Natalie Wood, Hollywood star

Natalie Wood, who passed on this weekend, was one of Hollywood's busiest actresses. The fully clothed body of Miss Wood, apparently the victim of an accident, was found Nov. 29 floating in waters off Santa Catalina Island, officials said. Witnesses said she had been vacationing with friends on the island, 26 miles across the channel from Los Angeles, when she wandered off by herself. The friends became concerned and notified lifeguards shortly before dawn.

Born Natasha Gurdin, the grand-daughter of Russian immigrants, Miss Wood was nominated three times for an Academy Award and appeared in a series of films, including ''Gypsy,'' ''Splendor in the Grass,'' and ''The Last Married Couple in America.'' She was perhaps best known for her role as Maria in ''West Side Story.''