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Ann-Margret
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Ann-Margret Olsson (born April 28, 1941), credited as Ann-Margret, is an American actress and singer with a career spanning seven decades. Her many screen roles include Pocketful of Miracles (1961), State Fair (1962), Bye Bye Birdie (1963), Viva Las Vegas (1964), Carnal Knowledge (1971), The Train Robbers (1973), Tommy (1975), The Return of the Soldier (1982), 52 Pick-Up (1986), Newsies (1992), Grumpy Old Men (1993), Any Given Sunday (1999), Taxi (2004), and Going in Style (2017). Her accolades include five Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award in addition to two Academy Award nominations and two Grammy nominations.
Key Information
Gaining popularity in 1961 as a singer with a sultry, vibrant contralto voice,[1][2] Ann-Margret quickly rose to Hollywood stardom. She released Born to be Wild, her first classic-rock album, in 2023.
Early life
[edit]Ann-Margret Olsson was born on 28 April 1941, in Valsjöbyn, Krokom Municipality, Jämtland County, Sweden, to Anna Regina (née Aronsson) and Carl Gustav Olsson, a native of Örnsköldsvik. She described Valsjöbyn as a small town of "lumberjacks and farmers high up near the Arctic Circle".[3] Her father had emigrated to the United States, but returned to Sweden in 1937 and married Anna Aronsson. After Ann-Margret's birth, Gustav wanted to emigrate again with the family.
After World War II, his wife hesitated and Gustav emigrated alone, but was joined by his wife and daughter in 1946.[4] In 1949, Ann-Margret became a naturalized American citizen.[5]
Ann-Margret took her first dance lessons at the Marjorie Young School of Dance. She showed natural ability from the start, easily mimicking all the steps. Her parents were supportive, and her mother made all of her costumes by hand. To support the family, Ann-Margret's mother became a funeral parlor receptionist after her husband suffered a severe injury on his job.[6][7] While a teenager, Ann-Margret appeared on the Morris B. Sachs Amateur Hour, Don McNeill's Breakfast Club, and Ted Mack's Amateur Hour. She continued to star in theater as she attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. (Two fellow movie stars, Charlton Heston and Rock Hudson, had graduated from the school many years earlier.)
She was part of a group known as the Suttletones, which went to the Dunes hotel and casino in Las Vegas. The Dunes also headlined Tony Bennett and Al Hirt at the time. George Burns heard of her performance, and she auditioned for his annual holiday show, for which she and Burns performed a softshoe routine. Variety proclaimed that "George Burns has a gold mine in Ann-Margret... she has a definite style of her own, which can easily guide her to star status".[8]
Ann-Margret said she dropped her last name before moving out to California because when you are an entertainer, "mean things" can be written about you and she did not want her parents to be hurt by anything written about her.[9]
Career
[edit]Music career
[edit]
Ann-Margret began recording for RCA Victor in 1961, first recording "Lost Love". Her debut album And Here She Is ... Ann-Margret was recorded in Hollywood, arranged and conducted by Marty Paich. Later albums were produced in Nashville with Chet Atkins on guitar, the Jordanaires (Elvis Presley's backup singers), and the Anita Kerr Singers, with liner notes by mentor George Burns. She had a sexy, throaty contralto singing voice,[10] and RCA Victor attempted to capitalize on the "female Elvis" comparison by having her record a version of "Heartbreak Hotel" and other songs stylistically similar to Presley's. She scored a minor success with "I Just Don't Understand" (from her second LP), which entered the Billboard Top 40 in August 1961 and stayed six weeks, peaking at number 17;[11] the song was later performed by the Beatles in 1963. In 1962, Ann-Margret was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.[12]
Her only charting album was Beauty and the Beard (1964), on which she was accompanied by trumpeter Al Hirt. Other career highlights included appearing on The Jack Benny Program in 1961 and singing the Bachelor in Paradise theme at the 34th Academy Awards in 1962. Her contract with RCA Victor ended in 1966. In 1963, Life Magazine mentioned that her recordings had sold in excess of half a million units.[13]
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, she had hits on the dance charts, the most successful being 1979's "Love Rush", which peaked at number eight on the disco/dance charts.[14] In 2001, working with Art Greenhaw, she recorded the album God Is Love: The Gospel Sessions. The album went on to earn a Grammy nomination (forty years after her first) and also a Dove Award nomination for gospel album of the year. Her album Ann-Margret's Christmas Carol Collection, also produced and arranged by Greenhaw, was recorded in 2004.[15] 2011 saw the release of "God is Love: The Gospel Sessions 2"
In 2023, she went back into the studio to record a full-length album of new recordings for Cleopatra Records. "Born to Be Wild" featured 13 covers including "Splish Splash", "Earth Angel", "Son of A Preacher Man", and a new take on "Teach Me Tonight" featuring Pat Boone. Other guest performers included Pete Townshend, The Fuzztones, Paul Shaffer, The Oak Ridge Boys, and more.[16] The album was released on 14 April 2023, on vinyl, compact disc, and all streaming platforms.
Rapid rise to Hollywood stardom (1961–1964)
[edit]
In 1961, Ann-Margret filmed a screen test at 20th Century Fox and was signed to a seven-year contract.[17] She made her film debut in a loan-out to United Artists in Frank Capra's Pocketful of Miracles with Bette Davis; it is a remake of Capra's own Lady for a Day (1933). For her performance Ann-Margret was awarded her first Golden Globe, for New Actress of the Year, alongside Jane Fonda and Christine Kaufmann.[18]
Then came a 1962 remake of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical State Fair, in which she played the "bad girl" role of Emily opposite Bobby Darin and Pat Boone. She had previously tested for the part of Margie, the "good girl", but the studio bosses deemed her too seductive for that role.[19] In her autobiography, Ann-Margret wrote that the two roles seemed to represent the two sides of her real-life personality. She was shy and reserved offstage but wildly exuberant and sensuous onstage, transforming "from Little Miss Lollipop to Sexpot-Banshee", in her words.[20] In a 2021 retrospective of Ann-Margret's career for FilmInk, Stephen Vagg argued "she wasn't that well cast as a bad girl. Because she had so much energy and shape, producers thought she was; but she was more effective in parts closer to what she was in real life: an energetic good girl with a twinkle in the eye".[21]
Her performance as the all-American teenager Kim in Bye Bye Birdie (1963) made her a major star. Its premiere at Radio City Music Hall, 16 years after her first visit to the famed theater, was the highest first-week grossing film to date at the Music Hall. Life magazine put her on the cover for the second time and announced that the "torrid dancing almost replaces the central heating in the theater".[22][23] Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. She was then asked to sing "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" at President John F. Kennedy's private birthday party at the Waldorf Astoria New York, one year after Marilyn Monroe's famous "Happy Birthday to You".[24] A few months later, Ann-Margret voiced an animated version of herself, named "Ann-Margrock", on the television series The Flintstones.[25] She sang the ballad "The Littlest Lamb" as a lullaby, as well as the rocker, "Ain't Gonna Be a Fool".
Ann-Margret met Elvis Presley on the MGM soundstage when the two filmed Viva Las Vegas (1964). Filmink argued "She had so much energy and pep that she had blown her previous three male co-stars off screen, but Elvis could match her. He was the best on-screen partner she ever had, and she was his".[21] She recorded three duets with Presley for the film: "The Lady Loves Me", "You're the Boss", and "Today, Tomorrow, and Forever"; only "The Lady Loves Me" made it into the final film and none of them were commercially released until years after Presley's death, due to concerns by Colonel Tom Parker that Ann-Margret's presence threatened to overshadow Elvis.[26] Choreographer David Winters was hired because Ann-Margret was his dance student and recommended him for the job.[27] It was Winters' first choreographer credit on film. He would go on to become a common collaborator for both Presley and Ann-Margret.
Decline in fortunes and European sojourn (1965–1969)
[edit]Bye Bye Birdie and Viva Las Vegas had established Ann-Margret as Hollywood's biggest new star, but a string of box-office flops followed until October 1965. The first, Kitten with a Whip, saw Ann-Margret give a "balls-to-the-wall performance" as a juvenile delinquent who entraps a politician.[21] She followed up with The Pleasure Seekers, yet another musical romantic comedy. Ann-Margret was excited to do her next project, Bus Riley's Back in Town; its writer William Inge had penned her favorite film Splendor in the Grass (1961). However Inge was so infuriated by the result that he took his name off the credits of Bus Riley. She then featured in Once a Thief, a crime film intended to be a star-making vehicle for French actor Alain Delon in the United States.[21] The actress learned decades later that during this time she had been offered the title role in Cat Ballou, a critically acclaimed box-office smash that the American Film Institute ranked as the tenth greatest Western film of all time. Her agent had turned down the role without telling her.[28][29] Ann-Margret broke her flop streak with The Cincinnati Kid, in which she played a femme fatale opposite Steve McQueen. It was her first hit since Viva Las Vegas, but her role was not a large one.[21]
While she was working on Once a Thief, she met her future husband Roger Smith, who after his successful run on the private-eye television series 77 Sunset Strip, was performing a live club show at the hungry i on a bill with Bill Cosby and Don Adams. That meeting began their courtship, which was met with resistance from her parents.[30]
Ann-Margret starred in four films in 1966. Made in Paris, the first of these, was a fashion-focused romantic comedy in which Ann-Margret received top billing. FilmInk attributes its box office failure to "dodgy writing and uninspiring male leads".[21] A month after its release, she teamed up with entertainers Chuck Day and Mickey Jones for a USO tour to entertain U.S. servicemen in South Vietnam and other parts of South-East Asia. A moderately successful remake of the classic John Ford Western Stagecoach followed, with Ann-Margret essaying the role of a prostitute. She then starred in the "hopelessly confused" sex comedy The Swinger which, in Stephen Vagg's words, "came close to killing her Hollywood career more than any other [film] by virtue of its sheer incompetence."[21] Ann-Margret ended 1966 by featuring in the hit Dean Martin–starrer Murderers' Row, a spy spoof. Looking at Ann-Margret's uneven draw at the box office, Vagg points out that after Viva Las Vegas, her roles in hit films "had been parts any girl could have played" but the star vehicles that were tailored for her were all flops.[21]
During a lull in her film career in July 1967, Ann-Margret gave her first live performance in Las Vegas, with her husband Roger Smith (whom she had married that May) taking over as her manager after that engagement. Elvis Presley and his entourage came to see her during the show's five-week run and celebrate backstage. According to Ann-Margret's autobiography, Presley sent her a guitar-shaped floral arrangement for each of her Vegas openings.[31] After the first Vegas run ended, she followed with a CBS television special The Ann-Margret Show, produced and directed by David Winters on 1 December 1968, with guest-stars Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Danny Thomas, and Carol Burnett. Then, she returned to Saigon as part of Hope's Christmas show. A second CBS television special followed, Ann-Margret: From Hollywood With Love, produced, directed and choreographed by David Winters, with guest-stars Dean Martin and Lucille Ball. David Winters and the show were nominated for a Primetime Emmy in Outstanding Choreography.[32]
Critical acclaim in supporting roles (1970s)
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In 1970, she returned to films with R. P. M., where she starred alongside Anthony Quinn, and C.C. and Company with Joe Namath as a biker and her portraying a fashion journalist.
In 1971, she starred in Carnal Knowledge by director Mike Nichols, playing the girlfriend of a neglectful, arguably abusive character played by Jack Nicholson. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. Filmink argued this amounted to a comeback "in a way...because she never really regained her former status as an above-the-title star of feature films—her follow-up movies were 'girl' parts... the seventies were tough times for female stars who were not Barbra Streisand."[21]
On the set of The Train Robbers in Durango, Mexico, in June 1972, she told Nancy Anderson of Copley News Service that she had been on the "grapefruit diet" and had lost almost 20 pounds (134 to 115) eating unsweetened citrus.[33]
On Sunday, 10 September 1972, while performing at Lake Tahoe, she fell 22 feet (6.7 meters) from an elevated platform to the stage and suffered injuries including a broken left arm, cheekbone, and jawbone. She required meticulous facial reconstructive surgery that required wiring her mouth shut and putting her on a liquid diet. Unable to work for ten weeks, she returned to the stage almost back to normal.[34]
Throughout the 1970s, Ann-Margret balanced her live musical performances with a string of dramatic film roles that played against her glamorous image. In 1973, she starred with John Wayne in The Train Robbers. Then came the musical Tommy in 1975, for which she received her second Oscar nomination, this time for the Academy Award for Best Actress. In addition, she has been nominated for ten Golden Globe Awards, winning five, including her Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for Tommy. On 17 August 1977, Ann-Margret and Roger Smith traveled to Memphis to attend Elvis Presley's funeral.[35] Three months later, she hosted Memories of Elvis featuring abridged versions of the Elvis 1968 TV and Aloha from Hawaii specials.[36]
Other notable films she co-starred in during the late 1970s include Joseph Andrews (1977), The Last Remake of Beau Geste (1977), and the horror/suspense thriller Magic (1978) with Anthony Hopkins. She had a cameo in The Cheap Detective (1978).
Ann-Margret was an early choice of Allan Carr's to play the role of Sandy Dumbrowski in the 1978 film Grease. At 36 years of age when filming commenced, she was ultimately determined to be too old to convincingly play the role of a high school student. Twenty-eight-year-old Olivia Newton-John got the role instead, and the character was renamed "Sandy Olsson" (after Ann-Margret's birth surname) in her honor.[37]
For her contributions to the film industry, Ann-Margret received a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1973. Her star is located at 6501 Hollywood Boulevard.[38]
Television-movie era (1980s)
[edit]
Ann-Margret starred opposite Bruce Dern in Middle Age Crazy (1980). In 1982, she co-starred with Walter Matthau and Dinah Manoff in the film version of Neil Simon's play I Ought to Be in Pictures. That same year also saw the release of Lookin' to Get Out, filmed two years prior in 1980, in which she co-starred with Jon Voight and played the mother of a five-year-old Angelina Jolie in Jolie's screen debut. To round out 1982, she appeared alongside Alan Bates, Glenda Jackson, and Julie Christie in the film adaptation of The Return of the Soldier. She also starred in the TV movies Who Will Love My Children? (1983) and a remake of A Streetcar Named Desire (1984), winning Golden Globe Awards for both performances.
After Barbara Stanwyck won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie in 1983 for her role in The Thorn Birds, she mentioned Ann-Margret's performance in Who Will Love My Children?, stating at the podium "I would like to pay a personal tribute at this time to a lady who is a wonderful entertainer...I think she gave one of the finest, most beautiful performances I have ever seen...Ann-Margret, you were superb."[39][40]
In Twice in a Lifetime (1985) Ann-Margret portrayed a waitress for whom Gene Hackman's character left his wife. The next year she appeared as the wife of Roy Scheider's character in the crime thriller 52 Pick-Up. In 1987 she co-starred with Elizabeth Ashley (and also with Claudette Colbert, in the last on-screen role of the film legend's career) in the NBC two-part series The Two Mrs. Grenvilles. It earned Ann-Margret another Emmy Award nomination, this time for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini Series or a Special.
In 1989, an illustration of Oprah Winfrey appeared on the cover of TV Guide, and although the head was Oprah's, the body was from a 1979 publicity shot of Ann-Margret. The illustration was rendered so tightly in color pencil by freelance artist Chris Notarile that most people thought it was a composite photograph.[41]
Continuing film and television career (1990–present)
[edit]In 1991, she starred in the TV film Our Sons opposite Julie Andrews as mothers of sons who are lovers, one of whom is dying of AIDS. In 1992, she co-starred with Robert Duvall and Christian Bale in the Disney musical Newsies. In 1993, Ann-Margret starred in the hit comedy Grumpy Old Men reuniting with Matthau and Jack Lemmon. Her character returned for Grumpier Old Men (1995), the equally successful sequel which this time co-starred Sophia Loren.
Ann-Margret published an autobiography in 1994 titled Ann-Margret: My Story,[42] in which she publicly acknowledged her battle with and ongoing recovery from alcoholism. She played Belle Watling in Scarlett (1994), a television miniseries loosely based on the 1991 book of the same name written by Alexandra Ripley as a sequel to Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind. In 1995, Empire magazine ranked her tenth on its list of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history.
She also filmed Any Given Sunday (1999) for director Oliver Stone, portraying the mother of football team owner Cameron Diaz. She filmed a cameo appearance for The Limey, but her performance was cut from the movie.[43]
Ann-Margret also starred in several television films, including Queen: The Story of an American Family (1993), Following Her Heart (1994), and Life of the Party (1999), the latter of which she received nominations for an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
In 2000, she recorded the theme song, a modified version of the Viva Las Vegas theme, to the live-action film The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.[44]
She made guest appearances on the television show Touched by an Angel in 2000 and three episodes of Third Watch in 2003. In 2001, she made her first appearance in a stage musical, playing the character of brothel owner Mona Stangley in a new touring production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The production co-starred Gary Sandy and Ed Dixon. She played Jimmy Fallon's mother in the 2004 comedy Taxi, co-starring Queen Latifah. In 2001, Ann-Margret worked with Art Greenhaw on the album God Is Love: The Gospel Sessions. The project resulted in her second Grammy Award nomination and first Dove Award nomination for Best Album of the Year in a Gospel category. They teamed up again in 2004 for the album Ann-Margret's Christmas Carol Collection. She performed material from the album at two auditorium church services at Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, and broadcast worldwide on the program Hour of Power.[45]
In November 2005, Ann-Margret reunited with Chuck Day and Mickey Jones for an encore of their 1966 USO tour for veterans and troops at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.[46]
In 2006, Ann-Margret had supporting roles in the box-office hits The Break-Up with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, and The Santa Clause 3 with Tim Allen. She also starred in several independent films, such as Memory (2006) with Billy Zane and Dennis Hopper. In 2009, she appeared in the comedy Old Dogs with John Travolta and Robin Williams.
Ann-Margret guest-starred in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, "Bedtime", which first aired on 31 March 2010, on NBC.[47] She received her sixth Emmy nomination for her performance. She also appeared in the Lifetime series, Army Wives, in the episode "Guns and Roses" (season four, episode five), which originally aired 9 May 2010. On 29 August 2010, she won an Emmy, her first, for Guest Performance by an Actress for her SVU performance. The Emmy venue audience gave her a standing ovation.
On 14 October 2010, Ann-Margret appeared on CBS's CSI.[48]
In the fall of 2011, she co-starred with Andy Williams for a series of concerts at his Moon River Theater in Branson, Missouri. These proved to be Williams' last performances before his death in 2012.
In 2014, she began appearing in a recurring role in the Showtime original series Ray Donovan.[49] On 1 October 2018, it was announced that she had joined the second season of the Syfy series Happy! in a recurring role.[50]
In 2018, she guest-starred in The Kominsky Method, portraying Diane, a widow and possible love interest for the recently widowed Norman, played by Alan Arkin.
On 28 November 2023, she was a guest narrator of Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World.[51]
Personal life
[edit]Ann-Margret is a stepmother of the three children of her husband Roger Smith, an actor, who later became her manager. She and Smith were married for 50 years from 8 May 1967 until his death on 4 June 2017. Before her marriage to Smith, she dated Eddie Fisher,[52] was briefly engaged to Burt Sugarman,[53][54] and was romantically linked to Elvis Presley when they co-starred in the film Viva Las Vegas in 1964.[55]
Ann-Margret has given talks about her Swedish-American heritage, including her explorations of Swedish cuisine.[56]
A keen motorcyclist, Ann-Margret rode a 500 cc Triumph T100C Tiger in The Swinger (1966) and used the same model, fitted with a nonstandard electric starter, in her stage show and her TV specials. She was featured in Triumph Motorcycles' official advertisements in the 1960s. She suffered three broken ribs and a fractured shoulder when she was thrown off a motorcycle in rural Minnesota in 2000.[57]
In a 2012 interview, she stated, "All my life I've had this feeling, deep, deep, deep inside of me ...my faith and my feelings. ...I mean you go outside and you see flowers. You see the trees. You see all your loved ones, you see ...and then you think of Who created it all." She described her relationship with God, and with Jesus Christ as "something which is really important to me. If I thought that I would never see my mother and father again, I couldn't make it. I could not go a step further."[58]
On 14 May 2022, she was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in Humane Letters by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.[59]
Portrayal
[edit]The 2005 CBS miniseries Elvis includes the story of her affair with Elvis Presley during the filming of Viva Las Vegas. She was portrayed by the actress Rose McGowan. She also provided the voice of a fictionalized version of herself in a 1963 Flintstones episode "Ann-Margrock Presents".[25]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]Box-office ranking
[edit]For two years, Ann-Margret was voted by movie exhibitors as being among the more popular actors in the United States:
- 1964 – 8th
- 1965 – 17th[60]
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | The Jack Benny Program | Herself | Episode: "Variety Show" |
| 1962 | The Andy Williams Special | Herself | Episode: "May 4, 1962" |
| 1963 | The Flintstones | Ann-Margrock (voice) | Episode: "Ann-Margrock Presents"[25] |
| 1970 | Here's Lucy | Ann-Margret | Episode: "Lucy and Ann-Margret" |
| 1971 | Dames at Sea | Ruby | TV adaptation of stage musical[61][62] |
| 1983 | Who Will Love My Children? | Lucile Fray | TV movie Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film; Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie |
| 1984 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Blanche DuBois | TV movie Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television |
| 1987 | The Two Mrs. Grenvilles | Ann Arden Grenville | Miniseries Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie |
| 1991 | Our Sons | Luanne Barnes | TV movie |
| 1993 | Alex Haley's Queen | Sally Jackson | 2 episodes Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie |
| 1994 | Scarlett | Belle Watling | Miniseries |
| Following Her Heart | Ingalill "Lena" Lundquist | TV movie | |
| Nobody's Children | Carol Stevens | ||
| 1996 | Blue Rodeo | Maggie Yearwood | |
| Seduced by Madness | Diane Kay Borchardt | Miniseries | |
| 1998 | Life of the Party | Pamela Harriman | TV movie Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
| Four Corners | Amanda "Maggie" Wyatt | 2 episodes | |
| 1999 | Happy Face Murders | Lorraine Petrovich | TV movie |
| 2000 | Perfect Murder, Perfect Town | Nedra Paugh | Miniseries |
| The 10th Kingdom | Cinderella | ||
| Touched by an Angel | Angela | Episode: "Millennium" | |
| Popular | God | Episode: "Are You There, God? It's Me Ann-Margret" | |
| 2001 | Blonde | Della Monroe | Miniseries |
| 2003 | Third Watch | Judge Barbara Halsted | 3 episodes |
| 2004 | A Place Called Home | Tula Jeeters | TV movie |
| 2010 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Rita Wills | Episode: "Bedtime" Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series |
| Army Wives | Aunt Edie | Episode: "Guns & Roses" | |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Margot Wilton | Episode: "Sqweegel" | |
| 2014 | Ray Donovan | June | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | The Kominsky Method | Diane | 2 episodes Nominated – Online Film & Television Association Award – Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series |
| 2019 | Happy! | Bebe DeBarge | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | A Holiday Spectacular | Grandma Margret | TV Movie |
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- And Here She Is ... Ann-Margret (1961)
- On the Way Up (1962)
- The Vivacious One (1962)
- Bachelors' Paradise (1963)
- 3 Great Girls – with Della Reese and Kitty Kallen (1963) – four songs
- Beauty and the Beard (1964) (with Al Hirt)
- David Merrick Presents Hits from His Broadway Hits (1964) (with David Merrick) – four songs
- Songs from The Swinger (and Other Swingin' Songs) (1966)
- The Cowboy and the Lady (1969) (with Lee Hazlewood)
- Ann-Margret (1980)
- God Is Love: The Gospel Sessions (2001)
- Ann-Margret's Christmas Carol Collection (2004)
- God Is Love: The Gospel Sessions 2 (2011)[63]
- Born to Be Wild (2023)[64]
Singles
[edit]| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [65] |
US AC [65] |
US Dance [66] |
JPN [67] |
CAN[68] | ||
| "Lost Love" | 1961 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "I Just Don't Understand" | 17 | — | — | — | 6 | |
| "It Do Me So Good" | 97[A] | — | — | |||
| "What Am I Supposed to Do" | 1962 | 82 | 19 | — | — | — |
| "Jim Dandy" | [B] | — | — | — | — | |
| "So Did I" | 1963 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Bye Bye Birdie" / "Take All the Kisses" | [C] | — | — | 2 | — | |
| "Someday Soon" | 1964 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Man's Favorite Sport" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Hey Little Star" | [D] | — | — | — | — | |
| "Mister Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" | 1966 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Sleep in the Grass" | 1969 | [E] | — | — | — | — |
| "Love Rush" | 1979 | — | — | 8 | — | — |
| "Midnight Message" | 1980 | — | — | 12 | — | — |
| "Everybody Needs Somebody Sometimes" | 1981 | — | — | 22 | — | — |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory | ||||||
Soundtrack appearances
[edit]- State Fair (1962)
- Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
- The Pleasure Seekers (1965)
- Rebus (1969)
- C.C. & Company (1970)
- Dames at Sea (1971)
- Tommy (1975)
- Newsies (1992)
- The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)
- The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (2001)
- Viva Las Vegas (LP reissue of Viva Las Vegas EP) (2007) (with Elvis Presley)
- Going in Style (2017)
Theatre productions
[edit]- Love Letters, with Burt Reynolds
- The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (2001, touring production)
Orders
[edit]
Commander of the Royal Order of the Polar Star (KNO) (2 December 1988)[72][73]
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Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Billboard Year-End | Most Promising Female Vocalist | Won[74] | |
| 1962 | Grammy Award | Best New Artist | Nominated | |
| Golden Laurel | Top Female New Personality | Won | ||
| Golden Globe Award | Most Promising Newcomer – Female | Won | ||
| 1963 | Golden Laurel | Top Female Musical Performance | State Fair | Won |
| Top Female Star | Nominated | |||
| 1964 | Top Female Comedy Performance | Bye Bye Birdie | Won | |
| Top Female Star | Nominated | |||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Motion Picture Actress – Musical/Comedy | Bye Bye Birdie | Nominated | |
| Photoplay Award | Most Popular Female Star | Won | ||
| 1965 | Golden Laurel | Musical Performance, Female | Viva Las Vegas | Won |
| 1966 | Made in Paris | Won | ||
| 1967 | Top Female Star | Nominated | ||
| 1972 | Academy Award | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Carnal Knowledge | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Award | Best Motion Picture Actress in a Supporting Role | Won | ||
| 1973 | Hollywood Walk of Fame | Motion Pictures | Contributions to the film industry | Inducted |
| 1975 | Academy Award | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Tommy | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Award | Best Motion Picture Actress – Musical/Comedy | Won | ||
| 1978 | Best Motion Picture Actress in a Supporting Role | Joseph Andrews | Nominated | |
| 1979 | Saturn Award | Best Actress | Magic | Nominated |
| 1981 | Genie Award | Best Performance by a Foreign Actress | Middle Age Crazy | Nominated |
| 1983 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special | Who Will Love My Children? | Nominated |
| Golden Apple Award | Female Star of the Year | Won | ||
| 1984 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special | A Streetcar Named Desire | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV | Who Will Love My Children? | Won | |
| 1985 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Won | ||
| 1987 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini Series or a Special | The Two Mrs. Grenvilles | Nominated |
| Women in Film Crystal Award | For outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry.[75] | Recipient | ||
| 1988 | Golden Globe Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV | The Two Mrs. Grenvilles | Nominated |
| 1993 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini Series or a Special | Queen: The Story of an American Family | Nominated |
| 1994 | Golden Globe Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV | Nominated | |
| 1999 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie | Life of the Party: The Pamela Harriman Story | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV | Nominated | ||
| 1999 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries | Nominated | |
| 2001 | Grammy Award | Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album | God is Love: The Gospel Sessions | Nominated |
| 2002 | GMA Dove Award | Best Country Album | Nominated | |
| 2005 | CineVegas International Film Festival | Centennial Award | Won | |
| 2010 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Law & Order: SVU: Bedtime | Won |
| 2013 | Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Award | Recipient | |
| 2019 | Online Film & Television Association Award | Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | The Kominsky Method | Nominated |
Notes
[edit]- ^ "It Do Me So Good" also charted at #58 on the Record World Singles Chart[69] and #90 on the Cash Box Charts.[70]
- ^ "Jim Dandy" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but did peak at #127 on the Record World Singles Chart.[69]
- ^ "Take All The Kisses" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but did peak at #101 on the Record World Singles Chart[69] and #42 on the Cash Box Looking Ahead Chart.[71]
- ^ "Hey Little Star" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but did peak at #130 on the Record World Singles Chart.[69]
- ^ "Sweet" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but did peak at number 13 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100.
References
[edit]- ^ Henderson, Eric (1 February 2011). "Ann-Margret Is the...Kitten with a Whip!". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ Hamilton, Anita (28 April 2016). "Celebrating Seniors – Ann-Margret Is 75". 50+ World. Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ Ann-Margret & Todd Gold 1994, p. 8.
- ^ Forslund, Bengt (1995), Svenska filmstjärnor, Alfabeta, ISBN 9177124448
- ^ "Ann-Margret". 25 October 2019. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ Kart, Larry (18 July 1983). "An Ann-Margert Story would take some telling". Boca Raton News. Chicago Tribune. p. 6C. article continued
- ^ "Ann-Margret: biography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on 7 February 2006. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ^ Ann-Margret & Todd Gold 1994, p. 77.
- ^ Freeman, Don (22 February 1983). "Ann-Margret: Beaten once by a leaf player". Standard-Speaker. Copley News Service. p. 18.
- ^ Shearer, Lloyd (13 December 1964). "Ann-Margret: Room at the Top". Independent Star-News. Pasadena, California. p. 98. Archived from the original on 4 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "I Just Don't Understand, Ann-Margret". Billboard. 2 October 1961. Archived from the original on 7 March 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
- ^ "Grammy Award Nominees 1962 - Grammy Award Winners 1962". awardsandshows.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
- ^ "Watch the Birdie and see Ann-Margret Soar". Life. 11 January 1963. pp. 60–61. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7.
- ^ official records, National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences; official records, Gospel Music Association; Mesquite (Texas) News, 2001 Volumes; holiday record release data, Select-O-Hits Distribution, 2004–2010
- ^ "Ann-Margret Rocks with New Album, 'Born to Be Wild'". aarp.org. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ Villet, Grey (27 January 1961). "Who, Me? $10,000 a Week!". Life. Vol. 50, no. 4. p. 83. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
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- ^ Ann-Margret & Todd Gold 1994, p. 91.
- ^ Ann-Margret & Todd Gold 1994, p. 96.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Vagg, Stephen (6 September 2021). "Surviving Cold Streaks: Ann-Margret". FilmInk. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ^ Ann-Margret & Todd Gold 1994, p. 102.
- ^ "Watch the 'Birdie' and See Ann-Marget Soar". Life. Vol. 54, no. 2. 11 January 1963. pp. 60–61. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- ^ Ann-Margret & Todd Gold 1994, p. 104.
- ^ a b c "Today's Channel Check". The Cincinnati Enquirer. 23 September 1963. p. 39. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Lichter, Paul (2011). Elvis in Vegas. New York: Duckworth. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-7156-4172-9.
- ^ Wakin, Daniel J. (24 May 2019). "What They Left Behind: Legacies of the Recently Departed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Passafiume, Andrea (ed.). "Cat Ballou". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 4 May 2017. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
- ^ "AFI's 10 Top 10: Top 10 Western". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
- ^ Carter, Maria (8 May 2017). "Inside Ann-Margret and Roger Smith's 50-Year Marriage". Country Living. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
- ^ Horowitz, Joy (18 February 1994). "Ann-Margret Looks Back in Her 'Story'". The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, California. p. D2. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ann-Margret: From Hollywood with Love". The New York Times. 3 November 2011. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011.
- ^ Anderson, Nancy (4 June 1972). "John Wayne A Father Figure on Movie Set in Durango, Mexico". The Joplin Globe. Copley New Service.
- ^ Ann-Margret & Todd Gold 1994, pp. 236–254.
- ^ Nash, Alanna (8 July 2003). The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley. Simon & Schuster. p. 312. ISBN 978-1-4391-3695-9. Archived from the original on 17 February 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Gaar, Gillian G. (1 March 2011). Return of the King: Elvis Presley's Great Comeback. ReadHowYouWant.com. pp. 310–311. ISBN 978-1-4587-3190-6. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ Windeler, Robert (31 July 1978). "Ohh Sandy! – Olivia Newton-John". People. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ "Ann-Margret". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
- ^ "Barbara Stanwyck 1983 Emmy Award for The Thorn Birds". YouTube. 11 May 2008. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021.
- ^ Farber, Stephen (17 July 1984). "TV is Polishing Ann-Margaret's Image". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ "Going Too Far With the Winfrey Diet". The New York Times. 30 August 1989. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
- ^ Ann-Margret & Todd Gold 1994.
- ^ Tobias, Scott (12 February 2009). "The New Cult Canon: The Limey filmmaker commentary track". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 16 November 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ Westhoff, Jeffrey (28 April 2000). "'Rock' On". Northwest Herald. Woodstock, Illinois. p. 5. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Los Angeles Times, 20 December 2004. Local section
- ^ "Las Vegas Events". LasVegasEvents.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014.
- ^ "Exclusive: Ann-Margret to Guest on SVU". TV Guide. 22 February 2010. Archived from the original on 24 February 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- ^ Keck, William (22 September 2010). "Keck's Exclusives: How CSI Nabbed Ann-Margret". TV Guide. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ Oldenburg, Ann (24 February 2014). "Ann-Margret joins 'Ray Donovan' cast". USA Today. Archived from the original on 10 July 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (1 October 2018). "Ann-Margret Joins Syfy's 'Happy!' In Recurring Role; Bryce Lorenzo & Christopher Fitzgerald Set To Return". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "Disney: 9 new narrators set for Candlelight Processional". orlandosentinel.com. 5 October 2023. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ Kaufman, Joanne (8 October 1999). "Eddie Fisher Tells All". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018.
- ^ Oppenheimer, Peer J. (18 August 1963). "Ann Margret: Hollwood's Hottest Newcomer". The American-Statesman. p. 7.
- ^ "Swedish Singer To Wed American". The Winona Daily News. Winona, Minnesota. Associated Press. 25 February 1962. p. 15.
- ^ Pfeiffer, Lee; Worrall, Dave (29 November 2011). Cinema Sex Sirens. Omnibus Press. p. 69. ISBN 978-0-85712-725-9.
- ^ Mary Daniels, The Swedish Side of Ann-Margret. Chicago Tribune, June 15, 1988.
- ^ "Ann-Margret Discusses Being a Showbiz Survivor". CNN. 1 January 2001. Archived from the original on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ Interviewer: Scott Ross (4 August 2012). "Hollywood Legend Ann-Margret on Faith, Love and Recovery". The 700 Club. CBN. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ "Famed Entertainer Ann-Margret Gets Honorary Degree from UNLV". AP News. 15 May 2022. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Connery No. 1 in Earnings" Los Angeles Times 4 January 1966: b8.
- ^ Dames at Sea Archived 9 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine (1971, TV adaptation) at IMDb
- ^ Dames at Sea (1971, TV adaptation) Archived 3 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine, video clip of "It's You" on YouTube
- ^ "Ann-Margret – Album Discography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ "Pete Townshend and Joe Perry Guest on Ann-Margret's New Album". Ultimate Classic Rock. 3 March 2023. Archived from the original on 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Ann-Margret Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- ^ "Ann Margaret – Chart history". Billboard. Archived from the original on 18 April 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- ^ "Japan's Best Sellers" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. 25, no. 18. 11 January 1964. p. 37. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- ^ https://chumtribute.com/61-10-02-chart.jpg
- ^ a b c d "Hit Records 1954-1982". Recordresearch. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100" (PDF). Cash Box Magazine. Vol. 23, no. 12. 2 December 1961. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 August 2020.
- ^ "Looking Ahead" (PDF). Cash Box Magazine. Vol. 24, no. 32. 20 April 1963. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 August 2020.
- ^ Galella, Ron (20 November 2010). "Swedish Royal Order of the Polar Star Honors Ann-Margret". Getty Images. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ Conway, Ann (2 December 1988). "Nixon: Library Offers Public a View of History". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ Bundy, June (25 December 1961). "Winners In The 14th Annual Disk Jockey Poll" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. Vol. 73, no. 51. p. 75. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 September 2022.
- ^ "WIF Awards Retrospective". Women in Film. August 2020. Archived from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
Bibliography
[edit]- Ann-Margret; Todd Gold (1994). Ann-Margret: My Story. G. P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 978-0-399-13891-1. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
External links
[edit]
General
- Ann-Margret at the American Film Institute Catalog
- Ann-Margret at IMDb
- Ann-Margret at the TCM Movie Database
- Ann-Margret discography at Discogs
- Ann-Margret at AllMusic
- Ann of a Thousand Knights at Snopes
- "Clip of Ann-Margret". Original Amateur Hour. Archived from the original on 19 May 2016. at age 16 in 1957.
Interviews
- Interview with Larry King, January 1, 2001, has a segment on the 2001 touring production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
Ann-Margret
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Childhood in Sweden
Ann-Margret was born Ann-Margret Olsson on April 28, 1941, in Valsjöbyn, a rural village in Jämtland County, northern Sweden.[4] She was the only child of Anna Regina (née Aronsson) and Carl Gustav Olsson, a native of nearby Örnsköldsvik who worked as an electrician for an electrical company.[5][6] The family resided in Valsjöbyn, a small community of lumberjacks and farmers situated high near the Arctic Circle, where life was simple and closely knit.[7][8] Following the end of World War II, Sweden faced significant economic difficulties, prompting Ann-Margret's father to immigrate to the United States in 1942 in search of better opportunities as an electrician.[9][10] Ann-Margret and her mother stayed behind in Sweden during the war years, enduring the hardships of postwar recovery until they could reunite with her father.[9] The family's decision to emigrate stemmed directly from these economic pressures, leading Ann-Margret and her mother to join him in Illinois when she was five years old in 1946.[8][7]Immigration and education in the United States
In November 1946, at the age of five, Ann-Margret Olsson immigrated to the United States from Sweden with her mother, Anna Regina Olsson, to join her father, Carl Gustav Olsson, who had arrived earlier during World War II and secured employment as an electrician at the Johnson Electrical Company in the Chicago area.[2][9][11] The family, seeking better opportunities after the hardships of wartime Sweden, settled in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette, Illinois, where they lived modestly, including a period residing above a funeral parlor where Anna later worked as a receptionist following her husband's on-the-job injury.[2][1][12] They became naturalized U.S. citizens in 1949.[2] Upon arrival, Ann-Margret encountered significant challenges adapting to life in America, particularly with the English language, which she did not speak, leading to an initially introverted phase as she navigated cultural differences and a new environment far from her rural Swedish roots.[9][1] Her mother played a pivotal role in supporting the family's transition and nurturing Ann-Margret's emerging interests in the performing arts; Anna harmonized traditional Swedish songs with her daughter at home and encouraged her participation in local activities to build confidence and skills.[9][1] This familial emphasis on creativity helped mitigate the adjustment struggles, fostering Ann-Margret's passion for music and movement from an early age. Ann-Margret's formal education in the United States began in local schools before she enrolled at New Trier High School in nearby Winnetka, Illinois, from which she graduated in 1959.[2][13] At New Trier, a prestigious public institution known for its strong arts programs, she discovered and developed her singing talent through participation in school revues, drama productions, and local talent contests, often performing on Chicago-area television shows like the Morris B. Sachs Amateur Hour.[2][14] Complementing this, she received early dance training at the Marjorie Young School of Dance in Wilmette, where her natural aptitude for rhythm and expression became evident, laying the groundwork for her multifaceted performance abilities.[2] These high school experiences marked the formative phase of her artistic growth, blending academic rigor with creative exploration in a supportive suburban setting.Career
Music career beginnings
Ann-Margret's entry into the music industry began during her high school years in the late 1950s, when she performed in talent shows and school productions at New Trier High School in Illinois.[1] After graduating in 1959 and enrolling as a freshman at Northwestern University, she formed a vocal group called the Suttletones with fellow students.[15] The quartet performed locally in Chicago-area nightclubs, such as the Mist, blending swing standards and emerging rock elements, which honed her stage presence and vocal style.[1] The Suttletones' big break came in 1960 when they secured a lounge engagement at the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas, where comedian George Burns spotted Ann-Margret during a guest spot in his show. This led to her signing a recording contract with RCA Victor in early 1961, just before her 20th birthday. Her debut single, "Lost Love," was recorded that spring in Nashville under producers Chet Atkins and Dick Pierce, followed by the more successful "I Just Don't Understand," which peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1961.[16] RCA marketed her as a "female Elvis Presley," emphasizing her rockabilly-infused pop sound with energetic covers and original tracks.[16] Her first album, And Here She Is: Ann-Margret, released in October 1961, featured a mix of upbeat pop, jazz standards, and rockabilly numbers like "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" and "Teach Me Tonight," showcasing her versatile voice and playful delivery. To promote her recordings, Ann-Margret embarked on live shows in Chicago clubs and national tours, including appearances on American Bandstand, where her dynamic, hip-shaking performances—clearly influenced by Elvis Presley's style—captivated audiences and built a dedicated fanbase among teenagers.[15] These early gigs, often with a backing band echoing Presley’s sound, established her reputation for high-energy stagecraft before her music intertwined with her burgeoning film career.[16]Rise to stardom in film (1961–1964)
Ann-Margret made her screen debut in 1961's Pocketful of Miracles, directed by Frank Capra, where she portrayed Louise, the long-lost daughter of Bette Davis's character, Apple Annie.[17] This supporting role, secured through a loan-out from 20th Century Fox to United Artists, marked her entry into Hollywood after a successful screen test earlier that year.[18] Following the film's release, her vibrant energy and musical talents impressed studio executives, leading to a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox, which positioned her for leading roles in musicals that capitalized on her background in recording with RCA Victor.[9] Her breakthrough came in 1962 with State Fair, a remake of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, in which she played Emily Porter, a lively carnival showgirl who brings a flirtatious edge to the story opposite Pat Boone and Bobby Darin.[19] The film highlighted her singing and dancing abilities in numbers like "Isn't It Kinda Fun?," establishing her as a charismatic presence in the genre. Building on this momentum, Ann-Margret starred as Kim MacAfee in 1963's Bye Bye Birdie, a screen adaptation of the Broadway hit, where she embodied the all-American teenager obsessed with rock star Conrad Birdie (Jesse Pearson). Her performance, blending innocence with emerging sensuality, earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, solidifying her transition from supporting player to leading lady.[20] The pinnacle of this period arrived in 1964 with Viva Las Vegas, co-starring Elvis Presley as race car driver Lucky Jackson, with Ann-Margret as Rusty Martin, a hotel singer and dancer. Their electric on-screen chemistry, evident in high-energy duets like "The Lady Loves Me" and dynamic dance sequences, showcased her multifaceted appeal—combining vocal prowess, athletic choreography, and undeniable sex appeal—while the film's box office success, grossing over $9 million worldwide, cemented her stardom.[21][22] These roles collectively propelled Ann-Margret from a promising newcomer to a major Hollywood attraction, blending her musical roots with cinematic charisma to captivate audiences during the early 1960s.[23]Challenges and European work (1965–1969)
Following her peak stardom in 1964, where she ranked as the eighth most popular box-office draw in the United States, Ann-Margret encountered significant career setbacks in the mid-to-late 1960s due to a string of underperforming films and persistent typecasting as a vivacious "sex kitten" character.[24] This image, while initially boosting her fame through energetic musicals like Viva Las Vegas, limited her opportunities for diverse roles as audience tastes shifted toward more nuanced storytelling amid the evolving Hollywood landscape of the era.[24] Films such as Made in Paris (1966), a romantic comedy set in France where she portrayed a flirtatious fashion buyer, failed to capitalize on her charm and grossed poorly, exacerbating her challenges.[24] The Swinger (1966), a sex comedy directed by George Sidney that leaned heavily into her established persona as a provocative ingénue, became a notable box-office disappointment, nearly derailing her momentum with its confused tone and outdated premise.[24] Similarly, Rebus (also known as Appointment in Beirut, 1968; released in some markets in 1969), an Italian-Spanish-German co-production crime thriller in which she played a sultry singer entangled in a casino heist plot, underperformed internationally and did little to advance her reputation beyond typecast roles.[24] These flops highlighted how changing viewer preferences for grittier, less formulaic content clashed with the lightweight vehicles studios continued to assign her, prompting a temporary dip in her Hollywood viability.[24] To reinvigorate her career, Ann-Margret pivoted toward European productions, seeking fresh opportunities away from American typecasting. The Pleasure Seekers (1964, released December 1964 but filmed earlier in Madrid, Spain), a musical comedy about American women abroad, marked an early foray into international settings, though it arrived amid her rising fame and offered limited dramatic depth.[24] By 1967, she delved deeper into European cinema with films like The Tiger and the Pussycat (1967, Italian), where she explored a more restrained comedic role opposite Lando Buzzanca, and The Prophet (1967, Italian-French), a satirical drama with Vittorio Gassman that allowed tentative steps toward character-driven performances.[24] These ventures, including the ensemble anthology Seven Men and One Brain (1967, Italian title Sette uomini e un cervello), aimed to showcase her versatility in dramatic contexts but met with modest success outside Europe, reflecting broader difficulties in breaking her Hollywood mold.[24]Supporting roles and critical acclaim (1970s)
In the 1970s, Ann-Margret transitioned from leading ingénue roles to more complex supporting characters, showcasing her dramatic range and earning significant critical recognition. Her breakthrough in this vein came with the role of Bobbie in Mike Nichols' Carnal Knowledge (1971), where she portrayed the emotionally vulnerable girlfriend of Jack Nicholson's self-centered Jonathan, a part that contrasted sharply with her earlier glamorous personas.[25] This performance was lauded for its depth and authenticity, with critics noting how she "steals the movie" through a nuanced depiction of desperation and heartbreak.[26] For her work, Ann-Margret received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1972, along with a Golden Globe win in the same category.[27] Building on this momentum, Ann-Margret demonstrated her versatility in Ken Russell's rock opera adaptation Tommy (1975), playing Nora Walker, the devoted yet increasingly unhinged mother of the deaf, dumb, and blind protagonist (Roger Daltrey). The role fused musical performance with intense dramatic elements, including a memorable hallucinatory sequence involving baked beans, champagne, and soap suds that highlighted her physical and emotional commitment.[28] Critics praised her "fine performance" amid the film's extravagant style, recognizing her ability to anchor the chaotic narrative with raw vulnerability.[29] This turn earned her a second Academy Award nomination, this time for Best Actress in 1976.[30] Ann-Margret continued exploring emotional complexity in other supporting roles, such as Melba in Norman Jewison's The Cincinnati Kid (1965), a poker drama where she played the flirtatious wife of Karl Malden's character, adding tension to the male-dominated ensemble; the film gained renewed appreciation in the 1970s for its character-driven dynamics.[31] Later, in Richard Attenborough's psychological thriller Magic (1978), she portrayed Peggy Ann Snow, the conflicted love interest of ventriloquist Corky (Anthony Hopkins), bringing sensitivity to a story of isolation and madness.[32] Her work in these films further established her beyond the sex symbol image, emphasizing dramatic subtlety and relational nuance.[33]Television focus (1980s)
Building on her critical acclaim from supporting roles in 1970s films such as Tommy and Magic, Ann-Margret pivoted to television in the 1980s, embracing the medium's growing prominence for dramatic storytelling and allowing her to showcase deeper emotional range. This era marked her most prolific period in TV movies and specials, where she balanced intense dramatic performances with her signature song-and-dance flair, adapting to industry shifts toward made-for-TV productions that offered substantial lead roles for established stars. Ann-Margret's television breakthrough came in 1983 with the ABC biographical drama Who Will Love My Children?, in which she portrayed Lucile Fray, an Iowa farm wife diagnosed with terminal cancer who desperately arranges adoptions for her ten children in her final days. Based on a true story, the film highlighted her vulnerability and resilience, earning widespread praise for its heartfelt depiction of maternal sacrifice. For this role, she received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television.[34] The momentum continued in 1984 with her starring turn as the tormented Blanche DuBois in ABC's adaptation of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, co-starring Treat Williams as Stanley Kowalski and Beverly D'Angelo as Stella. Ann-Margret's interpretation of the delusional, aristocratic antiheroine was lauded for its raw emotional depth and physicality, transforming the stage classic into a compelling small-screen drama. The performance garnered her another Emmy nomination in the same category and a second consecutive Golden Globe win for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television. Later in the decade, she led the 1987 NBC miniseries The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, playing chorus girl Ann Arden Grenville, whose marriage into New York high society unravels amid scandal and class conflict; the role, adapted from Dominick Dunne's novel, brought further Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, solidifying her reputation as a versatile dramatic actress.[35][36][37] Complementing her dramatic work, Ann-Margret sustained her entertainer persona through musical variety specials and live stage appearances, blending her vocal and dance talents to appeal to diverse audiences. In 1980, she hosted the CBS special Ann-Margret: Hollywood Movie Girls, a lively tribute to classic film vixens featuring songs, comedy sketches, and guest stars like George Burns, Dom DeLuise, and Danny DeVito, which showcased her energetic choreography and charismatic hosting. She also guested on holiday specials, such as the 1981 NBC production The George Burns Early Early Early Christmas Special, performing duets and numbers that highlighted her playful rapport with Burns. Paralleling these TV efforts, Ann-Margret maintained high-profile residencies in Las Vegas, including runs at Caesars Palace in 1980 and 1988, where her revue-style shows incorporated elaborate song-and-dance routines, keeping her visible as a multifaceted performer amid her TV commitments.[38][39][40][41]Later film, television, and music work (1990–present)
In the 1990s, Ann-Margret revitalized her on-screen presence as the vivacious Ariel Truax in the hit comedy Grumpy Old Men (1993), opposite Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, marking a return to romantic leading roles after years focused on television.[42] She reprised the character in the sequel Grumpier Old Men (1995), which further showcased her comedic timing and enduring appeal as a love interest amid the film's buddy dynamic. Later film appearances included a deleted cameo as the ex-wife of Peter Fonda's character in Steven Soderbergh's The Limey (1999), where her scenes were ultimately cut to maintain narrative pace, though director Soderbergh later praised her performance.[43] Ann-Margret returned to the big screen in 2017's Going in Style, portraying the supportive Annie Santori in the heist comedy remake alongside Michael Caine, Alan Arkin, and Morgan Freeman, earning positive notices for her warm, grounded portrayal. On television, Ann-Margret continued selective guest roles throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including appearances on Touched by an Angel (2000) as an inspirational figure and Third Watch (2003) in multiple episodes as a resilient character navigating personal loss.[44] Her dramatic work culminated in a standout guest performance on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2010, earning her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series—the first such win of her career—for her nuanced depiction of a complex family matriarch. Ann-Margret's music career experienced a notable resurgence in the 2020s with the release of her covers album Born to Be Wild on April 14, 2023, via Cleopatra Records, featuring rock and pop classics from the 1950s to 1970s reinterpreted with guests like Pete Townshend, Joe Perry, and Steve Cropper; the album highlighted her still-vibrant vocal style and celebrated her rock 'n' roll roots.[45] In recognition of her contributions to the arts, she received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in May 2022, during commencement ceremonies, where she addressed graduates on perseverance and creativity. That holiday season, she narrated the Disney Candlelight Processional at Epcot on November 28, 2023, delivering excerpts from the Christmas story amid orchestral accompaniment and a choir, though she withdrew from the following day's performance due to scheduling conflicts. Complementing these milestones, Ann-Margret has maintained ongoing cabaret-style performances, including live appearances tied to her album promotion and charity events, such as a 2025 fundraiser where she discussed her enduring stage energy.[46]Personal life
Marriage and family
Ann-Margret met actor Roger Smith in 1961, and the couple began dating in 1964 before marrying on May 8, 1967, in a private ceremony at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas.[1][47] Their union, which lasted 50 years until Smith's death, was marked by mutual support and a commitment to privacy, with the couple rarely discussing personal details publicly.[48] Smith, previously known for his role on the television series 77 Sunset Strip, transitioned into managing Ann-Margret's career shortly after their marriage, guiding her professional endeavors while prioritizing their family life.[49] The couple had no biological children together but raised Smith's three children from his previous marriage—daughter Tracey and sons Jordan and Dallas—as a blended family.[50][51] Ann-Margret embraced her role as stepmother, instilling values of love and resilience in the children, who remained close to her throughout their lives.[50] The family resided primarily in a Benedict Canyon home in Beverly Hills, California, which they purchased in 1968 and where Ann-Margret continued to live after Smith's passing.[52][53] Roger Smith died on June 4, 2017, at age 84, at Sherman Oaks Hospital in Los Angeles, following a long battle with myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disorder he had been diagnosed with in 1965.[54][55] Ann-Margret cared for him devotedly during his health struggles, maintaining their private family dynamic even as she balanced her career, a testament to the enduring partnership that defined their life together.[49]Health challenges and philanthropy
Ann-Margret has faced several significant health challenges throughout her life, most notably a severe accident in 1972 during a performance at a Lake Tahoe casino. While preparing for her show, she fell 22 feet from a faulty platform, suffering multiple facial fractures, a broken jaw in two places, a broken left arm, a concussion, and a deep gash on her knee; she was in a coma for three days following the incident.[56][10] Surgeons performed reconstructive surgery on her face and jaw at UCLA Medical Center, which lasted several hours and required her jaw to be wired shut for recovery.[10] The accident, compounded by the death of her father from cancer in 1973, exacerbated emotional struggles, contributing to a period of substance abuse that she overcame by achieving sobriety in 1980.[10][1] In 2000, Ann-Margret sustained further injuries in a motorcycle accident while riding in Minnesota, fracturing her shoulder and breaking three ribs after hitting sand on the road.[57] Despite these setbacks, she demonstrated remarkable resilience, continuing to perform and ride motorcycles into her later years, including appearances as recent as 2025 at age 84, where she actively participated in events without reported mobility limitations.[57][58] Ann-Margret has been deeply involved in philanthropy, particularly supporting causes related to health and veterans. She served as the national chairperson for the Myasthenia Gravis Division of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, raising awareness and funds for the neuromuscular disease that also affected her late husband, Roger Smith.[59] Her commitment to veterans dates back to the Vietnam War era, when she toured with the USO in 1966 and 1968, performing for troops under dangerous conditions, including exposure to groundfire; she received the USO's Spirit of Hope Award in 2003 for her ongoing support.[60] In recent years, she has continued her charitable efforts, making a notable appearance at Project Angel Food's 2025 Lead With Love fundraiser to support meal delivery services for those with critical illnesses.[58]Cultural impact and honors
Portrayals in media
Ann-Margret has incorporated elements of self-parody into her performances, playfully amplifying her iconic red-haired, leggy, and vivacious persona associated with her early sex symbol image. In her 1968 CBS television special The Ann-Margret Show, directed and choreographed by David Winters, she starred in a musical variety format featuring high-energy dance sequences and songs that exaggerated her sensual stage presence, blending humor with her signature style. Similarly, in the 1977 satirical comedy Joseph Andrews, adapted from Henry Fielding's novel, Ann-Margret portrayed the debauched aristocrat Lady Booby, a role that comically riffed on her established reputation for portraying alluring, flirtatious characters.[61][62] Portrayals of Ann-Margret by other performers in media often highlight her dynamic energy and cultural associations, particularly her on-screen chemistry with Elvis Presley in Viva Las Vegas. Comedian Kristen Wiig delivered memorable impersonations on Saturday Night Live, capturing Ann-Margret's distinctive, fluid dance movements and breathy vocal delivery; a notable 2011 sketch depicted Wiig as Ann-Margret struggling to discard a piece of paper, parodying her exuberant physicality from musical numbers. In biographical depictions of Presley, such as the 2005 CBS miniseries Elvis, Rose McGowan played Ann-Margret, emphasizing their intense professional and romantic connection during the filming of Viva Las Vegas.[63][64] Ann-Margret's evolution from 1960s sex symbol to lasting entertainment icon has inspired cultural references in music videos, advertisements, and tributes that evoke her as a symbol of glamorous vitality. Her red-haired, athletic allure and free-spirited performances have been alluded to in media evoking mid-century Hollywood sensuality, reinforcing her enduring influence. In a contemporary nod to this legacy, Ann-Margret endorsed Lindsay Lohan to portray her in a potential biopic, praising the actress's ability to capture her fiery essence.[65]Awards and distinctions
Ann-Margret has received numerous accolades throughout her career, recognizing her contributions to film, television, and music. She earned two Academy Award nominations: for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Carnal Knowledge (1971) at the 44th Academy Awards in 1972, and for Best Actress for her performance in Tommy (1975) at the 48th Academy Awards in 1976.[66][67] She is a five-time Golden Globe winner, with honors spanning her early breakthrough and later dramatic roles. In 1962, she won the New Star of the Year – Actress award for Pocketful of Miracles. She received a nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Bye Bye Birdie (1963) in 1964. Additional Golden Globe victories include Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for Carnal Knowledge (1971) in 1972, and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Tommy in 1975. She also won Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for Who Will Love My Children? (1983) in 1984 and A Streetcar Named Desire (1984) in 1985.[68][69] Other notable honors include a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, unveiled on July 11, 1973, at 6501 Hollywood Boulevard for her motion picture contributions.[2] Reflecting her Swedish heritage, Ann-Margret was awarded the Royal Order of the Polar Star in 1988 by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden for promoting Swedish culture abroad. In 2022, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) conferred upon her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during its spring commencement, honoring her six-decade career and ties to the entertainment industry.[70] In 2024, she received the Cinecon Legacy Award at Cinecon 61 for her career achievements.[5] In 2025, Ann-Margret served as the ambassador for the Daytime Beauty Awards and received a tribute at the 7th annual event.[71]| Award | Year | Category/Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Award | 1972 | Best Supporting Actress, Carnal Knowledge | Nomination |
| Academy Award | 1976 | Best Actress, Tommy | Nomination |
| Golden Globe | 1962 | New Star of the Year – Actress, Pocketful of Miracles | Win |
| Golden Globe | 1972 | Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama, Carnal Knowledge | Win |
| Golden Globe | 1975 | Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Tommy | Win |
| Golden Globe | 1984 | Best Actress – Miniseries or TV Movie, Who Will Love My Children? | Win |
| Golden Globe | 1985 | Best Actress – Miniseries or TV Movie, A Streetcar Named Desire | Win |
| Hollywood Walk of Fame | 1973 | Motion Pictures | Star |
| Royal Order of the Polar Star | 1988 | Cultural Promotion | Honor |
| UNLV Honorary Degree | 2022 | Doctor of Humane Letters | Honorary |
| Cinecon Legacy Award | 2024 | Career Achievements | Win |
| Daytime Beauty Awards | 2025 | Ambassador and Tribute | Honor |
Filmography
Feature films
Ann-Margret's feature film career spans over six decades, beginning with a supporting role in her debut and evolving through musicals, dramas, and comedies. Her early work in the 1960s prominently featured musicals that showcased her singing and dancing talents, while the 1970s marked a shift to more dramatic roles earning critical acclaim. From the 1990s onward, she embraced comedic supporting parts in ensemble casts, often bringing vivacity to older characters.[72] The following table lists her theatrical feature films chronologically, including key details and notes on significant aspects such as genre emphasis or awards recognition.| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Pocketful of Miracles | Louise Warren | Frank Capra | Debut film; supporting role as Bette Davis's daughter in this Capra comedy-drama remake.[73] |
| 1962 | State Fair | Emily "Em" Porter | José Ferrer | Musical remake; portrayed a farm girl in this family-oriented musical. |
| 1963 | Bye Bye Birdie | Kim McAfee | George Sidney | Star-making musical role as a teenager idolizing a rock star; earned Golden Globe nomination for New Star of the Year – Actress. |
| 1964 | Viva Las Vegas | Rusty Martin | George Sidney | Iconic 1960s musical opposite Elvis Presley; highlighted her energetic dance sequences. |
| 1964 | Kitten with a Whip | Jody Dvorak | Douglas Heyes | Noir thriller; played a fugitive on the run, diverging from her musical persona. |
| 1965 | Bus Riley's Back in Town | Laurel McKaye | Harvey Hart | Drama; role as a former girlfriend in this coming-of-age story.[74] |
| 1965 | Once a Thief | Kristine Mundt | Ralph Nelson | Crime drama; supporting role opposite Alain Delon.[75] |
| 1965 | The Pleasure Seekers | Fran Hobson | Jean Negulesco | Musical comedy; one of three young women seeking romance in Spain. |
| 1965 | The Cincinnati Kid | Melba | Norman Jewison | Supporting role in poker drama with Steve McQueen; early dramatic turn. |
| 1966 | Made in Paris | Maggie Scott | Boris Sagal | Romantic comedy; fashion buyer entangled in love abroad. |
| 1966 | Stagecoach | Dallas | Gordon Douglas | Remake of the Western classic; portrayed the saloon singer opposite John Wayne. |
| 1966 | The Swinger | Kelly Olsson | George Sidney | Comedy; journalist posing as a wild writer to boost her career. |
| 1967 | The Tiger and the Pussycat | Carolina | Dino Risi | Italian comedy; generational romance with Vittorio Gassman. |
| 1970 | C.C. and Company | Ann | Seymour Robbie | Biker action film; brief appearance as a love interest. |
| 1970 | R.P.M. | Rhoda | Stanley Kramer | Drama; graduate student in a campus unrest story.[76] |
| 1971 | Carnal Knowledge | Bobbie | Mike Nichols | Pivotal 1970s drama; role as a free-spirited woman earned Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.[25] |
| 1973 | The Train Robbers | Mrs. Lowe | Burt Kennedy | Western; widow seeking to recover stolen gold opposite John Wayne.[77] |
| 1975 | Tommy | Nora Walker | Ken Russell | Rock opera musical; mother figure in The Who's adaptation, won Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. |
| 1976 | The Last Remake of Beau Geste | Isabella | Marty Feldman | Parody comedy; supporting role in this Foreign Legion spoof. |
| 1978 | Magic | Peg | Richard Attenborough | Psychological thriller; girlfriend to a ventriloquist dummy's owner, co-starring Anthony Hopkins. |
| 1980 | The Villain | Charming Jones | Hal Needham | Western comedy; damsel in animated-style chase sequences. |
| 1982 | I Ought to Be in Pictures | Steffy Blondell | Herbert Ross | Comedy-drama; aspiring actress reuniting with her father in Hollywood. |
| 1985 | Twice in a Lifetime | Audrey | Bud Yorkin | Drama; explores marital infidelity and family dynamics. |
| 1986 | 52 Pick-Up | Barbara Mitchell | John Frankenheimer | Neo-noir thriller; wife caught in extortion plot.[78] |
| 1990 | A Tiger's Tale | Rose Delvecchio | Peter Douglas | Comedy; mother in a controversial teen romance story. |
| 1992 | Newsies | Medda Larkson | Kenny Ortega | Musical; vaudeville performer supporting newsboy strike.[79] |
| 1993 | Grumpy Old Men | Ariel Gustafson | Donald Petrie | 1990s comedy hit; feisty neighbor sparking rivalry. |
| 1994 | Grumpier Old Men | Ariel Gustafson | Howard Deutch | Comedy sequel; reprised her role amid escalating neighbor antics. |
| 1999 | Any Given Sunday | Margaret Pagniacci | Oliver Stone | Sports drama; team owner's wife in high-stakes football world. |
| 2000 | The Last Producer | Mira Reynolds | Burt Reynolds | Comedy; Hollywood insider in a tale of fading stardom. |
| 2001 | A Woman's a Helluva Thing | Claire Anders-Blackett | Tim Matheson | Drama; complex character in a story of regret and redemption. |
| 2004 | Taxi | Mrs. Washburn | Tim Story | Action comedy; eccentric mother in a high-speed chase film.[80] |
| 2006 | The Break-Up | Wendy | Peyton Reed | Romantic comedy; friend offering advice in a couple's split. |
| 2006 | The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause | Sylvia | Michael Lembeck | Family holiday comedy; mother-in-law to Santa Claus. |
| 2008 | The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond | Cornelia | Jodie Markell | Period drama; wealthy Southern belle based on Tennessee Williams' work. |
| 2009 | Old Dogs | Martha | Walt Becker | Family comedy; eccentric character in a custody adventure. |
| 2009 | All's Faire in Love | Mrs. Banks | Scott Marshall | Romantic comedy; dean at a Renaissance fair college. |
| 2011 | Lucky | Pauline | Gil Cates Jr. | Drama; mentor figure in a story of life's second chances. |
| 2017 | Going in Style | Annie | Zach Braff | Heist comedy remake; love interest in retirees' bank robbery tale. |
| 2021 | Queen Bees | Margot | Michael Lembeck | Comedy; newcomer to a retirement community clique. |
Television appearances
Ann-Margret's television career spanned over five decades, beginning with vibrant variety specials in the late 1960s that showcased her singing and dancing talents, evolving into dramatic roles in TV movies and miniseries during the 1980s and 1990s, and later including guest spots on series and voice work. Her early TV work often blended musical performance with light entertainment, reflecting her stage background, while later appearances highlighted her versatility in more serious narratives. She received multiple Emmy nominations for her television performances, underscoring her impact on the medium.[81] In 1968, Ann-Margret starred in her first network variety special, The Ann-Margret Show, which featured guest appearances by Bob Hope, Danny Thomas, and Jack Benny, and highlighted her energetic musical numbers. This was followed in 1969 by Ann-Margret: From Hollywood with Love, a CBS special where she portrayed a journey to stardom, performing alongside guests like Dean Martin and Lucille Ball, earning an Emmy nomination for choreography. During the 1970s, she continued with specials such as Ann-Margret: When You're Smiling (1973), a musical tribute to her influences, and the TV adaptation Dames at Sea (1971), where she played the lead role of Ruby in this backstage musical comedy. These variety formats dominated her 1960s and 1970s output, allowing her to perform original songs and medleys in a lively, revue-style presentation.[82][83] Transitioning to drama in the 1980s, Ann-Margret earned critical acclaim for her role as Lucille Fray in the TV movie Who Will Love My Children? (1983), portraying a mother battling cancer, which garnered her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Special. She followed this with a standout performance as Blanche DuBois in the 1984 TV adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire, opposite Treat Williams, earning another Emmy nomination for the same category and a Golden Globe win. Other notable 1980s TV movies included The Two Mrs. Grenvilles (1987), where she played Ann Grenville in this miniseries based on Dominick Dunne's novel, resulting in yet another Emmy nomination. These roles marked her shift toward character-driven dramas, often exploring themes of family and resilience. The 1990s saw Ann-Margret in prominent miniseries and TV films, including her portrayal of Sally Jackson in Queen (1993), a historical drama about slavery and freedom adapted from Alex Haley's novel, which brought her a fifth Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Special. She also starred in Following Her Heart (1994) as a widow starting anew and Blue Rodeo (1996) as a reclusive artist, both Hallmark-style TV movies emphasizing emotional depth. In the 2000s, her TV work included guest roles, such as in Touched by an Angel (2000), and the TV movie A Woman's a Helluva Thing (2001), where she played a fading cabaret singer. Later in her career, Ann-Margret incorporated voice work and series guest appearances, voicing a character in an episode of The Flintstones as early as 1963 and returning to animation sporadically. In 2017, she guest-starred as Bebe DeBarge in the animated series Happy!, blending her musical flair with dark comedy. Her Emmy-winning performance came in 2010 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, playing Rita Wills in the "Bedtime Story" episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2009), a role that highlighted her dramatic range in a procedural context. More recently, she appeared as Diane in two episodes of The Kominsky Method (2018–2019), a Netflix series, and had a recurring role as Mary in Palm Royale (2024), an Apple TV+ comedy-drama set in 1960s high society. These later works demonstrated her enduring appeal in both scripted series and limited formats.Box office performance
Ann-Margret's box office performance peaked during the 1960s, driven by her roles in high-energy musicals that capitalized on her vibrant screen presence and singing talents. Her early films established her as a major draw, with Bye Bye Birdie (1963) grossing $13.1 million domestically, making it one of the year's top performers and contributing to her rapid rise as a teen idol.[84] Similarly, Viva Las Vegas (1964), co-starring Elvis Presley, earned $9.4 million domestically and ranked 14th among the highest-grossing films of 1964, solidifying her appeal in the musical genre.[85] These successes reflected broader trends in Hollywood's embrace of youth-oriented musicals during the era. In exhibitor polls, Ann-Margret's popularity was evident; she ranked 8th in the 1964 Quigley Top Ten Money-Making Stars, based on theater owners' assessments of drawing power.[86] Adjusted for inflation, Viva Las Vegas equates to approximately $132 million in 2017 dollars, underscoring its enduring commercial impact relative to production costs of around $1 million.[87] Bye Bye Birdie similarly adjusts to about $130 million in equivalent terms, highlighting how her 1960s output generated substantial returns amid a competitive market for musical entertainment.[88] Her career saw a notable resurgence in the 1990s through comedic roles that leveraged her established charisma. Films like Grumpy Old Men (1993) grossed $70.2 million domestically, benefiting from strong ensemble appeal and word-of-mouth success in the holiday season release.[89] This trend continued with Grumpier Old Men (1995), which earned $71.5 million domestically, demonstrating her ability to draw audiences to lighthearted ensemble comedies later in her career.[90] Overall, Ann-Margret's filmography amassed over $967 million in worldwide box office across 33 features, with the 1960s musicals and 1990s comedies representing her most lucrative phases.[91]Discography
Studio and compilation albums
Ann-Margret's studio albums span over six decades, beginning with her pop-oriented debut in the early 1960s and evolving through jazz, country, gospel, and rock influences, often featuring collaborations that highlighted her versatile voice. Released primarily under major labels like RCA Victor and MCA, these recordings captured her transition from a teen idol to a mature performer, with production emphasizing big-band arrangements and duet dynamics. While most did not achieve significant chart success, select releases like Beauty and the Beard marked her highest peaks on the Billboard 200. Compilations, issued later in her career, have preserved her key tracks for retrospective audiences.Studio Albums
Ann-Margret's studio output reflects her multifaceted musical style, from upbeat pop to introspective gospel sessions. Her debut, And Here She Is... Ann-Margret, was recorded in Hollywood and featured standards and contemporary tunes arranged to suit her youthful energy.[92] Subsequent RCA releases in the 1960s incorporated film-inspired themes and collaborations, such as the duet album Beauty and the Beard with trumpeter Al Hirt, arranged by Marty Paich and peaking at No. 84 on the Billboard 200.[93][94] By the late 1960s, she explored country with Lee Hazlewood on The Cowboy & the Lady. After a hiatus, her 1980 self-titled disco album marked a genre shift, followed by gospel projects in the 2000s. Her 2023 release, Born to Be Wild, a rock covers collection featuring guests like Pete Townshend, debuted at No. 93 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart, her first charting album since 1964.[92]| Title | Release Year | Label | Chart Peak (Billboard) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| And Here She Is... Ann-Margret | 1961 | RCA Victor | Did not chart | Debut album; pop and standards focus.[92] |
| On the Way Up | 1962 | RCA Victor | Did not chart | Upbeat pop tracks showcasing early vocal style.[92] |
| The Vivacious One | 1962 | RCA Victor | Did not chart | Jazz-influenced selections.[92] |
| Bachelors' Paradise | 1963 | RCA Victor | Did not chart | Tied to film soundtrack elements; vocal jazz.[92][95] |
| Beauty and the Beard (with Al Hirt) | 1964 | RCA Victor | No. 84 (Billboard 200) | Duet album; arranged by Marty Paich; highest charting to date.[93][94] |
| David Merrick Presents Hits from His Broadway Shows (with John Gary) | 1964 | RCA Victor | Did not chart | Broadway medley-style recordings.[92] |
| Songs from "The Swinger" and Other Swingin' Songs | 1966 | RCA Victor | Did not chart | Swing and pop tunes linked to her film role.[92] |
| The Cowboy & the Lady (with Lee Hazlewood) | 1969 | LHI Records | Did not chart | Country duets; produced by Hazlewood.[92] |
| Ann-Margret | 1980 | MCA Records | Did not chart | Disco-oriented; first album in over a decade.[92] |
| God Is Love: The Gospel Sessions | 2001 | Greenhaw Productions | Did not chart | Gospel album; faith-based themes.[92][94] |
| Born to Be Wild | 2023 | Cleopatra Records | No. 93 (Top Album Sales) | Rock covers; features duets with artists like Joe Perry; independent release vibe.[92] |
Compilation Albums
Compilations of Ann-Margret's work emerged in the late 1960s and continued into the 2010s, aggregating her RCA-era hits and rarities for new generations. Early efforts like The Best of Ann-Margret captured her 1960s pop success, while later releases from Legacy and Real Gone Music emphasized remastered tracks and thematic groupings. These collections often include soundtrack contributions from films like Bye Bye Birdie, providing context to her multimedia career without delving into individual singles.[92]| Title | Release Year | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Best of Ann-Margret | 1969 | RCA Victor | Early hits compilation from her debut era. |
| The Essential Ann-Margret | 2016 | RCA/Legacy | Digital retrospective of key tracks.[92] |
| The Definitive Collection | 2017 | Real Gone Music | Comprehensive overview with rarities.[92] |
Singles
Ann-Margret issued more than 20 standalone singles across her recording career, beginning with RCA Victor in the early 1960s and continuing with various labels into the 1980s. These releases primarily featured upbeat pop, rockabilly, and jazz standards, often as covers of earlier hits, alongside original compositions and duets that highlighted her energetic vocal style. While only a handful achieved significant commercial success on the Billboard Hot 100, her later disco-influenced tracks found success on the Dance Club Songs chart, and collaborations with artists like Al Hirt and Lee Hazlewood added variety to her output.[96] Her breakthrough single, "I Just Don't Understand," a cover of Jimmy Reed's 1960 R&B track, reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961, marking her first major hit and showcasing her ability to blend rock and pop elements.[97] Follow-up releases like "It Do Me So Good" (No. 97 Hot 100) and "What Am I Supposed to Do" (No. 82 Hot 100, No. 19 Adult Contemporary) demonstrated her early chart presence, though subsequent 1960s singles such as "Jim Dandy" and "Bye Bye Birdie" failed to chart despite promotional tie-ins to her film roles. Duets included the 1964 jazz-infused "Personality" with Al Hirt and 1969's country-tinged "Sleep in the Grass" and "The Dark End of the Street" with Lee Hazlewood, the latter a cover of the soul classic by James Carr.[98][96] In the late 1970s and 1980s, Ann-Margret pivoted toward dance music, with "Love Rush" peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in 1979 and "Midnight Message" reaching No. 12 in 1980; these tracks, produced with electronic elements, reflected evolving pop trends. Non-charting later singles included 1980's duet "Splish Splash" with Mickey Gilley, a playful cover of Bobby Darin's 1958 hit, and occasional holiday-themed releases like contributions to seasonal compilations, though no standalone holiday singles charted prominently.[98][99] Overall, her singles discography underscores her transition from teen idol to versatile entertainer, with many tracks later appearing on compilation albums.| Year | A-Side | B-Side | Chart Peak | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | I Just Don't Understand | I Don't Hurt Anymore | No. 17 (Hot 100) | RCA Victor 47-7894 | Cover of Jimmy Reed; her biggest hit single.[97][96] |
| 1961 | It Do Me So Good | Gimme Love | No. 97 (Hot 100) | RCA Victor 47-7952 | Upbeat pop track.[98][96] |
| 1962 | What Am I Supposed to Do | Let's Stop Kidding Each Other | No. 82 (Hot 100), No. 19 (AC) | RCA Victor 47-7986 | Ballad with adult contemporary appeal.[98][96] |
| 1963 | Bye Bye Birdie | Take All the Kisses | - | RCA Victor 47-8168 | Tied to her film role; cover from the musical.[96] |
| 1964 | Personality (with Al Hirt) | Tain't What You Do | - | RCA Victor 47-2690 | Jazz duet cover of Lloyd Price original.[96] |
| 1969 | The Dark End of the Street (with Lee Hazlewood) | Victims of the Night | - | LHI LHI-5 | Cover of James Carr's soul hit.[96] |
| 1979 | Love Rush | For You | No. 8 (Dance Club Songs) | Ariola America CM-279 | Disco single; extended mix released.[98][96] |
| 1980 | Midnight Message | What I Do to Men | No. 12 (Dance Club Songs) | MCA 41223 | Dance track with 12-inch version.[98][96] |
| 1980 | Splish Splash (with Mickey Gilley) | - | - | Epic 9-50864 | Duet cover of Bobby Darin classic.[99][96] |