Ann-Margret Wishes Everyone A Happy New Year

Season Greetings
Hollywood, Calif: “Gott Nytt Arr” – Well that’s what lovely Ann-Margret would say at this time of year in her native Sweden. In Hollywood where she stars in Columbia’s holiday release, “Murderers’ Row” the actress wishes everyone a “Happy New Year” in this manner. photo: UPI 12/27/1966

Ann-Margret Olsson known professionally by her hyphenated first name is still active in show business. She turns 82 on April 28.

Ann-Margret was discovered singing and dancing in a nightclub by comedian George Burns when she was 18. The Swedish-born star made her motion picture debut in Pocketful of Miracles (1961) starring Glenn Ford and Bette Davis.

Unlike most people who took first notice of Ann-Margret in films like Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas or The Cincinnati Kid, my first memory of Ann-Margret is as the animated Ann-Margrock.

Yes. the silly Flintstones cartoon series where everyone’s last name was some form of rock.

The original 1963 broadcast, was a big deal, being the fourth season premier episode. I saw the show much later, after The Flintstones went into what seems to be permanent syndication.

Ann-Margret voices TV star Ann-Margrock and comes to the Flintstones home town of Bedrock for a concert. She ends up staying with the Flintstones who did not recognize her as a celebrity and the host of The Ann-Margrock Show. She babysits for Fred and Wilma’s daughter Pebbles and sings her a lullaby.

Later, the Flintstones cast discover her fame as Ann-Margrock and this finale occurs where she is joined onstage by Fred and Barney.

Years later Ann-Margret said of her Flintstones appearance, “These little kids will come up to me and go ‘Ann-Margrock,’ It’s so cute.”

An interesting side note – Ann-Margret has never seen her films more than once. She said, “It’s the Swedish upbringing, Once it’s done, it’s done.”