Ann-Margret

Ann-Margret Olsson, known professionally as Ann-Margret, was born on 28 April 1941, in Stockholm, Sweden, to Anna Regina Olsson (née Aronsson) and Carl Gustav Olsson, who was originally from Örnsköldsvik. The family relocated to Valsjöbyn, in Krokom Municipality, Jämtland County, in 1942, a place Ann-Margret later described as a small town of lumberjacks and farmers situated near the Arctic Circle. Her father emigrated to the United States ahead of the rest of the family, and after World War II her mother and she joined him in 1946. Ann-Margret became a naturalized American citizen in 1949. She dropped her surname professionally, explaining that she did not want her parents hurt by anything negative that might be written about her in the press.

Her early training began at the Marjorie Young School of Dance, where she demonstrated a natural aptitude for movement. As a teenager she appeared on the Morris B. Sachs Amateur Hour, Don McNeill's Breakfast Club, and Ted Mack's Amateur Hour, and continued performing in theater while attending New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, a school that had also graduated Charlton Heston and Rock Hudson. She was a member of a group called the Suttletones, which performed at the Dunes hotel and casino in Las Vegas. George Burns heard of her work there, invited her to audition for his annual holiday show, and the two performed a softshoe routine together. Variety noted at the time that Burns had found a gold mine in Ann-Margret and that she possessed a definite style capable of guiding her to star status.

Ann-Margret began recording for RCA Victor in 1961, with her debut album And Here She Is ... Ann-Margret arranged and conducted by Marty Paich. Subsequent albums were produced in Nashville with Chet Atkins on guitar, the Jordanaires, and the Anita Kerr Singers. RCA Victor drew comparisons between her and Elvis Presley, recording her on versions of songs stylistically similar to his. Her single "I Just Don't Understand" entered the Billboard Top 40 in August 1961, peaked at number 17, and remained on the chart for six weeks; the Beatles later performed the song in 1963. She received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 1962. Her only charting album was Beauty and the Beard (1964), recorded with trumpeter Al Hirt. Her contract with RCA Victor concluded in 1966. In the late 1970s she returned to the charts with the 1979 dance track "Love Rush," which peaked at number eight on the disco and dance charts. In 2001 she recorded God Is Love: The Gospel Sessions with Art Greenhaw, an album that earned both a Grammy nomination and a Dove Award nomination for gospel album of the year. A Christmas album followed in 2004, and a second gospel sessions volume was released in 2011. In 2023 she recorded a full-length album of new material for Cleopatra Records titled Born to Be Wild, featuring thirteen covers and guest appearances by Pete Townshend, Paul Shaffer, The Oak Ridge Boys, and others; the album was released on 14 April 2023.

Her film career began in 1961 when she signed a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox following a screen test. Her debut came in Frank Capra's Pocketful of Miracles alongside Bette Davis, for which she received her first Golden Globe Award, for New Actress of the Year, shared with Jane Fonda and Christine Kaufmann. In the 1962 remake of State Fair she played the role of Emily opposite Bobby Darin and Pat Boone. Her portrayal of Kim in Bye Bye Birdie (1963) established her as a major star; the film's premiere at Radio City Music Hall set a record for the highest first-week gross at that theater, and the performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. She appeared alongside Elvis Presley in Viva Las Vegas (1964), recording three duets with him for the film. Her subsequent screen credits span decades and include Carnal Knowledge (1971), for which she received an Academy Award nomination, Tommy (1975), which brought a second Academy Award nomination, Newsies (1992), Grumpy Old Men (1993), Grumpier Old Men (1995), Any Given Sunday (1999), Taxi (2004), and Going in Style (2017). Among her other television work, she appeared on The Jack Benny Program in 1961 and voiced an animated version of herself on The Flintstones. Her accolades include five Golden Globe Awards, an Emmy Award, two Academy Award nominations, and two Grammy nominations.

In 2001, Ann-Margret brought her talents to Broadway, appearing in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Her career as an actress, dancer, and singer has extended across more than seven decades.