I just love Ann-Margret – 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 Elvis Presley and standing out as one of the few Hollywood stars who truly supported our Vietnam troops.
Yet, despite her iconic career and public admiration, she believes her greatest achievement lies elsewhere…
I just love Ann-Margret – 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 Elvis Presley and standing out as one of the few Hollywood stars who truly supported our Vietnam troops.
Yet, despite her iconic career and public admiration, she believes her greatest achievement lies elsewhere…
You May Like
Think Harvard is Hard to Get Into? This Company Will Amaze YouBlinkist Magazine
Perhaps it’s my deep connection to Sweden, but I must say Ann-Margret is a personal favorite. She’s simply incredible and all her work speaks for itself. With her delightful humor and genuine charm, she continues to captivate and inspire.
And her timeless beauty is natural and unpretentious, unlike so many in Hollywood.
As recently as last year, the Swedish-American actress and singer released her debut rock album, Born to Be Wild, as reported by The New York Times.
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 and Viva Las Vegas.
You can read about her electric romance with Elvis Presley here, but the truth is, he was never the man of her life.
Meeting Roger Smith
Even though she dated stars like Eddie Fisher and Elvis Presley, it was Roger Smith who ultimately won Ann-Margret’s heart.
The strikingly handsome, dark-haired actor had made a name for himself with standout roles in hits like 77 Sunset Strip and Mister Roberts. As a quintessential Hollywood heartthrob, he was used to effortlessly winning over women.
But Ann-Margret was not easily swayed.
“Every other woman I met was falling all over me,” he remembered. “But this innocent, fresh-faced beauty only spoke to me when I spoke to her and the rest of the time ignored me.”
The couple first crossed paths in the 1960s, naturally meeting through their Hollywood careers. However, it wasn’t until 1965 that they began dating seriously.
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.
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.
”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,” he told NEA.
By their third date, Ann-Margret was certain that Roger Smith was the man she had always been searching for.
“I knew he would protect me. I knew that I could depend on him. I sensed it completely,” she told People in 2017.
Tears of sadness
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 ”cigarette-smoke-filled room at the Riviera Hotel”, the Bye Bye Birdie star started to cry.
”This is not the way I envisioned my wedding,” Ann-Margret told People and added: ”I think everyone thought I was pregnant because I was crying though the whole thing. But we did it.”
Thankfully, the traumatic wedding experience didn’t matter in the end.
Soon, Roger Smith took on the role of his wife’s manager. He believed in her, admired her, and sacrificed his own acting career to support her. Roger felt that Ann-Margret had more “raw talent” than he did, and he wanted to be close to her.
“Now in Roger I’ve found all the men I need rolled into one — a father, a friend, a lover, a manager, a businessman,” the actress told Rex Reed in 1972.
“It’s perfect for me. I couldn’t exist without a strong man.”
Smith helped Ann-Margret redefine her career played a pivotal role in guiding her away from the ”sex kitten” 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 in 1971.
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.
”When I met Ann-Margret, I felt happy for the first time in my life,” Smith told New York. ”Once I found Ann-Margret, I couldn’t stand to be without her and, surprisingly, she couldn’t stand to be without me.”
Substance abuse & injury
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.
The Viva Las Vegas star During parts of the 1970s, the Viva Las Vegas star struggled with an addiction to pills and alcohol, finding it difficult to separate fantasy from reality.
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.
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.
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.
Roger Smith illness
Ann-Margret’s 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’s career, had to step back due to his health.
By 1985, Smith’s 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.
When Roger Smith’s 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.
Sadly, Ann-Margret’s 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 — a fact the actress has said is one of the greatest disappointments of her life.
Cause of death
Ann-Margret and Roger Smith remained together until his death in 2017.
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.
Before his death, he had also struggled with Parkinson’s 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.
”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,” she said.
Ann-Margret was, of course, heartbroken after her husband’s passing. Yet, she managed to find something positive and she managed to move on with her life.
”When I look back at my life, I am most proud of my marriage,” Ann-Margret told Closer Weekly. “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.”
That New York photo
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.
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’s steady gaze and Ann-Margret’s serene presence reflect their deep bond, both personally and professionally.
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’s battle with illness. Though not yet fully overtaken by his condition, there’s a quiet awareness of what’s to come. Despite this, the image stands as a beautiful testament to their enduring love.
It’s more than just a memory—it’s a moment frozen in time that celebrates their strength, elegance, and the legacy they built together.
Share this story with someone who appreciates timeless love, and let’s remember how this remarkable couple faced life’s challenges with grace.
Julia Roberts Gave Birth to Twins at 37 — Pics of Her ‘Beautiful’ Teens Who Look like Her Husband
Julia Roberts, then 37, gave birth to twins.
The mother of three acknowledged that her children resemble Danny Moder, her spouse.
Fans of Moder frequently praise their children’s photos online, saying they are stunning.
Julia Roberts is pleased with her union with Danny Moder and the joy they have shared. The couple makes an effort to keep their marriage quiet and their children out of the spotlight. Henry Moder, 16, and the twins Phinnaeus and Hazel Moder, 18, are Julia and Danny’s three children.
Julia gave birth to two healthy children, Phinneaus and Hazel, at the age of 37. The twins reportedly arrived at a Los Angeles hospital in November 2004 at around three in the morning. Henry, however, was born on June 18, 2007.
On October 10, 2015, Danny Moder and Julia Roberts attended the Bottega Veneta-sponsored Gala in the Garden in Los Angeles. | Source: Getty Images
When Julia was ready, her children selected her to be their steward and shepherd in life. Julia became a mother in her late 30s.
The mother of three admits that she occasionally worries that she will fail as a parent, but she also feels that her children entered her life at a time when she was prepared to be their mother. The actress made sure to spend quality time, tease, and joke with her little children while they were little.
At the Outerknown premiere event in Malibu, California, on August 29, 2015, Danny Moder, Julia Roberts, Kelly Slater, Phinnaeus, Henry Daniel, and Hazel Moder were there. | Source: Getty Images
She once jokingly disclosed that Henry believed that he and his siblings were being discussed when someone mentioned the twins in their family, rather than just Phinnaeus and Hazel.
In addition to enjoying herself with her children, Julia does her hardest to shield them from the negative effects of celebrity. The kids knew their mother was renowned when they were younger, but they never realized how famous she actually was. When her children were in stores, the actress saw that most of the time they would see headlines from tabloids, which made her uneasy.
Even though the tabloid headlines were untrue, Julia was nevertheless affected, especially when they implied that her marriage was dissolving although she was still happily married and raising her children. Julia and Danny moved from Los Angeles because they wanted to raise their children away from the spotlight as a result of these difficulties.
Although they now live on a ranch in New Mexico, Julia and Danny used to reside in Los Angeles, where they were employed. But according to a pal, the two didn’t want their children to grow up surrounded by Los Angeles’s showbiz lifestyle. Because of their kids, the couple later relocated to San Francisco. Nobody gave a damn about Phinnaeus, Henry, and Hazel’s mother there, and they weren’t treated like Hollywood stars’ children.
The “Ocean’s Eleven” actress said in 2019 that, in an effort to shield her children from the stresses of the current world, she had forbidden them from using social media.
The actress instituted family meetings and set limits on what they watched on TV. She performed these actions because children nowadays can easily handle the world and potentially exploit its resources and demands. Julia feels that it is her responsibility as a parent to keep her children off social media because they are not in need of it right now.
In addition to keeping her children safe, Julia takes sure to show them nothing but the best love so they may overcome the difficulties of the modern world. She also guides her children through today’s challenges.
Mom seized the chance to give Hazel hope while she was going through a difficult period and felt like she didn’t have a voice. She showed Hazel that she could still stand up for her beliefs in this world by taking her to her first Women’s March in Washington.
On July 10, 2021, Danny and Hazel Moder show up for the “Flag Day” premiere at the 74th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. | Source: Getty Images
The 56-year-old mother describes her daughter as “one of a kind.” The teenager chose a low-key appearance for her trip to the 74th Cannes Film Festival in 2021 with her father, even rejecting her mother’s advice to apply eyeliner. Hazel was merely delighted to attend the function beside her dad.
On July 10, 2021, Danny and Hazel Moder show up for the “Flag Day” premiere at the 74th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. | Source: Getty Images
On July 10, 2021, Danny and Hazel Moder show up for the “Flag Day” premiere at the 74th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. | Source: Getty Images
But Hazel also has a soft spot for her mother’s most treasured belongings. According to Julia, her daughter once dug through her closet in search of a prom dress and tried on the actress’s 2001 Academy Award-winning black and white Valentino gown. Although Julia recalls how beautiful her daughter looked in the garment, Hazel thought it was too big on her.
Julia Roberts on March 25, 2001, at the 73rd Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California. | Found via Getty Images
Julia has given her children a lot of love, support, and affection. She claims that mothering is an art that cannot be learned. The actress believes that the best approach to deal with parenting is to accept that you are not a superwoman and that you shouldn’t be afraid to seek for help.
Julia Roberts on March 25, 2001, at the 73rd Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California. | Found via Getty Images
The “Pretty Woman” actress acknowledged in 2022 that she experienced dizziness when her children were ready to start college. In addition, the fact that her kids would be attending college and she had never done so captivated and delighted her about them.
Although Julia always believes that her children look like her, she realizes that her children actually resemble Danny when she sees her spouse after he gets home from work. The father of three occasionally posts pictures of their children online, eliciting a lot of feedback from their followers.
On November 28, 2022, Julia’s twins turned eighteen, and the actress gave them a sweet photo of themselves from their early years. Danny often shares pictures of their three children on social media, and the majority of his postings get good feedback from followers.
When the 54-year-old published a photo of Hazel smiling next to Phinnaeus, fans noted that Julia and Danny had cute children. “They really are stunning,” said an enthusiast. Supporters also mentioned how wonderful the couple’s family is.
Some people remarked on how Danny and Julia’s children bore a striking resemblance to their dad. Hazel “looks like her dad,” as one fan put it, and other fans thought Danny and his daughter looked alike. The majority of people claimed that Danny is preferred by the couple’s three gorgeous children.
January 15, 2020, in Los Angeles, Julia Roberts and Danny Moder’s Tenth Anniversary Gala Benefiting CORE, hosted by Sean Penn | Source: Getty Images
After 21 years of marriage, Julia Roberts and Danny Moder are content in their marriage as they raise their children and shield them from the hardships of the outside world. The couple adores their kids, whom they have made enormous efforts to keep away from the entertainment industry.
Leave a Reply