At 85, Ann-Margret still has a need for speed.
The “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Viva Las Vegas” legend opens his personal archives to fans in collaboration with Julien’s Auctions to sell treasured souvenirs, housewares and glamorous Bob Mackie-designed costumes from June 23.
One of the crown jewels of the sale is her specially designed 1997 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL883 Hugger, adorned with a purple and daisy design and ridden by the star for more than 20 years.
When asked by Fox News Digital what riding means to her, the actress declared without missing a beat, “Freedom, freedom, freedom!”
Ann-Margret noted that she loves “the speed” and still drives happily today.
“Back in Sweden, my uncle, my mother’s brother, had a big motorcycle,” she said. “I looked at him and of course I asked him if I could ride with him. And I did. And that was it. I had to have one of my own.”
Without hesitation, Ann-Margret answered “No” when asked if she was ever afraid.
“Isn’t it something?” she said. “I never was. I love the speed. I try not to go too fast, even though I love the speed. I’m happy when I get on that bike. I don’t get scared. That’s the problem!”
A devoted motorcycle enthusiast since the 1960s, Ann-Margret has spent decades chasing adventure on two wheels, both off and on.
In one of her most iconic images, photographer Douglas Kirkland captured the star in 1971 as she raced down a Las Vegas freeway on a helicopter, dressed in a patriotic showgirl ensemble and knee-high boots.
And if the star gets a second glance from no-nonsense bikers, she doesn’t seem to notice.
“I’m so busy making sure I’m riding the bike right, I don’t notice things like that!” she joked.
The independent streak extends far beyond the open road. At her home, guests can expect to find a sign that reads, “You can tell a Swede, but you can’t tell her much,” which was put up by her late husband, Roger Smith.
“It’s true,” she laughed. “I’m a rebel. And I’m happy. I’m happy with my life. I had 54 good years with Roger. I’m a happy person. And I enjoy my work. It’s not work for me. I’m so deeply grateful to my fans. I understand that they understand me. I’m serious about being an entertainer, but again, it’s not a joy for me.”
Ann-Margret has never been one to play by the rules. One item up for auction is an ivory-and-orange plunging V-neck dress she wore in 1963 when she appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
She wore the same ensemble to sing “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy in 1963 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, following in Marilyn Monroe’s footsteps a year later.
“It’s such a magnificent dress,” she said. “And I had the audacity to sing ‘Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home’ (to the president). I was very, very young. And that audacity? Yeah, I was fine.”
The memory of performing for Kennedy is still attached to another milestone from that chapter of her life. Ann-Margret described casting her first vote for Kennedy as one of the many thrills in her life.
“I was very excited to vote,” she said. “It will always be a special moment for me. And I love my guys and gals (from the USO). I definitely remember all the trips I did. They all still mean the world to me.”
Many of Ann-Margret’s Bob Mackie dresses at auction helped cement her status as a Hollywood sex symbol, a title she has no qualms about.
“Well, if men think I’m sexy, that’s fine,” she beamed. “That’s fine with me.”
There is no doubt that Ann-Margret has been young at heart over the years. Another item up for auction is a signed 1979 book written by Arnold Schwarzenegger entitled “Arnold’s Bodyshaping for Women.” The two starred in the 1979 comedy “The Villain.”
“The one thing that I can’t really stand (with Arnold) is having dinner at seven o’clock,” she said. “But he’s great. The proof is in the pudding with him. He practices what he preaches.”
Like Schwarzenegger, Ann-Margret credits discipline and longevity for helping sustain a decades-long career. She said she’s still amazed by the continued support of her fans, admitting she’s “humbled by it all.”
“I had been working nonstop all those years and here I am,” she said. “I still get very nervous before I do anything. But it’s excitement. I’m much better at nerves today than I was when I was 18. And I thrived. I guess I’ve (also) been very good at hiding it. Once I start singing and dancing, I’m so into it that I just feel confident.”
And Ann-Margret has no plans to slow down in the near future.
“Even when I was four or five years old, I was constantly moving,” she said. “I was always on the move. I moved a lot and I keep moving. I’m a happy person, especially when I’m moving.”
That view has fueled her for decades. Ann-Margret previously told Fox News Digital that it’s no secret that her love of Harley-Davidsons has kept her feeling forever young.
“When I was ten years old, I was riding on the back of (my uncle’s) bike with him,” she recalled at the time. “He would take me to the Norwegian border and we would go into Norway. There is no way I could forget that motorcycle.”
“I have a lot of energy,” she reflected. “It doesn’t come in a bottle. I’m just blessed that my mom and dad gave me so much energy. And there’s no negativity here. They instilled in me all these wonderful things that I still carry with me. You don’t whine about things. You just go out and do the things you love. And I just feel blessed with the life I’ve been given.”
