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May 21 - 27, 2023 • Terre Haute Tribune-Star • 9 In her time as a leading lady of movies, Ann-Margret sang and danced up a storm, but that wasn't all for her. Musicals may have been many of the initial screen credits for the Swedish native, but she would come to be known for her dramatic skills as well as her career unfolded. After her appear- ance at last month's TCM Classic Film Festival to introduce 1963's "Bye Bye Birdie," she re- counts many of her experiences while co-hosting a night on Turner Classic Movies that includes a couple of her own films Tuesday, May 23. The evening begins with the stark 1965 melodrama "Once a Thief," followed by one of the most popular titles in the TCM library: 1964's "Viva Las Vegas," memorably pairing Ann-Margret with the icon deemed by many to be one a male version of her (or vice versa), Elvis Presley. Interestingly, the final feature she presents in her TCM evening is the 1978 Oscar winner "Coming Home," starring Jane Fonda and Jon Voight … which may connect with Ann-Margret not only for its soundtrack (she recently released an album of pop and rock cov- ers), but also for its Vietnam War theme that echoes the times she went overseas to entertain U.S. military personnel. Directed by Ralph Nelson ("Lilies of the Field"), "Once a Thief " is darker than the typical Ann-Margret movie, casting her as the wife of an ex-con (Alain Delon) who can't escape a life of crime completely. "Viva Las Vegas" basically is a series of musical numbers hung on a threadbare plot, with Presley as a driver aiming to compete in a big race, if he can afford the car engine he needs … prompting him to take a job at a Vegas hotel, where he finds romance with a mildly standoffish swimming teacher. That's Ann-Margret, of course. If Ann-Margret's projects seemed relatively lightweight during the '60s ("The Pleasure Seekers," "Made in Paris," etc.), the '70s brought some much-discussed performances that took her out of her norm. She earned an Oscar nomination under Mike Nichols' direc- tion in "Carnal Knowledge" (1971), playing the under-appreciated love of the Jack Nichol- son character. Later, she scored another Oscar bid for pulling out the stops as the mother of "Tommy" in director Ken Russell's 1975 movie of The Who's rock opera, in which one unforgettable scene found her swimming in a flood of baked beans and chocolate. (Ann-Margret won Golden Globe Awards for both pictures and two more for later TV efforts, plus a Primetime Emmy for a "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" guest shot.) The 1994 memoir "Ann-Margret: My Story" offers much more of its subject's background, but in hearing it from her firsthand, her upcom- ing TCM stint should be a fascinating dive into the sort of Hollywood history that is the chan- nel's calling card. spotlight BY JAY BOBBIN Ann-Margret in "Bye Bye Birdie" Ann-Margret turns herself loose on TCM Chris O'Donnell, star of "NCIS: Los Angeles" Signature HealthCARE of Terre Haute 3500 Maple Avenue Terre Haute, IN 47804 (812) 238-1555 SHCof TerreHaute.com reported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Signature HealthCARE of Terre Haute 3500 Maple Avenue Terre Haute, IN 47804 (812) 238-1555 SHCof TerreHaute.com reported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Signature HealthCARE of Terre Haute 3500 Maple Avenue Terre Haute, IN 47804 (812) 238-1555 SHCof TerreHaute.com reported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Along with the many other services, programs and amenities Signature HealthCARE offers Physical Therapy in PRIVATE Rehab Rooms. Giving you privacy as you work with your Therapist. YOUR RECOVERY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY Color Page