Natalie Wood Photographed At The Annual Academy Awards, April 10th Of 1968.

Natalie Wood photographed attending the 1968 Robert F. Kennedy Campaign Benefit Luncheon.

“I tested three times for the part. The director, Nicholas Ray, was besieged by dozens of girls wanting to play Judy. After weeks of waiting, I heard the part was mine. But I had to keep quiet because the studio wanted to announce it at the right moment. I felt like running through the halls of Warner’s!”

Natalie Wood on her casting as Judy in “Rebel Without a Cause;” Natalie Wood and James Dean in a screen test for “Rebel Without a Cause,” 1955.

Natalie Wood and James Dean on the set of Rebel Without A Cause

“She had those really warm brown eyes, and that sweet little set of lips- she was just a sweet person, and she carried that presence about her no matter where she was, I think. Certainly when she was with me… she couldn’t have been any nicer.”

Classmate Phoebe Kassebaum on her friendship with Natalie Wood.

Natalie Wood rehearses “the Sweetheart Tree,” on set of “the Great Race,” 1965.

“She had a great sense of humor. Her humor was cute, really cute. There was nothing stuck-up about Natalie. She never had the attitude of a movie star—and I have seen some mean divas. I was spoiled by Natalie. Like I said, she was my first star. I thought all the rest of the stars would be like that, but they never were. They never were. . . .”

Photographer Michael Childers on Natalie Wood.

“Noel Coward made a comment when they asked him what made a star. He said, ‘A star sparkles.’ And Natalie Wood sparkled.” Co-star Bob Arthaud on Natalie Wood

Happy Birthday to Natalie Wood, born Natalie Zacharenko on July 20th of 1938!

Natalie Wood and James Dean photographed in between takes of Rebel Without a Cause, 1955.

Natalie Wood photographed by Ernst Haas in voice lessons for “West Side Story,” 1960.

Natalie Wood, 1962