This month marks the fourth time the beautiful, brilliant Natalie Wood has graced the cover of this magazine (it's also the third time we have celebrated her career as Star of the Month), a feat that places her alongside such other legends as Lauren Bacall, Bette Davis, Lana Turner, John Wayne and Greta Garbo. It's quite a list to be part of--and one that, I believe, Natalie wholeheartedly belongs on.

At every phase of her career, from child star to teen starlet to full-fledged movie star, it would have been easy for the limelight to become too much, for the parts not to come, for the public to turn away. But none of these things happened for Natalie; in fact, the public's fascination with her, both on-screen and off-, never wavered during her nearly forty-year career.

Yet, there is so much more to this doe-eyed star than merely beauty and public appeal--and so much of her career was due not just to her popularity, but also to her own staunch determination. She rallied for parts, using her fame to take her career in new and unexpected directions (such as her turn in 1969's Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice), and constantly pushed her own acting limits in the quest for that golden statuette (which somehow seemed to elude her).

By the time I met her in 1965, she was already a Hollywood veteran at the age of 27. And along with her determination and brilliance, she also turned out to be incredibly kind, especially to an admittedly novice journalist like me. She was, in fact, my first major celebrity interview and when I arrived at her home, with those beautiful brown eyes looking at me, waiting for me to begin, I realized just how much of a beginner I was. My questions had no rhythm to them, and my notes were, I realized too late, completely disorganized. Looking back, she could have stopped that interview then and there, or quickly answered my questions and ended it almost as soon as it had begun. But she didn't. Instead, Natalie ended up sitting down on the floor with me and giving me suggestions on how to best organize the interview to get the most interesting story.

That day she became my mentor and, more importantly, my friend. I learned so much from her and am so grateful for the time I got to spend with her. Natalie was truly one of a kind. And you'll get a chance to see just how special she was all monthlong as we present 27 of her films, ranging from her first credited role in Tomorrow Is Forever (1946) to her final film, Brainstorm (1983) and every phase of her career in between. And, of course, we'll be showcasing some of her most iconic work including the three performances for which she was Academy Award® nominated: Rebel Without a Cause (1955), Splendor in the Grass (1961) and Love With the Proper Stranger (1963). And, throughout her career, her co-stars proved to be some of the most popular actors of the 1940s, '50s and '60s, which also gives you a chance to see Natalie opposite Orson Welles, James Dean, John Wayne, Warren Beatty, Robert Redford, Laurence Olivier, Paul Newman... the list goes on and on.

And to top it all off, each of our Friday night line-ups will be hosted by her husband, actor Robert Wagner, and her daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner, who will certainly give even more insight into her remarkable life away from the cameras. It truly will be something you won't want to miss. And we do hope you'll join us each- Friday night on TCM as we highlight the incredible life and career of Natalie Wood.

by Robert Osborne