Actress and singer Ann-Margret and her late husband Roger Smith were totally devoted to each other, having been married for 50 years.
The couple exchanged vows in 1967 and remained in their happy union until Smith died on June 4, 2017, after battling myasthenia gravis for many years.Before Ann-Margret married Smith, she dated Elvis Presley, a singer and her co-star in “Viva Las Vegas.” Even after she moved on with Smith, she and the singer remained friends until Presley died.
She valued their friendship so much that even after she resumed her career after her husband’s death, Ann-Margret excluded the songs made famous by Presley from her album. She said of leaving some songs out:
“I decided not to. Everyone knows how I felt about him and the friendship that we had all these years. It was very, very private.”
After getting married, Ann-Margret and Smith were inseparable. “I knew I was going to marry him on the third date,” she revealed.
They couldn’t stand being on film sets on the opposite ends of the country. Eventually, Smith became her manager to ensure they would always be together. “The Swinger” singer said:
“Now, in Roger, I’ve found all the men I need rolled into one — a father, a friend, a lover, a manager, a businessman. It’s perfect for me. I couldn’t exist without a strong man.”
Smith was a great manager to her as he helped her grow beyond the image of the cartoon character that critics had of her. Due to his efforts, Ann-Margret landed challenging parts in “Carnal Knowledge” and “Tommy,” which earned her critical acclaim and recognition from award-show voters.