197 Fun Facts About Elvis Presley

Which network aired Presley's 1968 comeback special?

NBC aired the special, officially titled 'Singer Presents... Elvis', on 3 December 1968; it returned him to live performance after years of films and led to the Las Vegas residency.

Which record label first signed Elvis Presley?

Sun Records owner Sam Phillips signed him in July 1954; Sun sold his contract to RCA Victor in November 1955, and RCA reissued his Sun sides within weeks.

Who was Elvis Presley's long-time manager?

Colonel Tom Parker did the RCA deal and stayed in charge for the rest of his client's life.

By what popular moniker was Elvis Presley often known?

Elvis disliked being called the King of Rock and Roll, once pointing at Fats Domino and calling him the real king.

Elvis Presley's mansion Graceland, bought in 1957, stands in which city?

Graceland sits on Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis, Tennessee; he bought the 13.8-acre estate in March 1957 for $102,500.

In which small Mississippi town was Elvis Presley born on 8 January 1935?

Elvis was born in a two-room shotgun house in Tupelo, Mississippi, built by his father Vernon; the family moved to Memphis in 1948.

Elvis Presley's twin, stillborn 35 minutes before him, was named what?

Jesse Garon Presley was delivered stillborn shortly before Elvis Aaron on 8 January 1935; the loss shaped a lifelong closeness between Elvis and his mother, Gladys.

In March 1958, at the height of his early fame, Elvis Presley was drafted into which branch of the US armed forces?

The Army inducted him at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas. He donated his service pay to charity and relaunched his recording career two years later.

In what year did Elvis Presley die?

Elvis Presley died on 16 August 1977 at Graceland, aged 42, after being found unresponsive in his bathroom that afternoon.

Which January 1956 song was Presley's first RCA Victor single and first million-seller?

He cut it on 10 January 1956 with the Blue Moon Boys, joined by guitarist Chet Atkins and pianist Floyd Cramer.

Which Arthur Crudup blues number became Elvis's first single at Sun in July 1954?

'That's All Right' came about on 5 July 1954 when Elvis launched into the Crudup song during a break and Sam Phillips began taping; Sun released it on 19 July 1954.

Which two Memphis musicians backed Elvis on guitar and upright bass at his first Sun sessions?

Sam Phillips invited them in; the trio played publicly for the first time at Memphis's Bon Air club on 17 July 1954.

For what then-unprecedented sum did RCA Victor buy Elvis's Sun contract in November 1955?

RCA paid $40,000 in all: $35,000 to Sun plus a $5,000 bonus to Elvis for back royalties, far above Atlantic's $25,000 offer; RCA reissued his Sun sides within weeks.

On whose 1956 TV show did Elvis sing 'Hound Dog' to a basset hound in a top hat?

That Sunday broadcast beat Ed Sullivan in the ratings, and Sullivan, who had called Elvis 'unfit for family viewing', soon booked him anyway.

For how many weeks did Elvis's 'Don't Be Cruel'/'Hound Dog' top the charts in 1956, a record for 36 years?

The double-sided single held number one for eleven weeks, a record until Boyz II Men's 'End of the Road' in 1992; both sides were cut on 2 July 1956, the day after the Steve Allen show.

What was Elvis's 1956 film debut called before it was renamed Love Me Tender?

The Reno Brothers, a Civil War western, was retitled Love Me Tender after the ballad drew a million advance orders following his first Ed Sullivan appearance; Elvis was billed below Richard Egan and Debra Paget.

Which 'Million Dollar Quartet' member joined Elvis, Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis in 1956 but left before taping?

The recordings stayed secret for decades until a bootleg surfaced in 1980.

How many rooms did Graceland have when Elvis bought it in March 1957?

Graceland had 18 rooms when Elvis bought it for $102,500 in March 1957; his later additions brought it to 23 rooms, including eight bedrooms.

While serving in the US Army in Germany, the 24-year-old Elvis met Priscilla Beaulieu, who was how old?

They met in Bad Nauheim; he proposed shortly before Christmas 1966 and they married in May 1967 at Las Vegas's Aladdin Hotel.

Elvis's first Grammy Award was for which 1967 gospel album?

How Great Thou Art won Best Sacred Performance at the 1968 Grammys; all three of his competitive Grammys were for gospel, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1971 at 36.

On 21 December 1970 Elvis engineered a meeting with President Nixon and asked him for what?

He believed he could reach out to hippies and fight the drug culture; Nixon reportedly found the encounter awkward.

Elvis's 1973 Aloha from Hawaii show was a milestone of what kind?

It came the year his marriage to Priscilla ended; the same era's 'Burning Love' was his last US top-ten pop hit.

The 1969 single that became Elvis's first US pop number one in over seven years, and his last, was what?

All four came from his American Sound Studio sessions in Memphis after the comeback special.

Elvis's landmark 1969 Las Vegas residency, 57 shows in four weeks, was at which brand-new hotel?

The International Hotel had opened only weeks earlier; owner Kirk Kerkorian flew rock journalists in from New York on his own plane for Elvis's 31 July 1969 debut.

Costume designer Bill Belew based Elvis's famous jumpsuit stage look on the singer's passion for what?

Elvis had studied karate in Germany with Jürgen Seydel and worked moves into his live shows.

Elvis's father Vernon was jailed for eight months in 1938 for what offence?

The family lost their home as a result and often relied on neighbours and government food assistance.

Lansky Brothers, the Memphis clothier young Elvis admired, stood on which famous street?

Lansky Brothers stood at 126 Beale Street; founder Bernard Lansky sold the teenage Elvis his flashy early clothes, and the shop later supplied the suit he was buried in.

Into which Memphis public housing project did the Presleys move in 1949?

The Presleys moved into Lauderdale Courts, a public housing complex near downtown Memphis, in 1949; Elvis practised guitar there and the family stayed until early 1953.

The 1972 MGM concert film Elvis on Tour won which award?

A Golden Globe for Best Documentary Film went to the tour movie. An earlier MGM documentary, Elvis: That's the Way It Is, had captured his 1970 Las Vegas shows.

In 2018 Elvis was posthumously awarded which US honour?

Donald Trump awarded Elvis the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2018; he had earlier been inducted into the rock and roll, country and gospel halls of fame.

Elvis's manager, "Colonel" Tom Parker, was secretly a native of which country?

Born Andreas van Kuijk in Breda, he got his honorary colonelcy from Louisiana governor Jimmie Davis for campaign help.

After Elvis's only Grand Ole Opry appearance in 1954, Jim Denny said he was 'not bad' but what?

Opry manager Jim Denny told Sam Phillips the singer 'did not suit the program'; it was Elvis's only Opry appearance, and within two weeks he found a home on a rival Saturday-night radio show.

What nickname did the 1956 press give the singer for his hip movements, which he dismissed as 'childish'?

'Elvis the Pelvis' was coined after the slow, grinding 'Hound Dog' on Milton Berle's show in June 1956; Elvis called it 'one of the most childish expressions I ever heard, comin' from an adult'.

Sam Phillips gave what name to the jury-rigged echo effect used on Elvis's Sun recordings?

Phillips called the effect 'slapback': a second tape machine fed the signal back a fraction of a second late, giving the Sun records their distinctive echo.

What grade did eighth-grader Elvis earn in music at Humes High School?

Elvis got a C in music in eighth grade; by his 1953 graduation he had nonetheless chosen music, having sung a Teresa Brewer hit in the Humes minstrel show to loud applause.

To what rank had Elvis been promoted by February 1960, a month before his Army discharge?

He notched ten top-40 hits while in uniform, including the number one 'A Big Hunk o' Love'.

What was Elvis's only US top-ten hit between 1964 and 1968, a gospel number recorded in 1960?

Guided by Parker he spent the decade on Hollywood films and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided.

Which 1969 From Elvis in Memphis single reached number three, his first non-gospel top ten since 1963?

It was his first secular non-soundtrack album from a dedicated studio period in eight years.

What song did the 10-year-old Elvis sing at his first public performance, a 1945 fair contest?

He recalled placing fifth; a few months later he got his first guitar for his birthday.

Which radio performer showed the 12-year-old Elvis chord techniques and booked him for on-air spots?

Mississippi Slim, a country singer on Tupelo's WELO, taught him chord techniques and booked two on-air spots; Elvis was so stage-struck the first time that he only performed the following week.

Which two brothers, future rockabilly pioneers, played in Elvis's teenage musical circle in Memphis?

Johnny and Dorsey Burnette, who went on to form the Rock and Roll Trio, jammed with Elvis in Memphis; neighbour Lee Denson had tutored him on guitar from 1950.

Which Teresa Brewer song did Elvis sing at the 1953 Humes High minstrel show?

Elvis sang 'Till I Waltz Again with You' at the Humes Annual Minstrel show in April 1953; he said the performance made him popular at school almost overnight.

Which Southern gospel singer most influenced Elvis's ballad style?

Jake Hess, lead singer of the Statesmen Quartet, strongly shaped Elvis's ballad style; Elvis attended all-night gospel singings at Ellis Auditorium, and Hess sang at his funeral in 1977.

What two songs did Elvis record on his first paid acetate at Memphis Recording Service in 1953?

In summer 1953 he paid about $4 to cut 'My Happiness' and 'That's When Your Heartaches Begin', saying it was a gift for his mother, though biographer Peter Guralnick thinks he hoped to be discovered.

Which vocal quartet rejected the young Elvis at an audition in 1954?

The Songfellows, a Memphis gospel quartet, turned him down, reportedly saying he could not sing harmony; he also failed an audition for Eddie Bond's band that year.

Which Memphis DJ first played 'That's All Right' on his Red, Hot, and Blue show?

Dewey Phillips played 'That's All Right' repeatedly on WHBQ's Red, Hot, and Blue and asked Elvis on air which high school he attended, so listeners would know he was white.

Which Bill Monroe bluegrass song did Elvis Presley record in his own style as the B-side of his first single?

'Blue Moon of Kentucky' got Sam Phillips's jury-rigged 'slapback' echo, the same treatment that gave the A-side its sound.

Where in Memphis did Elvis, Scotty and Bill play their first public show on July 17, 1954?

The trio's first public show was at the Bon Air club on 17 July 1954; at the Overton Park Shell on 30 July, Elvis's leg-shaking drew the screams that became his trademark.

Which Memphis DJ and promoter became the first manager of Elvis's trio?

Bob Neal, a WMPS disc jockey, became the trio's manager in January 1955 and booked shows across the South; by summer he had brought Elvis to Colonel Parker's attention.

On which radio show did Elvis sign a year's worth of Saturday appearances in November 1954?

The Louisiana Hayride, broadcast from Shreveport on 198 stations in 28 states, signed Elvis to a year of Saturday-night appearances in November 1954.

How much did Elvis pay for the Martin guitar he bought after joining the Hayride radio show?

He paid $175 for a Martin D-18, trading in his old guitar for just $8; he stuck the letters ELVIS on the Martin's top in adhesive lettering.

Which CBS amateur showcase turned Elvis down at an audition in early 1955?

He had already made his TV debut on the Louisiana Hayride broadcast.

Which of these was NOT one of Elvis's early billings?

'The Tupelo Tornado' was never used; he was billed as 'The King of Western Bop', 'The Hillbilly Cat' and 'The Memphis Flash' while his country-R&B blend made DJs on both sides reluctant to play him.

Which rock pioneer advised Elvis to sing fewer ballads after touring with him in 1955?

Bill Haley, whose 'Rock Around the Clock' had topped the charts that summer, toured with Elvis in October 1955 and advised him to sing fewer ballads.

Why did Vernon Presley sign his son's RCA contract in November 1955?

Three other labels had offered up to $25,000 before RCA paid $40,000.

Which two publishing entities were set up to handle the singer's new material?

Hill & Range set up Elvis Presley Music and Gladys Music, the latter named for his mother; songwriters gave up a third of their royalties to have Elvis record their songs.

Which guitarist joined Elvis's first RCA session in Nashville in January 1956?

Pianist Floyd Cramer and Gordon Stoker of the Jordanaires were also there.

Which CBS program, hosted by the Dorsey brothers, gave Elvis his first national TV exposure?

Stage Show, the Dorsey brothers' CBS variety program, gave him six appearances between 28 January and 24 March 1956, his first national television exposure.

Which Sun recording topped Billboard's C&W chart in February 1956?

'I Forgot to Remember to Forget', released by Sun in August 1955 as the flip side of 'Mystery Train', reached number one on Billboard's country chart in February 1956, Elvis's first national chart-topper.

For how many weeks did Elvis's self-titled debut album top the Billboard chart?

The album Elvis Presley, released in March 1956, spent ten weeks at number one on Billboard's pop album chart, the first rock and roll album to reach the top.

On which ship's deck did Elvis perform his first Milton Berle Show appearance?

His first Milton Berle Show appearance, on April 3, 1956, was broadcast from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hancock in San Diego, where sailors and their dates screamed through the set.

At which Las Vegas venue did Elvis's poorly received first residency take place in 1956?

Elvis's two-week booking at the New Frontier Hotel in April 1956 fell flat with its older crowd; Newsweek likened him to 'a jug of corn liquor at a champagne party'.

Which studio signed Elvis to a seven-year film contract in 1956?

Elvis signed a seven-year contract with Paramount Pictures in April 1956 after a screen test; his actual debut, Love Me Tender, was made on loan to 20th Century Fox.

Whose Vegas lounge act inspired Elvis to add 'Hound Dog' to his set?

During his April 1956 Las Vegas booking Elvis repeatedly watched Freddie Bell and the Bellboys' comic lounge version of 'Hound Dog', whose reworked lyrics he adopted for his own hit.

Which city's Catholic newspaper warned J. Edgar Hoover that Elvis endangered US security?

The La Crosse Register, a Wisconsin Catholic diocesan paper, wrote to J. Edgar Hoover in May 1956 calling Elvis a danger to US security, citing two high-school girls with his autograph on their abdomen and thigh.

Who hosted Elvis's first Ed Sullivan Show appearance while Sullivan recovered from a car crash?

Actor Charles Laughton hosted the September 9, 1956 broadcast while Sullivan recovered from a car accident; about 60 million viewers, a record 82.6 percent of the TV audience, watched Elvis.

How much did Ed Sullivan pay Elvis for three appearances in 1956?

After declaring Elvis 'unfit for family viewing', Ed Sullivan booked him for three appearances in 1956–57 at an unprecedented $50,000.

What judicial ruling did Elvis mock in Jacksonville in 1956 by wiggling only his finger?

In August 1956 a Jacksonville juvenile-court judge ordered Elvis to tame his act; he stood nearly still through the shows, mocking the order by wiggling only his little finger.

Which spiritual did Elvis close his final Ed Sullivan appearance with in January 1957?

On January 6, 1957, shot only from the waist up, Elvis closed his third and last Ed Sullivan Show appearance with the gospel song 'Peace in the Valley'; Sullivan called him 'a real decent, fine boy'.

Which three Elvis singles all topped the US chart in 1957?

'Too Much', 'All Shook Up' and '(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear' each reached number one on Billboard's chart between February and July 1957; 'Jailhouse Rock' followed them to the top in October.

On what were Elvis records bootlegged in Leningrad, according to The New York Times?

A 1957 New York Times report said Leningrad bootleggers pressed Elvis records onto discarded X-ray plates, the so-called 'bone music' that Soviet fans paid high prices for.

What did Elvis call the songwriting duo Leiber and Stoller?

Elvis came to call Leiber and Stoller his 'good-luck charm' after their 'Hound Dog' topped the chart for him in 1956; the pair went on to write songs for his next films.

Which crooner branded rock and roll a 'rancid-smelling aphrodisiac' in 1957?

Frank Sinatra called rock and roll 'a rancid-smelling aphrodisiac' in a 1957 magazine piece; Elvis replied that he admired Sinatra but 'he shouldn't have said it'.

Which innuendo-laden blues did Leiber and Stoller write on the spot for Elvis' Christmas Album?

Leiber and Stoller wrote the innuendo-laden blues 'Santa Claus Is Back in Town' on the spot at the September 1957 Radio Recorders sessions for Elvis' Christmas Album, released that October.

Which film's completion earned Elvis a draft deferment in late 1957?

Elvis received a 60-day draft deferment in December 1957 to finish filming King Creole; he was inducted at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, on March 24, 1958.

At which Texas base did Elvis do basic and advanced training in 1958?

Elvis did basic and advanced training at Fort Hood, Texas, from March to September 1958, temporarily assigned to a tank battalion of the 37th Armor, before shipping to West Germany.

At what age did Elvis's mother Gladys die in August 1958?

Gladys Presley, born in April 1912, died of heart failure on August 14, 1958, aged 46, shortly after a hepatitis diagnosis; Elvis was on emergency leave from basic training.

What was Elvis's Army specialty in West Germany?

Elvis served as an armor intelligence specialist with the 3rd Armored Division at Ray Barracks in Friedberg, West Germany, from October 1958 until March 1960.

With whom did Elvis begin studying karate while in Germany?

Karate later featured in his stage act and jumpsuit design.

In which German town did Elvis meet Priscilla Beaulieu?

Elvis met Priscilla Beaulieu in September 1959 at the house he rented in Bad Nauheim, near his Friedberg base; they married in May 1967 after a courtship of seven and a half years.

Which 1959 single gave Elvis a US number one while he was in the Army?

'A Big Hunk o' Love', cut in Nashville on a June 1958 furlough and released in June 1959, spent two weeks atop the Hot 100 that August while Elvis was stationed in West Germany.

What was Elvis's first post-Army single, a rushed number one in 1960?

Elvis cut 'Stuck on You' in Nashville on March 20, 1960, two weeks after his discharge; RCA rushed it out within days and it reached number one in April.

Which saxophonist's 'demonic' playing features on Elvis Is Back!?

Nashville session player Boots Randolph played saxophone on Elvis Is Back!, the April 1960 album recorded within weeks of Elvis's discharge, including the bluesy 'Reconsider Baby'.

How much did Parker secure for Elvis's eight minutes on the 1960 Welcome Home Elvis TV special?

Parker negotiated $125,000 for Elvis's eight minutes on Frank Sinatra's Timex special 'Welcome Home Elvis', taped at Miami's Fontainebleau in March 1960 and aired that May.

What was Elvis's first gospel LP, released in late 1960?

His Hand in Mine, cut in a single October 1960 Nashville session and released at the end of that year, was Elvis's first gospel LP; it reached number 13 on the pop album chart.

What was Elvis's last public performance before a seven-year hiatus, in March 1961?

He would not perform live again until the 1968 comeback special.

Which two more dramatic Elvis films underperformed, sending him back to formula musicals?

Flaming Star (1960) and Wild in the Country (1961), both straight dramas with few songs, earned far less than his musicals, so Elvis was steered back into formula pictures for the rest of the decade.

Which producer said 'A Presley picture is the only sure thing in Hollywood'?

Wallis produced nine of Elvis's films.

How many films did Elvis make during the 1960s?

Elvis made 27 films in the 1960s, starting with G.I. Blues in 1960 and often running three a year; 15 of them were accompanied by soundtrack albums.

Where did Elvis and Priscilla marry on May 1, 1967?

Elvis and Priscilla married in a brief ceremony in a suite at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas on May 1, 1967; Lisa Marie was born nine months to the day later.

Which soundtrack album stalled at number 82 shortly before the '68 comeback?

The Speedway soundtrack, released in June 1968, stalled at number 82 on the album chart; only two of Elvis's eight singles issued between January 1967 and May 1968 had even reached the top 40.

Who directed the '68 Comeback Special, defying Parker's plan for an hour of Christmas songs?

Director Steve Binder, backed by producer Bob Finkel, replaced Parker's planned hour of Christmas carols with a full performance show; aired December 3, 1968, it captured 42 percent of the viewing audience.

What was Elvis wearing during the live segments of the '68 Comeback Special?

For the special's live sit-down segments Elvis wore a tight black leather suit designed by Bill Belew; critic Jon Landau wrote that his moves must have made Jim Morrison 'green with envy'.

Which single written for the '68 special reached number 12 in early 1969?

'If I Can Dream', written by Earl Brown for the special's finale, was released in November 1968 and reached number 12 on the Hot 100 in January 1969, Elvis's highest placing in more than three years.

Where in Memphis did Elvis record From Elvis in Memphis in 1969?

From Elvis in Memphis was cut at Chips Moman's American Sound Studio in January and February 1969, Elvis's first Memphis sessions since his Sun days; the same dates produced 'Suspicious Minds'.

Which guitarist led Elvis's new band for the 1969 Las Vegas residency?

Moore, Fontana and the Jordanaires had declined to leave their Nashville session work.

Whom did Elvis point to as 'the real king of rock and roll' at a 1969 press conference?

Domino was in the room when a journalist called Elvis 'The King'.

What annual salary did the International Hotel agree to pay Elvis in his five-year deal?

After the July 1969 run, the International Hotel signed Elvis to a five-year contract at $1 million a year for two engagements annually, each February and August.

What was Elvis's final non-concert film, released in November 1969?

In Change of Habit, released in November 1969, Elvis played a ghetto doctor opposite Mary Tyler Moore's undercover nun; his only later films were concert documentaries.

Which venue hosted six record-breaking Elvis shows in February 1970?

Elvis played six shows at the Houston Astrodome during the 1970 Livestock Show and Rodeo, February 27 to March 1, setting attendance records for the venue.

What weapons did Elvis carry on stage after a 1970 death threat in Las Vegas?

The FBI took the $50,000 extortion threat seriously.

What was the Grammy Lifetime Achievement honour called when Elvis received it in 1971?

In 1971 the Recording Academy gave Elvis, then 36, its lifetime honour, known at the time as the Bing Crosby Award; earlier recipients included Crosby himself, Sinatra, Duke Ellington and Irving Berlin.

Which 1971 concept album focused on genre standards and pleased critics most?

Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old), released in January 1971, was a concept album of country standards that drew his best reviews of the period; his biggest seller that year was a second Christmas album.

How many consecutive sold-out shows did Elvis play at Madison Square Garden in June 1972?

Elvis played four consecutive sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden from June 9 to 11, 1972; the June 10 evening concert was released as a live LP within about a week and sold heavily.

Which one-time Memphis beauty queen moved in with Elvis after his 1972 separation?

Linda Thompson, a Memphis songwriter and Miss Tennessee Universe 1972, moved in with Elvis in July 1972 after his February 23 separation from Priscilla, and stayed until late 1976.

Which charity benefited from the Aloha from Hawaii concerts?

The January 1973 shows raised about $75,000 for the Kui Lee Cancer Fund, named for the Hawaiian songwriter of 'I'll Remember You', which Elvis performed in the concert.

What image adorned the cape Elvis spread at the end of Aloha from Hawaii?

The cape of Elvis's Aloha jumpsuit bore a studded American eagle with outstretched wings; Bobbie Ann Mason wrote that as he spreads it at the show's end 'he becomes a god figure'.

How many concerts did Elvis play in 1973, his busiest year?

Elvis played 168 concerts in 1973, his busiest year; he also overdosed twice on barbiturates and ended the year hospitalised in Memphis, semi-comatose from a Demerol (pethidine) addiction.

Which three bodyguards were fired by Vernon Presley in July 1976?

Vernon Presley fired Red West, Sonny West and David Hebler in July 1976; their tell-all Elvis: What Happened?, published on August 1, 1977, exposed the singer's drug use two weeks before he died.

Which 1974 album's 'How Great Thou Art' won Presley his third and final Grammy?

The live 'How Great Thou Art' on Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis, cut in March 1974, won the 1975 Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance; all three of his competitive Grammys were for gospel recordings.

Where was Elvis's final concert held on June 26, 1977?

Elvis's last concert was at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis on June 26, 1977; CBS had taped his Omaha and Rapid City shows days earlier for the TV special Elvis in Concert.

What was Elvis's last single released in his lifetime?

'Way Down', issued in June 1977, was the last single released in Elvis's lifetime; within weeks of his death it topped both the US country chart and the UK singles chart.

What did Elvis rent for his last public appearance in the early hours of August 8, 1977?

In the early hours of August 8, 1977 Elvis rented Memphis's Libertyland amusement park for Ginger Alden's family and about ten friends, riding his favourite Zippin Pippin roller coaster; it was his last public outing.

Where was Elvis due to fly on the evening of August 16, 1977, to begin a tour?

Elvis was scheduled to fly out of Memphis on the evening of August 16, 1977 to open a tour in Portland, Maine, the next day; Ginger Alden found him unresponsive on his bathroom floor that afternoon.

Where was Elvis pronounced dead at 3:30 pm?

Elvis was rushed from Graceland to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, where he was pronounced dead at 3:30 pm on August 16, 1977, aged 42.

Which magazine ran a secretly taken photo of Elvis in his casket on its best-selling issue ever?

The National Enquirer's cover photo of Elvis in his casket, snapped secretly by cousin Billy Mann for $18,000, made that issue the tabloid's best-selling ever at about 6.5 million copies.

Where was Elvis first buried before being moved to Graceland's Meditation Garden?

Elvis was entombed beside his mother at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis; after an attempted body theft in late August, both were moved to Graceland's Meditation Garden on October 2, 1977.

Which medical examiner declared 'drugs played no role' in Elvis's death before the autopsy was complete?

Shelby County medical examiner Jerry Francisco told the press that 'drugs played no role' in Elvis's death; toxicology later found fourteen drugs in his system, ten in significant quantity.

Roughly how many doses did Dr Nichopoulos prescribe in Elvis's name in the first eight months of 1977?

Investigators found Dr George Nichopoulos had prescribed more than 10,000 doses of sedatives, amphetamines and narcotics in Elvis's name in the first eight months of 1977; acquitted at trial in 1981, he lost his licence for good in 1995.

In which year was Elvis inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Elvis was in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's inaugural class, inducted on January 23, 1986 alongside Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles and Buddy Holly, among others.

Which Elvis remix by Junkie XL topped charts in over 20 countries during a 2002 Nike campaign?

Junkie XL's remix of 'A Little Less Conversation', used in Nike's 2002 World Cup ad, topped the charts in more than 20 countries and helped the compilation ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits debut at number one on the Billboard 200.

How many of Elvis's earlier UK number ones were reissued in 2005, most hitting the top five again?

RCA reissued eighteen of Elvis's earlier UK number ones week by week in early 2005; 'Jailhouse Rock', 'One Night' and 'It's Now or Never' all returned to number one and most of the rest made the top five.

How much did Forbes estimate Elvis's estate earned in 2010, his 75th-birthday year?

Forbes put the Presley estate's 2010 earnings at $60 million, second among deceased celebrities that year, boosted by 75th-birthday events and Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis show in Las Vegas.

Which private jet of Elvis's sold at auction for $260,000 in January 2023?

Elvis's 1962 Lockheed JetStar, parked in Roswell, New Mexico for four decades, sold at Mecum's Kissimmee auction in January 2023 for $260,000; his better-known Convair 880 was named Lisa Marie.

What is the title of the 2025 documentary built from Luhrmann's rediscovered Vegas footage?

It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

At what age did Elvis receive his first guitar?

Two uncles and a church pastor gave him lessons.

On which single did Elvis play lead guitar?

He first played lead electric guitar in public during the '68 special.

Which Neapolitan song is 'It's Now or Never' based on?

'It's Now or Never' sets new English lyrics to the 1898 Neapolitan song 'O sole mio, which Elvis knew through Tony Martin's 1949 'There's No Tomorrow'; the single sold an estimated 20 million copies worldwide.

Which 1955 song does critic Dave Marsh credit with introducing Elvis's 'vocal stutter'?

Dave Marsh credits the 1955 Sun side 'Baby Let's Play House', with its stammered 'ba-ba-ba-baby', as the record that introduced the 'vocal stutter' that became an Elvis trademark.

How does critic Henry Pleasants classify Elvis's voice type?

In The Great American Popular Singers, Henry Pleasants classed Elvis as a high baritone with a range of two octaves and a third, from a baritone's low G to a tenor's high B.

Which magazine started the discredited 1957 rumour that Elvis had made a racist remark about shining shoes?

The shoeshine remark first surfaced in a 1957 Sepia magazine piece on Black opinion of Elvis; Jet reporter Louie Robinson then investigated and found no evidence it was ever said.

Which soul singer said 'almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis'?

Jackie Wilson, whose own stage moves Elvis admired, said that 'almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis'; Elvis in turn credited rhythm and blues and gospel as rock and roll's roots.

How large is the Graceland estate?

It sits on Elvis Presley Boulevard about nine miles south of central Memphis.

On what date did Graceland open to the public as a museum?

Graceland opened for public tours on June 7, 1982, after Priscilla Presley, as estate executor, chose to open the house to cover its upkeep; it draws roughly 600,000 visitors a year.

What distinction did Graceland earn on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991?

It became a National Historic Landmark in 2006, another first for a rock site.

Who became sole owner of Graceland after Lisa Marie Presley's death in 2023?

Lisa Marie had inherited it when she turned 25.

What was Colonel Tom Parker's birth name?

He entered the US illegally at 20 and claimed to be American-born.

How did Parker acquire the honorary rank of 'colonel'?

The Louisiana State Guard awarded the title.

Which crooner did Parker work with when he moved into music promotion in 1938?

Parker's first music job, in 1938, was promoting the crooner Gene Austin, then past his 'My Blue Heaven' prime; he went on to manage country stars Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow.

Which film series featured Priscilla Presley as Jane Spencer?

She also played Jenna Wade on Dallas.

What was Priscilla Presley's birth surname?

Her father, a Navy pilot, died in a plane crash when she was five months old.

Which pop star was Lisa Marie Presley married to from 1994 to 1996?

Lisa Marie Presley married Michael Jackson in the Dominican Republic in May 1994, twenty days after her divorce from Danny Keough became final; they divorced in 1996.

Who played Priscilla in Sofia Coppola's 2023 film Priscilla?

Cailee Spaeny played Priscilla in Sofia Coppola's Priscilla (2023), winning the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival; Jacob Elordi played Elvis.

Which two actors were reportedly beaten by Austin Butler for the lead in Elvis (2022)?

Miles Teller and Harry Styles were reported as the main rivals for the part before Austin Butler was cast in July 2019; Butler went on to win a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for the role.

Why was filming of Elvis (2022) halted in March 2020?

Production on the Gold Coast, Australia was suspended on March 12, 2020 after Tom Hanks, playing Colonel Parker, tested positive for COVID-19; filming had begun that January and resumed in September.

Which 1961 Elvis film features 'Can't Help Falling in Love'?

In Blue Hawaii, Chad would rather be a tour guide than run the family fruit company. Norman Taurog directed.

Who co-starred with Elvis in Viva Las Vegas, with famous on-screen chemistry?

Ann-Margret played swimming instructor Rusty Martin opposite Elvis's racing driver Lucky Jackson in Viva Las Vegas (1964); their off-screen romance fed the film's famous chemistry.

Who wrote the song 'Viva Las Vegas'?

Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, who also gave Elvis 'Little Sister' and '(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame', wrote 'Viva Las Vegas' for the 1964 film; it has become the city's unofficial anthem.

Why did Elvis reportedly never watch his 1957 prison film?

Co-star Judy Tyler, who played Peggy Van Alden, died in a car crash on July 3, 1957, weeks after filming wrapped; Elvis, who plays convict-turned-star Vince Everett, reportedly could never bring himself to watch the film.

Who wrote and first recorded 'Suspicious Minds' in 1968?

Mark James wrote 'Suspicious Minds' and released his own version on Scepter in 1968 before Elvis cut it in Memphis in January 1969; James also co-wrote 'Always on My Mind', which Elvis recorded in 1972.

Who first recorded 'Hound Dog' in 1952?

Big Mama Thornton recorded 'Hound Dog' in Los Angeles in August 1952 with Leiber and Stoller's lyrics; released in 1953, her version spent seven weeks atop the Billboard R&B chart.

Roughly how many copies did Elvis's 'Hound Dog' sell worldwide?

Elvis's 'Hound Dog' sold about 10 million copies worldwide, his best-selling single; paired with 'Don't Be Cruel', it topped the pop, country and R&B charts simultaneously in 1956.

Which 1784 French song is the melody of 'Can't Help Falling in Love' based on?

The melody of 'Can't Help Falling in Love' comes from 'Plaisir d'amour', a 1784 romance by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini; the 1961 lyric was first drafted from a woman's viewpoint as 'with him'.

Which Nashville star recorded 'Can't Help Falling in Love' for the 2022 Elvis film?

Kacey Musgraves's version of 'Can't Help Falling in Love' plays over the closing credits of Baz Luhrmann's Elvis (2022); UB40 and A-Teens are among the many other artists to cover it.

Who is credited as the first known Elvis impersonator, in 1954?

He performed alongside Elvis himself in Texarkana that year.

To whom did Sam Phillips sell Sun Records in 1969?

Sam Phillips sold Sun Records to Nashville producer Shelby Singleton in 1969, who reissued its catalogue as Sun International; Primary Wave bought the label for about $30 million in 2021.

Which hotel chain was Sam Phillips an early investor in?

Phillips put early money into Kemmons Wilson's Memphis-born Holiday Inn chain, which made him wealthy; he also owned radio stations in Memphis, Florence, Alabama, and Lake Worth, Florida.

On which 1957 hit does Dave Marsh credit Scotty Moore with inventing power chords?

On 'Jailhouse Rock' (1957) Scotty Moore's slashing guitar riff led critic Dave Marsh to credit him with inventing the power chord; Keith Richards said 'Everyone wanted to be Elvis, I wanted to be Scotty.'

What was the name of Elvis's original backing band with Moore and Black?

Elvis, Scotty Moore and Bill Black billed themselves as the Blue Moon Boys from their 1954 Sun debut; D. J. Fontana joined on drums in 1955 after backing them as house drummer on a Shreveport radio show.

Between which years did the Jordanaires sing backing vocals for Elvis?

The Jordanaires — Gordon Stoker, Neal Matthews, Hoyt Hawkins and Hugh Jarrett (later Ray Walker) — backed Elvis from his first RCA sessions in 1956 until 1970, when they declined to move to Las Vegas.

How many copies has Elvis' Christmas Album shipped in the US per the RIAA?

It was the first Elvis title to reach Diamond certification.

Who wrote 'Burning Love' and first released it via Arthur Alexander?

Dennis Linde wrote 'Burning Love', first cut by soul singer Arthur Alexander in early 1972; Elvis's version, released that August, peaked at number two behind Chuck Berry's 'My Ding-a-Ling', his last top-ten pop hit.

What was the name of Elvis's Las Vegas-era backing group that recorded 'Burning Love'?

The TCB Band — guitarist James Burton, drummer Ronnie Tutt, pianist Glen D. Hardin and bassist Jerry Scheff among them — backed Elvis from 1969 and played on the March 1972 session that produced 'Burning Love'.

How many weeks did 'It's Now or Never' spend at number one in the UK in 1960?

Rights issues delayed its British release, letting it enter the chart at number one.

In which film does 'Return to Sender' feature?

'Return to Sender' was written by Otis Blackwell and Winfield Scott for Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962), in which Elvis plays a fishing-boat skipper; it was the UK Christmas number one of 1962.

Which Four Seasons hit kept 'Return to Sender' at number two on Billboard?

The Four Seasons' 'Big Girls Don't Cry' held the Hot 100's top spot for five weeks in November and December 1962 while 'Return to Sender' sat at number two; in Britain Elvis's single spent three weeks at number one.

What natural disaster struck near Tupelo in 1936, sparing the Presley home?

On April 5, 1936 a tornado tore through Tupelo, killing more than 200 people in the town; the Presleys' small house in East Tupelo, across the railroad tracks, escaped the storm.

What kind of dwelling was Elvis born in?

Elvis was born in a two-room shotgun house that Vernon built in East Tupelo with a $180 loan; the family lost it in 1938 when Vernon, then in jail, could not keep up the payments.

Which woman was described as 'like a sister' in the early Memphis Mafia?

The group began with cousins Junior and Gene Smith and school friend Red West.

At which Kalamazoo restaurant did Louise Welling famously claim to have seen Elvis?

Louise Welling's claim to have spotted Elvis at a Kalamazoo Burger King, spread by tabloids in the late 1980s, made the 'Elvis is alive' sighting a pop-culture staple.

Why did NBC delay the US airing of Aloha from Hawaii until April 1973?

Nixon's China trip had inspired Parker's idea of a satellite broadcast.

Who produced and directed Aloha from Hawaii?

Marty Pasetta, a veteran of awards-show telecasts, produced and directed Aloha from Hawaii, beamed live by satellite from Honolulu on January 14, 1973; a filmed rehearsal concert two days earlier served as backup.

What was the official title of the '68 Comeback Special?

The special, taped in June 1968 and aired that December 3, was officially titled Singer Presents ... Elvis after the sewing machine company that sponsored it; 'Comeback Special' is the nickname it earned later.

Which record, produced by Sam Phillips in 1951, helped fund the founding of Sun Records?

'Rocket 88', cut at Phillips's Memphis studio in March 1951 and leased to Chess, topped the R&B chart; Jackie Brenston's Delta Cats were really Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm, and the proceeds helped launch Sun in 1952.

At what Memphis address did Sam Phillips open his recording studio in 1950?

Sam Phillips opened the Memphis Recording Service at 706 Union Avenue in January 1950; the small storefront studio became the home of Sun Records and is preserved today as Sun Studio.

What inspired the lyrics of 'Heartbreak Hotel'?

Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durden wrote it, sharing credit with Elvis.

Which real Los Angeles musician is named in the lyrics of Elvis's 1957 prison-film title song?

Shifty Henry, name-checked in the song's line 'Shifty Henry said to Bugs', was a real Los Angeles jazz bassist; the Purple Gang was a real Detroit mob and Sad Sack a comic-strip soldier.

Which Civil War ballad provided the melody for 'Love Me Tender'?

'Love Me Tender' sets new words to 'Aura Lea', an 1861 ballad by George R. Poulton popular with Civil War soldiers; Ken Darby wrote the lyric but credited his wife Vera Matson and Elvis.

Who wrote 'In the Ghetto', originally titled 'The Vicious Circle'?

Davis also wrote 'Don't Cry Daddy' from the same sessions.

From which piece of Elvis's jewellery was the 11.5-carat stone in Ginger Alden's engagement diamond taken?

Elvis proposed to Ginger Alden in January 1977 with a ring whose 11.5-carat centre stone had been taken from his own TCB ring; she said the wedding was set for December 25, 1977, four months after he died.

Roughly how many RCA recordings did drummer D. J. Fontana play on with Elvis?

D. J. Fontana, house drummer on the Shreveport radio show where Elvis was a regular, joined him in 1955 and played on over 460 of his RCA recordings before leaving in 1968.

Whose slap-bass technique did Bill Black model his playing on?

He also copied Maddox's stage-clown persona.

What are the titles of Peter Guralnick's two-volume Elvis biography?

Peter Guralnick's Last Train to Memphis (1994) covers Elvis up to 1958 and Careless Love (1999) the rest of his life; Bob Dylan said the first volume 'cancels out all others'.

In 1957 Elvis gave his parents what budget to find a 'farmhouse'-like property, which became Graceland?

In early 1957 Elvis gave Vernon and Gladys a $100,000 budget to find a farmhouse-type property; they settled on Graceland, then in southern Shelby County well outside Memphis, bought for $102,500 in March.

Graceland was declared a National Historic Landmark in which year?

Graceland was declared a National Historic Landmark on March 27, 2006, fifteen years after its 1991 listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

How old was Lisa Marie Presley when Graceland became hers in 1993?

Lisa Marie inherited the estate, held in trust since Elvis's death, on her 25th birthday, February 1, 1993; by then the house had been open to tourists for over a decade.

Which Graceland room is famous for green shag carpet on its ceiling?

Graceland's den, nicknamed the Jungle Room for its Polynesian furniture and green shag carpet on floor and ceiling, doubled as a studio for Elvis's final recording sessions in 1976.

Elvis lay in repose at Graceland in a coffin lined with which metal?

Elvis lay in repose in Graceland's foyer on August 17, 1977 in a 900-pound copper-lined casket, viewed by thousands of fans who filed through the house that afternoon.

Which song did Austin Butler sing on the audition tape that won him the lead in Elvis (2022)?

Butler sent Luhrmann a self-shot video of himself singing 'Unchained Melody', and Denzel Washington, who had just worked with him on Broadway, phoned Luhrmann to recommend him.

Against an $85M budget, roughly how much did Luhrmann's Elvis gross worldwide?

It premiered at Cannes, earned eight Oscar nominations and was named one of the AFI's top ten films of 2022.

Which rapper contributed the original song 'Vegas', built on 'Hound Dog', to the 2022 Elvis soundtrack?

Doja Cat's 'Vegas', built on a new recording of the 1953 'Hound Dog' sung by Shonka Dukureh, led the Elvis soundtrack, whose RCA companion album featured artists such as Eminem and Måneskin.

Sofia Coppola's 2023 film Priscilla is based on which 1985 memoir?

Priscilla Presley co-wrote the 1985 memoir Elvis and Me with Sandra Harmon and served as an executive producer on Coppola's adaptation; Jacob Elordi played Elvis.

Which protest singer's 1970 Carnegie Hall show in a gold lamé suit is called the first notable Elvis impersonation?

Phil Ochs walked onto the Carnegie Hall stage in March 1970 in a gold lamé Nudie suit to sing Elvis and Buddy Holly medleys, an act later billed as the first notable Elvis impersonation; Andy Kaufman's mid-1970s routine followed.

Which female drag-king impersonator was banned from a 1996 academic conference at Ole Miss?

Drag king Leigh Crow, performing as Elvis Herselvis, was dropped from the 1996 International Conference on Elvis Presley at Ole Miss after sponsor Elvis Presley Enterprises objected to her invitation.

What jewellery did Elvis give the women in his entourage, matching the men's TCB pieces?

He commissioned the TCB jewellery in 1971 and painted the lightning bolt and initials on his jet's tail.

Which Missouri investment counsellor was hired in 1981 to open Graceland to the public?

Priscilla had been advised to sell Graceland to avoid bankruptcy but refused to part with her daughter's first home.

How much did the Presley estate pay Colonel Parker to settle its 1983 mismanagement case?

He was also barred from Elvis earnings for five years and had to hand over any recordings or images he owned.