Quote:

"Elvis Presley is the greatest cultural force in the 20th century."

(Leonard Bernstein)


Quote:

"If you're an Elvis fan, no explanation is necessary; If you're not an Elvis fan, no explanation is possible."

(George Klein)


Quote:

"For a dead man, Elvis Presley is awfully noisy."

(Professor Gilbert B. Rodman)


Quote:

"History has him as this good old country boy, Elvis is about as country as Bono!"

(Jerry Schilling)


Quote:

"Absolute id crashed into absolute superego...as the uptightset man in America shook hands with just about the loosest."

(Mark Feeney on the 'Elvis meets Nixon' meeting)


Quote:

"Elvis is everywhere"

(Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper)


Quote:

"...especially in the South, they talk about Elvis and Jesus in the same breath"

(Michael Ventura, LA Weekly)


Quote:

"The image is one thing and the human being is another...it's very hard to live up to an image"

 

(Elvis Presley, Madison Square Garden press conference, 1972)


Quote:

"Elvis was a major hero of mine. I was actually stupid enough to believe that having the same birthday as him actually meant something"

(David Bowie)


Quote:

"No-one, but no-one, is his equal, or ever will be. He was, and is supreme"

(Mick Jagger)


Quote:

"I wasn't just a fan, I was his brother...there'll never be another like that soul brother"

(Soul legend, James Brown)


Quote:

"Before Elvis there was nothing!"

(John Lennon)


Quote:

"There were rock 'n' roll records before Heartbreak Hotel, but this was the one that didn't just open the door…it literally blasted the door off its rusted, rotten, anachronistic hinges...producing, no propelling, a fundamental, primordial and unstoppable shift in not only musical, but social, political and cultural history"

(JNP, BBC website)


Quote:

"Elvis, the musician, is largely a relic belonging to the baby boomer generation...Elvis, the icon, is arguably one of the most potent symbols of popular culture"

( Dr. John Walker)


Quote:

"It [rock & roll] was always about Elvis; not just because he was Elvis, but because he was the big star"

(Bono from U2)


Quote:

"If they had let me on white radio stations back then, there never would have been an Elvis"

(Little Richard)


Quote:

"Elvis loved opera, and he especially liked Mario Lanza. He would watch The Student Prince which was set in Heidelberg, over and over again. He loved the power of the big voices. And he loved big orchestras. He liked real dramatic things"

(Marty Lacker in 'Elvis and the Memphis Mafia')


Quote:

"If life was fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead"

(Johnny Carson)


Elvis' #1 Pop Singles on Cashbox, USA:

Heartbreak Hotel (1956)

Don't Be Cruel (1956)

Hound Dog (1956)

Love Me Tender (1956)

Too Much (1957)

All Shook Up (1957)

Teddy Bear (1957)

Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Don't (1958)

Stuck On You (1960)

It's Now Or Never (1960)

Are You Lonesome Tonight? (1960)

Surrender (1961)

Good Luck Charm (1962)

Return To Sender (1962)

In The Ghetto (1969)

Suspicious Minds (1969)

Burning Love (1972)

(The Cashbox chart is now defunct)


Elvis Facts:

Elvis was 5' 11" tall

 

Elvis' natural hair color was dark blond

 

Elvis' blood type was O Positive

 

Elvis' shoe size was 11D

 

One of Elvis'( maternal) ancestors, Morning White Dove (born 1800, died 1835), was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian

 

Elvis' uncle, Noah Presley, became Mayor of East Tupelo on January 7, 1936

 

The Presley family moved to Memphis on November 6, 1948

 

Elvis was issued a Social Security card in September 1950 with the # 409-52-2002

 

In 1954 some of the shows played by Elvis & The Blue Moon Boys were at the Overton Park Shell; the Bel-Air Club; Sleepy-Eyed John's Eagle's Nest Club and the Louisiana Hayride

 

Elvis' first manager was Scotty Moore, then Bob Neal, before signing with Colonel Tom Parker

 

The first DJ to play an Elvis record was Fred Cook (WREC), not Dewey Phillips (WHBQ). However, Dewey had the distinction of being the first DJ to play an Elvis record in its entirety

 

Elvis once dated famous stripper, Tempest Storm

 

Elvis was filmed from the waist up only during his 3rd and final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show

 

In the 50s Elvis was friendly with rising stars, Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner and Ty (Bronco Lane) Hardin

 

Gladys Presley was 46 years old when she died, not 42, as many books suggest

 

The Roustabout album sold 450,000 copies on its initial release, 150,000 copies more than any of the preceding three soundtrack LPs. It was Elvis' last "soundtrack" album to reach #1 on the major album charts in the US

 

Elvis received $1m for filming Harum Scarum (aka Harum Holiday). The film grossed around $2m in the US

 

Elvis and Priscilla married on May 1, 1967

 

They were officially divorced on October 9, 1973

 

Elvis earns nearly $3.5m in 1968 and pays just over $1.4m in income tax

 

Elvis' return to live performing in Las Vegas on July 31, 1969 was in front of an "by invitation only" audience. Stars in attendance included Wayne Newton, Petula Clark, Shirley Bassey, Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickinson

 

On January 9, 1971, the national Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) announced Elvis as one of "The Top Ten Young Men of the Year". Elvis spoke at the official awards ceremony on January 16

 

"Elvis: Aloha From Hawai" made entertainment history on January 14, 1973, when it was beamed around the world by satellite. In the Philippines it drew 91% of the audience, in Hong Kong 70%. The viewing audience was estimated at more than 1 billion

 

For his 4 week Hilton Vegas season in August 1973 Elvis received $610,000

Sales of Elvis' 1973 album, Raised On Rock, were less than 200,000 units on its initial release

 

Elvis paid $2,959,000 in income tax in 1973

 

In December 1976 Elvis was sworn in as a special deputy sheriff of Shelby County (Memphis) by Sheriff Gene Barksdale

 

Elvis' final live concert was in Indianapolis on June 26, 1977

When Elvis died, he and his father Vernon, were embroiled in an FBI investigation called Operation Fountain Pen

More than 1,500 books have been published about The King in more than 30 languages

 

At Dec 2005 Elvis' biggest selling album in the US is the budget priced, Elvis' Christmas Album, with accredited sales of 9 million units (fingers crossed it reaches 10 million to give Elvis his first "Diamond" award)

 

By early2006, Sony BMG's "collectors label", Follow That Dream, had released more than 50 Elvis CDs

 

During the 1980s, tour guides at Graceland stated that Elvis' biggest selling album (globally) was Moody Blue, with sales exceeding 14 million

 

While Sony BMG estimates Elvis' global sales exceed 1 billion, the company is unable to substantiate this figure. Accredited sales worldwide are estimated to be less than 400 million

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DVD Review:

Elvis Presley - Behind-the-Scenes at the Seattle World's Fair

Released by Fisher Television Productions, 2005

Click to view Fair Video website and view a clip from the DVD


"My time at the Seattle World's Fair and particularly with Elvis Presley has always remained dear to my heart"

(Albert Fisher, Emmy Award winning Producer and Director)


In 1962, Seattle became home to two important events: the Seattle World's Fair and as part of it, the filming of Elvis' 13th motion picture, It Happened At The World's Fair.

Then aged 21, Albert Fisher, the man responsible for this release, worked in the TV and Movie Department at the Seattle's World Fair. He was given the role of Technical Advisor for the the filming of Elvis' 13th movie, and granted direct access to Elvis, his co-stars, the crew, and shooting of the film. During the weeks of filming, Albert was on hand with his 8mm home movie camera capturing Elvis and others "off camera".

The fruits of that footage are now available, having been transferred via high quality digital tape to the DVD format. The result is an absorbing documentary account of not only Elvis, but the Seattle World's Fair itself.

With very little candid footage existing of Elvis "off stage", Albert Fisher's video images are a most welcome and important historical record of an informal Elvis Presley...Elvis the man, not necessarily Elvis the performer.

The footage on display includes Elvis, Colonel Parker, Red West, young Kurt Russell, an even younger Vicky Tiu, Joan O'Brien, the impressive Space Needle, director Norman Taurog and Bitsy Mott. There is also footage taken by Albert Fisher of the closing scenes of the movie.

There are many amusing anecdotes told throughout the documentary and a neat trick is revealed on how, during filming of It Happened At The World's Fair, people were made to look skyward as if they were looking at the famous Space Needle which had been built as centerpiece for the Fair.

While watching the DVD we learn plenty of interesting pieces of information. How many of us knew Vicky Tiu went on to become the First Lady of Hawaii or that the Belgian waffle was introduced to Americans during the Seattle World's Fair?

And how many of us knew that Elvis presented the Governor of Washington with a ham, that's right, a ham, from Elvis' own farm? And here we get see the footage of this rather unusual presentation.

And if you want to learn how the Colonel can steal someone's thunder, then this is the DVD to watch. You'll smile when you hear how he trumped Albert Fisher (and while Albert can smile about it now he probably had a much different reaction back in 1963 when It Happened At The World's Fair premiered!)

There is also an interesting photo montage with stills of some of the visitors to the World's Fair. They include Richard Nixon, astronaut John Glenn, singing cowboy husband and wife, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, French star, Maurice Chevalier and England's Prince Philip.

Considering the relatively primitive nature of home movie cameras in 1962 the color footage is surprisingly good. At times it is dark, cloudy or jerky with some specks or other imperfections, but overall it is very watchable...and you will want to watch it!

As home movie cameras didn't have audio in 1962, a very pleasant overlay music soundtrack has been added.

A strength of the documentary is its very smart and tight editing which offers the viewer a well constructed look at both the Seattle World's Fair and Elvis' involvement in it.

Some reviewers have been critical of the relatively high price for this release which has a running time around 28 minutes. However, what price do we put on rare Elvis footage with important historical significance?

 

The disc itself is a quite striking picture disc:

There are two editions of the DVD available:


 

 

Limited Edition: US$44.80 (includes shipping worldwide):

Signed and numbered DVD with Certificate of Authenticity (COA) plus 4 full color never-before-seen photos of Elvis Presley at The Seattle World's Fair in 1962 with Col. Tom Parker, actress Joan O'Brien, actress Ginny Tiu, and others.

Standard Edition:

US$29.95 (includes shipping worldwide)

Verdict: With its rare historical footage, 'Elvis Presley Behind-the-Scenes at the Seattle's World Fair' is one of the more important DVD releases in recent years.

Click to buy the DVD

Click to comment on this review


"It Happened At The World's Fair" Trivia:

Kurt Russell, who played the young boy Elvis hires to kick him in the shins, went on to enjoy a highly successful TV and movie career.

After starring (along side Charles Bronson) in the TV drama, 'The Travels of Jamie McPheeters' , Kurt became one of the Walt Disney Studios most successful teen actors.

As an adult, Kurt was critically acclaimed for his portrayal of Elvis in the 1979 John Carpenter biopic, Elvis. He would again don a white jumpsuit in the violent Vegas heist film, 3000 Miles To Graceland.

Kurt Russell's impressive screen resume includes:

  • 'The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes'
  • 'The Deadly Tower'
  • 'Used Cars'
  • 'The Mean Season'
  • 'Escape From New York'
  • 'Big Trouble In Little China'
  • 'Overboard' (with his real life partner, Goldie Hawn)
  • 'The Thing'
  • 'Stargate'
  • 'Tango & Cash' (with Sylvester Stallone)
  • 'Backdraft'
  • 'Tequila Sunrise' (with Mel Gibson)
  • 'Tombstone' (with Val Kilmer)
  • 'Soldier'
  • 'Vanilla Sky (with Tom Cruise)
  • 'Breakdown'
  • (the critically acclaimed) 'Miracle'
  • (and most recently another Disney production) 'Sky High"
Top 10 Most Popular Pages
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The Top 10 Elvis Releases of 2005
Interview: Billy Smith (Part 2)
Tribute to Charlie Hodge
Bill Burk's Elvis World
DVD Review: The TCB Gang
Lisa Presley's World
FTD Review: Loving You
Almost Elvis
Elvis Conspiracy
 
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Book: Inside Loving You
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DVD: Colonel Parker
Film: Elvis Killed My Brother
CD: Elvis A Legendary Performer Vol. 7
DVD: A Tribute To The King (Scotty Moore)
Book/CD: Memphis Recording Service
Book: Elvis and the Memphis Mafia
CD: All Shook Up (reggae tribute)
Book: The King's Ransom
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'Elvis On Tour Outtakes' DVD review
'Hitstory' CD EIN in depth review
CD: Hitstory (USA edition)
FTD: Summer Festival
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Playboy magazine: In Bed With Elvis
DVD: Born To Rock
Book: Elvis Aaron Presley: A Candle In The Wind
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Book: Desert Storm
Book: Elvis On Stamps
FTD: Elvis Today
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Book: Behind The Image Vol. 2
Book: Elvis on Screen
DVD: Elvis & Me
FTD: All Shook Up
FTD: Tickle Me
CD: Elvis by the Presleys
Book: Warman's Elvis Field Guide
DVD: Why Elvis?
Book: Dewey and Elvis
CD: All Shook Up
Book: Rough Guide to Elvis
FTD: Rockin' Across Texas
FTD: Elvis Is Back
TV Special: "Elvis by the Presleys"
Book: Elvis by the Presleys
Articles
Tribute to Charlie Hodge
The Top 10 Elvis releases of 2005
Wilson Pickett & Elvis
Elvis That's The Way It Is: 1970 vs. 2001
Elvis' Bad Break!
The amazing story of Jimmy (Orion) Ellis
Graceland 2005
Elvis and Las Vegas
The man who bought Elvis (Robert Sillerman)
Presley Commission Report
Paul McCartney on Heartbreak Hotel
Barbara Pittman
Mario Lanza meets Elvis
A Kick Upwards For Elvis' Movies
How Mario Lanza influenced Elvis
Enduring economic power of Elvis
Graceland - the ultimate bachelor pad
Elvis was not a racist!
The Definitive Elvis "blues" album
Elvis on The Creative Edge - Part 2 - The CD
'Elvis Seriously'- Why is Elvis' voice too often ignored
Elvis & Ed Sullivan - The Real Story
It's Over - Gordon Minto on 18 #1's
Elvis - symbol of freedom or not?
The importance of being Elvis
Elvis rules on television! (updated August 2005)
Tribute to Elvis (16 August 2005)
Elvis in the 50s - Maxine Brown
Meeting Elvis & Priscilla
How & where to sell your Elvis collection
Elvis in the 1970s
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"Orion" gunned down!
Elvis Is Back
Elvis - Hero with 1000 faces
Elvis Film Guide
Elvis rules on television! (updated May 2005)
Elvis & other major artists miss out on Grammy Awards
How did Elvis die?
 
Interviews
Ernst Jorgensen on Elvis' record sales
Billy Smith (Part 2)
Billy Smith (Part 1)
Petula Clark
Peter Hardy (star of 'Elvis Killed My Brother')
Ernst Jorgensen (Sirius Radio)
Lamar Fike (Part 2)
Lamar Fike (Part 1)
Marty Lacker (part 2)
Marty Lacker (part 1)
David Bendeth, producer of 'Elvis 30#1s'
Ernst Jorgensen
Ernst Jorgensen & Roger Semon 2002 FTD discussion
Ronald King (Elvis On Stamps)
Bernard Lansky
Albert Wertheimer
Priscilla Presley
Marshall Terrill
Lisa Presley on Larry King Show
Tony Joe White
Stanley Oberst
Bud Glass (part 2)
Red & Sonny West
Ed Bonja (Part 2)
Ernst Jorgensen
Phil Aitcheson (Presley Commission)
 
Audio-visual
Elvis On Tour (Hampton Roads) footage
Elvis On Tour
Graceland cam
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The "Real" Elvis off-stage
Unreleased Elvis audio now online
View EPE Graceland tourism ads
View video of "All Shook Up" opening night on Broadway
"Images In Concert" Photo Database
 
Reference
All about Elvis
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Elvis Week 2005
Links to Elvis' family & friends
Online Elvis Symposium
Sale of EPE "Archives"
6th Elvis Website Survey
Spotlight on The King
"Wikipedia" Elvis bio
 
 

Quote:"Elvis Presley is the supreme socio-cultural icon in the history of pop culture"

(Dr. Gary Enders)


Quote:"Elvis is the 'glue' which holds our society together....which subconciously gives our world meaning"

(Anonymous)


Quote:"Eventually everybody has to die, except Elvis"

(humorist Dave Barry)


Quote:"He is the "Big Bang", and the universe he detonated is still expanding, the pieces are still flying"

(Greil Marcus, "Dead Elvis")


Quote:"I think Elvis Presley will never be solved"

(Nick Tosches)


Quote:"He was the most popular man that ever walked on this planet since Christ himself was here"

(Carl Perkins)


Quote:"When I first heard Elvis' voice I just knew I wasn't going to work for anybody...hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail"

(Bob Dylan)


Quote:"When we were kids growing up in Liverpool, all we ever wanted was to be Elvis Presley"

(Sir Paul McCartney)


Quote:"You can't say enough good things about Elvis. He was one of a kind"

(Johnny Cash)


Quote:"And don't think for one moment he's just a passing fancy....he's got enough of it to keep him on top for a long time"

(R. Fred Arnold, Fury magazine, Aug 1957)


Quote:"It isn't enough to say that Elvis is kind to his parents, sends money home, and is the same unspoiled kid he was before all the commotion began. That still isn't a free ticket to behave like a sex maniac in public"

(Eddie Condon, Cosmopolitan)


Elvis records reaching #2 & #3 on the Cashbox Pop Singles chart:

#2: A Fool Such As I (1959)#2: A Big Hunk Of Love (1959) #3: Hard Headed Woman (1958)#3: One Night (1958)

#3: (You're The Devil) In Disguise (1963)


Elvis Facts:

Tickets for Elvis' show on March 29, 1957 in St. Louis cost $2.00 to $2.50While in Germany Elvis was hospitalised with tonsillitis in October 1959Despite being an illegal immigrant, photographic evidence shows Colonel Tom Parker traveled to Canada with Elvis in 1957 Elvis strongly believed there weren't enough good songs in King Creole to justify releasing a soundtrack album. RCA initially agreed, releasing two very successful EPs from the movie. A soundtrack LP eventually followedDuring the 1960s Elvis had his own football team, Elvis Presley Enterprises, which played in the Menphis touch football league. In the 1962 final, EPE narrowlt lost to Delta Automatic Transmission. 6-13In Clambake, (Elvis) Scott Hayward's driving licence shows February 23, 1940...taking 5 years off Elvis' real ageIn the 1970s Elvis was ofered $5m to stage a concert in front of the Pyramids in Egypt. When the Colonel declined the offer, Saudi billionaires raised the offer to $10m