Ignition will not engage or turn

Please help! We drove our 97 Sable this morning with no problems at all. Later on we went to drive it and we couldn't start it. We put the key in and the starting mechanism wouldn't even turn. The beeping sound it makes when you put the key in came on, but the ignition wouldn't budge an inch. Even tried another key and nothing. ANYONE have this problem before?

Try moving steering wheel back an forth while you engage the ignition.

Had a 93 do this with no warning. Starter went out. I had heard you could bang on them and they might start - I thought yeah right, what a joke. I beat on it with pliers and it started right up. drove home and replaced starter. On mine it was in underneath and in front easy to reach.