Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1963)

We Know! Does Liz? What Ann-Margret Gives Eddie That Even Liz Can’t! Don’t let those confusing headlines about Liz’ coming bat to the States get you down. Depending on what paper y< read which day, headlines screamed: “Liz to Fly Back Eddie” . . . “Liz to Return, Refuses to See Eddie” ... “I Wants Quick Divorce” . . . “Liz Leaves Burton for Eddie” . . . et But the trouble with all this is that Liz’ name in the h lines blotted out temporarily the name of Ann-Margret, a who refuses to fade out of Eddie’s life. So as the man on t vision says, let’s go behind the headlines and see how Margret fits into the Liz-Eddie picture. Let s start with Liz’ first decision to return, before began postponing the trip. N. Y. Post columnist Earl Wil wrote: “Liz Taylor’s due this week . . . but pretty An Margret ain’t leavin’ town.” And that set off the female batt of the century. In this comer: Liz, the title-holder (won crow by kayoing Marlene Dietrich and getting Mike Wilding; su cessfully defended title by knocking out Debbie Reynolds wi sneak punch in the first round and getting Eddie Fisher; i tained championship by eking out highly disputed split-decisu over Lady Sybil and getting Dick Burton). However, Sybil still recognized as champion in England, Wales and parts Switzerland, so where does that leave us? And in the other comer: Ann-Margret, the challenger! Thj Swedish-American newcomer to the ring, with a record of on broken engagement but no marriages, was a virtually unknowi quantity — as a fighter — but was reputed to pack a lethal wallo And squarely in the middle, between the -two contenders, wi Eddie Fisher — a ring-shy veteran whor after having beei pushed aside by Burton, once again found himself in strange position of being both the guy two women were fig ing for and the referee — the guy who had to pick the win; in this epic fight. Betting was brisk. The early, sentimental favorite was Margret. Sheilah Graham and Suzy, both experts on the Nt York Mirror , cast their votes for the challenger. “Fisher’s best girl, Ann-Margret, is in New York and, i it came to a tussle between the young, attractive Swedis! American singer and the slightly worn Liz, I would back Margret,” Graham said. “If Eddie Fisher ever goes back Liz Taylor, I’ll eat my Sunday bonnet.” Suzy hedged a little, but finally joined the anti-Liz cam] “Everyone — his friends, his entourage, everyone — thinks Edd Fisher will take one look at Liz Taylor when she gets hen melt, fall in her arms and call off the divorce. I don’t. He ma melt — a man’s a man for a’ that — but there’ll be a divorce. But the “smart” money backed Liz. Their “inside information, came from the French newspaper, France Dimanche. Tm paper, after reprinting one of the infamous photos snapped b the peeping paparazzi, of Liz and Burton in close embrace o the yacht’s deck at Ischia, asserted editorially that Eddie wa more than willing to forgive Liz such transgressions. Eddie ha asked Walter Winchell to stop making cracks about Liz b< cause “I still love her,” it further claimed. And then quote Eddie : “She has brought me the greatest happiness that I hav ever had, as well as the greatest suffering.” France Dimanch concluded by dismissing Eddie’s dates with starlets and othe beauties (such as Ann-Margret) as “meaningless.” Ann-Margret’s plan for her upcoming fight with Liz, th ringwise veteran (four rings in all— from Hilton, Wilding, Tod and Fisher), soon became obvious. Obvious and effective. Sh decided to stick close to Eddie wherever he went. She flew ou to Frank Sinatra’s Cal-Neva Lodge to help Eddie celebrate hi thirty-fourth birthday, and was at a ringside table with he in