All That Glitter Was Not ‘Tommy’ By JAN HUBBARD The thing black timousine slowly glided toward the Ted. carpet, stopped, the oor epered, and KZEW Dise Jockey Gary, Shaw provdly ansunced, “Ladies fand Gentlemen, let's have & big welcome for ANN-MAR= GRET.” From the car, a flaming crop of red hale popped up Inthe cold night and the festivities of the World Pre- Wwoodenseated swings miece of “Tommy,” were officially underwa} ‘The first showing of Ken Russell's movie adaptation ‘of The Who's rock opera ‘wat presented last week at the tnxcod Theater, And the Hollywood atmosphere was heightened by a crazy-zime micky-carnival presentation by the promoters. ‘Glttertheowing —_gitls swinging from the marquee, a blacksatinred.carpeted Stage with a live drummer pounding in beat with the ‘movie soundtrack, males, females, and even males dressed as females all com- bined for a high rent freak show, partially highlighted by. the first. showing ot “Tommy,” and partially highlighted by AnnNargret, AS SOON as the star of the show stepped tothe red-car- Petcovered pavement, she Was. briskly ushered 10a Small private roont—with a large plate glass window—in the theater lobby. And pre- digtably, a. group assembled while. Watching AM posing and playing a pinball mas chine’ for photographers. ‘Meanwhile, red velvet re- stralning. ropes: were pulled back outside, and the walt- Ing crond stormed from the 45 degree weather to the lass coors of the theater. ‘And Jill Cohn and Patty Ringness dangled In red Ann-Margret arrives for premiere, swinging girl scatters left, Ww sprinkling liter on the ui dorpassing crowd, while Nontle Wells pounded the drums playing with the movie soundtrack. Meanwhile, strobe lights fiickered "at the. Incoming moviegcers and search Vights plesced the night sky signifying World. Premlere ALREADY MUSIC and movie fanatics had been Waiting io line as early a3 1 am, Thursday and after ‘AcMs, arrival, everyone was finally permitted to enter. Tncluded "Inthe diverse sroup were the practical, dressing warmly for the cold, windy weather with heavy coats; the formal, with sits, tong. dresses, sport coats, bow-ties, carna- Hons, corsages and dazzling Jewelry; and. the strange, with a brillant, Draculized David Bowie lookalike and five or six “beauties,” who drew shrill whistles and ap- plause whh their bright at ire, beautiful ornaments and) rouged faces—covering their beards. ‘The greatest crowd stimu lant inthe movie was pro- Vided _ Turner's litter over incoming crowd, reusing portrayal of the ‘Acid Queen, But the greatest crowd stimulant of the night was the appearance of Ann-Mar- aaret. elore the movie began, one gawking, mate laughed as asked, “has the show started While he, “Who cares," was the fone answer from the cone len at the window. io Kidding." he admir- Ingly” sald. "You can see the ‘movie anytime, but thisANN-MARGRET ting, headache Moving gracefully bat determined. ly out of the post premiere party at the Falrmost, she was dutifely wrapping up the amenities. I wasn't hard to bellove ber head ache story, pure "Hollywood" though St sounded.’ Hers was a dagger of the ‘mind, proceeding from the heatop- pressed brain, “Tommy,” a nonstop reckopera assault on’ the senses, applied. the heat, Tt was the first tme Ann-Mar- fret’ hed seen the film, too, and she was clearly shelhshocked. “I see my plotures only once,” she’ sald before Feaving the party, “and I never look at the rushes, 0 you can Imagine how I felt tonight seeing the pleture.”| ‘The rigors of the day were coming own on her. There bad been the long flight trom the coast, Then the shock of the abrasive winter weather in Dal» fas, a. day in whlch brillant sunshine chased a qulck flurry of snox but ule mately gave way (0.2 bonc-hlling ‘evening. ‘The Inwood Theater, an une likely place to host a world premiere tim, ‘had been transformed “tinsel town,” oF “Inwood and Vis as one wag put It ‘TWO MODELS seung from trae exes hooked to the marquee and threw glitter on the crowd, frozen smiles “locked upon thelr faces, A Youthful Dallas crowd, exhitarated but feeling Just a litle silly, surged for- ward Into the theater once Ann-Mar- agget arrived In a limousine, Much of the crond dressed a9 “Hollywood” as possible. Cleavage and midrits étied the decidedly winter wind. The cos umes and plumage were’ tantaste ‘And. probably’ the Best dressed couple turned up t0 be a couple of guys In rag. “My God." sald one woman, “hey're_prettier than Ann-Margret.” If it were true that evening, It no longer applied the next afternoon when the thenrested actress lunched withthe press, Wearing a. minimum of makeup, her red-hair sensibly ‘fxed," she’ seemed small et stil voluptuous, Infinitely, “softer” than ‘he had Tooked: on fl Tn ether words, #h ‘00d. a looked damn IY HEAD was killing me last right," she reiterated. “Roger (Smith, her ‘husband) wanted me {0 see Tommy" with an audience, 1 thed the audience participation. lve never seen people talk to a film like that But locking up at the screen, 1 éide"t now who that person was. I never nae “Ann-Margret has never been that harshly photographed," chimed inher husband, "She wat afrald (9 make & pleture ‘with Ken Russel (the direc: for) after she saw “Tho Devils” She was alrald of what he'd do to hor head. may have been a concession AnneMargrot to accept the role of a mother of a rock star In his 20'. In the part of Tommy's mother, she ages from 23 to 45. And she looks closer to John Anders Ann-Margret: Survival 45 than 20 In the pleture, Did she mind? “Ot course not," she replied, ‘green eyes meeting the gaze of the Interviewer head-on, “i'm an actress.” She sald this with quiet confidence ‘and conviction. A few years ago she couldn't have dared make that state- ‘ment But that was before her con- vincing performance as Bobbie, In Mike “Wiehol's "Carnal. Keowledze™ Drought her an Academy Award roml+ rnatlon, ard uriversal critical acca, also brought her six months of shat- tering, depression following the plc- coulda't get Bobbie ut of my she st ‘The excesies of er early films (°Bye, Bye Bled” "sta. Fale” *gkten wih a Whip") att blemish her reputation ag an actress, but she dismisses therm vith a. roll of her yes, Yes, Falke to burn a Tot ef tem, but nabody starts out wh te Weea' of making a bad picture,” Whether "Tommy" emerges as a commercial or eriical success, wil probably” 0G luster to Annstrgre’s fareer. Her performance. wll perhaps be attacked by some, butt suncenl aby of 2 greallpimproved ‘and mature acres in her early.20s, Anndtargret hase tna sense, gone fo the head of her class, ellplng, most of her peers of the sary Wet's (Sandra Dee, Carat ijnley, Pamela Ti). Despite the miniscule talent she displayed. In ber ean’ career, she forehow hung on. Now she is one of ae Vegas biggest dravs ard nee Cent Sears Ret television pecals have Packed a Wallop. Somewhere along the way she lesfped someting about furvivel even when fall fom & Vegas stage, broke her” Ja and threatened her career several years eine secret of her success? “I don't oom she sald," unt heow Tove my works aneMargret has not ony survived, she" fas prospered. -guaervisemnona ae Ann-Margret alights from a limousine at the “Tommy’ premier.