefanie.
Robert ended up convincing the producers that Stefanie Powers was the right
actress to play his on-screen wife on Hart to Hart, and the rest is history! It would be hard
for fans to imagine anyone besides Stefanie in the role of Jennifer Hart, though it would
certainly have been interesting to have seen Natalie Wood’s take on the part. Tragically,
Natalie Wood ended up passing away during Hart to Hart’s run. In fact, some viewers
may already know that Natalie Wood passed away under mysterious circumstances,
and the true cause of her death remains a mystery to this day.
Hart to Hart Won Audiences Over According to Stefanie Powers,
Hart to Hart didn’t become a smash success over the course of one night.
The actress claims that the moment she realized that the television audience
was truly fond of the show was when it won the People’s Choice Award for New TV Drama in 1980.
The cheers of the fans made Stefanie realize that the show was truly catching on with people, and
the ratings soon followed suit! Sadly, Stefanie would come to face her own spousal tragedy over
the course of the show’s production, and both she and Robert would be forced to carry out
their time on the series despite their grief. If you’re enjoying this video so far, be sure
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Stefanie and Robert Are Still Close Friends Stefanie Powers and Robert Wagner were friends
before Hart to Hart started filming, and they are still friends to this day! Despite this,
the two once again maintain that they have never been anything more than close friends. According
to Stefanie, they are like a pair of siblings that are always making each other laugh. Following the
tragic death of wife Natalie Wood in 1981, Robert went on to marry former Bond girl Jill St. John
in 1990. This is one of many small connections that Robert has to the James Bond franchise.
In addition to Robert Wagner marrying former Bond girl Jill St. John in 1990,
Robert’s former wife was also the sister of a former Bond girl. Natalie Wood’s sister is
Lana Wood, who played a Bond girl alongside Sean Connery in 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever,
which also just so happened to be the very same movie that Jill St. John played a Bond girl
in! To make matters even stranger, Robert Wagner, despite being an American actor,
had once been offered the chance to play the role of James Bond, but he turned it
down. Despite turning down the role of James Bond, Robert would go on to appear as the
character of Number 2 in all three of the Austin Powers films, which are James Bond parodies.
Robert Wagner is still with Jill St. John today, with the actor being 92 years old.
Stefanie Powers is currently 79 years old, and she’s been single since divorcing her second
husband Patrick De La Chenais in 1999. Robert lives with his wife in Aspen, Colorado,
but it appears that he and Jill get together with Stefanie whenever they’re in Beverly Hills.
Stefanie and Robert Were Like Siblings During Filming
Stefanie Powers claims that sometimes she and Robert Wagner would make themselves laugh so
much during the filming of Hart to Hart that they’d have to postpone filming for the day.
The pair certainly had incredible chemistry, and new audience members are still experiencing
Hart to Hart for the first time today! The show has become popular in reruns in recent years,
and the chemistry between Stefanie and Robert holds up on the screen as much as in real life.
While Robert Wagner was married to Natalie Wood at the time that Hart to Hart came on the air,
Stefanie Powers was married to actor William Holden. The very same month that Natalie Wood
passed away, William Holden did, as well. Natalie Wood was 43 years old at the time of her death and
drowned under mysterious circumstances. Meanwhile, William Holden was a 63-year-old alcoholic
who died from apparently tripping while at home and hitting his head.
The loss of their spouses was hard to deal with for both Stefanie Powers and Robert Wagner,
though they were contractually obligated to continue performing
their titular roles on Hart to Hart. The pair’s friendship helped them cope through
the production, and they ended up bonding through the shared trauma and becoming better
friends than ever before by the time that the series was done filming.
How Stefanie Powers Feels About Natalie Wood’s Death
Those who are familiar with the story of Natalie Wood will know that Robert Wagner
eventually became a notable person of interest in the case of his wife’s mysterious death.
Many, including aforementioned sister Lana Wood, maintain that Robert was at least
partially culpable in Natalie’s death. Stefanie has often been asked about whether or not she
thinks that Robert had any hand in Natalie’s death, and she maintains that he couldn’t
have. According to her, anyone claiming so is just trying to get some attention.
Being blamed by many for the death of his wife made it even harder for Robert Wagner to cope
after Natalie Wood’s passing, but Stefanie Powers was there alongside him on the set of Hart to
Hart to help him pick up the pieces. The death of her own spouse left Stefanie in similarly strange
circumstances, as not everyone viewed her all that sympathetically in the wake of William Holden’s
death. Stefanie and William were still technically married at the time of William’s passing,
but they had been separated for a period of a few years. Many felt that Stefanie wasn’t there
for her husband in his final days, and were skeptical when she tried to garner sympathy
in the presses after his death. Despite this, Stefanie Powers still does work with
the William Holden Wildlife Foundation, which she established in 1982 in honor of her late husband.
Her work with the foundation often sees the 79-year-old actress travelling to Kenya.
Although Stefanie Powers and Robert Wagner were already friends before Hart to Hart’s premiere
and only became closer over the course of the hit series’ production, the two maintain that
they have never been romantically involved. Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know
that Hart to Hart stars Stefanie
Powers and Robert Wagner both lost their spouses in November of 1981 and that bonding through their
respective losses helped the two become closer friends than ever over the course of the series’
production? As always, like this video to show your support, subscribe, and hit the notification
bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more Facts Verse videos are on their way!