Viva Love Affair
The love story of Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret
Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret first met on the set of Viva Las Vegas in 1964. Their first meeting happened when the set was empty of everyone but them and a few crew members setting things up. The other person there was George Sidney, the director of the film.
George introduced the pair and noted the shy way they spoke to one another. Each noted that they had heard of the other. The stars blushed and began laughing in a way that echoed throughout the entire soundstage.
Unbeknownst to the pair at the time, the studio had sent photographers to the set. They knew this would be a historic meeting and wanted to have photos for the film’s publicity tour.
Those who saw Elvis and Ann-Margret noted that there seemed to be a growing connection between the two, even before the first strip of film had been recorded.
One of those who noticed the sparks between the costars was Elvis’ long-time girlfriend, Priscilla Beaulieu (later Presley). She worried that the two would fall in love and she would be left out in the cold. After being with him for nearly a third of her life, they began dating when she was just 14, and this scared her. She admitted that despite his wandering eye, The King of Rock and Roll always made his way back to her.
