Ann-Margaret was entertaining us before many of us were even around to enjoy it. She has been a part of Hollywood for many years, appearing in movies such as Bye-Bye Birdie, State Fair, and Taxi.
Over the years, she has won an Emmy award, and five Golden Globe awards, and has been nominated for two Academy Awards. She continues to be active, releasing a classic rock album in April 2023, ‘Born to Be Wild.’
During her younger years, she dated many men, including Elvis Presley. It was Roger Smith, however, who would eventually win her heart and her hand in marriage.
Roger Smith was also known for being a very good-looking actor and appeared in shows such as Mr. Roberts and 77 Sunset Strip. Many women would have had him, but Margaret was not an easy target.
He recalled: “Every other woman I met was falling all over me but this innocent, fresh-faced beauty only spoke to me when I spoke to her and the rest of the time ignored me.”
They met in the 1960s and eventually started dating in 1965. He captured her heart because he knew she loved motorcycles.
“When I first started going out with her, there were a lot of guys hanging around. But they didn’t ride motorcycles. So I figured if I had one, it would help. So I bought one and we went out ridning together. It helped.”
Ann-Margaret admitted that by the third date, she knew that he was the man for her. They married in 1967 and were happily married for many years.
Roger Smith then gave up his own acting career to become her manager. She thought that he was everything she needed, ‘a father, a friend, a lover, a manager, a businessman,’ and she considered him to be the right man for her.
Just like in any marriage, they experienced ups and downs through the years they spent together. At one point, Ann-Margaret had a problem with substance abuse and an injury that almost cost her her life.
That injury occurred in 1972 when she fell from a 22-foot platform in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. She landed on her face, breaking nearly every bone and it happened in front of a shocked audience. She had fallen into an orchestra pit.
After undergoing facial reconstructive surgery, she had her mouth wired shut and was on a liquid diet. She made an incredible recovery and returned to the stage riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle.
In 1980, Roger Smith was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. There is no cure for that neuromuscular disease and it left him even struggling to get out of bed in the mornings. They were affected on a professional and a personal level, and he had to step down because of the struggles he was facing.
The illness went into remission in 1985, allowing Ann-Margaret to start up her nightclub career again. She had the support of Smith as they traveled to Las Vegas. Things were looking better and they thought that they would try to have children.
Unfortunately, they were never able to have children, despite seeking assistance from a number of fertility experts. Ann-Margret considers this to be one of the greatest disappointments she has ever faced.
The couple remained together until 2017 when Roger Smith passed away. He was 84 years old and died from complications associated with myasthenia gravis. He also had Parkinson’s disease.
During his illness, Ann-Margaret took a break from her career to work with her husband and help him. She said: “I kept saying no, no to everything because I was taking care of him. If you’re a spouse, if one of you has a broken wing, the other takes over.”
Looking back on things, she said: “When I look back at my life, I am most proud of my marriage. We both wanted it to work. And it did work. We were together night and day. We loved each other and we were always in each other’s corner.”
We are thankful for all that they brought to our lives and continue to do so as the legacy lives on.