Katie Wagner
Encyclopedia
Katharine "Katie" Wagner (born May 11, 1964 in Los Angeles, California
) is a television personality and Hollywood reporter. She was named after actress and family friend Katharine Hepburn
. Her parents are actress Marion Marshall
and veteran actor Robert Wagner
. They divorced in 1971 when she was seven years old.
On her mother's side she has two older half-brothers, Josh Donen and Peter Donen. On her father's side, she has a younger half-sister, Courtney Wagner.
Tragedy struck on November 29, 1981, when her father's then-wife, Natalie Wood
, drowned near Catalina Island. Her father is now married to Jill St. John
.
Katie graduated from Beverly Hills High School
in 1982 and attended Santa Barbara City College for a semester. After dropping out of college, she dabbled in modeling, which allowed her to live in Tokyo
and London
.
Katie received a break in 1987, when she and her father were
featured on the TV show Born Famous. The show's host asked her what she hoped to do for a living. Her answer? "I would like to do what you do." Katie's first media job was for the Don Mischer
special M & W on ABC
, for which she interviewed Dan Aykroyd
and his wife, Donna Dixon
. This resulted in a two-and-a-half-year run at the Movietime Cable Network (Now E!
Network). Katie went on to work at HBO, Cinemax
, V, and MTV
. At MTV, she guest-hosted from both coasts. She also co-hosted Awake on the Wildside, filled in for Chris Connelly
on The Big Picture
, and introduced videos at night.
For two years, Katie Wagner co-hosted an international entertainment show called Hollywood Report with Richard Jobson on ITV
in Great Britain. The show was seen in 11 countries. Katie then co-hosted 22 episodes of Live From the House of Blues
on TBS. She joined Robin Leach
for the final two seasons of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
as co host and contributing reporter. Then, Katie was asked to narrate and co-produce Intimate Portrait: Natalie Wood, about her late stepmother. With the cooperation of her family, Katie shared private details of Ms. Wood's life for the first time.
In 1999, she began working for the TV Guide Channel
. Her hosting duties included Music News, TV Talk, Family Do's and Don’ts, and What's On
. In 2004, after 5½ years, she left the TV Guide Channel to do her own show. Later that year, she played a news reporter on the Charmed
episode, "Styx Feet Under" and was a guest star on the talk show, Good Day Live. In 2005, Katie was host of the WB show, The Starlet
. On September 21, 2006, she gave birth to her first child, Riley John Wagner-Lewis. She married her boyfriend, Leif Lewis, in July 2007.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
) is a television personality and Hollywood reporter. She was named after actress and family friend Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
. Her parents are actress Marion Marshall
Marion Marshall (actress)
Marion Marshall is an American actress.Marshall's first film appearances were in the 20th Century Fox films Gentleman's Agreement and Daisy Kenyon in 1947...
and veteran actor Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
. They divorced in 1971 when she was seven years old.
On her mother's side she has two older half-brothers, Josh Donen and Peter Donen. On her father's side, she has a younger half-sister, Courtney Wagner.
Tragedy struck on November 29, 1981, when her father's then-wife, Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
, drowned near Catalina Island. Her father is now married to Jill St. John
Jill St. John
Jill St. John is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Tiffany Case, the lead Bond girl in Diamonds Are Forever.-Early life:...
.
Katie graduated from Beverly Hills High School
Beverly Hills High School
Beverly Hills High School is the only major public high school in Beverly Hills, California. Beverly is part of the Beverly Hills Unified School District and located on on the west side of Beverly Hills, at the...
in 1982 and attended Santa Barbara City College for a semester. After dropping out of college, she dabbled in modeling, which allowed her to live in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Katie received a break in 1987, when she and her father were
featured on the TV show Born Famous. The show's host asked her what she hoped to do for a living. Her answer? "I would like to do what you do." Katie's first media job was for the Don Mischer
Don Mischer
Don Mischer is an American television events producer and director.Mischer has produced television programs since 1976, when he produced a special for Barbra Streisand...
special M & W on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, for which she interviewed Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
and his wife, Donna Dixon
Donna Dixon
Donna Dixon is an American actress.Donna Dixon was born in Alexandria, Virginia; her father, Earl Dixon, owned a club on U.S. 1, called "Hillbilly Heaven." She is a 1975 graduate of Groveton High School and attended The George Washington University...
. This resulted in a two-and-a-half-year run at the Movietime Cable Network (Now E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
Network). Katie went on to work at HBO, Cinemax
Cinemax
Cinemax, sometimes abbreviated as simply "Max", is a collection of premium television networks that broadcasts primarily feature films, along with softcore erotica, original action series, documentaries and special behind-the-scenes features. Cinemax is operated by Home Box Office, Inc., a...
, V, and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. At MTV, she guest-hosted from both coasts. She also co-hosted Awake on the Wildside, filled in for Chris Connelly
Chris Connelly
Chris Connelly is a Scottish musician who became famous for his industrial music work of the late 1980s and early 1990s, particularly his involvement with the Revolting Cocks and Ministry. He has since established himself as a talented alternative singer-songwriter...
on The Big Picture
The Big Picture
The Big Picture may refer to:In magazines:*Big Picture, a magazine by the Wellcome TrustIn painting*The Big Picture , a 1903 painting by Tom Roberts, formally known as The Opening of the First Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia by H.R.H. The Duke of Cornwall and York The Big Picture may...
, and introduced videos at night.
For two years, Katie Wagner co-hosted an international entertainment show called Hollywood Report with Richard Jobson on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in Great Britain. The show was seen in 11 countries. Katie then co-hosted 22 episodes of Live From the House of Blues
Live From the House of Blues
Live From the House of Blues was a 26 part series on TBS that started airing in January 1995 at 12:05 AM Eastern Time on Friday nights and repeated at the same time on Saturday nights. The timeslot was the same timeslot that another TBS music program, Night Tracks once occupied from 1983 to 1992....
on TBS. She joined Robin Leach
Robin Leach
Robin Douglas Leach is an English celebrity writer famous for hosting his first show, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, in the mid-1980s and into the mid-1990s, which focused on profiling well-known celebrities and their lavish homes, cars and other materialistic endeavors...
for the final two seasons of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous is a television series that aired in syndication from 1984 to 1995. The show featured the extravagant lifestyles of wealthy entertainers, athletes and business moguls....
as co host and contributing reporter. Then, Katie was asked to narrate and co-produce Intimate Portrait: Natalie Wood, about her late stepmother. With the cooperation of her family, Katie shared private details of Ms. Wood's life for the first time.
In 1999, she began working for the TV Guide Channel
TV Guide Channel
TV Guide Network is an American cable network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation....
. Her hosting duties included Music News, TV Talk, Family Do's and Don’ts, and What's On
What's On
What's On is a weekly half-hour TV series that airs on Fairchild Television.-Format:Originally started in 1996, the show is currently the longest-running program in Fairchild Television history. "What's On" is a 30 minute informative program that introduces viewers to events happening in and...
. In 2004, after 5½ years, she left the TV Guide Channel to do her own show. Later that year, she played a news reporter on the Charmed
Charmed
Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M...
episode, "Styx Feet Under" and was a guest star on the talk show, Good Day Live. In 2005, Katie was host of the WB show, The Starlet
The Starlet
The Starlet is a reality television program on The WB.Ten young actresses lived together in a home formerly owned by Marilyn Monroe, while competing in a series of acting challenges for the chance to win a role on the WB drama One Tree Hill and a management contract with 3 Arts Entertainment.Hosted...
. On September 21, 2006, she gave birth to her first child, Riley John Wagner-Lewis. She married her boyfriend, Leif Lewis, in July 2007.