Phyllis Brown
In the glitzy world of Hollywood, few stars shine as brightly as Ann-Margret did during the 60s and 70s. With her enchanting beauty and undeniable talent, she became an icon of her era.
From her breakout roles in films like “Bye Bye Birdie” to her sultry performances in “Viva Las Vegas,” Ann-Margret captured the hearts of audiences worldwide.
Join us as we explore her remarkable journey to fame and recollect the beauty of her time.
Ann-Margret’s journey: from an introverted girl to a major star
As a child, Ann-Margret was introverted, struggling to adapt to American culture. She sang and danced to express herself, performing at weddings, private parties, and church events. By 14, she had appeared in numerous school shows and regularly won local talent contests.
At 18, while performing at the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas, she had a chance to audition for Hollywood veteran George Burns. Impressed by what she accomplished, he invited her to perform for a 10-night engagement at the Sahara Hotel, where she earned rave reviews. This led to several offers, including a record deal with RCA and a seven-year film contract with 20th Century Fox.
She first appeared on screen in Frank Capra’s Pocketful of Miracles, a remake of his own Lady for a Day (1933). In 1963, she starred alongside Dick Van Dyke in the movie version of the Broadway hit Bye Bye Birdie.
Her portrayal of Kim in Bye Bye Birdie (1963) launched her into stardom. The film premiered at Radio City Music Hall and became the highest first-week-grossing film in the theater’s history, 16 years after her first visit there.
Life magazine put her on the cover again, noting her “torrid dancing” that nearly eliminated the need for the theater’s central heating.
She was later asked to perform “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home” at President John F. Kennedy’s private birthday party at the Waldorf Astoria New York, a year after Marilyn Monroe’s famous “Happy Birthday to You” serenade.
The first impressive appearance of young Ann-Margret at LIFE magazine’s Los Angeles bureau
About fifty years ago, young Ann-Margret, a singer and dancer on the brink of a movie career, visited LIFE magazine’s Los Angeles office. For once, the busy newsroom fell silent.
Editor Richard Stolley, the L.A. bureau chief at the time, recalls how noisy it usually was with everyone typing.
“Everybody was working on typewriters back then, so it was very noisy,” he said. “I’m sitting in my office and suddenly it got quiet. All the typewriters stopped. I thought, ‘What the hell is going on?’ So I got up and I walked to the door. And what was happening? Ann-Margret was walking through the newsroom.”
As time passed, Stolley became the top editor at LIFE and PEOPLE magazines. Meanwhile, that 19-year-old starlet, born Ann-Margret Olsson in Stockholm, soared to fame in Hollywood, dazzling audiences in films like Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, and Tommy. Despite the years, Stolley and Ann-Margret remained close friends.
Look back at Ann-Margret’s beauty from the 1960s and 1970s
1. Studio hairdresser Helen Turpin taking care of Ann-Margret for her State Fair audition in 1961
2. Ann-Margret doing the song-and-dance half of her screen test, 1961
3. Ann-Margret in a strapless yellow dress while her red hair was pulled back into a ponytail in a portrait from 1962
4. Ann-Margret and Elvis Presley on the set of the 1963 film, ‘Viva Las Vegas’
5. Ann-Margret wearing a black outfit when posing next to a cheetah in 1963
6. Ann-Margret rocking a giant pink fur blanket on the set of ‘Once A Thief’ in 1964
7. Ann-Margret going strawberry blond to star in Viva Las Vegas, 1964
8. Ann-Margret in Kitten with a Whip and The Pleasure Seekers, 1964
9. Ann-Margret With Ocelot During the Making of ‘Kitten With a Whip’, 1964
10. Ann-Margret and Elvis meeting on the set of ‘Viva Las Vegas’ (1964)
11. Ann Margret in an orange outfit against a blue and orange background in 1964
12. Ann Margaret on the set of the movie Carnal Knowledge sporting a maroon knitted sweater in 1965
13. Ann Margret for the 1966 American comedy film ‘The Swinger’ in her sexy orange top against a gradient blue backdrop
14. A photo of Ann-Margret for the western ‘Stagecoach’, 1966
15. Ann on a Tiger motorcycle in the movie The Swinger, 1966
16. Ann-Margret rocking this patterned green, yellow and blue dress in 1967
17. Ann Margret in a floral dress against a yellow-orange backdrop for a vintage Hollywood poster in 1968
18. Ann-Margret on a chopper motorbike, 1971
19. Ann-Margret in the western ‘The Train Robbers’ (1973)
20. Ann-Margret wearing a black headband and feather scarf in a 1979 portrait in Los Angeles, California
21. Ann-Margret posed between Kirk Douglas, (left), and Arnold Schwarzenegger, (right), on the set of ‘The Villain (Cactus Jack)’ in 1979
