Still Purring

Friday, March 29, 2002 | 3:25 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

Ann-Margret is still a sex kitten.

When a lot of women her age are thinking about Social Security and spending time with grandkids, the red-headed bombshell (who turns 61 next month) is thinking about motorcycles and starring in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas."

As she purred and cooed and laughed seductively during a recent telephone interview from Seattle, where the musical-comedy made a stop on its national tour, it was easy to imagine her in the role of Miss Mona, proprietress of the Chicken Ranch brothel.

The musical will be at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts Tuesday through April 7.

Gary Sandy, best known as Andy Travis in the sitcom "WKRP In Cincinnati," co-stars with Ann-Margret as Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd.

"The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" first was an off-Broadway production that debuted in April 1978. It was such a hit that two months later it moved to Broadway and played to sold-out houses for nearly four years.

In 1982 the play was made into a movie, featuring Dolly Parton as Miss Mona and Burt Reynolds as Sheriff Dodd.

While Ann-Margret (who was born Ann-Margret Olsson in 1941) has made more than 50 films, this is her first appearance in a stage production. The tour began in February 2001.

Ann-Margret is married to Roger Smith, former star of ABC's popular 1960s series "77 Sunset Strip." Smith gave up acting to manage his wife's career. Around 1970 he contracted myasthenia gravis, a sometimes-fatal degenerative nerve disease.

The enticing actress spoke to the Sun about her life, her career and other issues, but not about her long-rumored affair with Elvis Presley, with whom she starred in 1964's "Viva Las Vegas."

Las Vegas Sun: You have some very close connections with Las Vegas.

Ann-Margret: I sure do. I started there at the Dunes' lounge in 1960, and I met George Burns. I auditioned for him and he hired me to be part of his Las Vegas show at the Sahara. George discovered me.

Sun: Didn't your headlining career begin here?

A-M: Yes. I opened at the Riviera on July 7, 1967. That was my first headline show. It was the same year my film "The Tiger and The Pussycat" was released.

Sun: Didn't you also get married at the Riviera?

A-M: Yes. Roger and I were married at the Riviera Hotel on May 8, 1967. If we make it, we will have been married 35 years in May.

Sun: How is Roger?

A-M: He's doing great. He's so ornery.

Sun: Yours is such an inspiring love story. How did it begin?

A-M: The very first time I met him was in Chicago in 1961. He called me and said he was just making a plane change at the O'Hare International Airport and would I like to come and have breakfast with him. I said, "Sure." Of course, Mom and Dad went with me.

Sun: Was he expecting your mother and father?

A-M: Nope.

Sun: When did you meet again?

A-M: Three or four years later at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. I was in the city filming "Once A Thief" (1965). Herb Caen (late columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle) said in the paper, "They met in a revolving door and have been going around together ever since."

Actually, we met in the lobby. Roger invited me to watch him perform at The Hungry I.

Sun: What kind of a show did he have?

A-M: He sang and played the guitar. He invited me to his show.

Sun: Did you go alone this time?

A-M: No, I brought my assistant director and my sound man. But we started dating after that. The film-production crew was waiting for it to rain for this important scene. Well, it was sunny for two weeks. Every night Roger and I went out, and every day. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Sun: There's been a lot of tragedy in your life. You were almost killed in 1972 when you fell face-first, 22 feet from a stage at the Sahara at Lake Tahoe. You were unconscious for four days. Are there any after-effects from that?

A-M: I'm fine. I opened at the Hilton in Las Vegas two months later.

Sun: You seem to have a propensity for motorcycle wrecks.

A-M: (Laugh) It seems like it.

Sun: You were in one six months before you started touring with "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." Are you all right?

A-M: Oh, yes. I'm fully recovered. I had some broken ribs, a broken arm and some torn leg tendons. I have a beautiful Harley-Davidson in the garage back home. It is lavender and has white scroll around the letters that is beautiful.

Sun: Doesn't sound like a Hell's Angels bike.

A-M: No, it's not.

Sun: Do you still ride?

A-M: I've been grounded for the next year, while I'm on tour with the show.

Sun: The Sun recently interviewed George Sidney, who directed you in "Bye Bye Birdie" (1963) and "Viva Las Vegas" (1964). Are you still in touch with him?

A-M: My two mentors were Mr. Sidney and Mr. Burns. I'm so thrilled, George (Sidney) is coming to my opening at the Aladdin. We did "Viva Las Vegas" at the Flamingo. It was 104 degrees.

Sun: You have met some of the most awesome people in the world during your career, from international stars to presidents. Have you found any of them more fascinating than others?

A-M: I am awed by them all. You know what, all of them are in my heart and they will always be there.

Sun: Why did you wait so long before doing a play?

A-M: Before, I had never wanted to make a long commitment like this. I didn't want to leave my family and friends and my beautiful home. But the script was sent to me and I liked it. It's been such fun. I'm having the time of my life. Every audience is different. We've been to 45 cities and done 400 shows. They've asked me to extend (my dates).

Sun: Are you working on any other projects?

A-M: I can't even think about anything else, I'm so involved with this. I don't look back or forward. I stay focused. But the script was sent to me and I liked it. It's been such fun. I'm having the time of my life. Every audience is different."

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