She was a massive sex kitten in the 1960s who dated Elvis, was Oscar nominated (twice!) and appeared in a Jennifer Aniston movie. Who is she?
She was a massive sex kitten in the 1960s who was known for her fiery red hair, sweet voice and incredible dance skills.
This talented performer starred in plenty of movies with John Wayne, Pat Boone and Dean Martin, to name a few.
This pretty pinup had a rich dating life and even romanced rock ‘n’ rock icon Elvis Presley of Jailhouse Rock fame.
She was Oscar nominated (twice!).
In one movie she played Angelina Jolie‘s mother. In 2006 she appeared in a Jennifer Aniston movie that was set in Chicago.
She was seen this week at an event and looks much younger than her age.
Who is she?
She is Ann-Margret.
The siren of the silver screen is a Swedish-American actress, dancer and singer who was the hottest thing in the 1960s and 1970s, and still looked incredible today.
She started working in films in the 1960s.
She is known for her roles in Pocketful of Miracles (1961), State Fair (1962), Bye Bye Birdie (1963), and Viva Las Vegas (1964), with Elvis, whom she dated.
Next came The Cincinnati Kid (1965).
She had a hit with the movie Carnal Knowledge (1971), The Train Robbers (1973) and Tommy (1975).
Her next movies were Magic (1978), The Villain (1979), The Return of the Soldier (1982), Who Will Love My Children? (1983).
A memorable movie was 52 Pick-Up (1986).
In the 1990s she did Newsies (1992), Grumpy Old Men (1993), Grumpier Old Men (1995), and then Any Given Sunday (1999).
She showed up in the movie Taxi (2004).
And she worked with Aniston and Vince Vaughn in the love story gone bad The Break-Up (2006).
She could also be seen in Going in Style (2017).
Ann-Margret was a skilled singer for years, putting out several albums. In April 2023, she released her first rock album, Born to be Wild.
Ann-Margret took her first dance lessons at the Marjorie Young School of Dance.
While a teenager, Ann-Margret appeared stage.
The charismatic performer was part of a group known as the Suttletones, which put on shows in Las Vegas.
George Burns helped her get ahead when he featured her in his show.
She worked with RCA Victor in 1961 and then recorded was Lost Love.
She scored a minor success with ‘I Just Don’t Understand’ (from her second LP), which entered the Billboard Top 40 in August 1961.
Her only charting album was Beauty and the Beard (1964).
In 1961, Ann-Margret filmed a screen test at 20th Century Fox and was signed to a seven-year contract.
First was Pocketful of Miracles with Bette Davis.
Then came a 1962 remake of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical State Fair, opposite Bobby Darin.
Her performance in Bye Bye Birdie (1963) with Dick Van Dyke, Bobby Rydell and Janet Leigh made her a major star.
When she worked with Elvis on Viva Las Vegas (1964) and they had a relationship.
After that her movies didn’t do so well, like Kitten with a Whip, The Pleasure Seekers, Bus Riley’s Back in Town, Once a Thief.
Then she had a hit with The Cincinnati Kid opposite Steve McQueen.
Then came Made in Paris, The Swinger, the hit Dean Martin–starrer Murderers’ Row.
In 1970, she returned to films with R. P. M., where she starred alongside Anthony Quinn.
In 1971, she starred in Carnal Knowledge by director Mike Nichols, playing the girlfriend of a nasty man played by Jack Nicholson.
She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Ann-Margret starred opposite Bruce Dern in Middle Age Crazy (1980).
In 1982, she co-starred with Walter Matthau in the film version of Neil Simon’s play I Ought to Be in Pictures.
That same year she was in Lookin’ to Get Out, with Jon Voight and played the mother of a Angelina Jolie – who was only aged five at the time – in Jolie’s screen debut.
Then there was The Return of the Soldier, Who Will Love My Children? (1983) and a remake of A Streetcar Named Desire (1984).
In 1991, she starred in the TV film Our Sons opposite Julie Andrews. In 1992, she worked with Robert Duvall and Christian Bale in the musical Newsies.
In 1993, Ann-Margret starred in Grumpy Old Men with Matthau and Jack Lemmon. Her character returned for Grumpier Old Men (1995).
She also filmed Any Given Sunday (1999), was in Touched by an Angel in 2000 and did three episodes of Third Watch in 2003.
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.
In 2009, she appeared in the comedy Old Dogs with John Travolta and Robin Williams.
In 2014, she began appearing in a recurring role in the Showtime original series Ray Donovan.
In 2018, she guest-starred in The Kominsky Method, portraying Diane.
Ann-Margret was wed to Roger Smith for 50 years from 1967, until his death in 2017.
