Ann-Margret (born April 28, 1941), is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose first RCA recording was "Lost Love" from her debut album, And Here She Is: Ann-Margret, produced in Nashville with Chet Atkins on guitar, the Jordanaires (Elvis Presley's backup singers), and the Anita Kerr Singers, with notes by mentor George Burns. RCA capitalize on the 'female Elvis' comparison by having her record her version of "Heartbreak Hotel".
Ann's song "I Just Don't Understand", landed 17th on the Billboard Top 40 in the third week of August 1961 for six weeks. The song was later sung in live performances by The Beatles. Her only charting album was, The Beauty and the Beard (1964). She also sang at the Academy Awards presentation in 1962, singing the Oscar-nominated song "Theme from Bachelor in Paradise". Her biggest hit was in 1979 with "Love Rush," which peaked at #8 on the disco/dance charts.
In 1992 she co-starred with Robert Duvall and Christian Bale in the Disney musical, Newsies. The story begins, July, 1899: When Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise the price on the newspaper, the paperboys, are not too happy. Inspired by the trolley workers strike, Jack "Cowboy" Kelly organizes a strike. With the help of David Jacobs they band together to fight for what they believe in.
In 1993, Ann-Margret starred in comedy, Grumpy Old Men reuniting with Matthau and Jack Lemmon. John and Max are older men living next door to each other. They spend a lot of time insulting each other for over 50 years. One day, Ariel, moves into the neighborhood. Both men are attracted to her and they step up their game.
Her character returned for, Grumpier Old Men (1995), the equally successful sequel which this time co-starred, Sophia Loren.
She also filmed, Any Given Sunday (1999), for director Oliver Stone, playing the mother of football team owner. The film also features in the cast, Al Pacino, Charlton Heston and legendary NFL players: Jim Brown and Lawrence Taylor.
In 2006, Ann-Margret had supporting roles in the films: The Break Up with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn. The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause with Tim Allen. She also starred in several independent films: Memory (2006) with Billy Zane and Dennis Hopper. In 2009, she appeared in the comedy Old Dogs with John Travolta and Robin Williams.
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In 1982, Ann-Margret co-starred with Walter Matthau and Dinah Manoff in the film, I Ought to Be in Pictures. The story begins when Libby, takes off for LA to look up her dad, a Hollywood screenwriter. When Libby arrives in LA and phones her dad, the one night that his girlfriend Stephanie, stays over. Stephanie, is there the next morning when Libby decides she needs to tell her story.
Later that same year, she performed with a six-year-old Angelina Jolie in the film, Lookin' to Get Out, playing Jolie's mother. The story is about two gamblers, who must leave New York City after one loses a lot of money. So they decide to head for.. Las Vegas, to turn their luck around.
Later in 1982, she performed with, Alan Bates, Glenda Jackson, and Julie Christie in the film, The Return of the Soldier. A British film starring Alan Bates as Baldry and co-starring Julie Christie, Ian Holm, Glenda Jackson, and Ann-Margret about a shell-shocked officer's return from the First World War.
She also performed in the 1986 crime thriller, 52 Pick-Up. A story about Harry Mitchell, a successful industrialist living in Los Angeles whose wife is running for city council while he is having an affair. Harry is contacted by three blackmailers demanding $105,000 for a videotape of him with his mistress, Cini.
Because his wife Barbara is a political figure, he can't go to the police. Harry's lawyer believes that paying the blackmailers won't make them go away, so he refuses to pay. The blackmailer now come up with a plan to frame Harry for murder, demanding $105,000 a year for the rest of his life to keep quiet.
Harry shows his financial records to, Alan Raimy. Seeing that Harry owes money to the government and cannot afford the $105,000, Raimy agrees to accept Harry's offer of $52,000. Harry, then tries to turns the blackmailers against each another.
In the late 1960s, she performed live in Las Vegas, with her husband Roger Smith, taking over as her manager. Elvis, came to see her during the shows five-week run to celebrate backstage. She then traveled with Bob Hope to Saigon, as part of Hope's Christmas show. A second television special followed with Dean Martin and Lucille Ball.
In 1971, she starred in the film, Carnal Knowledge, winning a nomination for the, Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film is about, Sandy (Art Garfunkel) and Jonathan (Jack Nicholson), who are college roommates . Their friendship spans over a 25-years and shows their relationships with the women in their lives played by Candice Bergen, Ann-Margret, Carol Kane, Cynthia O'Neal, and Rita Moreno.
On Sunday, September 10, 1972, while performing at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, she fell 22 feet from an elevated platform to the stage and suffered a broken left arm, cheekbone and jawbone. Husband Roger Smith flew a stolen plane from Burbank, California, to Lake Tahoe in order to get his wife to the surgeons at the medical center at UCLA for treatment. She required facial reconstructive surgery. Unable to work for ten weeks, she did return to the stage.
In 1973 she starred with John Wayne in the film, The Train Robbers. The film is about how Mrs. Lowe, wants back the half million U.S. dollars in gold her late husband stole during a train robbery. Lane, wanting the $50,000 reward, decides to help and asks some of his old friends to help him.
Then came the musical, Tommy(1975), for which she was nominated the Academy Award for Best Actress. Also, she has been nominated for 10 Golden Globe Awards and has won five, including her Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for Tommy. The British musical film, based on The Who's 1969 rock opera album musical Tommy. It was directed by Ken Russell and featured a star-studded cast, including the band members themselves. The other cast members include Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Elton John, and Jack Nicholson.
In 1978, she co-starred with Anthony Hopkins in the thriller, Magic. A film about a ventriloquist, who is at the mercy of his vicious dummy, while he tries to renew a romance with a past love.
In 1961, she filmed a screen test at 20th Century Fox and was signed to a seven-year contract. Ann-Margret made her film debut in the film, Pocketful of Miracles(1961), with Bette Davis. It was a remake of the 1933 movie Lady for a Day. Both versions were directed by Frank Capra.
Then came the remake of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical, State Fair(1962), playing the "bad girl" role. She had tested for the part of Margy, the "good girl," but the studio bosses thought she was to sexy and decided to switch roles.
Her next starring role in, Bye Bye Birdie (1963), which made her a major star. The story was inspired by Elvis Presley being drafted into the United States Army in 1957. Jesse Pearson plays the role of teen idol Conrad Birdie. Presley, was the first choice for the role of Birdie, but his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, did not want Presley to play a role that was a parody of himself. Ed Sullivan appears as himself, host of the CBS TV show. Bye Bye Birdie opens with Ann-Margret singing a title song written for the movie.
After which, She was asked to sing "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" at President John F. Kennedy's private birthday party at the Waldorf-Astoria, one year after Marilyn Monroe's famous (or infamous) "Happy Birthday."
Ann-Margret met Elvis Presley on the MGM soundstage when the two filmed, Viva Las Vegas (1964). The story begins when, Lucky Jackson goes to Las Vegas, Nevada, to race in the city's first annual Grand Prix. Unfortunately, his race car needs a new engine. Lucky raises the money in Las Vegas, but looses it in the pool when he is distracted by swimming instructor, Ms. Rusty Martin . Soon, Lucky meets "Count Elmo Mancini", who tries to win the race and the heart of Rusty.
In 1963, Ann-Margret guest-starred in a popular episode of the animated TV series The Flintstones, voicing Ann-Margrock, an animated version of herself. She sang the ballad "The Littlest Lamb" as a lullaby and the rock-ing song, "Ain't Gonna Be a Fool." Decades later, 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 in character as Ann-Margrock.
While working on the film, Once a Thief (1965), a story about Ex-criminal Eddie Pedak, who tries to lead a normal life with a steady job and a family. He has a police detective and brother after him. She met future husband Roger Smith, who, performed on the television series 77 Sunset Strip.
Ann-Margret starred in the film, The Cincinnati Kid (1965). Opposite Steve McQueen.The film tells the story of Eric "The Kid" Stoner, a young Depression-era poker player and his quest to be the best. Which leads him to challenge Lancey "The Man" Howard, an older player who was considered the best.
Ann-Margret (born April 28, 1941) . Ann-Margret, took her first dance lessons at the Marjorie Young School of Dance in 1949. Her parents were supportive and her mother handmade all her costumes. While a teenager, Ann-Margret appeared on the Morris B. Sachs Amateur Hour, Don McNeill's Breakfast Club and Ted Mack's Amateur Hour.
Through high school, she continued to star in theatricals. As part of a group known as the "Suttletones". They traveled Los Angeles and, through agent Georgia Lund, landed club dates in Newport Beach and Reno, where Ann-Margret had a chance meeting with Marilyn Monroe, who was on location for the film, The Misfits. Monroe noticed her in the crowd, then chatted privately with her, offering her encouragement.
The group landed a gig at The Dunes in Las Vegas, which also headlined Tony Bennett and Al Hirt at that time. George Burns heard of her performance and she auditioned for his annual holiday show, in which she and Burns did a soft shoe routine. (pictured below)George Burns and Ann Margret, in the dressing room at the Sahara December 27, 1960.
Just watched the guilty pleasure that is Murderers' Row, the second film in the Matt Helm 60's era spy series that starred the ever reliable Dean Martin. This series came about all due to that English gent across the water..James Bond. That franchise ignited the whole spy craze of the 60's and everything from Get Smart, I Spy, The Man From UNCLE, In Like Flint, and Helm all enjoyed success. Dean Martin's take as a super spy who always saved the world but he did it with a cavalier attitude. Always had time to drink and make merry for the women. And quick to drop a witty one liner. You ask how is that different from Bond. Well, where as Bond for the most part kept the humor and comedy to a minimal, that is until Roger Moore came along, Helm thrived on it. He seemed to be itching to crack a joke or take a drink even while the action is going on. And seemed to be having fun doing it.
In his second adventure, he travels to Monte Carlo to find out what happened to a Doctor Solaris, who has created this destructive helio beam that bad guy Julian Wall (a gung ho Karl Malden) wants to use to destroy Washington, DC. In Monte Carlo, Matt befriends Solaris daughter Suzie (Ann-Margret) and together they team up to find her missing dad. Matt also has to deal with a henchman who has a steel plate on his head (very Bondian) and a beguiling femme fatale named Coco (the fetching Camilla Sparv).
Murderers' Row is a lightweight caper, on par with the weakest Bond films. You could almost label it a comedy with some action scenes because there is an abundance of humor, mostly supplied by Martin, who is definitely the center of the movie. Ann-Margret gets several high energy dance scenes that you can tell the directors told her to go and just have fun. The age difference between Martin and Ann does make their relationship a tad creepy. Dean was 48 and Ann was 24. But they still make quite the team. It's strange seeing Malden as the villian but he is effective. His assistant Coco is a striking presence in the film. Every time she appears it seems the camera follows her around like a puppy in love. Sparv probably gives the best performance out of all the actors present here. And let me not forget Matt's assistant Lovey Kravezit (great name and played by Beverly Adams). She is like the 60's version of Iron Man's assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow).
This film is not be taken seriously, a film to be seen to have some laughs with and view a good representation of the 60's. Dean croons the energetic I'm Not The Marrying Kind which plays out several times during the film. And I'm not the one to point out fashion in film, but Ann-Margret wears this killer black and white top with pants that is to die for.
Check out the pic to your right. You know your clothes are awesome when the villianess says "I must say the girl has great taste in clothes". Classic.
VIVA LAS VEGAS (1964) , Princess requested... This week's SPOTLIGHT. And so far winning the favorite Ann Margret movie poll.
Viva las Vegas!! What a fun film for Elvis fans. This is one of my favorite Ann Margret films. She's awesome in the musical numbers. Talk about chemistry between two stars.. In my opinion the film is about the songs and dance numbers. Which include the title song, "Come On, Everybody", "What'd I Say", and "Appreciation"...but all of them are good, and the other songs are: "The Lady Loves Me", "I Need Someone to Lean On", "Today, Tomorrow, and Forever", "My Rival", and "If You Think I Don't Need You". If you look closely in one of the dance numbers you will see Ann Margret wearing ballet slippers instead of high heels. The car race footage in the finale is amazing.
Though the relationship did not last. Elvis and Ann Margret remained friends for the rest of his life. According to Ann Margret, Elvis sent her flowers in the shape of a guitar on the opening night of every one of her Las Vegas shows.
