Lana Wood Undressed

Svetlana Smedley (born Svetlana Gurdin March 1, 1946), better known as Lana Wood, is an American actress and producer born to Russian emigré parents, Nikolai and Maria Zakharenko.

Lana Wood's parents were Russian, but they grew up far from their homeland: her father lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, while her mother grew up in a Chinese province. After marriage, they settled in Santa Monica, California, where Lana was born. By the time she was born, her parents had legally changed their surname to Gurdin.

Her sister Natalie Wood was named after director Sam Wood when she first launched her child actor career. When she made her film debut with sister Natalie in The Searchers (1956), their mother was asked under what last name should Lana be credited and she agreed it would be best if she could be credited as Lana Wood, like her famous sister did.

In 1970, she was approached to pose for Playboy by Hugh Hefner and agreed. The Playboy pictures appeared in the April 1971 issue, along with Wood's poetry. Even though her sister strongly disapproved of Wood's move to pose nude, the publicity was a major reason for her being cast as bond girl Plenty O'Toole in the 1971 James Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever.

Wood had participated in more than 20 other films or television shows through her career, including Peyton Place. She retired from acting in 1982, concentrating on her career as a producer. She has been involved in more than 20 productions.

Wood wrote a best-selling memoir about her famous sister shortly after her death. The book, ultimately, was also an autobiography. Among the titbits she revealed in the book was an off-the-set affair with Sean Connery during the filming of Diamonds Are Forever.

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