Elvis Presley had brutal disagreement with girlfriend while shooting movie | Music | Entertainment
Elvis Presley fell in love on the set of his 1964 movie, Viva Las Vegas, with his co-star Ann-Margret. The young lovers spent almost all their time together both on and off set and became involved in a passionate love affair that continued for just over a year. But not every day was carefree and filled with lust; Elvis grew furious when the spotlight shifted from him.
Ann-Margret was an enormous up-and-coming actress who had just starred in a massive hit titled Bye Bye Birdie. The 22-year-old Swedish-American star was quickly becoming a major player in Hollywood. And as a result, the director of Viva Las Vegas, George Sidney, took a shine to her.
As a result, George reportedly started giving Ann-Margret more “favourable” camera angles while shooting the movie. This meant that Elvis was being shafted during some pivotal scenes.
Eventually, Elvis had enough of being pushed aside. According to Red West – a member of Elvis’ entourage, the Memphis Mafia – he went on a rant about George and Ann-Margret.
Red claimed Elvis “complained bitterly that the son of a b***h was trying to cut him out of the picture”.
Before long, this disdain made its way to Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who was not happy. He eventually took the King’s complaints directly to George to sort this problem out.
Elvis’ biographer, Peter Guralnick, claimed Parker went to the film’s producers to remind them who the real star of the movie was. He explained to them that this was an “Elvis Presley picture” and the focus should remain on him – nobody else. Producers argued that placing Ann-Margret at the forefront of Viva Las Vegas would bring an entirely new audience to the movie. But Parker disagreed.
Colonel Tom also pulled “two of the three duets” between Elvis and Ann-Margret from the movie as a sign of who was in charge, Guralnick said.
By the time Viva Las Vegas hit cinemas, Elvis had got his way. The King enjoyed six songs in the film, while Ann-Margret had just two solo performances.
Ann-Margret has never publicly commented on how this made her feel, but she did go on to expand her career greatly after working with Elvis. Not only did she have a thriving film career after Viva Las Vegas, but she also enjoyed a strong residency slot in Las Vegas in the 1970s – including up until Elvis died.
And, despite Elvis and Ann-Margret’s behind-the-scenes disagreement, the couple continued their relationship away from the cameras. They went out riding motorcycles together, spent days together in Elvis’ suite, and remained together for long after the film had wrapped – all behind the back of Elvis’ long-term lover Priscilla Presley.
Eventually, they split up after their affair came out in the press. Priscilla reportedly threw a vase at a wall in frustration after learning the truth about the relationship.
Soon after, Elvis broke things off with Ann-Margret and proposed to Priscilla shortly thereafter.
