ELVIS FOREVER (TV)
Summary
This biographical special features clips and interviews with friends and associates of legendary musician Elvis Presley.
Born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935, young Presley developed an early interest in music, particularly the "taboo" styles of African-American artists. Sun Records head Sam Phillips recalls the day when 18-year-old Presley entered his studio and recorded a version of "That's All Right, Mama," the popularity of which led to appearances on the local Louisiana Hayride show. Thanks to the efforts of his new manager "Colonel" Tom Parker, it also was heard on the nationally televised "Stage Show" program. Ray Manzarek of The Doors recalls hearing Presley's powerful and innovative sound for the first time. Presley eventually departed Sun Records for RCA and appeared on the "Milton Berle Show," prompting criticisms of his "too sexy" demeanor and revealing dance moves. TV host Steve Allen "polished" Presley's reputation by having him sing his song "Hound Dog" to an actual canine, and family-friendly host Ed Sullivan gave the young singer his official approval when he appeared on his program in 1956.
Wanting to emulate brooding actors like James Dean and Tony Curtis, Presley began making motion pictures like "Love Me Tender" (1956) and "Loving You" (1957), the latter of which was loosely based on his own life. His movies enjoyed great success and Presley was able to fulfill his longtime promise of purchasing a new home for his mother, though he repeatedly voiced doubts about his own acting abilities. Drummer D.J. Fontana describes writing "Jailhouse Rock," then used in the 1957 film on the fly, and Presley found his personal favorite character in "King Creole" (1958), a role intended, ironically enough, for James Dean prior to his 1955 death. Production was interrupted when Presley was drafted into the Army, and then-girlfriend Anita Wood recalls his private devastation when his mother Gladys died in August 1958. In Germany, Presley met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, though assured Wood that he was merely friends with the "child." He returned to America in 1960 and resumed his acting career, though Parker prevented him from taking on more "hoodlum" roles, including a potential part in the musical "West Side Story" (1961). He performed in a "Welcome Home Elvis" concert alongside Frank Sinatra and then appeared in the "red, white and blue" musical "G.I. Blues" (1960), followed by "Blue Hawaii" (1961), another one of his personal favorites, which featured one of his greatest hit songs, "Can't Help Falling in Love."
Presley enjoyed a brief romance with actress Ann-Margret, known for the Presley-inspired comedy musical "Bye Bye Birdie" (1963), and he eventually married Beaulieu in 1967, welcoming daughter Lisa Marie a year later. Despite his personal happiness, he grew frustrated with his string of "hokey" movies and wished to pursue more hard-edged action pictures, like the Clint Eastwood-esque "Charro!" (1969). His televised 1968 "comeback special" helped to restore some of his lost confidence in performing for live audiences, and "Change of Habit" (1969) became his final acting role as he turned his attention back to performing music. Amid infidelity on both sides, Presley and Priscilla divorced in 1972, a loss that was reflected in his many heartbreak-themed songs, but he then achieved another milestone with the world's first live satellite concert, "Aloha From Hawaii." Barbra Streisand offered him the lead role in her remake of "A Star is Born" (1976) and Presley was elated at the idea of the serious, meaningful acting part, but Parker intervened and prevented the deal; the role eventually went to Kris Kristofferson.
The emotional toll of his divorce and professional setbacks caused Presley to turn to prescription drugs as a "Band Aid," and the world was shocked when he suffered a fatal heart attack in August 1977 at his home in Memphis and died at the age of 42. Friends and associates reflect on his extreme generosity with his wealth throughout his lifetime, noting that his songs and image have proved enduringly popular in the decades since his death. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WGBH Boston, MA
- DATE: November 30, 1999 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:55:11
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:77025
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Public affairs/Documentaries; Biography; Musicians
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV, 2002
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Dante J. Pugliese … Executive Producer
- Steve Stoliar … Producer, Director, Writer
- Ettore Botta … Assistant Producer
- Byron De Lear … Music by
- Phil Gough … Music by
- Sean Carlos Larkin … Narrator
- Sam Phillips … Interviewee
- Ray Manzarek … Interviewee
- D.J. Fontana … Interviewee
- Anita Wood … Interviewee
- Steve Allen
- Ann-Margret
- Tony Curtis
- James Dean
- Doors, The
- Clint Eastwood
- Kris Kristofferson
- Tom Parker (see also: Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk)
- Elvis Presley
- Gladys Presley
- Lisa Marie Presley
- Priscilla Presley (see also: Priscilla Beaulieu)
- Frank Sinatra
- Barbra Streisand
- Ed Sullivan