Ann-Margret: My Story

by Ann-Margret, Todd Gold

In this unforgettable account of a woman making her own way and finding her own voice, both as a legendary performer and a woman of guts, humor, energy, and inspiration. Ann-Margret gives readers an exclusive glimpse into a very private life, offering a revealing look at her relationships, triumphs and trials--both in and out of the spotlight. Photos.

Genres: Autobiography, Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir, Media Tie In, Audiobook

265 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 9, 1994

About the author

Ann-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye, Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy. Her later career includes character roles in Grumpy Old Men, Any Given Sunday, The Santa Clause 3, and The Break-Up. She has won five Golden Globe Awards and been nominated for two Academy Awards, a Grammy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and five Emmy Awards.

Reviews

[Lynx · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but guarded memoir by fireball Ann-Margret. Ann has always been a very private person so it's surprising that she decided to write one in the first place - perhaps to have some say in how her story is told. Ann-Margret talks about her relationships with both Elvis and Roger, but you can tell she is holding back a lot. She tends to focus on her feelings over discussing details. She also only skims through her career in film, giving most her pictures a page or two- if that. The book shines the most when Ann-Margret discusses her career onstage, her family, and her trials with alcoholism. If you are like me and love Ann-Margret you will find it worthwhile, just don't expect to come away heavy in details.


I tell Ann-Margret's story on an episode dedicated to her and Elvis over at Muses and Stuff. Stream it there or on iTunes!

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always liked Ann-Margret but other than knowing her from her many films, especially Viva Las Vegas with Elvis Presley, I knew very little about her personal life. It took me a while to immerse myself in her story but once I did I was riveted. This was quite an honest, raw and moving read. Ann-Margret has had an interesting life. She is a strong, talented woman that had some demons to fight, suvived a horrific accident and finally accepted that there are some things in life that are not meant to be. She does all this with grace and a down to earth practical attitude. I was especially interested in her relationship with Elvis. She referred to him as a very good friend and a "soul mate". But the love of her life was her husband Roger Smith. Overall this was a good read.

[Melody · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was AWFUL.
When it comes to Ann-Margret as a dancer I love her. When it comes to Ann-Margret as a person, I hate her. It was very egotistical. All she did was go on and on about how perfect she is. It gives no information that wasn't already out there. Nothing deep or personal. The worst part was when she said she was the only person who could have saved Marilyn Monroe.
Don't waste your time with this. Even if you love Ann, find a different book about her.

[Rodolphus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this in the course of two evenings, and enjoyed the insight into her mind. From growing up in a very small Swedish town, to Chicago and getting her first big break in California, this is a wonderful insight into Ann-Margret's mind. As with any good chronicler, she makes sure to never leave out the less pleasant aspects of her life and speaks candidly about relationships both personal and professional. It also discusses how she was desperate to never make people unhappy, and how she eventually succumbed to alcoholism, then made an effort to get clean and be as good a mother to her stepchildren. Overall, would read it for a good glimpse into a great actor's life overall.

[Dalaina Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

To get to the part with Elvis they parted ways because Elvis was to be with Cilla they dated for a brief time but she doesn’t go into detail about anything with Cilla or anything steamy with Elvis. She never does. She always keeps it to herself she did talk about how they met on set.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK biography/memoir of the singer and actress. She did have some real trials in her life.

[Carol]

I have enjoyed Ann-Marget growing up.

She amazes me with her singing, dancing and acting.
Plus she is beautiful.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Guilty pleasure reading!!!

Discovered this book at the lending library at our Mackinaw Island resort. :-) I vaguely knew of Ann-Margret as a 50s movie star and girlfriend (maybe?) of Elvis.

Initially, I was disappointed that the book isn't as quaint & clean as I assumed a 1950s life would be. She whitewashes over things elegantly, but things clearly happened - she performs in "risque" nightclubs as a child, tours/lives with a group of men from college as they try to break out as entertainers and "spends the night" with boyfriends. There is even an obligatory pro-gay statement towards the end. She repeatedly refers to herself as an "old-fashioned good girl" and perhaps she was by Hollywood standards, but I was scandalized! Even back then, the lives of Hollywood actors/actresses wasn't wholesome!

Curiosity got the better of me and I googled her performances to see her -- I found a dance she did in tightly fitted clothing sans bra. Her "dance" movements were ransom and spastic with the intention seemingly to move around her chest and clearly visible nipples. :-o That dimmed my enjoyment of reading about her life. Later, I also re-watched 'Bye, Bye, Birdie' to see her in that. I always assumed that 1950s actresses were told to act goofy in movies, but I think she might actually just be a really odd person.

Once I adjusted my expectations, I enjoyed this as a psychological study (especially how she sees herself vs. reality, how she disassociates her professional activities from her personal identity, ect) and guilty-pleasure read. I appreciated how she whitewashed bad behavior, so that I didn't feel dirty as a reader by being pulled into explicit details. I wanted to read more and more. It was oddly soothing.

Interestingly, when talking about her parents, she states that there is a difference between propriety and prudishness. She seems to make that distinction in her own life as well. She has a sense of propriety about her public image, but behaves unabashedly wild in her personal life. Or would she say vice versa? There was a large gab between what she thought, how she acted and how she sees herself. It was very interesting to intellectually dissect as I was reading.

One thing that genuinely upset me was the discussion of her step-children. She describes herself as a strict "wicked step-mother" who was very involved in their lives and constantly trying to instill "old-fashioned values" in them. That is how she saw herself. But the reality she also describes is that when they took full custody of the step-children from their mother, she and Roger took care of them buy building each of the three children (then age 12 and up) their own separate living quarters (above the garage, in the servants quarters, ect) on their Beverly Hills estate and making sure a housekeeper was always available while the parents traveled 3-4 months at a time for various projects. As a parent, the utter irresponsibility and neglect of that took my breath away. I can only imagine the trouble they got into in Beverly Hills with all their resources and just a random staff person to feed/clothe them. No parental supervision or guidance during the tumultuous teen years! I couldn't enjoy that chapter even as a guilty pleasure.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember Ann-Margaret and some of her films. I remember that my aunt was taking us to see Bye Bye Birdie while we were visiting our Grandma but I had to leave early to go home for a band practice. I was so disappointed. As you learn more about Ann-Margaret's life you learn that not only could she sing and dance but she could act as well. Her friendship with Elvis Presley lasted until his death and he always sent a guitar shaped flower arrangement to her on opening night. She had her struggles with alcohol as did her father but she fought back from that battle. Also her marriage to Roger Smith who was an actor in his own right was her only marriage and at the time of this book they were still married. Many of the actors and actresses mentioned in this book are familiar to me and I enjoyed reading her stories about them and working with them. I give this book 4.5 stars. Entertaining reading.

[Kitty Kestrel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this-- what interested me most, of course, was her relationship with Elvis. She was guarded with details (specifically his personal ones), but provided enough to paint a thorough picture. What fascinated me was how she used the word "soulmate": not in a "made for me" sense, but in a "cut from the same cloth" sense. She freely admits her husband (Roger) was the man she was destined for and was perfectly content with. There was an empathy with Elvis-- not romantic, but deep understanding. It sounded like what Anne Shirley said about Diana-- "bosom friends." Fascinating.
The rest of the book was great, too, especially the part where her husband "steals" a plane and then "steals" her from the hospital to another one for a life saving surgery. Loved it.

[S.J. Tyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1994, this is the autobiography of actress and singer Ann-Margret. She certainly has led an interesting life, and her story moves along with barely a moment to take a breath between notable instances that she recounts. My only complaint was that so much had to be covered that it seemed some of the aspects of her life were left a little wanting with more in-depth details. My particular disappointment was her recounting of her participation in the movie "Tommy". I was looking forward to that part of the book and it turned out to be only a paragraph or two before she moved on. But overall, you absolutely cannot say she did not lead a fascinating, charmed life. That she did.

[Bill Shelton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This autobiography had been sitting patiently on a shelf of mine ever since I gleaned it at a used-book store probably 20 years ago. I only dusted it off as I was waiting for a couple on my want-to-read list to arrive. I was a pleasant diversion - although she's had a share of adversity - and deeper dive behind the scenes of a singer and actress we grew up with, at least watching.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay biography on a star that I am sure had more stories to share. Would have appreciated more focus on her younger years and early days in Hollywood.

Will be following with Elvis & Me, so will be interesting to read crossover references.

[Chy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was really good and I enjoyed this one.

[K. L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book (audio) a long time ago. I loved it! I'm a huge fan of hers.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until you read an autobiography of a person you are only aware of the surface of that individual…this was an intimate bird’s eye view of this star, loved it…

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, readable book that doesn't dwell on any one thing, yet still gives you a good idea of what, and who, Ann Margaret is.

[Carrie The Fairy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

[Ulla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't help loving her!

[Louise Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but not quite what I'd hoped

[Bonnie Fennig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always love a good biography where I learn a lot about someone in detail. Never knew A-M did so many movies and shows! Fun to look them up and see a few that I've missed (a lot).

[Mediaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

What starts out as an interesting story of an only-child ripped from her foreign home only to become a hot stage and movie star eventually devolves into guarded stories meant to reveal little and a lot of self-pity. It's difficult to feel sorry for a woman who appears to have no discernible reason to be unhappy with life yet becomes an alcoholic after promising her father she'll never drink, turns down a life with Elvis though she claims he's her "soul mate," and even attempts suicide because she feels sorry for herself after her dad dies. But it's a story worth reading.

This is a woman who is psychologically messed up from her stoic Swedish childhood and never really deals properly with her "demons." She has a mommy and daddy fixation, always wanting to please them and avoiding any confrontation with them. Even when she's famous and rich she hides her living-in soon-to-be-husband from them. It's more than ironic that the future husband is the new father figure in her life, and she accumulates a number of men that she becomes overly devoted to, including a manager that steals from her but the actress refuses to let him go.

She addresses her alcoholism and it's really odd--for the first three years of their relationship she claims she doesn't drink and never tells her husband Roger why. It's because of her father's alcoholism. Her spouse keeps suggesting she have a drink to relax and when she finally agrees, she gets addicted. Who doesn't tell their husband about family alcoholism? That's first or second date material conversation! What do these two talk about for three years when there are a number of basic things they never seem to discuss?

She spends most of the book longing to birth a child (which she never does) and complaining about problems of her own making while stubbornly clinging to what she claims are her morals (though some will disagree with that since she sleeps around a lot!). She claims to be a great stepmother to the three children who "live" with them but proves it by saying she hired the best housekeeper and sent the kids to great boarding schools. The more I read the more she seemed like a spoiled, self-centered only child who wanted all the attention to herself while pleasing every man in her life. Including Elvis, who she emotes about until his death while failing to reveal details about their "passionate" relationship.

The biggest problem with the book is that there is very little commentary on the making of her movies and TV shows. Other than Carnal Knowledge, you learn almost nothing beyond a listing of what movie she made and where she went to make it. Then there's probably too much on her night club acts. This could have been filled with great stories about the major stars she worked with on film, but you'll find none of that here because she has her walls up. And nowhere is that clearer than with Elvis--who obviously was the love of her life though she gives you few examples of why the two clicked.

The end of the book whimpers out, summarizing the last 15 years over a few pages. She probably revealed more than she wanted to, but it wasn't enough to make the book a total success. Like her career, it has only moments of greatness and falls short of her potential.

Read in 2013 and 2024.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a kid Ann-Margret was my favorite character in Bye Bye Birdie and I knew she had a lengthy career, but somehow never watched another movie with her in it. I liked this autobiography of her, Ann-Margret, but it wasn't my favorite. She quickly described all her movies, stage performances, and tv specials without a lot of emphasis on her personal life. That is much of what I expect to differentiate an autobiography from just a biography. What made Myrna Loy's autobiography so great was that she detailed the joy her fortune brought to her life. I loved hearing about the parties she threw and the expensive gifts she lavished on others.

Ann Margret didn't share those private details, and so her autobiography lacked the personal element I hoped for. She talked about other celebrities that she encountered and shared funny stories. Those stories were overshadowed by the emphasis she gave to her relationship status with the men she dated. I appreciated that she expressed her relationship with Elvis, but if was the G rated version! It was done so delicately that it didn't shed much light on the secret rendezvous at all. In fact, she did not admit to any intimacy with Elvis.

She also focused a great deal on her alcoholism, which was a highlight for me. Ann-Margret was very honest about identifying her addiction, her relapse, and the impact it had on her life. She also explained how she was taken advantage of by her manager, like so many other famous women before her. He committed her to film projects she didn't like, turned down projects that would have been great for her, and generally over scheduled her so that she was sued by a studio when it looked like she wouldn't be able to begin their project on time. Later, she learned that he has also completely mismanaged her money, and that at one point, she was in debt.

As for the writing, I understand that someone else wrote this but it was told as if Ann-Margret was the author. Mostly the language they used was conversational and informal, but at times the wording was improper English, which bugged me.

Please read more of my reviews on my blog: http://fastpageturner.wordpress.com
or follow me on twitter at @dana_heyde

[Nd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography was surprisingly interesting. I had picked it up at the library's fill-a-bag book sale to top off my bag because I knew very little about Ann-Margret other than her shows and movies that I encountered most of my life. I expected light and fluffy, where much of the book would be easy to skip over. Instead, I found myself reading with fascination about the shy young girl from Valsjobyn, Sweden, who takes on another remarkably outgoing personality when entertaining. I also expected a ghost-writer treatment, and perhaps it was; but if so, it wasn't evident. Her story rings true. She doesn't include the nitty gritty personal private details, but neither does she gloss over relationships and problems faced by her and her immediate family as her life and extraordinary career developed. I vascilated between 3 & 4 stars and would have given a 3.5 if that were available.

After writing this review, I began reading some from others and discovered the fact that she did have a co-writer (though not "ghost" as his name is on the cover of the book & I missed it). My opinion of the story ringing true does not change with this knowledge.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the last few years, I've mostly read from my Kindle but thought it was time to read some of the many books I bought pre-K, so decided to start from "A" in the biographies. Ann-Margret: My Story is just an easy-to-read recap of her life from her birth in Sweden and then moving to the United States
around the age of six. Not a gossipy, tell-all book but just an interesting overview of her life as an actress/entertainer, her marriage to Roger Moore, and the many friendships and work relationships that she had through the years. Her friendship with Elvis was a source of great comfort to them both as they were kindred spirits.

I've always like Ann-Margret ever since the first time I saw her in the movie, Bye Bye Birdie back in the 60's. Also didn't remember that she suffered a terrible 20-ft fall from a platform during a rehearsal for one of her nightclub acts that left her in a coma for a few days and required complete rebuilding of her jaw and cheekbone. Enjoyed the book and was a quick read for me.

[Lance Lumley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book at a library book sale and was interested in her story. I knew a little about Ann Margret from seeing her in the Elvis movie "Viva Las Vegas," The Who's "Tommy," "Bye Bye Birdie," and the Grumpy Old Men series.
I did not know that she was from Sweden, nor did I know how close her and Elvis Presley were, which is covered in the book (but don't expect gossip style tell all).
She tells about her career choices, her struggles with stress and alcohol, and her relationship with her husband. There is not much to the book, it is an easy read and just tells the tale. There is no moral or inspiring theme at the end; it is basically her telling her life (almost like a wikipedia history page). With the exception the Elvis stories, this is more a basic book, geared to people that either don't know who she is or a die hard fan.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really don't know for Ann-Margret of the big and small screens, but was attracted to this work due to my affection for the album "The Cowboy & the Lady", which she did with Lee Hazlewood. That opus only gets on sentences, and Lee isn't mentioned, although her disco album gets a whole paragraph! For the music fan, there is a whole chapter on working on Tommy, and the resulting friendship with Tina Turner. Most of the book is about growing up in Sweden, her career and marriage to Roger Smith, recovering from a tragic fall, and beating alcoholism and pill-popping. A quick, easy read of a vivacious woman with a rich life.

[Allen Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a surprisingly honest and candid book, but not a "kiss and tell". Having known her as movie sex symbol during my college years, the book showed me that being a superstar is hard work and very dangerous on self and everyone around you. Elvis pursued her throughout his life as first a show business colleague and also as a lover. Quite an entanglement that she tells with appropriate modesty.

[June G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pardon the rose-colored glasses, but Ann-Margret can do no wrong in my eyes so of COURSE she penned an amazing book about her amazing self. Four stars instead of five because she should've winged it without the Todd Gold "safety net." She's truly as bright as she is beautiful. You may need a pair of shades yourself!

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like to read biographies. This one was okay-nothing much I did not already know about her.
It was interesting to find out about her background and childhood.
I kind of got tired of her saying over and over again what a "good girl" she was.
Her and Roger's marriage is wonderful in their love and dedication to one another. Something you don't see too often in Hollywood.