Ann-Margret

Born: April 28 1941
Where: Valsjobyn, Jamtland, Sweden

The actress and singer has been Oscar-nominated twice - for the part of Bobby Templeton in Carnal Knowledge and as Nora Walker's in Ken Russell's Tommy.

Chosen by Empire magazine was one of the 100 sexiest film stars of all time, she was a cheerleader at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.

However, he early days were fraught with disappointment - she lost out in one TV talent show to a man who could play Lady of Spain by blowing onto a leaf.

Eventually she was discovered by the legendary comic George Burns who heard her singing in a campus musical at Northwestern University and hired her for his Las Vegas show.

After debuting as Bette Davis's daughter in A Pocketful of Miracles, her early career saw her being cast as sexpots in a variety of films including State Fair, The Cincinatti Kid, The Pleasure Seekers and Kitten With A Whip.

In 1964's Viva Las Vegas she struck up an enduring friendship with Elvis Presley, who would send a bouquet of flowers to all her stage-show appearances until he died in 1977.

Roles followed in Stagecoach, The Swinger, the Italian movies Il Tigre, Il Profeta and 1968's Sette uomini e un cervello.

In 1971 she won her first best actress Oscar nomination for Mike Nichols' Carnal Knowledge. The following year she survived a 22-ft fall from a concert stage in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

In 1975 she delivered a scene-stealing (and Oscar-nominated) performance in the big screen adaptation of The Who's rock opera Tommy.

Subsequent big screen roles included Joseph Andrews, Magic, Twice in a Lifetime before attracting a new legion of fans with the Grumpy Old Men series.

In 1999, she co-starred in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday alongside Al Pacino and Cameron Diaz and also featured in Bob Gale's comedy drama Interstate 60.

In 2000, disaster struck again when she was thrown from a motorcycle in rural Minnesota, suffering three broken ribs and a fractured shoulder.

Away from the big screen, Ann-Marget has performed at the White House and was also named the Swedish American of the Year.

Her autobiography My Story reached the New York Times bestseller list a week after publication and she enjoyed a successful stage tour of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Recent work included the American remake of the French comedy Taxi co-starring Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon.