TV Talk

Background:

An entertainment reporter and television host hailed from Los Angeles, Katie Wagner, daughter of actor Robert Wagner and former actress Marion Marshall, is probably best known to the small screen audience as a correspondent on TV Guide Channel, hosting such shows as “What's On,” “TV Talk” and “Music News.” She started working with the network in 1999 and professionally ended her duties in 2004, after having worked for five and a half years. Wagner also has hosted numerous other TV shows, including MTV's “The Big Picture,” TBS's “Live from the House of Blues,” ITV's “Hollywood Report,” and the WB's “The Starlet” (2005).

As for her personal life, Wagner is married to and has a young son with Leif Lewis. She is close friends with Julian Lennon and Melissa Gilbert and mentions her stepmothers Natalie Wood and Jill St. John as her inspirations. Her favorite TV shows are “Friends,” “Will & Grace” and others. Wagner was once dated rock star Dweezil Zappa.

Daughter of Actors

Childhood and Family:

Named after actress and family friend Katharine Hepburn, Katharine Wagner, professionally known as Katie Wagner, was born in Los Angeles, California, on May 11, 1964, to veteran actor Robert Wagner and actress Marion Marshall. Her parents divorced in 1971, when she was only seven years old. At age 16, Katie resided with her father, her stepmother actress Natalie Wood, her younger half-sister Courtney Wagner and her step-sister Natasha Gregson Wagner. Tragedy struck in the following year when Natalie drowned. As a result, the teenaged girl was forced to take the parental role and helped her father take care of her sisters. After graduating from Beverly Hills High School, she attended Santa Barbara City College, but quit after one semester to start her modeling career, which allowed her to travel to Tokyo and London.

On September 21, 2006, Katie and her boyfriend Leif Lewis welcomed their first child, son Riley John Wagner-Lewis. The couple eventually married on July 7, 2007.

The Starlet

Career:

After dropping out of college, Katie Wagner embarked on her modeling career, which gave her the opportunity to live in London and Tokyo. Her big break arrived in 1987 when she and her father were featured on the TV show “Born Famous.” The host of the show asked her what she would like to do for living and she answered “I would like to do what you do.” Wagner's dream came true when she landed her first media job interviewing Dan Aykroyd and his wife, Donna Dixon, for the Don Mischer special “M & W” on ABC. This work led to a two-and-a half year stint with the Movietime Cable Network (Now E! Network).

Wagner continued to work at Cinemax, HBO, V and MTV. At MTV, she served as a VJ and guest-hosted from both coasts. Additionally, she co-hosted “Awake on the Wildside,” substituted Chris Connellyon “The Big Picture” and presented videos at night. For two years, Wagner co-hosted an international entertainment show for ITV in Great Britain called, “Hollywood Report,” along side Richard Jobson. The show was broadcast on 11 different countries. She followed it up with another co-hosting gig on TBS in a show named “Live from the House of Blues,” in which she stayed for 22 episodes, and then joined Robin Leach for the final two seasons of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” during which time she served as co-host and contributing reporter.

By 1999, Wagner had made minor appearances in three movies, namely 1989's “Ice House,” 1995's “Scanner Cop II” and 1999's “Dill Scallion,” where she portrayed a reporter. It was also in 1999 that Wagner joined TV Guide Channel. During her five-and-a-half-year tenure with the network, she hosted the talk shows “What's On” (2001-2004) and “TV Talk” (2004) as well as the music show “Music News” (2002). She also was a host of “Family Do's and Don’ts” and interviewed a number of celebrities, including Rod Stewart, Ty Pennington and her father.

Wagner left the TV Guide Channel in 2004 in order to chase other hosting gigs. Later that same year, she could be seen appearing as Newswoman in the “Charmed” episode of “Styx Feet Under” and making guest shot on an episode of the talk show “Good Day Live,” opposite her dad. In 2005, Wagner hosted the WB reality series “The Starlet,” which had only a short life.

Currently, Wagner is enjoying her roles as a wife and a mother of a one-year-old boy named Riley.

Awards:
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