{"id":1882,"date":"2025-09-29T12:39:38","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T12:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/?p=1882"},"modified":"2025-12-08T20:30:59","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T20:30:59","slug":"ann-margret-cared-for-her-husband-his-death-broke-her-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/ann-margret-cared-for-her-husband-his-death-broke-her-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Ann-Margret cared for her husband \u2013 his death broke her heart"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ann-Margret has always been admired for her fiery talent, natural beauty, and genuine charm. From starring in classics like Bye Bye Birdie<\/em> and Viva Las Vegas<\/em> to famously dating Elvis Presley, she became a symbol of grace and strength in Hollywood. Yet, for all her career highlights, Ann-Margret herself has said her proudest achievement was something far more personal \u2014 her marriage to actor Roger Smith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Beginning of a Love Story<\/strong>
Ann-Margret and Roger Smith met in the 1960s through their Hollywood circles. Smith, known for 77 Sunset Strip<\/em>, was a heartthrob used to attention. But Ann-Margret wasn\u2019t easily swayed \u2014 and that\u2019s exactly what drew him in. Their shared love of motorcycles sealed their bond, and by their third date, Ann-Margret knew he was the man she could trust with her heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1967, they tied the knot in Las Vegas. Though the smoky wedding room brought her to tears, it marked the start of a union that would last five decades. Soon after, Smith stepped back from acting to manage his wife\u2019s career. He believed in her talent and guided her beyond the \u201csex kitten\u201d roles, helping her secure acclaimed performances like Carnal Knowledge<\/em> (1971).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together Through Triumph and Hardship<\/strong>
Their marriage was tested by challenges. Ann-Margret struggled with substance abuse in the 1970s, then endured a devastating fall during a Lake Tahoe performance, breaking multiple bones in her face. Just days later, she returned to the stage \u2014 with Roger by her side through every step of recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue reading on next page…<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

vIn 1980, it was Ann-Margret\u2019s turn to care for her husband when Roger was diagnosed with the rare disease myasthenia gravis. His condition forced him to retire from the career he loved, but Ann-Margret stayed devoted. \u201cIf one of you has a broken wing, the other takes over,\u201d she said of their marriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Lasting Partnership<\/strong>
Despite setbacks, their love endured. Roger supported Ann-Margret\u2019s return to the spotlight when his health allowed, and she embraced her role as stepmother to his three children. Though they couldn\u2019t have children together, their bond was unshakable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Roger passed away in 2017 at age 84, Ann-Margret was heartbroken but proud of their journey. \u201cWhen I look back at my life, I am most proud of my marriage,\u201d she reflected. \u201cWe were together night and day. We loved each other and we were always in each other\u2019s corner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Timeless Image<\/strong>
One photograph from 1985 captures their love perfectly \u2014 the couple, elegant and poised, standing together in New York. Behind their Hollywood glamour was a story of resilience, loyalty, and unwavering devotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a love story that transcends fame and time, reminding us that true partnership is built on sacrifice, trust, and endless support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this story touched your heart, share it with someone who believes in lasting love. Ann-Margret and Roger Smith\u2019s journey is proof that even in Hollywood, some love stories really are forever.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ann-Margret has always been admired for her fiery talent, natural beauty, and genuine charm. From starring in classics like Bye…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1883,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1882"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1882\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1884,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1882\/revisions\/1884"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}