After 50 years of marriage, the actress and singer Ann-Margret and her late husband Roger Smith were completely dedicated to one another.
The pair was married in 1967 and remained happily married until Smith passed away on June 4, 2017, following a protracted battle with myasthenia gravis.
Ann-Margret dated Elvis Presley, a singer and her «Viva Las Vegas» co-star, before she wed Smith. She and the singer stayed friends up until Presley’s passing, even after she split from Smith.Even when her husband passed away and she restarted her career, Ann-Margret left the Presley songs off of her record because she treasured their friendship so much. Regarding omitting some tracks, she stated:
I chose not to. Everyone is aware of my feelings toward him and the relationship we shared for so many years. It was quite private.Smith and Ann-Margret were unable to be apart after their marriage. The third date was when I realized I was going to marry him, she said.
Being on film sets at opposite ends of the country was too much for them to handle. Smith eventually took on the role of her manager to guarantee their eternal union. The singer of «The Swinger» said:
I’ve now discovered Roger to be a parent, a friend, a lover, a manager, and a businessman all in one. It fits me just right. Without a powerful guy, I couldn’t exist.
She had Smith as a terrific manager because he helped her get over the stereotype that her detractors had of her as a cartoon figure. His efforts resulted in Ann-Margret landing difficult roles in «Carnal Knowledge» and «Tommy,» which won her praise from critics and attention from award-show voters.
The actress then appeared in acclaimed television shows, including «Grumpy Old Men.» Additionally, she had a cameo in «Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,» for which she was nominated for an Emmy.Smith previously admitted in an interview that he once imagined his wife leaving the movies to co-star with him in a Broadway play. Sadly, the pair never succeeded in realizing their ambition.
Like other marriages, Ann-Margret and her husband had their share of difficulties, but they managed to stick together.
They had a long marriage and were fortunate to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary just before Smith passed away. Smith was overjoyed when he reached the goal, since that had always been his goal.
Ann-Margret reciprocated her husband’s support by being there for him in his personal life after Smith spent years overseeing his wife’s work. Smith put her career on hold after receiving a diagnosis of myasthenia gravis and Parkinson’s disease. She uttered:
«Because I was caring for him, I kept declining everything. If one of you has a broken wing and you’re married, the other takes over.
Ann-Margret was an «amazing nurse» to her husband throughout his sickness, according to a close friend of the actress. The affection, however, did not stop there. She apparently continued to cherish her spouse even after he passed away. She believed that a great love story didn’t end in death. You still feel their presence,» the buddy said.
Ann-Margret wrote after her husband’s passing that she was appreciative of all the years they spent together:
«When I reflect on my life, my marriage is what I am most proud of… Both of us wanted it to succeed. And it did succeed. We spent both the day and night together. We cherished one another and stood by one another no matter what.
While grieving for him, she tried to move on by concentrating on her interests and skills. She also remembers their life together with nostalgia.
For 13 years, Ann-Margret sought to get pregnant. She admitted using a fertility pump and a cutting-edge contraption that shot a hormone into her stomach to promote ovulation.
Despite continuing to reside in the Los Angeles home she and Smith purchased together, [Ann-Margret] is making an effort to move on with her life by focusing on her job.
Smith had three kids, but the actress also desired to have her own biological children. She uttered:
«The key point is that if I am supposed to have a kid, I will. I will accept whatever my higher power deems appropriate for me. I realize this seems basic, but I really believe in the serenity prayer.
Ann-Margret prayed to God for years, asking him to provide her with the peace to accept what she could not change, the courage to change what she could, and the discernment to know what was what.
The actress gave up on the hormone-inducing predicament after years of futile infertility attempts and decided to become Smith’s children’s stepmother instead. She said that of all the parts she had ever performed, this was her favorite.
The 82-year-old claimed that she turned into a strict stepmother who instilled respect in her stepchildren just like her parents had done for her.
When I first met them, they were 3, 6, and 7, but they are no more. Both of them are physicians. Well, that’s something I don’t want to discuss because it’s so private.
Ann-Margret is a cheerful woman in her 80s who picked up her work again after her husband passed away. She recently finished recording a new album titled «Born to Be Wild.» She has been quite busy.
She admitted that it had been 50 years since her last record, but she had a great time making it.
The actress is making an effort to move on with her life by focusing on her job, but she continues to reside in the Los Angeles house she purchased with Smith.
Ann-Margret said that, despite her best efforts to pretend otherwise, she had lost interest in several of the activities she had enjoyed with her husband, including skiing. She did, however, expect to hit the slopes again soon.
The actress has already returned to major motion pictures, appearing in titles like «Never Too Late» and «Queen Bees.» She observed:
«When you reach a certain age, you’re not dead. You must continue to live, not just sit at home and watch TV by yourself. You have to take part.
The «Going in Style» actress has also maintained a close circle of friends, some of whom she has worked with over the years. She mentioned that they had a loose walking group with their friends.
There may be three of us on Monday. There may be 15 on another day. Every weekend, we go to a different location for a stroll. I can’t wait to go Ann-Margret now spends her free time cuddling with Harley, her cat. The 18-year-old cat sleeps next to her every night and is by her side all the time.