Robert Wagner & Stephanie Powers ‘Held Each Other Up’ after Losing Spouses in Same Month & Stayed Friends for 44 Years
It isn’t always that an on-screen pair garners sheer praise and appreciation from the audience because of their brilliant acting and undeniable chemistry. Something similar happened with Stefanie Powers and Robert Wagner when they starred in a mystery television series.
They played amateur detectives in the “Hart to Hart” franchise, which ran for five seasons on ABC from 1979 to 1984. The show revolved around the many exciting adventures of the globe-trotting couple, Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, who found themselves amid murder, theft, smuggling, and espionage in almost every episode.
American film and TV stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as they appear in their TV series ‘Hart to Hart’ about a wealthy husband and wife who work together as private detectives. | Source: Getty Images
Jonathan (Wagner) was a self-made millionaire and the owner of Hart Industries, while his stunning wife, Jennifer (Powers), was a freelance journalist. Together, the duo, who had a knack for finding and solving mysteries wherever they went, always managed to make time for romance.
Following their fateful encounter, the pair were said to have stayed in contact and eventually started dating.
The Harts also had a loyal butler, cook, and chauffeur, Max (played by Lionel Stander), and an adorable pet dog, Freeway. The TV show was written by the renowned author Sidney Sheldon and received multiple laurels and accolades, including 22 award nominations and four wins.
After the series went off the air, it was followed by eight TV movies from 1993 to 1996, including “Hart to Hart: Two Harts in Three-Quarter Time.” Released in 1995, this made-for-television film was dedicated to the memory of Stander, who died in November 1994.
Written by Sheldon, Donald Ross, and Matt Crowley and starring Wagner, Powers, and Collins, the crime-drama centered around the Harts accepting a clock left to them by their deceased valet, Max, not knowing that the timepiece would become the centerpiece of a complex case involving murder and blackmail.
Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers pictured in their series “Hart to Hart” in 1979 | Source: Getty Images
In an interview in 2019, Powers fondly remembered her incredible time on the set with Wagner and shared her thoughts on the love sparks that radiated from their epic pairing. “We chose to be together. We loved each other. We adored everything about each other,” she expressed.
“I’m talking about Jonathan and Jennifer,” chimed Powers, attempting to justify that she was referring to her real-life romance with Wagner. Interestingly enough, she isn’t the only one who has discussed Mr. and Mrs. Harts’ great chemistry.
In 2021, Wagner spoke about the classic series returning to the television screens after many years of initially entertaining the audience with its lighthearted, whimsical, and romantic streak.
The Detroit, Michigan native shared that he and his team had a remarkable time making the series. Wagner...
