At 83, this legendary star remains as vibrant as ever. After a dangerous fall in her early 30s that required facial surgery, she’s still living life to the fullest — even riding a lavender Harley. Her story is one of resilience, transformation, and an unshakeable love for life.
Over the years, she has secured her place in entertainment history. While other stars from her time have slowed down, she has continued moving forward in every possible way. However, beneath her graceful appearance lies a powerful tale of survival.
Defying expectations, she continues to thrive well into her 80s. Long before her resilience became known, the star had already captivated audiences in the ’60s with her beauty and charm. Let’s take a look at how she shone in her early years.
The legendary star was stunning in the 1960s and 1970s. She dazzled on screen, winning hearts with her performances.
The Accident That Almost Changed Everything
In September 1972, disaster struck during what should have been another fantastic performance. Just before she was set to go on stage at a Lake Tahoe casino, she fell 22 feet from a platform, hitting the ground hard.
The impact caused multiple facial fractures, a broken jaw, a concussion, and a broken arm. Witnesses said it was a terrifying scene, and many feared her dancing career was over, but thankfully, her knee was not injured.
She was rushed to U.C.L.A. Medical Center, where doctors worked for three hours to fix the damage to her face. The surgery was successful, but many wondered if she would return to her former glory.
The actress was famous for her beauty and talent, and with her severe injuries, some thought this might be the end of her time in the spotlight. But rather than retreat, she faced this challenge head-on.
Private Battles and Public Victories
She didn’t just return to the spotlight after recovering — she thrived. The surgery did not stop her career, and she quickly proved everyone wrong about her future in show business. By 1973, she was back in action, playing Mrs. Lowe in “The Train Robbers.”
Her work after the accident made her a versatile performer. By 1975, she earned two Oscar nominations. In the 1980s, she received six Emmy nominations, showing her talent went far beyond her early days as a sex symbol.
While her career flourished, her personal life faced challenges. In 1985, she shared her struggles with infertility. Despite trying various treatments, she and her husband, Roger Smith, could not have children of their own.
The couple raised Smith’s three children from a previous marriage, but she still hoped for a child, believing that whatever was meant to be would be. She often quoted the serenity prayer, asking for peace to accept what she could not change.
Even while dealing with these personal issues, she continued to shine in public. In the 1990s, she remained a star, proving her lasting appeal.
A Reserved Star in the Spotlight: The 2001 Interview
By 2001, she had spent four decades captivating audiences with her talents, yet she remained reserved. In an interview with The Washington Post, she kept the conversation brief.
After just 25 minutes, she ended the session, politely saying, “That’s enough. Don’t you think that’s enough?” Although she didn’t want to say much, her long career spoke for itself. She had made a name for herself across movies, nightclubs, television, and live performances.
Throughout the years, she faced injuries, depression, alcoholism, and infertility but continued to be a survivor. Reinvention was part of her career, reflecting her resilience. Her reserved nature, linked to her Swedish upbringing, made her private about certain topics.
She kept her personal life guarded, especially regarding her rumored relationship with Elvis Presley. Friends noted that she shut down when that topic was brought up.
While she was private about her life, she loved talking about animals and her passion for motorcycles. At the time of the interview, she was touring in a 45-city production of “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” even after suffering injuries in a motorcycle accident the year before.
Although her patience with the media was limited, her stunning green eyes showed her passion and drive. She preferred to keep parts of her life private.
A Life of Speed and Grace in Her 80s
Now in her 80s, Ann-Margret shows no signs of slowing down. Earlier this year, at the Women’s Image Network’s 25th Awards in February 2024, she received the Living Legend Award. In her speech, she reflected on her life and expressed gratitude for the unexpected blessings.
“I am so blessed. I just can’t believe all the things that have happened to me,” Ann-Margret said. Even at her age, she remains vibrant and energetic, especially with her love for speed.
At the event, she proudly shared that she still rides her lavender Harley Davidson, decorated with white daisies. “I love the speed,” she said with a smile.
Ann-Margret’s reflections were full of life, showing that while she may take moments to reflect, she is not done living life to the fullest. From her rise to fame to her more recent joys, she embraces every opportunity that comes her way.
Fans continue to admire her beauty and grace, with comments like “A timeless beauty ,” “Beautiful lady now and always,” and “Still a beautiful, lovely & classy lady!♥️.”
As she rides through life, both literally and figuratively, Ann-Margret inspires many with her strength and passion. From her early days as a Hollywood star to her ongoing journey at 83, she shows that beauty, grace, and talent do not fade with time.
‘Little Miss Dynamite’ blew up the charts when she was only 12: The story of Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee’s name may not be as recognizable as some of the other music stars from the 1960s but when you think of Christmas, you’ll know her song, and start humming her catchy tune, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
When Lee, now 78, first hit the stage, she wasn’t old enough to drive but her powerful vocals steered her “unprecedented international popularity” as the most successful female artist of the 1960s.
Lee, whose voice defied her diminutive stature at only 4 foot 9, became a fan favorite when she was only 12.
Brenda May Tarpley, born in 1944, got her start in the late 1940s, became huge in the 1950s, and over her career–that started before she left elementary school–she topped the charts 55 times, earning the title as the most successful female recording artist of the 1960s.
When Lee was only eight (according to Rolling Stone), her father, a construction worker, was killed at work and little Brenda–who then changed her last name to Lee–became the family’s primary provider.
Taking care of her younger brother, big sister, and mother–a cotton mill worker–was not a duty, but something she wanted to do. She said that she was thrilled when she made her first $20, so she could help her family: “Even at that young age, I saw that helped our life,” Lee said, adding “It put some food on the table. It helped, and I loved it.”
The Atlanta-born chanteuse, called a “pioneer of early rock and roll,” by the Georgia Encyclopedia, achieved “unprecedented international popularity in the 1960s.”
But, an incredibly humble human, Lee credits those who helped her achieve her dreams. When Christianity Today asked what she thinks about being a legend, Lee said “I don’t think of myself that way!” She continued, “I’m just a girl who’s been blessed to be doing what I’m doing, and there’s a lot of people who’ve sweated a lot of tears and put a lot of life’s work into me to be able to have my dream. So, if I’m a legend, then they’re legends, too.”
In 1956, the young girl joined country star Red Foley for a show at the Bell Auditorium near her home in Augusta, and she belted out “Jambalaya,” by Hank Williams.
She was then signed to appear on Foley’s Ozark Jubilee, a country music show, where millions of viewers fell in love with the sassy 12-year-old whose talent was developed well beyond her age.
In the same year, Lee signed with Decca Records, and the next year, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and fusing country with rhythm and blues–highlighted by her hiccupping vocals–she recorded early rockabilly classics like “BIGELOW 6-200,” “Little Jonah,” and “Let’s Jump the Broomstick.”
When asked if–when as a young girl–she was nervous performing in front of large crowds, she answered: “No, not really. Nobody ever told me to be nervous. The stage always felt like a hometown to me because I had been in front of people ever since I was 3 years old, singing to people. So it was a very comfortable spot for me.”
In 1957, Lee earned the nickname “Little Miss Dynamite” for her pint-sized powerhouse recording of the song “Dynamite,” and in 1958, fans heard “Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree,” a genre and generation-crossing holiday standard, released when she was only 13.
“I knew it was magical,” she told Rolling Stone.
Over the next couple of years, she charted with hits like “Sweet Nuthin’s,” “All Alone Am I,” and “Fool #1.”
Most of her songs, however, contradicted her experience as a young girl. Her mother didn’t let her date and she graduated high school not understanding the heartbreak of young love.
She was only 16 when she said “Love could be so cruel” in the song “I’m Sorry” and only 16 when she said “I want his lips to kiss me” in the song “I Want to be Wanted,” both back-to-back hits when she was still in school.
And when she turned 18, she met Ronnie Shacklett, whom she’s now been happily married to for 60 years.
Life on the road for Lee as a youngster had its difficulties. She celebrated her 12th birthday in Las Vegas and speaking with the Las Vegas Journal, Lee explained her loneliness.
“Of course, I wasn’t even allowed to walk through a casino, I was so young. So I didn’t even know what a casino looked like. They took me into the kitchen, then into the showroom. And then when my show was over, I was brought back out through the kitchen and back up to my room. Children weren’t allowed … in the casino area.” She continued, “There wasn’t anything to do in Vegas for a kid. The most fun I had was on the stage.”
Speaking on what she missed out on as a child, the award-winning Lee said, “Many times, I yearned to be with my friends rather than be out there on the road.”
Turns out she made new friends on the road, like with the music group that opened for her at a 1962 show in Germany. “I hung out with John,” she says effortlessly, speaking of John Lennon. “He was extremely intelligent, very acerbic with his jokes, just a gentle person. When I found out that they later said they were fans of my music, I was just floored.”
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