Elvis found himself in one of the toughest spots possible when he was thrust between his mother and his lover. At 22-years-old - just before he became a worldwide sensation - Elvis was dating a young actress named Natalie Wood. The American starlet appeared in Rebel Without a Cause and later starred in West Side Story. (Express)
And when Elvis crossed paths with Natalie - who was born July 20, back in 1938 - sparks flew. But it couldn't last.
Natalie's sister, Lana Wood, wrote and released a memoir titled "Natalie: A Memoir By Her Sister" after the star died on November 29, 1981. The 43-year-old drowned under mysterious circumstances.
Lana detailed some of the lesser-known events of her sister's life. In the book, she revealed Elvis' relationship with his mother, Gladys Presley, got between the star and her sister.
Elvis' future wife - Priscilla- later referred to Gladys as "the love of his life". But when Elvis met Natalie, he thought he had found the one for him.
To impress her early on, Elvis invited Natalie on a date to the movies. He proceeded to buy out the entire cinema to show her just how much of a big deal he was.
Shortly thereafter he invited her to his house to impress his parents. But Gladys was apparently not very impressed with the young Hollywood girl.
Gladys particularly had a problem with the star's clothing choice. Elvis biographer Ray Connelly wrote: "Natalie wore a very flimsy nightgown around the house."
Gladys reportedly yelled: "Not in my house!"
The dislike was mutual. Natalie revealed she was "troubled" by the relationship Elvis shared with Gladys.
Lana wrote: "His mother said something like: ‘Come and sit on Mama’s lap.' They were very affectionate, and it bothered Natalie."
In the end, Natalie made a sly attempt to get out of Elvis' house as quick as she could.
"She called and asked our mom to make up a story about why she had to come home," Lana recalled.
Lana recalled, Natalie went on a week-long trip with Elvis and his parents. But she could barely last two days.
Lana wrote: "'Gladys has wrecked everything,' Natalie said, referring to Elvis’ domineering, jealous mother. 'I don’t have a chance. Get me out of this, and fast.'"
Authorities classified her death as an accident, concluding the 43-year-old star of “West Side Story,” who couldn’t swim, had been drinking the night before she was found floating face-down in the ocean waters.
Her death has been a Hollywood mystery, the topic of tabloid speculation, TV specials and books that explored whether she was the victim of a homicide.
The new report also noted “conflicting statements” about when Wood disappeared and whether she had argued with her husband, actor Robert Wagner, who — along with Christopher Walken, her co-star in the film “Brainstorm” — were aboard the 60-foot yacht where she was last seen alive on Nov. 28, 1981.
