ANN-MARGRET

April 28, 1941

Ann-Margret Olsson was born in Stockholm, Sweden. The family moved back to Valsjöbyn, Jämtland a small town of she later described as one full of “lumberjacks and farmers high up near the Arctic Circle”.

Ann-Margret and her mother joined her father in the United States in November 1946, and her father took her to Radio City Music Hall on the day they arrived. They settled in Wilmette, Illinois, outside of Chicago. She became a naturalized American citizen in 1949. 

She made her small screen debut on “Ted Mack and the Original Amateur Hour” on December 22, 1957. 

Her feature film acting debut came in 1961′s Pocketful of Miracles starring Bette Davis and Glenn Ford, directed by Frank Capra. “Here’s Lucy” parodied the film in a 1972 episode titled “Dirty Gertie” (HL S5;E10).  Ann-Margret followed up with the critically acclaimed film musicals State Fair and Bye Bye Birdie. 

She was nominated for Oscars for Carnal Knowledge (1971) and Tommy (1975). 

Lucille Ball and Ann-Margret were together for the first time on “The Tonight Show” on November 26, 1968.  Peter Lawford sat in for Johnny Carson.  

Three months later, Ann-Margret and Lucy would both participate in “Jack Benny’s Birthday Special” (February 17, 1969). 

The announcer’s opening credit for Ann-Margret is “as the Valentine Girl.”

 Ann-Margaret had been a guest on “The Jack Benny Program” on April 2, 1961. In December 1968, Jack Benny guest starred on “The Ann-Margret Show.”

On December 6, 1969, Lucille Ball guest-starred on “Ann-Margret: From Hollywood with Love” on CBS.  Ball played herself and a character named Celebrity Lu, an autograph hound, opposite Autograph Annie (Ann-Margret). The scene culminates in a musical number. 

In return, Ann-Margret guest-starred as herself on “Here’s Lucy” on February 2, 1970. 

Ball satisfied her son’s adoration of Ann-Margret by having the script focus on Craig (Desi Arnaz Jr.) and his musical talent. 

In November 1970, Lucy and Ann-Margret joined John Wayne for a patriotic special titled “Swing Out, Sweet Land” in which Ann-Margret played an entertainer at Valley Forge, and Lucy provided the voice of The Statue of Liberty. They did not share any scenes. 

Lucille and Ann-Margret both played a part in a retrospect of Bob Hope’s first 30 years on TV, along with Milton Berle, Danny Thomas, George Burns, Glen Campbell, Sammy Davis Jr., Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Eydie Gorme, Steve Lawrence, Marie Osmond, Martha Raye, Brooke Shields, and many others. 

In 1985, Lucille Ball, Lucie Arnaz, and Ann-Margret (plus 97 others) were part of “Night of 100 Stars 2″.  Ann-Margret modeled a golden Emanuel gown. 

In 1988, Lucille Ball and Ann-Margret made their final appearance on the same program in “America’s Tribute To Bob Hope”. 

In 2010, Ann-Margret won her first Emmy Award for her guest appearance on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

Her latest project is titled the feature film comedy Queen Bees.