Ann-Margret spills sweet story about Bette Davis on 'Pocketful of Miracles' set

Hollywood legend Ann-Margret has shared a heartwarming memory of working with the one and only Bette Davis on her very first film, Pocketful of Miracles (1961).

The 84-year-old actress recalled how Davis, infamous for her perfectionism on set, became a guardian angel for the young starlet.

She explained to Interview Magazine how she was about to film a close-up and, being new to the business, had no idea what to do. 

“She was there and she, at one point, stopped all the filming and said, 'Ann-Margret, this is your close-up, I want you to look as good as you possibly can. Makeup! Hair!’” Viva Las Vegas star said. 

The crew quickly sprang into action, and Davis only gave the nod to continue once she was satisfied. 

“Oh, she was lookin’ out for me,” Ann-Margret smiled. “I played her daughter and I really felt like it.”

She went on to reflect on her long and varied career, which includes classics like Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, and Tommy. 

Ann-Margret also praised director Ken Russell, admitting she expected his notorious temper but found him “very… calm” on set.

Despite Hollywood’s ups and downs, Ann-Margret said she always knew her worth: “I knew that I had something to offer. I just kept going no matter what people said.”

Married to actor Roger Smith from 1967 until his death in 2017, Ann-Margret continues to act, with credits as recent as 2021’s Queen Bees and Netflix’s The Kominsky Method.

Even decades later, it’s clear that her star power shines as brightly as ever and she has a little help from friends like Bette Davis along the way.

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