Biography
Who is Lana Wood?
Early life and real name
Lana Wood was born as Svetlana Lisa Gurdin in Santa Monica, California, on March 1, 1946. Her parents were Russian émigrés named Marusia Zoudilova and Nicholas Zacharenko, who left their home country after the Russian Civil War. Her older sister was the famous actress Natalie Wood, whose birth name was Natasha. The family eventually settled near Hollywood, where the children started acting at young ages. Lana attended the Hollywood Professional School during her youth.
When Lana began her film career, she made her debut in the western film The Searchers in 1956. Her mother agreed to credit her with the surname Wood to build upon the established recognition of her sister Natalie. Throughout her childhood and early career, Lana frequently appeared in films and projects alongside her sister before establishing her own path in the entertainment industry.
Career highlights
In the 1960s, Lana built an independent career in television and film. She appeared on the drama series The Long, Hot Summer before landing the role of Sandy Webber on the soap series Peyton Place, playing the character from 1966 to 1967. She later turned down a role in the film Easy Rider, which she has described as a major career regret.
In 1971, Lana starred as the Bond girl Plenty O'Toole in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. Around the same time, she was approached by Hugh Hefner to pose for Playboy, with her pictures and poetry appearing in the April 1971 issue. Her extensive career includes appearances in hundreds of television episodes across popular programs such as The Fugitive, Bonanza, Mission Impossible, and Starsky and Hutch.
Later career and writing
After working in television and film for decades, Lana appeared in the horror film Satan's Mistress in 1982. Following this release, she temporarily stepped away from acting to focus on work as a film producer. In 2008, she returned to the screen and began taking roles in a variety of low budget independent films.
In addition to her acting and producing work, Lana has written two autobiographies about her family and experiences in Hollywood. Her first book, Natalie A Memoir by Her Sister, was published in 1984. She later released Little Sister My Investigation Into the Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood in 2021, detailing her personal investigation into her sister's life and tragic death.
Personal life and marriages
Lana has been married six times throughout her life. Her first marriage to Jack Wrather Junior took place in 1962 and was later annulled when she was sixteen years old. Subsequent marriages included unions with Karl Brent, Stephen Oliver, Stanley William Vogel, Richard Smedley, and Allan Balter. Her marriage to Richard Smedley produced her only child, a son named Evan Taylor Smedley Maldonado.
Between her marriages, Lana dated numerous well-known figures in the entertainment industry, including actors Dean Stockwell, Adam West, Eddie Fisher, Warren Beatty, Sean Connery, Alain Delon, and Ryan O'Neal. During the 1980s, she was in a long term relationship with actor Alan Feinstein. She has experienced significant family estrangements over the years, including distances from her nieces following family losses.
Birthday and age
Lana Wood was born on March 1, 1946, which makes Lana 80 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Lana shares the date with 37 other famous people.
Explore more
