{"id":3325,"date":"2026-04-07T08:19:42","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T08:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/?p=3325"},"modified":"2026-04-07T08:19:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T08:19:43","slug":"ann-margret-cared-for-her-husband-his-death-broke-her-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/?p=3325","title":{"rendered":"Ann-Margret cared for her husband \u2013 his death broke her heart"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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I just love Ann-Margret \u2013 she is such a warm, sweet and classy woman.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Known for her fiery beauty and undeniable talent, she captured hearts on and off the screen, famously dating Elvis Presley and standing out as one of the few Hollywood stars who truly supported our Vietnam troops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, despite her iconic career and public admiration, she believes her greatest achievement lies elsewhere\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps it\u2019s my deep connection to Sweden, but I must say Ann-Margret is a personal favorite. She\u2019s simply incredible and all her work speaks for itself. With her delightful humor and genuine charm, she continues to captivate and inspire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And her timeless beauty is natural and unpretentious, unlike so many in Hollywood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As recently as last year, the Swedish-American actress and singer released her debut rock album, Born to Be Wild<\/em>, as reported by The New York Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To say that Ann-Margret has experienced it all would be an understatement. The iconic, two-time Oscar nominee, born up north in Sweden, made her mark with memorable roles in the 1960s classics Bye Bye Birdie<\/em> and Viva Las Vegas<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can read about her electric romance with Elvis Presley here<\/a>, but the truth is, he was never the man of her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meeting Roger Smith<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even though she dated stars like Eddie Fisher and Elvis Presley, it was Roger Smith who ultimately won Ann-Margret\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The strikingly handsome, dark-haired actor had made a name for himself with standout roles in hits like 77 Sunset Strip<\/em> and Mister Roberts<\/em>. As a quintessential Hollywood heartthrob, he was used to effortlessly winning over women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But Ann-Margret was not easily swayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery other woman I met was falling all over me,\u201d he remembered. \u201cBut this innocent, fresh-faced beauty only spoke to me when I spoke to her and the rest of the time ignored me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The couple first crossed paths in the 1960s, naturally meeting through their Hollywood careers. However, it wasn\u2019t until 1965 that they began dating seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some reports suggest that Roger initially invited the Swedish star to one of his performances at a San Francisco club. But he also had another trick up his sleeve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wikipedia Commons<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He knew that Ann-Margret was a passionate motorcycle enthusiast. She loved riding and had several bikes at home, along with an entire wardrobe of motorcycle gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201dWhen I first started going out with her, there were a lot of guys hanging around. But they didn\u2019t ride motorcycles. So I figured if I had one, it would help. So I bought one and we went out ridning together. It helped,\u201d he told NEA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By their third date, Ann-Margret was certain that Roger Smith was the man she had always been searching for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI knew he would protect me. I knew that I could depend on him. I sensed it completely,\u201d she told People in 2017<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tears of sadness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The couple tied the knot in 1967 and their marriage was everything Ann-Margret could dream of. But few knows that their union got off to a bad start. During their wedding ceremony in Las Vegas, in a \u201dcigarette-smoke-filled room at the Riviera Hotel\u201d, the Bye Bye Birdie <\/em>star started to cry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201dThis is not the way I envisioned my wedding,\u201d Ann-Margret told People<\/a> and added: \u201dI think everyone thought I was pregnant because I was crying though the whole thing. But we did it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, the traumatic wedding experience didn\u2019t matter in the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon, Roger Smith took on the role of his wife\u2019s manager. He believed in her, admired her, and sacrificed his own acting career to support her. Roger felt that Ann-Margret had more \u201craw talent\u201d than he did, and he wanted to be close to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roger Smith with sun glasses and Ann-Margret in the back of a limo; circa 1970; New York. (Photo by Art Zelin\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow in Roger I\u2019ve found all the men I need rolled into one \u2014 a father, a friend, a lover, a manager, a businessman,\u201d the actress told Rex Reed in 1972<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s perfect for me. I couldn\u2019t exist without a strong man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith helped Ann-Margret redefine her career played a pivotal role in guiding her away from the \u201dsex kitten\u201d persona, understanding that she needed to evolve beyond that to maintain a lasting presence in Hollywood. His strategic decisions allowed Ann-Margret to embrace more complex roles, which ultimately led to her breakout performance in Carnal Knowledge<\/em> in 1971.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By supporting her in what she wanted, Roger Smith found he liked himself much better. Being with Ann-Margret mattered more to him than all his childhood dreams of becoming a famous actor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201dWhen I met Ann-Margret, I felt happy for the first time in my life,\u201d Smith told New York<\/a>. \u201dOnce I found Ann-Margret, I couldn\u2019t stand to be without her and, surprisingly, she couldn\u2019t stand to be without me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Substance abuse & injury<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Throughout their long marriage, Ann-Margret and Roger Smith were incredibly close, both personally and professionally. They experienced high peaks together but also faced significant challenges. For example, Ann-Margret grappled with substance abuse and a life-altering injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Viva Las Vegas<\/em> star During parts of the 1970s, the Viva Las Vegas<\/em> star struggled with an addiction to pills and alcohol, finding it difficult to separate fantasy from reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1972, she suffered a devastating fall from a 22-foot platform while performing in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, breaking nearly every bone in her face. Before a shocked audience at the Sahara Hotel, Ann-Margret fell into an orchestra pit, narrowly escaping death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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She underwent facial reconstructive surgery, requiring her mouth to be wired shut and a strict liquid diet to help her recover. But as if by a miracle, Ann-Margret made a remarkable recovery. But just 10 days and 59 stitches after the terrifying accident, she made a triumphant return to the stage, riding her gleaming Harley-Davidson motorcycle and roaring back to the spotlight with her signature flair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her husband, Roger Smith, also played a crucial role in her recovery. When the accident happened, he piloted a stolen plane from Burbank, California, and rushed her to surgeons at the UCLA Medical Center, ensuring she received immediate care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roger Smith illness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ann-Margret\u2019s marriage to Roger Smith took a dramatic turn in 1980 when he was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, an incurable neuromuscular disease. The illness often left Smith unable to even get out of bed in the mornings. Traveling across the country was out of the question, and the disease affected the couple both personally and professionally. Smith, who was the mastermind behind managing Ann-Margret\u2019s career, had to step back due to his health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 1985, Smith\u2019s illness went into remission, allowing Ann-Margret to reignite her nightclub career. Smith supported her as she returned to the spotlight, helping her revive her popular Las Vegas shows. For a while, things looked brighter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When Roger Smith\u2019s symptoms eased, the couple made one final attempt to have children of their own. Before that, Ann-Margret had lovingly embraced her role as stepmother to his three children from a previous marriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly, Ann-Margret\u2019s biological clock was ticking faster, and despite consulting numerous fertility experts, they were unable to conceive. They did everything they could, but never had children together \u2014 a fact the actress has said is one of the greatest disappointments of her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cause of death<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ann-Margret and Roger Smith remained together until his death in 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beloved actor and manager passed away at age 84 at Sherman Oaks Hospital in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, from complications related to myasthenia gravis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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NEW YORK, NY \u2013 MARCH 30: Ann-Margret and Roger Smith attend \u201cGoing in Style\u201d World Premiere at SVA Theatre on March 30, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury\/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before his death, he had also struggled with Parkinson\u2019s disease for many years. His condition meant that Ann-Margret had to take a break from work to care for him. She showed total commitment to her partner during his lengthy illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201dI kept saying no, no to everything because I was taking care of him. If you\u2019re a spouse, if one of you has a broken wing, the other takes over,\u201d she said<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ann-Margret was, of course, heartbroken after her husband\u2019s passing. Yet, she managed to find something positive and she managed to move on with her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201dWhen I look back at my life, I am most proud of my marriage,\u201d Ann-Margret told Closer Weekly<\/a>. \u201cWe 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\u2019s corner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That New York photo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To truly appreciate the love story of Ann-Margret and Roger Smith, just look at a photo taken on January 1, 1985, in New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It captured the Hollywood couple radiating elegance and charm at a high-profile event, showing them both at the height of their careers. But this image is more than just a glamorous snapshot. Roger\u2019s steady gaze and Ann-Margret\u2019s serene presence reflect their deep bond, both personally and professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rich green curtains in the background give the photo a royal feel, making it a true portrait of Hollywood royalty. What makes this picture even more powerful is that you can see the signs of Roger\u2019s battle with illness. Though not yet fully overtaken by his condition, there\u2019s a quiet awareness of what\u2019s to come. Despite this, the image stands as a beautiful testament to their enduring love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s more than just a memory\u2014it\u2019s a moment frozen in time that celebrates their strength, elegance, and the legacy they built together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I just love Ann-Margret \u2013 she is such a warm, sweet and classy woman. Known for her fiery beauty and undeniable talent, she captured hearts on and off the screen, famously dating…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3325"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3326,"href":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3325\/revisions\/3326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storyflicker.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}