Actress Ann-Margret and her late husband, actor Roger Smith, shared love larger than life.
Before she met him, the Swedish-born actress and singer dated ‘The King of Rock & Roll,’ Elvis Presley, but it was Smith who stole her heart. The two first met during the 1960’s and started dating in 1965, which eventually led to a union that lasted a lifetime, with Ann-Margret saying that marrying Smith has been the greatest accomplishment in her life.
Opening her heart to Closer Weekly, the Bye Bye Birdie star recalled the time she and Smith went on their first date and how she immediately knew he was her soulmate.
Smith, who was considered Hollywood heartthrob loved by many women, said during an occasion that winning Ann-Margret’s heart wasn’t as easy as with the rest of the women he had been with.
“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.”
One time, he invited her to one of his performances at a San Francisco club and had a plan to fascinate her with his motorbike because he knew she was a passionate motorcycle enthusiast who owned several motorbikes.
”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 riding together. It helped,” he told NEA.
Ann-Margret was smitten by Smith. “I knew he would protect me. I knew that I could depend on him. I sensed it completely,” she confessed.
“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.”
Soon after, Smith became not only Ann-Margret’s husband, but also her manager. He helped her change her acting persona and land more complex roles, supporting her every step of the way and even putting his own acting career on hold.
“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.”
In 1980, Smith was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, an incurable neuromuscular disease, that limited his ability to walk. Later, he went into remission and was again able to support her and see her being under the limelight again with her Las Vegas shows.
Sadly, Smith passed away in 2017 at the age of 84. Ann-Margret remained his caretaker until his last day.
She was left heartbroken. “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.”
They never had children together, but Ann-Margret has been a proud step-mother to Smith’s three children from a previous marriage.
The love between these great actors was genuine and profound.
One of their many photos together, taken on January 1, 1985, in New York, is a symbol of their Hollywood glam and stands as a proof that marriages between celebrities do last. Roger’s unwavering gaze and Ann-Margret’s calm demeanor showcase the strong connection they share, both in their personal and professional lives.
According to a source close to the actress, she allows herself to feel sadness over her late husband’s absence. However, she deeply treasures the time they spent together and holds the belief that he continues to watch over her.