Tom Hanks is known for his good-guy characters in his films. Be it romantic comedies such as You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle, or dramas such as Forrest Gump and Philadelphia, the actor always plays roles that represent the morally right side of humanity. With his penchant for such sweet roles, he has been nicknamed the Dad of Hollywood.
However, Hanks reportedly does not have the need to stick to such roles. He recently played Elvis Presley’s antagonistic manager Col. Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which was different from his usual good-guy roles. He has also mentioned that he fought against decisions made by directors to portray him as a good guy, especially in a pivotal scene in his Oscar-winning film Forrest Gump.
Tom Hanks Crossed Swords With Robert Zemeckis Over A Scene In Forrest Gump Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks created history when...
However, Hanks reportedly does not have the need to stick to such roles. He recently played Elvis Presley’s antagonistic manager Col. Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, which was different from his usual good-guy roles. He has also mentioned that he fought against decisions made by directors to portray him as a good guy, especially in a pivotal scene in his Oscar-winning film Forrest Gump.
Tom Hanks Crossed Swords With Robert Zemeckis Over A Scene In Forrest Gump Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks created history when...
- 4/30/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
In 1966, Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, decided he needed to exercise stronger control over his celebrity client. Elvis’ drug use had ramped up, something everyone in his life was aware of, and he fell and hurt himself while under the influence. Parker warned Elvis that if he didn’t take his advice, he would lose everything.
Elvis’ manager told him he would lose everything after he fell and hit his head
In 1966, Elvis’ friend, Joe Esposito, came to pick the singer up to go to the studio. He found him in the house, woozy, with a sizable lump on his head.
“Into 1966, he started taking downers more heavily, gradually at first,” bodyguard Sonny West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “But he started heavy into them more and more as he got more and more bored. Around about that time, he fell very badly...
Elvis’ manager told him he would lose everything after he fell and hit his head
In 1966, Elvis’ friend, Joe Esposito, came to pick the singer up to go to the studio. He found him in the house, woozy, with a sizable lump on his head.
“Into 1966, he started taking downers more heavily, gradually at first,” bodyguard Sonny West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “But he started heavy into them more and more as he got more and more bored. Around about that time, he fell very badly...
- 4/24/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Elvis Presley spent much of his time with his bodyguards and entourage. They followed him on tours, vacations, and even between his houses. When one bodyguard, Sonny West, spent just a month away from Elvis, he was shocked upon his return. Elvis looked so unwell that West gathered other bodyguards to pray for him.
Elvis Presley’s appearance shocked his bodyguard
After Elvis’ divorce from Priscilla Presley, those close to him grew concerned for his well-being. He frequently saw a doctor for problems with his throat, took increasing doses of drugs, and slept very little. All of this began to wear on him.
“I tell you,” Sonny said in the book Elvis, What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy, “I was going nuts looking after him with his actions.”
Elvis and bodyguards | Tom Wargacki/WireImage
In 1974, West was away from Elvis for a month to do work with Colonel Tom Parker. When...
Elvis Presley’s appearance shocked his bodyguard
After Elvis’ divorce from Priscilla Presley, those close to him grew concerned for his well-being. He frequently saw a doctor for problems with his throat, took increasing doses of drugs, and slept very little. All of this began to wear on him.
“I tell you,” Sonny said in the book Elvis, What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy, “I was going nuts looking after him with his actions.”
Elvis and bodyguards | Tom Wargacki/WireImage
In 1974, West was away from Elvis for a month to do work with Colonel Tom Parker. When...
- 4/23/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Elvis Presley worked with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, for years. Parker helped lift Elvis to unprecedented heights, but he also kept the singer on a tight leash. Elvis rarely pushed back against Parker’s leadership, even when he disagreed with his decisions. According to those who knew the singer, he was terrified of Parker.
Elvis bowed to his manager’s power
In 1956, Parker became Elvis’ manager, a position he would hold until the singer’s death in 1977. Most people saw Elvis as confident, boisterous, and good-humored. He rarely showed this side of himself around his manager, though.
Parker controlled Elvis’ career and business interests, but he also had a hand in the singer’s personal life. When he instructed Elvis to stop spending time alone with his barber, Larry Geller, Elvis did not argue.
Colonel Parker and Elvis | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
“Elvis sat and listened like an obedient child,...
Elvis bowed to his manager’s power
In 1956, Parker became Elvis’ manager, a position he would hold until the singer’s death in 1977. Most people saw Elvis as confident, boisterous, and good-humored. He rarely showed this side of himself around his manager, though.
Parker controlled Elvis’ career and business interests, but he also had a hand in the singer’s personal life. When he instructed Elvis to stop spending time alone with his barber, Larry Geller, Elvis did not argue.
Colonel Parker and Elvis | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
“Elvis sat and listened like an obedient child,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The premiere schedule for Hulu in May 2024 has been announced and can be viewed below. The streaming service has also revealed the titles that will be leaving next month.
The Hulu originals for the month include The Contestant, The Kardashians Season 5, The Killing Kind, Lainey Wilson: Bell Bottom Country, Past Lies, Prom Dates, Shardlake, and Uncle Samsik. Films like Elvis, Ferrari, The Promised Land, and Where the Crawdads Sing will also be available.
Hulu gives viewers instant access to current shows from every major U.S. broadcast network, libraries of hit TV series and films, and acclaimed Hulu Originals. Check out the highlights below and read on for the full slate of titles coming to Hulu in May 2024.
Highlights
A look at the originals, exclusives, and premieres that are part of the Hulu May 2024 lineup.
Elvis (2022 – Streaming May 1)
The life of American music icon Elvis Presley, from his childhood to...
The Hulu originals for the month include The Contestant, The Kardashians Season 5, The Killing Kind, Lainey Wilson: Bell Bottom Country, Past Lies, Prom Dates, Shardlake, and Uncle Samsik. Films like Elvis, Ferrari, The Promised Land, and Where the Crawdads Sing will also be available.
Hulu gives viewers instant access to current shows from every major U.S. broadcast network, libraries of hit TV series and films, and acclaimed Hulu Originals. Check out the highlights below and read on for the full slate of titles coming to Hulu in May 2024.
Highlights
A look at the originals, exclusives, and premieres that are part of the Hulu May 2024 lineup.
Elvis (2022 – Streaming May 1)
The life of American music icon Elvis Presley, from his childhood to...
- 4/16/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
For much of his career, Elvis Presley felt proud of the creative control he exercised over his music. It frustrated him to no end when executives tried to override his decisions. By the end of his career, though, he could hardly be bothered to get in the studio. A member of his entourage said Elvis hardly cared about making one of his final albums.
Elvis Presley tried to avoid recording music in the 1970s
In the early days of his music career, Elvis was eager to record new albums. He spent long hours in the studio, working excitedly to achieve his creative goals.
“The point is that I know how talented the man can be when he has a challenge,” bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “In the early days of his recording, he would cut an album in two nights, and that...
Elvis Presley tried to avoid recording music in the 1970s
In the early days of his music career, Elvis was eager to record new albums. He spent long hours in the studio, working excitedly to achieve his creative goals.
“The point is that I know how talented the man can be when he has a challenge,” bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “In the early days of his recording, he would cut an album in two nights, and that...
- 4/7/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, has faced criticism for the control he exercised over the singer. According to members of Elvis’ entourage, he also exercised control over them. They claimed Parker was able to put them in a state of hypnosis and used it to control their behavior.
Elvis’ manager used hypnosis on the singer’s entourage
Parker had the ability to hypnotize people, a skill he used frequently on members of Elvis’ entourage.
“He had a thing where he would hypnotize me and get me to do crazy things,” bodyguard Sonny West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “Now, I wasn’t in a trance and I knew what I was doing, but I did them just the same, some really nutty things that always had people in stitches. I would just do whatever he told me. I was hypnotized.”
Colonel Tom Parker...
Elvis’ manager used hypnosis on the singer’s entourage
Parker had the ability to hypnotize people, a skill he used frequently on members of Elvis’ entourage.
“He had a thing where he would hypnotize me and get me to do crazy things,” bodyguard Sonny West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “Now, I wasn’t in a trance and I knew what I was doing, but I did them just the same, some really nutty things that always had people in stitches. I would just do whatever he told me. I was hypnotized.”
Colonel Tom Parker...
- 4/6/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
For Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé released her own interpretation of Dolly Parton’s classic song “Jolene.” Despite significantly reworking the song’s lyrics, Beyoncé nonetheless gave Parton full songwriting credit.
Parton is credited as the sole songwriter of “Jolene” on Cowboy Carter, while Beyoncé is listed as the performer and co-producer, according to credits released on Spotify and other DSPs. This suggests that any and all songwriting royalties from the song will go to Parton, and not Beyoncé.
The news isn’t exactly surprising. Parton has long been protective of her music, even going as far to deny Elvis Presley’s request to cover “I Will Always Love You” in 1974 after Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demanded that they share royalties.
Upon the release of Cowboy Carter, Parton lauded Beyoncé’s reinterpretation of “Jolene,” writing on Instagram: “Wow, I just heard ‘Jolene.’ Beyoncé is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it!
Parton is credited as the sole songwriter of “Jolene” on Cowboy Carter, while Beyoncé is listed as the performer and co-producer, according to credits released on Spotify and other DSPs. This suggests that any and all songwriting royalties from the song will go to Parton, and not Beyoncé.
The news isn’t exactly surprising. Parton has long been protective of her music, even going as far to deny Elvis Presley’s request to cover “I Will Always Love You” in 1974 after Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demanded that they share royalties.
Upon the release of Cowboy Carter, Parton lauded Beyoncé’s reinterpretation of “Jolene,” writing on Instagram: “Wow, I just heard ‘Jolene.’ Beyoncé is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it!
- 4/1/2024
- by Scoop Harrison
- Consequence - Music
Elvis Presley became immensely famous in the 1950s and, while his career went through periods of decline, he remained a superstar for the rest of his life. The pressures of fame wore on Elvis, and he struggled to adapt to the popularity that sustained his career. While he didn’t necessarily enjoy being a public figure, he knew his life would be markedly different if he wasn’t. He once told a friend that he’d likely be locked up if it wasn’t for his status.
Elvis told a friend his life would be different if he wasn’t famous
Throughout the 1970s, Elvis’ behavior grew increasingly unpredictable. He was quick to anger and often let out his frustration by shooting a gun without warning. He grew bored with his career and took growing amounts of drugs.
Nearly everyone in Elvis’ life began to worry about his well-being. While...
Elvis told a friend his life would be different if he wasn’t famous
Throughout the 1970s, Elvis’ behavior grew increasingly unpredictable. He was quick to anger and often let out his frustration by shooting a gun without warning. He grew bored with his career and took growing amounts of drugs.
Nearly everyone in Elvis’ life began to worry about his well-being. While...
- 3/25/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Elvis Presley grew famous for his music career, but he also had a successful run as an actor. He starred in a number of high-earning films and took top billing in all but one of his movies. Many people, Elvis himself included, believed he showed great potential as an actor. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to grow in the way he wanted. One of his greatest career regrets had to do with the stunted growth of his acting career.
Elvis wished he could have made more out of his film career
In 1975, Elvis had the opportunity to act in A Star Is Born alongside Barbra Streisand. He hadn’t been in a movie since 1969, but this was the opportunity he’d been waiting for. It was a serious, dramatic role about a washed-up musician, a part Elvis could understand a little too well at this point in his career.
Elvis wished he could have made more out of his film career
In 1975, Elvis had the opportunity to act in A Star Is Born alongside Barbra Streisand. He hadn’t been in a movie since 1969, but this was the opportunity he’d been waiting for. It was a serious, dramatic role about a washed-up musician, a part Elvis could understand a little too well at this point in his career.
- 3/23/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
For nearly all of his career, Elvis Presley worked with controversial manager Colonel Tom Parker. Parker helped Elvis on his rise to success, but he also hindered him in some ways, not allowing him to perform internationally or act in the films Elvis wanted. Elvis occasionally expressed a great deal of resentment toward Parker. Still, they worked together until Elvis’ death, and Parker attended the funeral. His choice of attire shocked everyone there.
Colonel Parker did not dress up for Elvis’ funeral
Elvis died on the afternoon of Aug. 16, 1977. Two days later, his family held a funeral at Graceland. Thousands of mourning fans gathered outside the home’s gates while the singer’s friends, family, and associates attended the service. It was a somber, tragic affair, which made Parker’s choice of clothing stand out all the more.
Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis | Gab Archive/Redferns
Parker arrived at Graceland...
Colonel Parker did not dress up for Elvis’ funeral
Elvis died on the afternoon of Aug. 16, 1977. Two days later, his family held a funeral at Graceland. Thousands of mourning fans gathered outside the home’s gates while the singer’s friends, family, and associates attended the service. It was a somber, tragic affair, which made Parker’s choice of clothing stand out all the more.
Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis | Gab Archive/Redferns
Parker arrived at Graceland...
- 3/16/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
After a series of career disappointments, Elvis Presley finally came across a deal that excited him. He received a high-paying offer to perform outside North America, something he had never done despite his massive success. When his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, turned down the deal, Elvis looked deeply shaken.
Elvis seemed horrified after a lucrative deal collapsed
By the mid-1970s, Elvis had suffered a series of career disappointments. The latest was that negotiations for him to appear in A Star Is Born had fallen apart. Elvis wanted the role, but Parker demanded too much money and control; Kris Kristofferson got the part instead. Though Elvis felt disappointed, a new offer buoyed his spirits.
Per the book The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley by Alanna Nash, Saudi billionaires Adnan and Essam Khashoggi offered Elvis $5 million to perform at the Pyramids of Giza. Parker turned...
Elvis seemed horrified after a lucrative deal collapsed
By the mid-1970s, Elvis had suffered a series of career disappointments. The latest was that negotiations for him to appear in A Star Is Born had fallen apart. Elvis wanted the role, but Parker demanded too much money and control; Kris Kristofferson got the part instead. Though Elvis felt disappointed, a new offer buoyed his spirits.
Per the book The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley by Alanna Nash, Saudi billionaires Adnan and Essam Khashoggi offered Elvis $5 million to perform at the Pyramids of Giza. Parker turned...
- 3/14/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1975, Elvis Presley received an offer to act in the film A Star Is Born alongside Barbra Streisand. The opportunity excited him greatly. He hadn’t been in a movie since 1969’s Change of Habit and was growing bored of his endless schedule of performances. A new film could have reestablished him as an actor. Ultimately, though, when negotiations fell through, Elvis’ friend the singer hadn’t been sure he could pull off the role.
Elvis Presley reportedly didn’t think he would be a good fit in a film
In 1975, Streisand offered Elvis $500,000 and 10% of profits to star as rock star John Norman Howard in A Star Is Born. After the initial meeting with Streisand, Elvis’ friends recalled that he seemed excited about the part. The role was of a rock star whose career was on the decline. It was the sort of dramatic and complicated part Elvis had...
Elvis Presley reportedly didn’t think he would be a good fit in a film
In 1975, Streisand offered Elvis $500,000 and 10% of profits to star as rock star John Norman Howard in A Star Is Born. After the initial meeting with Streisand, Elvis’ friends recalled that he seemed excited about the part. The role was of a rock star whose career was on the decline. It was the sort of dramatic and complicated part Elvis had...
- 3/14/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1958, Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, arranged for news crews to document the singer’s induction into the army. Elvis would serve in the United States Army despite his celebrity status. While many people expected him to serve in the Special Services, the entertainment branch of the military, Elvis insisted he didn’t want special treatment. Parker didn’t want this for him, either.
Colonel Tom Parker reportedly didn’t want Elvis in the Special Services
After training at Fort Hood, Elvis shipped out to West Germany with the Third Armored Division. This came as a surprise to many of Elvis’ critics, who had expected to take a comparatively cushy position with the Special Services. Elvis’ friend and bodyguard, Red West, believed Parker was behind Elvis’ assignment.
“I always had a suspicion that the old Colonel maneuvered so Elvis would be in that Third Armored Division just so...
Colonel Tom Parker reportedly didn’t want Elvis in the Special Services
After training at Fort Hood, Elvis shipped out to West Germany with the Third Armored Division. This came as a surprise to many of Elvis’ critics, who had expected to take a comparatively cushy position with the Special Services. Elvis’ friend and bodyguard, Red West, believed Parker was behind Elvis’ assignment.
“I always had a suspicion that the old Colonel maneuvered so Elvis would be in that Third Armored Division just so...
- 3/9/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While Elvis Presley was primarily a singer, he starred in many films over the course of his career. At first, this came as a thrill to him. He showed promise as an actor and it helped diversify his career. As time went by, though, Elvis grew increasingly exhausted by his film roles. Eventually, he reached a point where he felt disgusted when he watched himself on screen.
Elvis grew tired of watching himself in films
Elvis starred in his debut film, Love Me Tender, in 1956. His film career advanced quickly from here; Love Me Tender was the only film on which Elvis did not receive top billing.
While movies brought him greater exposure — and large paychecks — Elvis began losing interest in them. The quality of the films he starred in declined and he began to resent these projects. Eventually, he could hardly stand to watch himself on screen.
“He would...
Elvis grew tired of watching himself in films
Elvis starred in his debut film, Love Me Tender, in 1956. His film career advanced quickly from here; Love Me Tender was the only film on which Elvis did not receive top billing.
While movies brought him greater exposure — and large paychecks — Elvis began losing interest in them. The quality of the films he starred in declined and he began to resent these projects. Eventually, he could hardly stand to watch himself on screen.
“He would...
- 2/29/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
This article contains Priscilla spoilers.
Director Sofia Coppola scrubs at tarnished memories for the biopic Priscilla. It’s a bold choice since Elvis Presley disciples prefer admiring unvarnished relics in a still-flourishing golden hue. The film’s primary source and title character, Priscilla Presley, has offered no apologies for her time with the mythological musician, just the facts as she remembers them. These recollections do not diminish her love of the man who came to define her existence, but they cloud his legacy to this day.
“Why are you coming for my dad and my family?” Elvis’ daughter Lisa Marie Presley wrote Coppola after reading an early draft of the screenplay, as per Variety. “My father only comes across as a predator and manipulative,” the provocative emails insinuated. “As his daughter, I don’t read this and see any of my father in this character. I don’t read this...
Director Sofia Coppola scrubs at tarnished memories for the biopic Priscilla. It’s a bold choice since Elvis Presley disciples prefer admiring unvarnished relics in a still-flourishing golden hue. The film’s primary source and title character, Priscilla Presley, has offered no apologies for her time with the mythological musician, just the facts as she remembers them. These recollections do not diminish her love of the man who came to define her existence, but they cloud his legacy to this day.
“Why are you coming for my dad and my family?” Elvis’ daughter Lisa Marie Presley wrote Coppola after reading an early draft of the screenplay, as per Variety. “My father only comes across as a predator and manipulative,” the provocative emails insinuated. “As his daughter, I don’t read this and see any of my father in this character. I don’t read this...
- 2/23/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Austin Butler spent three years researching and preparing for the role of Elvis Presley and never let go of the singer’s southern drawl throughout this period. Butler’s method acting was so intense for Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis that he decided to tone it down when it came to his role in Dune: Part Two. It would have been very unhealthy for him and everyone surrounding him since he played the sociopathic villain Feyd-Rautha in the film.
Austin Butler learned from his Method acting mistakes in Elvis
Butler’s acting has received praise from critics who deemed the film the definitive sci-fi epic of a generation in their first reviews. Butler along with Florence Pugh, Lea Seydoux, and Christopher Walken are the new additions to Denis Villeneuve’s Dune sequel.
Austin Butler Made A Conscious Decision To Tone Down His Method Acting
Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Dune:...
Austin Butler learned from his Method acting mistakes in Elvis
Butler’s acting has received praise from critics who deemed the film the definitive sci-fi epic of a generation in their first reviews. Butler along with Florence Pugh, Lea Seydoux, and Christopher Walken are the new additions to Denis Villeneuve’s Dune sequel.
Austin Butler Made A Conscious Decision To Tone Down His Method Acting
Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Dune:...
- 2/23/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Several of Elvis Presley‘s songs are still famous today. Despite this, one of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll‘s greatest masterpieces is mostly ignored by his own fans. The track in question is a beautiful display of vulnerability and desperation. Shockingly, it was intended to be a parody of country songs.
1 underrated Elvis Presley song shows off his romantic side and his dark side
“Blue Christmas” is inescapable every holiday season. “Suspicious Minds” is a staple of classic rock radio. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” is the most overexposed love song ever. However, Elvis’ “Love Me” is rarely played today.
The track is a slow, melancholy doo-wop song that eschews the cliche, upbeat tone of most doo-wop hits. Instead, we hear Elvis sing about how he’s willing to love a woman no matter how awful she is to him. While Elvis is known across the globe for his love songs,...
1 underrated Elvis Presley song shows off his romantic side and his dark side
“Blue Christmas” is inescapable every holiday season. “Suspicious Minds” is a staple of classic rock radio. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” is the most overexposed love song ever. However, Elvis’ “Love Me” is rarely played today.
The track is a slow, melancholy doo-wop song that eschews the cliche, upbeat tone of most doo-wop hits. Instead, we hear Elvis sing about how he’s willing to love a woman no matter how awful she is to him. While Elvis is known across the globe for his love songs,...
- 2/11/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
“Priscilla", the new biographical drama feature, directed by Sofia Coppola, based on the 1985 memoir "Elvis and Me" by Priscilla Presley and Sandra Harmon, stars Cailee Spaeny as 'Priscilla Presley' and Jacob Elordi (Euphoria") as 'Elvis Presley', streaming February 23, 2024 on Max:
"...in the book 'Elvis and Me', 'Priscilla' talks about meeting 'Elvis Presley', their marriage and the factors, issues that led to the couple's divorce.
"Of the many women involved with Elvis, the one whom Priscilla felt that her relationship with Elvis was most threatened by was actress/singer 'Ann-Margret', who co-starred with Elvis in the film 'Viva Las Vegas'.
"Despite his denials of an affair, Priscilla went to Los Angeles and stayed with him. Aware Priscilla was there, Ann-Margret took matters into her own hands and suddenly announced to the Los Angeles press that she was engaged to Elvis Presley. The news was picked...
"...in the book 'Elvis and Me', 'Priscilla' talks about meeting 'Elvis Presley', their marriage and the factors, issues that led to the couple's divorce.
"Of the many women involved with Elvis, the one whom Priscilla felt that her relationship with Elvis was most threatened by was actress/singer 'Ann-Margret', who co-starred with Elvis in the film 'Viva Las Vegas'.
"Despite his denials of an affair, Priscilla went to Los Angeles and stayed with him. Aware Priscilla was there, Ann-Margret took matters into her own hands and suddenly announced to the Los Angeles press that she was engaged to Elvis Presley. The news was picked...
- 2/2/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
While Elvis Presley was one of the most famous people of the 20th century, he didn’t often give interviews to reporters. He wanted whatever privacy he could get, which was very little given that fans often gathered outside his home. When Elvis did grant reporters interviews, they had to be careful about the types of questions they asked. When one reporter asked a seemingly straightforward question, Elvis immediately grew uncomfortable.
Elvis did not want to give a reporter much information
In 1969, reporter William Otterburn-Hall met Elvis on the set of Change of Habit. He was hoping to meet Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, as well, but nobody seemed to know where he was. Before Otterburn-Hall spoke to Elvis, a publicist warned him not to ask any prying questions.
“You won’t probe too deep, will you?” the publicist asked, as Otterburn-Hall recalled in a piece for Rolling Stone. “This is just an informal chat,...
Elvis did not want to give a reporter much information
In 1969, reporter William Otterburn-Hall met Elvis on the set of Change of Habit. He was hoping to meet Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, as well, but nobody seemed to know where he was. Before Otterburn-Hall spoke to Elvis, a publicist warned him not to ask any prying questions.
“You won’t probe too deep, will you?” the publicist asked, as Otterburn-Hall recalled in a piece for Rolling Stone. “This is just an informal chat,...
- 1/28/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Apple TV+ series “Masters of the Air” is the third collaboration from the team behind HBO’s “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific.” Trio Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Steven Spielberg produced the nine-part World War II epic series, which spotlights the men who fought in the 8th Air Force, specifically the men of the 100th Bomb Group. The vivid and vital story finds roots in the book of the same name by Donald L. Miller.
The crew of a typical Eighth Air Force heavy bomber plane included ten men — a pilot and his co-pilot flying the B17, the navigator and the bombardier in the machine’s nose, the flight engineer behind the pilot, the radio operator, two waist gunners, a ball turret gunner and a tail gunner. Not to mention the men who strategized from the bases, the plane engineers and Tuskegee airmen or Royal Airforce pilots who feature in this story.
The crew of a typical Eighth Air Force heavy bomber plane included ten men — a pilot and his co-pilot flying the B17, the navigator and the bombardier in the machine’s nose, the flight engineer behind the pilot, the radio operator, two waist gunners, a ball turret gunner and a tail gunner. Not to mention the men who strategized from the bases, the plane engineers and Tuskegee airmen or Royal Airforce pilots who feature in this story.
- 1/26/2024
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Elvis Presley‘s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, is not a beloved figure among the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll‘s fans. However, Bob Dylan put up a decent defense of Parker. Here’s a look at what the folk singer had to say about one of the most controversial figures in the music business and how Priscilla Presley seemed to agree with him.
Bob Dylan said fans compared Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to Judas Iscariot
In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song, Dylan discussed Parker’s place in rock ‘n’ roll history. “Among a certain cadre of fans, Colonel Tom Parker is equally reviled for squandering Elvis’ talents in increasingly substandard movies and holding him in stasis in Las Vegas by allowing the Hilton a sweetheart deal to help offset the manager’s staggering gambling debt,” he wrote.
“In the Elvis myth, it’s easy to...
Bob Dylan said fans compared Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to Judas Iscariot
In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song, Dylan discussed Parker’s place in rock ‘n’ roll history. “Among a certain cadre of fans, Colonel Tom Parker is equally reviled for squandering Elvis’ talents in increasingly substandard movies and holding him in stasis in Las Vegas by allowing the Hilton a sweetheart deal to help offset the manager’s staggering gambling debt,” he wrote.
“In the Elvis myth, it’s easy to...
- 1/14/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Bob Dylan once wrote an essay about Elvis Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas.” He saw it as a song about faith — albeit faith in something that isn’t traditionally considered religious. Dylan also had a bit to say about the faith that Elvis’ manager had in the “Heartbreak Hotel” singer. Fascinatingly, “Viva Las Vegas” wasn’t much of a hit.
Bob Dylan said Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ is about a modern Garden of Eden
In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song, Dylan analyzed “Viva Las Vegas” in depth. “This is a song about faith,” he wrote. “The kind of faith where you step under a shower spigot in the middle of a desert and fully believe water will come out.
“Or, more to the point, the type of faith where you stand in the marble lobby of an opulent hotel with neon flashin’ while being served free...
Bob Dylan said Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’ is about a modern Garden of Eden
In his 2022 book The Philosophy of Modern Song, Dylan analyzed “Viva Las Vegas” in depth. “This is a song about faith,” he wrote. “The kind of faith where you step under a shower spigot in the middle of a desert and fully believe water will come out.
“Or, more to the point, the type of faith where you stand in the marble lobby of an opulent hotel with neon flashin’ while being served free...
- 1/13/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Paul Giamatti is one of the most highly respected actors working in the industry today, and he’s also quite prolific, with over 115 screen credits to his name. Last night, he won a Golden Globe for his performance in the excellent comedy / drama film The Holdovers – and during a red carpet interview at the event, he revealed there’s one area where he feels his career is lacking: he hasn’t worked on enough horror projects.
Asked if there’s a genre he would love to work in, Giamatti answered, “Horror. I’d like to do more horror. I love horror.” When asked what his favorite horror movie is, he replied, “Oh, that’s a very tricky question. I like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre a lot. I love horror. Love it!” When the interviewer was a bit shocked and appalled that Giamatti is such a Chainsaw fan, Giamatti stood up for it: “Great movie!
Asked if there’s a genre he would love to work in, Giamatti answered, “Horror. I’d like to do more horror. I love horror.” When asked what his favorite horror movie is, he replied, “Oh, that’s a very tricky question. I like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre a lot. I love horror. Love it!” When the interviewer was a bit shocked and appalled that Giamatti is such a Chainsaw fan, Giamatti stood up for it: “Great movie!
- 1/8/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Elvis Presley‘s ’68 Comeback Special was a career highlight for Elvis. It was also a career highlight of a girl group star. She revealed what it was like to work with the “Heartbreak Hotel” singer.
Elvis Presley worked with Darlene Love on his ’68 Comeback Special’
During a 2023 interview with The Guardian, singer Darlene Love discussed her relationship with record producer Phil Spector. “I was in [girl group and backing-singer legends] The Blossoms when he hired me to record ‘He’s a Rebel’ [in 1962],” she recalled. “I knew it was for The Crystals but I got paid a bundle of money – $5,000 was a lot then. After I signed with Phil and we did ‘Da Do Ron Ron’ and ‘He’s Sure the Boy I Love’ [also credited to The Crystals], I told him my name should be on, but I hadn’t read the contract.” Love would become most known for singing the seminal Christmas song “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” which Spector wrote and co-produced.
Elvis Presley worked with Darlene Love on his ’68 Comeback Special’
During a 2023 interview with The Guardian, singer Darlene Love discussed her relationship with record producer Phil Spector. “I was in [girl group and backing-singer legends] The Blossoms when he hired me to record ‘He’s a Rebel’ [in 1962],” she recalled. “I knew it was for The Crystals but I got paid a bundle of money – $5,000 was a lot then. After I signed with Phil and we did ‘Da Do Ron Ron’ and ‘He’s Sure the Boy I Love’ [also credited to The Crystals], I told him my name should be on, but I hadn’t read the contract.” Love would become most known for singing the seminal Christmas song “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” which Spector wrote and co-produced.
- 1/5/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was a controversial figure. While he helped launch Elvis’ career, he also stifled him in some ways. He controlled many aspects of Elvis’ life, including the dynamic of his entourage. After Elvis hurt himself in a fall, Parker stepped in. The way he handled the entourage left many of them frustrated.
Colonel Tom Parker laid down the law with Elvis Presley’s entourage
In the late 1960s, Elvis’ road manager, Joe Esposito, picked up the musician to go to the studio and noticed that he seemed unsteady on his feet. Elvis admitted that he’d fallen and hit his head on the bathtub, which Esposito believed was the fault of all the pills he was taking.
When Parker learned that Elvis had a concussion, he lashed out at the entourage, asking how they could have let this happen. Two days later, he called...
Colonel Tom Parker laid down the law with Elvis Presley’s entourage
In the late 1960s, Elvis’ road manager, Joe Esposito, picked up the musician to go to the studio and noticed that he seemed unsteady on his feet. Elvis admitted that he’d fallen and hit his head on the bathtub, which Esposito believed was the fault of all the pills he was taking.
When Parker learned that Elvis had a concussion, he lashed out at the entourage, asking how they could have let this happen. Two days later, he called...
- 12/29/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
One had the beehive hairdo just right, but the other did a better job on the King’s hip-swing. We asked three Elvis experts to give their verdicts on Sofia Coppola’s dreamy biopic and Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 epic
It’s hard to imagine two films more different than Elvis and Priscilla. The former, directed by Baz Luhrmann and released in 2022, charts the rise and fall of Elvis Presley on an operatic scale, zeroing in on his complex relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and presenting him as little less than pop’s greatest martyr. The latter, written and directed by Sofia Coppola, based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir and released in the UK this week, is dreamy and intimate, focusing on the life of Priscilla as it related to Elvis, her partner of 14 years during the peak of his career. But which hewed closer to the facts?
Continue reading.
It’s hard to imagine two films more different than Elvis and Priscilla. The former, directed by Baz Luhrmann and released in 2022, charts the rise and fall of Elvis Presley on an operatic scale, zeroing in on his complex relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and presenting him as little less than pop’s greatest martyr. The latter, written and directed by Sofia Coppola, based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir and released in the UK this week, is dreamy and intimate, focusing on the life of Priscilla as it related to Elvis, her partner of 14 years during the peak of his career. But which hewed closer to the facts?
Continue reading.
- 12/27/2023
- by Shaad D'Souza
- The Guardian - Film News
Pictured: Tacoma Fd, Berlin and Elvis
Happy Christmas one and all, and welcome to your rundown on what new movies, series, and anything else that’s coming to Netflix over the festive period for the next seven days.
If you want to look beyond next week, we’re still getting word of lots of new movies and series scheduled for release throughout January 2024 here and if you want a more birdseye view of the year, we’ve got our full 2024 Netflix schedule here.
Now let’s get into some highlights of what’s on the way this week:
Most Anticipated New Releases This Week Berlin (Season 1)
Coming to Netflix: Friday
The mothership series Money Heist may have ended not even a couple of years ago, but we’ve slowly seen the expansion of the IP since then, with the biggest of all set to be the new spin-off that lands...
Happy Christmas one and all, and welcome to your rundown on what new movies, series, and anything else that’s coming to Netflix over the festive period for the next seven days.
If you want to look beyond next week, we’re still getting word of lots of new movies and series scheduled for release throughout January 2024 here and if you want a more birdseye view of the year, we’ve got our full 2024 Netflix schedule here.
Now let’s get into some highlights of what’s on the way this week:
Most Anticipated New Releases This Week Berlin (Season 1)
Coming to Netflix: Friday
The mothership series Money Heist may have ended not even a couple of years ago, but we’ve slowly seen the expansion of the IP since then, with the biggest of all set to be the new spin-off that lands...
- 12/24/2023
- by Kasey Moore
- Whats-on-Netflix
Priscilla director Sofia Coppola says that, despite her plaudits and hit rate at the box office, she continues to fight for “a tiny fraction” of the money her male counterparts have to work with.
Coppola, who has an Oscar to her name for Best Screenplay for her 2002 movie Lost in Translation, told BBC News that budget restraints meant her forthcoming biopic was shot digitally, not on film, and put together in just 30 days:
“I just see all these men getting hundreds of millions of dollars and then I’m fighting for a tiny fraction of that.
“I think it’s just left over from the way the culture of that business is. It’s frustrating but I’m always fighting to get it and I’m just happy to get to make my movies independently and find people that believe in them.”
But she adds that this limitation gives her...
Coppola, who has an Oscar to her name for Best Screenplay for her 2002 movie Lost in Translation, told BBC News that budget restraints meant her forthcoming biopic was shot digitally, not on film, and put together in just 30 days:
“I just see all these men getting hundreds of millions of dollars and then I’m fighting for a tiny fraction of that.
“I think it’s just left over from the way the culture of that business is. It’s frustrating but I’m always fighting to get it and I’m just happy to get to make my movies independently and find people that believe in them.”
But she adds that this limitation gives her...
- 12/23/2023
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Elvis Presley adored the Christmas holiday season. It was a time for fun, excitement, family caroling, and over-the-top decorating. It was a month when Elvis relaxed and enjoyed his time off the road and in the recording studio. Graceland’s Christmas decorations typically remain until the first week of January. However, one year, Elvis’ dad, Vernon, left the family Christmas tree up until spring for one sweet reason.
Graceland’s Christmas decorations were important to Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley purchased Graceland, a 13.8-acre estate, for just over $100,000 in 1957. When he made the purchase, Presley was busy working on his second motion picture, Loving You.
Elvis placed a $1,000 deposit down as collateral. He quickly sought to secure the property with a stone wall and the home’s infamous music gates.
His first Christmas at Graceland was when Elvis began his over-the-top decorating. He purchased several large lawn decorations for the front...
Graceland’s Christmas decorations were important to Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley purchased Graceland, a 13.8-acre estate, for just over $100,000 in 1957. When he made the purchase, Presley was busy working on his second motion picture, Loving You.
Elvis placed a $1,000 deposit down as collateral. He quickly sought to secure the property with a stone wall and the home’s infamous music gates.
His first Christmas at Graceland was when Elvis began his over-the-top decorating. He purchased several large lawn decorations for the front...
- 12/21/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
One of Elvis Presley‘s songs features a spoken word section. The tune is partly based on a famous quotation from William Shakespeare. Colonel Tom Parker had Elvis record the song for a very special reason — and Elvis went the extra mile to make sure the song sounded just right.
Elvis Presley’s song is based on ‘As You Like It’ by William Shakespeare
“Are You Lonesome Tonight?” is a highly atypical Elvis song, mostly because it features a long spoken word section. The spoken word bit begins “You know someone said that the world’s a stage and each of us must play a part / Fate had me playing in love with you as my sweetheart / Act one was where we met / I loved you at first glance / You read your lines so cleverly and never missed a cue / Then came act two, you seemed to change, you acted...
Elvis Presley’s song is based on ‘As You Like It’ by William Shakespeare
“Are You Lonesome Tonight?” is a highly atypical Elvis song, mostly because it features a long spoken word section. The spoken word bit begins “You know someone said that the world’s a stage and each of us must play a part / Fate had me playing in love with you as my sweetheart / Act one was where we met / I loved you at first glance / You read your lines so cleverly and never missed a cue / Then came act two, you seemed to change, you acted...
- 12/17/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In early 1969, Elvis Presley recorded a cover of the song “Suspicious Minds.” It became a hit for him, his final song to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. According to musical arranger, Glen Spreen, it shouldn’t have been such a success. When Spreen and the other people who worked on the song first heard the finished version, they could hardly believe how bad it sounded.
Elvis Presley’s ‘Suspicious Minds’ didn’t sound the way his musical arranger planned
In 1969, Spreen, the musical arranger for the second to last version of “Suspicious Minds,” listened to the finished version. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. In this version, the volume faded out in a false ending before returning in a lengthy coda.
“I mean, we laughed at it — let’s put it that way — when we heard the fade,” Spreen said in the book Careless Love: The Unmaking...
Elvis Presley’s ‘Suspicious Minds’ didn’t sound the way his musical arranger planned
In 1969, Spreen, the musical arranger for the second to last version of “Suspicious Minds,” listened to the finished version. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. In this version, the volume faded out in a false ending before returning in a lengthy coda.
“I mean, we laughed at it — let’s put it that way — when we heard the fade,” Spreen said in the book Careless Love: The Unmaking...
- 12/16/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Elvis Presley was a consummate performer, but Quentin Tarantino felt Elvis never took his movies seriously. The Pulp Fiction director speculated what might have happened if the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll wasn’t under Colonel Tom Parker’s sway. Tarantino also said Warren Beatty wanted to co-star with Elvis in one of the best Westerns of all time.
Quentin Tarantino said Elvis Presley could have outdone Warren Beatty
In his 2022 book Cinema Speculation, Tarantino discussed the 1960s movie scene. “Along with Paul Newman and Warren Beatty, Steve McQueen was the biggest of the younger male movie stars of the ’60s,” he wrote. “The U.K. had its share of exciting young leading men like Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Albert Finney, and Terence Stamp, but of the young sexy guys in America — that were also genuine movie stars — it was McQueen, Newman, and Beatty. On the next level down was James Garner,...
Quentin Tarantino said Elvis Presley could have outdone Warren Beatty
In his 2022 book Cinema Speculation, Tarantino discussed the 1960s movie scene. “Along with Paul Newman and Warren Beatty, Steve McQueen was the biggest of the younger male movie stars of the ’60s,” he wrote. “The U.K. had its share of exciting young leading men like Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Albert Finney, and Terence Stamp, but of the young sexy guys in America — that were also genuine movie stars — it was McQueen, Newman, and Beatty. On the next level down was James Garner,...
- 12/15/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Elvis Presley’s acting career never reached its fullest potential, but many of the people who worked with him praised his ability on screen. Eventually, though, his acting career took a downturn. Still, two of his friends said they watched him give one of his best performances in the mid-1970s. They couldn’t help but feel a bit uncomfortable as he performed it, though.
Elvis Presley gave an incredible but uncomfortable acting performance to his friends
In the 1970s, Elvis brought his friends to Denver for a ski trip. They had traveled there after a tour, and everyone was exhausted and irritable. Still, Linda Thompson, Jerry Schilling, and Myrna Smith rallied enough to celebrate Elvis’ 41st birthday with him.
Elvis had seemed glum, but he perked up when Smith said she hadn’t seen the movie Across 110th Street. It was his favorite film, and he launched into a detailed explanation of its plot.
Elvis Presley gave an incredible but uncomfortable acting performance to his friends
In the 1970s, Elvis brought his friends to Denver for a ski trip. They had traveled there after a tour, and everyone was exhausted and irritable. Still, Linda Thompson, Jerry Schilling, and Myrna Smith rallied enough to celebrate Elvis’ 41st birthday with him.
Elvis had seemed glum, but he perked up when Smith said she hadn’t seen the movie Across 110th Street. It was his favorite film, and he launched into a detailed explanation of its plot.
- 12/9/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1965, The Beatles visited Elvis Presley at his home in California. The band could hardly contain their excitement; they had idolized Elvis for years and finally had the chance to meet him. Though the visit was a bit awkward at first, each of The Beatles walked away from it happy they had met Elvis. The same could not be said for their press officer, Tony Barrows, who found the meeting quite dull.
The Beatles visited Elvis Presley in 1965
In 1965, after several years of trying, The Beatles had the opportunity to meet with Elvis.
“We met Elvis Presley at the end of our stay in LA,” Paul McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “We’d tried for years to, but we could never get to him. We used to think we were a bit of a threat to him and Colonel Tom Parker, which ultimately we were. So although we tried many times,...
The Beatles visited Elvis Presley in 1965
In 1965, after several years of trying, The Beatles had the opportunity to meet with Elvis.
“We met Elvis Presley at the end of our stay in LA,” Paul McCartney said in The Beatles Anthology. “We’d tried for years to, but we could never get to him. We used to think we were a bit of a threat to him and Colonel Tom Parker, which ultimately we were. So although we tried many times,...
- 12/2/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The history of music sometimes feels like a history of missed opportunities. John Lennon discussed the prospect of producing albums for Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley. He wasn’t the biggest fan of one of Dylan’s classics. It’s unclear if Dylan would have wanted to work with John given a comment he made about Paul McCartney.
What John Lennon would have done for Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley
John produced Harry Nilsson’s 1974 album Pussy Cats. Around the same time, he also worked on David Bowie’s “Fame” and “Across the Universe” and Elton John’s rendition of The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” During a 1975 interview with Rolling Stone, John was asked if he would like to produce other singers. “Dylan would be interesting because I think he made a great album in Blood on the Tracks but I’m still not keen on the backings,...
What John Lennon would have done for Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley
John produced Harry Nilsson’s 1974 album Pussy Cats. Around the same time, he also worked on David Bowie’s “Fame” and “Across the Universe” and Elton John’s rendition of The Beatles’ “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” During a 1975 interview with Rolling Stone, John was asked if he would like to produce other singers. “Dylan would be interesting because I think he made a great album in Blood on the Tracks but I’m still not keen on the backings,...
- 11/12/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In the mid-1970s, Elvis Presley felt stuck in a career rut, and his performances suffered as a result. His manager, Colonel Tom Parker, made it impossible for him to pivot into work he found interesting, such as producing or acting in dramatic films. As a result, he felt trapped and frustrated. Elvis tried to update his performances, but the efforts only pushed him into self-parody.
Priscilla Presley did not think Elvis Presley’s later performances reflected his talent
While she was in a relationship with Elvis, Priscilla Presley witnessed him deal with a career slump. After their divorce, she saw him go through the same thing. He had been touring and playing shows in Las Vegas for several years and grew tired of doing the same things over and over again. He began dressing and behaving in over-the-top fashions as a way to freshen up his routine.
“The style,...
Priscilla Presley did not think Elvis Presley’s later performances reflected his talent
While she was in a relationship with Elvis, Priscilla Presley witnessed him deal with a career slump. After their divorce, she saw him go through the same thing. He had been touring and playing shows in Las Vegas for several years and grew tired of doing the same things over and over again. He began dressing and behaving in over-the-top fashions as a way to freshen up his routine.
“The style,...
- 11/10/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Even after Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley divorced, they remained fixtures in one another’s lives. Priscilla still tracked Elvis’ career, and what she saw concerned her. After experiencing a thrilling revival in the early 1970s, his career slumped again, and this time, he didn’t seem interested in revitalizing it. Priscilla worried that Elvis had begun to deliberately sabotage himself.
Priscilla Presley worried Elvis was sabotaging his health
While Elvis loved performing, he wanted his career to evolve as he aged. He told Priscilla that he didn’t want to be “a forty-year-old man still shaking to ‘Hound Dog.'” Still, he had few opportunities to diversify his work. His manager, Colonel Tom Parker, limited his film opportunities, notably turning down a chance for Elvis to appear in A Star Is Born.
The musician grew increasingly despondent, which concerned Priscilla. She had seen him grow frustrated with his career before,...
Priscilla Presley worried Elvis was sabotaging his health
While Elvis loved performing, he wanted his career to evolve as he aged. He told Priscilla that he didn’t want to be “a forty-year-old man still shaking to ‘Hound Dog.'” Still, he had few opportunities to diversify his work. His manager, Colonel Tom Parker, limited his film opportunities, notably turning down a chance for Elvis to appear in A Star Is Born.
The musician grew increasingly despondent, which concerned Priscilla. She had seen him grow frustrated with his career before,...
- 11/9/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While on a flight to Washington, D.C., Elvis Presley found his seatmate so engaging and sympathetic that he gave him all the money he had in his wallet. He was on a trip that, perhaps for the first time in his life, he had planned himself. Elvis took a limited amount of money with him, but he quickly gave it all away. He met a soldier on his flight and emptied his wallet for him.
Elvis Presley gave all the money in his wallet to his seatmate on a plane
After a fight with his father about finances and the control his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, had over his career, Elvis stormed out of the house. He didn’t tell his father or Priscilla Presley where he was going, which surprised them. Typically, Elvis relied on others to make plans for him.
Elvis first flew to Washington, D.C.
Elvis Presley gave all the money in his wallet to his seatmate on a plane
After a fight with his father about finances and the control his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, had over his career, Elvis stormed out of the house. He didn’t tell his father or Priscilla Presley where he was going, which surprised them. Typically, Elvis relied on others to make plans for him.
Elvis first flew to Washington, D.C.
- 11/7/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Though Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, restricted his career growth, Priscilla Presley said the musician rarely bucked against his leadership. In 1970, though, Elvis decided he’d had enough. He instructed his father, Vernon, to fire Parker. Then, Elvis got up, walked out the door, and didn’t return for several days. Priscilla and Vernon would later find out that he left the state.
Elvis left for an impromptu trip after telling his father to fire Colonel Tom Parker
In Dec. 1970, Priscilla walked in on a heated conversation between Vernon and Elvis.
“Goddamn, Daddy, call him and tell him we’re through,” Elvis said, per Priscilla’s book Elvis and Me. “Tear up the goddamn contracts and I’ll pay him whatever percentage we owe him.”
Elvis added that he hated the work he’d been doing and was “goddamn bored” of his career. Per Smithsonian Magazine, part of...
Elvis left for an impromptu trip after telling his father to fire Colonel Tom Parker
In Dec. 1970, Priscilla walked in on a heated conversation between Vernon and Elvis.
“Goddamn, Daddy, call him and tell him we’re through,” Elvis said, per Priscilla’s book Elvis and Me. “Tear up the goddamn contracts and I’ll pay him whatever percentage we owe him.”
Elvis added that he hated the work he’d been doing and was “goddamn bored” of his career. Per Smithsonian Magazine, part of...
- 11/5/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Priscilla Presley walked in on an angry conversation between Elvis Presley and his father, Vernon. Frustrated, Elvis told his father he wanted to fire his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. With that, he stormed out of the house. Priscilla explained that everyone expected him to return within a few hours, but he didn’t come home that night. Or the next night. Or the night after that. This worried everyone because Elvis never planned anything for himself. He didn’t carry money, and he didn’t even know his phone number.
Priscilla Presley could hardly believe it when Elvis left the house without guidance
After Elvis spent thousands of dollars on Christmas gifts for his entourage, Vernon, Priscilla, and Parker decided they needed to step in. Vernon had always been cautious about money and informed his son that he’d go bankrupt if he kept spending this way. Furious, Elvis said...
Priscilla Presley could hardly believe it when Elvis left the house without guidance
After Elvis spent thousands of dollars on Christmas gifts for his entourage, Vernon, Priscilla, and Parker decided they needed to step in. Vernon had always been cautious about money and informed his son that he’d go bankrupt if he kept spending this way. Furious, Elvis said...
- 11/4/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
During an impromptu trip to Washington D.C., Elvis Presley met with President Richard Nixon. He wrote Nixon a letter about how he wanted to help reduce youth drug use. While Elvis was eager to meet with Nixon, his friend and employee, Jerry Schilling, worried that the meeting wouldn’t go well. He explained that Elvis rolled up to the White House looking like Dracula.
Elvis Presley looked like Dracula when he met with Richard Nixon
After instructing his father to fire his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis took off without telling anyone but Schilling where he was going. As it turned out, he had his eyes set on the White House. On the flight there, he wrote Nixon a letter about his plan to get kids off drugs.
“Elvis was never much of a letter writer, but he now wrote President Nixon a letter explaining how he could assist...
Elvis Presley looked like Dracula when he met with Richard Nixon
After instructing his father to fire his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis took off without telling anyone but Schilling where he was going. As it turned out, he had his eyes set on the White House. On the flight there, he wrote Nixon a letter about his plan to get kids off drugs.
“Elvis was never much of a letter writer, but he now wrote President Nixon a letter explaining how he could assist...
- 10/31/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber have been dating since December 2021, but for the most part, they prefer to keep their romance away from the spotlight. Other than their casual outings, their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2022 Met Gala, and their loved-up appearance at last year's Cannes Film Festival, neither Butler nor Gerber has publicly revealed much about their relationship.
And they prefer to keep it that way. When Butler was previously asked to comment on his relationship with Gerber in an interview with GQ, he responded, "I don't think there's anything I want to share about that. But thank you for providing the space." However, he did briefly comment on being recently photographed with Gerber. "I go, 'If I don't see the picture, then it doesn't really exist to me,'" he said. "I don't want to be really negative, but there's hardly any job I despise more than paparazzi.
And they prefer to keep it that way. When Butler was previously asked to comment on his relationship with Gerber in an interview with GQ, he responded, "I don't think there's anything I want to share about that. But thank you for providing the space." However, he did briefly comment on being recently photographed with Gerber. "I go, 'If I don't see the picture, then it doesn't really exist to me,'" he said. "I don't want to be really negative, but there's hardly any job I despise more than paparazzi.
- 10/30/2023
- by Monica Sisavat Solís
- Popsugar.com
When Priscilla Presley was six months pregnant, she agreed to let Nancy Sinatra host her baby shower after a suggestion by Colonel Tom Parker. For years, Priscilla had worried that Elvis Presley and Sinatra were romantically involved. As the rumors resurfaced during her pregnancy, Priscilla became suspicious of Sinatra’s offer to host her baby shower. Here’s how Parker made Priscilla comfortable with the event.
Colonel Tom Parker helped convince Priscilla Presley to let Nancy Sinatra host her baby shower
In the earliest stages of her relationship with Elvis, Priscilla found rumors about Sinatra concerning. He insisted they were just friends, but the fact that the rumors resurfaced during her pregnancy worried her.
“Then I began hearing rumors about Elvis and Nancy Sinatra, the same rumors I had read about in Germany: that she had a passionate crush on him, that they were having an affair,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me.
Colonel Tom Parker helped convince Priscilla Presley to let Nancy Sinatra host her baby shower
In the earliest stages of her relationship with Elvis, Priscilla found rumors about Sinatra concerning. He insisted they were just friends, but the fact that the rumors resurfaced during her pregnancy worried her.
“Then I began hearing rumors about Elvis and Nancy Sinatra, the same rumors I had read about in Germany: that she had a passionate crush on him, that they were having an affair,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me.
- 10/26/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In his career, Elvis Presley covered a number of popular songs. He did not typically write his own music and so relied on lyrics written by others to build his career. One song he covered to great, devastating effect was “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” Elvis was a longtime fan of its original singer, Hank Williams, and described the song as the saddest he’d ever heard.
A Hank Williams song was the saddest tune Elvis had heard
Elvis’ deep, crooning voice was perfect for ballads, and he tackled a number of sad songs in his career. One of his favorite artists was Williams, and Elvis often sang his melancholy songs in casual settings with friends. He covered the song “Your Cheatin’ Heart” in 1965 and would later go on to sing “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.”
Williams released “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” as...
A Hank Williams song was the saddest tune Elvis had heard
Elvis’ deep, crooning voice was perfect for ballads, and he tackled a number of sad songs in his career. One of his favorite artists was Williams, and Elvis often sang his melancholy songs in casual settings with friends. He covered the song “Your Cheatin’ Heart” in 1965 and would later go on to sing “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.”
Williams released “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” as...
- 10/21/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Priscilla Presley got to know Elvis Presley’s spiritual side well during their relationship. He encouraged her to read books about spirituality and led Bible reading sessions in their home. While he became more interested in spirituality as an adult, he was always religious. Priscilla explained she had experienced Elvis heal her with just a touch.
Priscilla Presley said Elvis had the ability to heal with touch
Elvis discovered his early musical inspiration in the church he attended with his family. The teachings also shaped his personality as an adult.
“The spiritual side of Elvis was a dominant part of his nature,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me. “As a small boy growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi, he and his family attended church regularly at the First Assembly of God. He was raised on hellfire-and-brimstone preaching that put the fear of God in you and music that led you to the Pearly Gates.
Priscilla Presley said Elvis had the ability to heal with touch
Elvis discovered his early musical inspiration in the church he attended with his family. The teachings also shaped his personality as an adult.
“The spiritual side of Elvis was a dominant part of his nature,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me. “As a small boy growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi, he and his family attended church regularly at the First Assembly of God. He was raised on hellfire-and-brimstone preaching that put the fear of God in you and music that led you to the Pearly Gates.
- 10/16/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While he was there for so many vital moments in classic rock history, Elvis Presley wasn’t there for Woodstock. He was part of something else that would become very famous. The King of Rock’ n’ Roll might have been a poor fit for the festival.
Elvis Presley was focused on Las Vegas when Woodstock was happening
1969 was a big year for Elvis. He released his beloved songs “Suspicious Minds,” “In the Ghetto,” and “Don’t Cry Daddy.” All three songs reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, proving that the ’68 Comeback Special had made the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll a relevant force in popular music again.
1969 was also the year of the most famous concert festival of all time: The Woodstock Rock Festival. According to the book Elvis: The #1 Hits — The Secret History of the Classics, Elvis was busy preparing for his return to live performance at The...
Elvis Presley was focused on Las Vegas when Woodstock was happening
1969 was a big year for Elvis. He released his beloved songs “Suspicious Minds,” “In the Ghetto,” and “Don’t Cry Daddy.” All three songs reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, proving that the ’68 Comeback Special had made the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll a relevant force in popular music again.
1969 was also the year of the most famous concert festival of all time: The Woodstock Rock Festival. According to the book Elvis: The #1 Hits — The Secret History of the Classics, Elvis was busy preparing for his return to live performance at The...
- 10/14/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
As Elvis Presley’s career began to decline, Priscilla Presley felt desperate to help him. She could see how his disappointing music sales and unchallenging film career frustrated him. Any time she tried to offer advice, though, he lashed out at her. Sometimes, he reacted violently. Other times, he warned her against trying to counsel him. He believed that women had no place in his affairs.
Elvis Presley told Priscilla she shouldn’t be advising him on anything
One of Elvis’ biggest career frustrations occurred when his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and his label began to change the sound of his music. This was the part of his career he valued the most, and he wanted to have creative control. When they began to take that away from him, his spirits tanked.
“Elvis could handle only so much and then he’d lose heart,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me.
Elvis Presley told Priscilla she shouldn’t be advising him on anything
One of Elvis’ biggest career frustrations occurred when his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and his label began to change the sound of his music. This was the part of his career he valued the most, and he wanted to have creative control. When they began to take that away from him, his spirits tanked.
“Elvis could handle only so much and then he’d lose heart,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me.
- 10/11/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Priscilla Presley once described Elvis Presley as a “master at manipulating people,” but even he was afraid to stand up to Colonel Tom Parker. Parker was Elvis’ manager, and he guided the musician through every step of his career. Priscilla said Elvis rarely questioned Parker’s decisions, even if he disagreed with them. When Parker told Elvis to stop speaking to a valued friend and employee, Elvis listened.
Elvis Presley cut off a key member of his entourage because of Colonel Parker
In the mid-1960s, Elvis hired a new barber, Larry Geller. His appearance in Elvis’ life worried Priscilla and the rest of Elvis’ entourage. Geller introduced Elvis to spirituality; soon, it was all the musician could talk about. Parker noticed it, too, and instructed Elvis’ entourage — but primarily Geller — to leave the musician alone.
“‘Elvis should concentrate on his career,’ he said. ‘He’s an artist, not a shoulder to cry on.
Elvis Presley cut off a key member of his entourage because of Colonel Parker
In the mid-1960s, Elvis hired a new barber, Larry Geller. His appearance in Elvis’ life worried Priscilla and the rest of Elvis’ entourage. Geller introduced Elvis to spirituality; soon, it was all the musician could talk about. Parker noticed it, too, and instructed Elvis’ entourage — but primarily Geller — to leave the musician alone.
“‘Elvis should concentrate on his career,’ he said. ‘He’s an artist, not a shoulder to cry on.
- 10/9/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Elvis Presley’s wedding was a rushed, stressful affair that left one of his friends so angry with him that they had a falling out. Red West was one of Elvis’ oldest friends, having met the musician in high school. Despite this, he didn’t snag one of the limited invites to the wedding. While Elvis and Priscilla Presley wanted him at the wedding reception, West refused to attend.
Elvis’ friend felt the musician had snubbed him
When Elvis and Priscilla married, they had to move quickly to avoid crowds of journalists and fans. As a result, they could only include a small number of friends and relatives on their wedding day. One of the people who didn’t make the cut was West.
Later, they hosted a much larger reception at Graceland, but West refused to attend. He felt Elvis snubbed him by not giving him an invite.
Elvis...
Elvis’ friend felt the musician had snubbed him
When Elvis and Priscilla married, they had to move quickly to avoid crowds of journalists and fans. As a result, they could only include a small number of friends and relatives on their wedding day. One of the people who didn’t make the cut was West.
Later, they hosted a much larger reception at Graceland, but West refused to attend. He felt Elvis snubbed him by not giving him an invite.
Elvis...
- 10/8/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
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