Elvis Presley Movies

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Elvis Presley Movies Overview

No actor has been less appreciated than Elvis Presley; no group of films has been more belittled than Elvis’ musical comedies. In countless Presley biographies and career overviews and in most rock ‘n’ roll histories and analyses, Elvis’ movies have been written off as mindless, unrealistic, formulaic, and trite.

Elvis Presley Image Gallery

Elvis Presley was eager to take on more serious roles like the one he played in Wild in the Country. However, his advisors kept leading him back to musical comedies. See more Elvis pictures.

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Yet, no Presley picture ever lost money, and through the benefit of cable television and video, audiences still enjoy his 31 features and two concert films, as well as the many documentaries and TV shows and miniseries about his life.

This contradiction points to the narrowness of the standard view concerning Elvis’ Hollywood career while simultaneously calling for a reevaluation of his films by placing them in context. Rather than bemoaning Elvis’ squandered talent and reflecting on the missed opportunities of his film career, it is more fruitful to accept what Elvis offered.

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Love Me Tender

Love Me Tender is a western drama set immediately after the Civil War. In Elvis Presley's first film, he appears in the secondary role of Clint Reno. This was the only time in his acting career that Elvis received second billing. Clint, the youngest of the four Reno brothers, stayed behind to run the family farm during the war while his older brothers were off fighting for the Confederacy.

Star Richard Egan plays Vance Reno, the eldest brother whom the family believes to have been killed in battle. Upon returning home, Vance is shocked to discover that Clint has married Vance’s former sweetheart, Cathy, played by Debra Paget. The love triangle, complicated by the greedy actions of some unscrupulous ex-Confederates, eventually pits brother against brother, resulting in Clint’s death. The downbeat ending is tempered by the brothers’ reconciliation as Clint dies in Cathy’s arms.

Behind The Scenes of Love Me Tender

Elvis’ first experience as a Hollywood actor was closely followed in the entertainment press from the day he was assigned a role in Love Me Tender until the day the film was released. The close scrutiny affected the outcome of the film in several ways. Originally called The Reno Brothers, this western drama was retitled after a number of articles announced that advanced sales for "Love Me Tender" -- one of the songs recorded for the film -- exceeded a million copies. It was the first time advanced sales for a single release had ever surpassed the million mark, and the producers capitalized on the publicity by changing the film’s title.

The unprecedented advances sales from the song "Love Me Tender"
inspired producers to make it the title of the movie as well.

The enormous amount of press coverage also affected the film’s conclusion. During production, fanzines leaked that Elvis’s character was supposed to die near the end of the film. As originally shot, the final scene features Mother Reno solemnly ringing the dinner bell as her three remaining sons toil in the fields. Pain and loss are registered on the faces of Mother Reno and Cathy, who mourn the death of Clint. Elvis’ legion of fans were disturbed by the news that their idol was to be killed off in his first film.

In an attempt to counter an "adverse public reaction," Twentieth Century-Fox shot an alternative ending in which Clint is spared. For reasons known only to the producers, this second ending was rejected. A compromise ending was used instead. Clint is killed as called for in the original script, but the final shot superimposed a ghostly close-up of Elvis as Clint crooning "Love Me Tender" as his family slowly walks away from his grave. The fans were then left with a final image of Elvis doing what he was famous for -- singing.

Prior to the film’s premiere at the Paramount Theater in New York, a 40-foot likeness of Elvis as Clint Reno was erected atop the theater’s marquee. Part of the ceremony surrounding the unveiling of the huge cutout included placing the world’s largest charm bracelet, which measured nine feet, around the figure’s wrist. The charms depicted various events in Elvis’s career, and the bracelet was a giant replica of one being merchandised across the country. Some fans attending the unveiling carried placards that complained about Elvis’s on-screen death, but Presley biographers have speculated that Colonel Tom Parker, the singer’s notorious manager, passed them out to garner even more publicity.

If the promotion surrounding Love Me Tender generated excitement among Elvis fans, it generated loathing among the critics. Reviewers around the country were lying in wait for the film, and many were brutal in their assessment of Elvis’ performance. In a particularly scathing review for Time magazine, one critic compared Elvis’ acting and screen presence to that of a sausage, a "Walt Disney goldfish," a corpse, and a cricket -- all in the same brief review.

Many did not confine their criticism to Elvis’ screen performance. Critics used the opportunity to reiterate the same complaints the Establishment had always hurled at Elvis, including his singing style, his hair, his Southern background, and his fanatical following.

If Elvis cried over the mean-spirited reviews, then he cried all the way to the bank. The film recouped its production costs within three days of release, guaranteeing that Elvis’ Hollywood future would be lucrative.

Cast of Love Me Tender
Character	Actor
Vance Reno	Richard Egan
Cathy Reno	Debra Paget
Clint Reno	Elvis Presley
Mr. Siringo	Robert Middleton
Brett Reno	William Campbell
Mike Gavin	Neville Brand
Martha Reno	Mildred Dunnock
Major Kincaid	Bruce Bennett
Ray Reno	James Drury
Ed Galt	Russ Conway
Mr. Kelso	Ken Clark
Mr. Davis	Barry Coe
Pardee Fleming	L.Q. Jones
Jethro	Paul Burns
Train Conductor	Jerry Sheldon

Songs featured in Love Me Tender

We’re Gonna Move
Love Me Tender
Let Me
Poor Boy

Credits for Love Me Tender

Twentieth Century-Fox
Produced by David Weisbart
Directed by Robert Webb
Screenplay by Robert Buckner
Based on a story by Maurice Geraghty
Photographed in CinemaScope by Leo Tover
Music by Lionel Newman
Vocal Supervision by Ken Darby
Songs written by Vera Matson with Elvis Presley
Released November 15, 1956

To learn more about Elvis Presley, see:

Loving You

Elvis Presley felt more comfortable in the role of Deke Rivers in Loving You than he had as Clint Reno since the role was based on his real-life career experiences. The musical drama opens as Deke -- a truck driver with a natural talent for really belting out a song -- teams up with press agent Glenda Markle, played by Lizabeth Scott, in hopes of becoming the next singing sensation.

Deke begins his new singing career as the opening act for a down-and-out country-and-western band headed by Glenda’s ex-husband. It soon becomes apparent that the female faction of the audience just can’t get enough of Deke either on stage or off. Glenda capitalizes on Deke’s sensual appeal by providing him with customized costumes and arranging publicity stunts.

Deke is torn between the attraction he feels toward Glenda and the genuine affection he has for the band’s lead singer, Susan, played by Dolores Hart in her film debut. When Deke discovers that Glenda has been manipulating him personally and professionally, he becomes confused and runs away. A wiser and more mature Deke returns just in time to perform at a major televised concert, which serves as his introduction to the big time.

Elvis Presley, as Deke Rivers, rocks an audience while Lizabeth Scott, as
Glenda Markle, watches the crowd’s reaction.

Behind the Scenes of Loving You

Elvis’ acting had definitely improved by the time he completed the role of Deke Rivers. Partly, he was more experienced this time out, but also the role had been tailor-made for the young singer. The film showcased Elvis’ best musical talents, and the plot was loosely based on his own life -- a practice producer Hal Wallis would continue in the future.

At the time, this practice proved invaluable to Elvis’ career. Since Elvis was so maligned in the press as a figure of controversy and rebellion, the people in charge of his career took on the task of remolding his image. By telling parts of Elvis’ life story through the familiar form of the Hollywood rise-to-success film, older audiences saw that the singer was not all that different from entertainers of the past.

To ensure that the film captured the essence of Elvis’ life as a performer, Wallis sent director/co-scriptwriter Hal Kanter to observe Elvis’ live appearance on the radio program "Louisiana Hayride" on December 16, 1956. Kanter followed Elvis around for a few days in Memphis and then in Shreveport, Louisiana, where the "Hayride" program was based. Kanter was able to capture the chaos, exhilaration, and confusion that surrounds an up-and-coming popular singer.

An original lobby card from Loving You.

In addition to capturing the highs of an entertainer’s life, Kanter also worked a number of lows into the storyline, suggesting a "price of fame" theme. While Deke is dining in a restaurant, for example, fans interrupt his meal to ask him to perform, and they then become resentful when he refuses -- a reference to Elvis’ own real-life lack of privacy. In another scene, fans write love notes in lipstick on Deke’s car, which recalls the many times fans had ruined the finish on Elvis’ vehicles by leaving similar testimonies in lipstick and nail polish.

To further equate Elvis with Deke, Kanter and Wallis allowed some of Elvis’ family and friends to appear in the film in cameos and bit roles. His parents, Vernon and Gladys, appear as members of the audience in the final production number. Real-life band members Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and DJ Fontana have bits as Deke’s band members.

The most obvious similarity between the real-life Elvis and the fictional Deke was the controversy both generated because of their performing style. The film explains that the controversy surrounding Deke is based on a misunderstanding involving miscalculated publicity stunts. This was central to the production team’s attempt to make Elvis more acceptable to mainstream audiences.

Showing Deke as misunderstood implies that Elvis was also misunderstood. Structuring Deke’s success along the same formula as other films about entertainers implies that Elvis’ real-life success is just a variation on the same theme. Just as Glenda tells the community leaders in Loving You that Deke’s music is as fun and innocent as the Charleston was in the 1920s, so the producers of Loving You were telling 1950s America to relax -- the Deke Rivers/Elvis Presley story was really just a modern-day version of the Al Jolson story.

Cast of Loving You
Character	Actor
Deke Rivers	Elvis Presley
Glenda Markle	Lizabeth Scott
Walter (Tex) Warner	Wendell Corey
Susan Jessup	Dolores Hart
Carl Meade	James Gleason
Jim Tallman	Ralph Dumke
Teddy	Skip Young
Skeeter	Paul Smith
Wayne	Ken Becker
Daisy Bricker	Jana Lund
Harry Taylor	Vernon Rich
Mr. Castle	David Cameron
Mrs. Gunderson	Grace Hayle
Mr. Jessup	William Forrest
Mrs. Jessup	Irene Tedrow
Sally	Yvonne Lime
Eddie (Bass Player)	Bill Black
Musician (Drummer)	D.J. Fontana
Musician (Guitar Player)	Scotty Moore
Bit	Barbara Hearn

Songs Featured in Loving You

Got a Lot o’ Livin’ to Do
(Let’s Have a) Party
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear
Hot Dog
Lonesome Cowboy
Mean Woman Blues
Loving You
Dancing on a Dare (sung by Hart’s character)
Detour (sung by Hart’s character)
The Yellow Rose (sung by Hart’s character)
Candy Kisses (performed by the Rough Ridin’ Ramblers)

Credits for Loving You

Paramount Pictures
Produced by Hal B. Wallis
Directed by Hal Kanter
Screenplay by Herbert Baker and Hal Kanter
Based on a story by Mary Agnes Thompson
Photographed in VistaVision and Technicolor by Charles Lang, Jr.
Music by Walter Scharf
Vocal accompaniment by The Jordanaires
Choreography by Charles O’Curran
Released July 30, 1957

To learn more about Elvis, see:

Jailhouse Rock

The single "Jailhouse Rock" was number
one on the pop charts for seven weeks.

Jailhouse Rock successfully capitalized on the rebellious side of Elvis Presley’s persona, which was an aspect of his image still making headlines at the time of the film’s release. As the embittered Vince Everett, Elvis portrayed the most volatile, as well as the most exciting, character of his film career.

After accidentally killing a man in a barroom brawl, Vince serves a manslaughter sentence in the state penitentiary, making him cynical and self-centered. While Vince is in prison, former country singer Hunk Houghton, played by character actor Mickey Shaughnessy, takes the young man under his wing and teaches him how to play the guitar. After his release, Vince stumbles onto a hot, new singing style. With the help of record promoter Peggy Van Alden, played by Judy Tyler, he takes the entertainment industry by storm.

Later, Hunk joins Vince’s entourage, which becomes larger as the ambitious young singer claws his way to the top. Unfortunately, Vince leaves Peggy behind, despite her love for him. Attempting to teach the arrogant lad a lesson, Hunk punches Vince in the throat, injuring his vocal cords. A repentant Vince then realizes his love for Peggy, and his voice is miraculously restored.

Behind the Scenes of Jailhouse Rock

If Loving You attempted to present Elvis as a sensitive, misunderstood young man, then Jailhouse Rock was meant to showcase Elvis Presley the rebel. Elvis’ character -- Vince Everett -- is self-centered, overly aggressive toward women, and somewhat greedy. Though Vince exhibits a change of heart during the movie, it is his unruly behavior and defiant attitude that many remember from the film. Nowhere is his brash behavior more evident than in the scene where he recklessly grabs Peggy to kiss her. "How dare you think such cheap tactics work with me," she chides, pushing him away. "Them ain’t tactics, honey, that’s just the beast in me," he drawls in a provocative delivery guaranteed to make every girl in the theater swoon.

Yet, Vince Everett was ultimately just a character that Elvis portrayed on-screen. Elvis’ behind-the-scenes behavior during the production of Jailhouse Rock belied the rebellious attitude of his on-screen persona.

More than once Elvis gallantly came to the rescue of his costars when they were caught in potentially dangerous circumstances. During the scene in which Peggy Van Alden, played by Judy Tyler, was supposed to run out the door of a small nightclub after an angry Vince, the young actress accidentally ran into the plate glass door, thrusting her arm through it. Elvis quickly turned back, caught Judy, and blocked the door before it swung back and hit her again. In another instance, Elvis and a property man were passing by Jennifer Holden’s dressing room when they heard her scream. An electric heater had shorted out, and her room caught on fire. Elvis and the prop man dashed into the dressing room and quickly doused the flames. Elvis carried the panicky starlet to safety.

Elvis snuggles with costar Judy Tyler,
who played Peggy Van Alden

Far from being greedy or selfish, Elvis was known throughout his life for his generosity toward friends, acquaintances, and even complete strangers. After the principle photography on Jailhouse Rock had been completed, Elvis decided to present each member of the crew with a small token of his gratitude. Each of the 250 crew hands received large envelopes inscribed with, "Thanks to the entire cast and crew." Inside each envelope was a personally autographed photo of Elvis, plus a small gift.

Elvis’ sensitivity was exposed to the entire country shortly after the production had wrapped. Elvis was devastated when costar Judy Tyler and Gregory Lafayette, her husband of only a few months, were killed in a gruesome car crash near Billy the Kid, Wyoming. When told of the accident, Elvis broke down and cried. His reaction was disclosed to a reporter who wrote about it for the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Other papers around the country then picked up the incident. The article revealed a pensive young man, who murmured in an unguarded moment, "I remember the last night I saw them. They were leaving on a trip...All of us boys really loved that girl. She meant a lot to all of us. I don’t believe I can stand to see the movie we made together now..."

Cast of Jailhouse Rock
Character	Actor
Vince Everett	Elvis Presley
Peggy Van Alden	Judy Tyler
Hunk Houghton	Mickey Shaughnessy
Mr. Shores	Vaughn Taylor
Sherry Wilson	Jennifer Holden
Teddy Talbot	Dean Jones
Laury Jackson	Anne Neyland
Warden	Hugh Sanders
Sam Brewster	Percy Helton
Jack Lease	Peter Adams
Studio Head	William Forrest
Paymaster	Dan White
Jake the Bartender	George Cisar
Dotty	Robin Raymond
August Van Alden	Grandon Rhodes
Mrs. Van Alden	Katharine Warren
Piano Player	Mike Stoller
Bass Player	Bill Black
Drummer	D.J. Fontana

Songs Featured in Jailhouse Rock

Young and Beautiful
I Want to Be Free
Don’t Leave Me Now
Treat Me Nice
Jailhouse Rock
(You're So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care
One More Day (sung by Shaughnessy’s character)

Credits for Jailhouse Rock

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Produced by Pandro S. Berman
Directed by Richard Thorpe
Screenplay by Guy Trosper
Based on a story by Ned Young
Photographed in CinemaScope by Robert Bronner
Music by Jeff Alexander
Most songs by Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber
Released October 17, 1957

To learn more about Elvis Presley, see:

King Creole

Elvis Presley received the best reviews of his career with his portrayal of Danny Fisher in King Creole, a musical drama set in New Orleans. Danny is dissatisfied with the financial situation of his poverty-stricken family and blames his father for their problems. He sweeps up at a nightclub to earn extra money -- a job that places the impressionable young man in the company of some shady characters. An encounter with Ronnie, a local gangster’s moll portrayed by Carolyn Jones, results in Danny’s expulsion from high school. On the job that night at the club, Danny runs into Ronnie and gangster Maxie Fields, played by Walter Matthau, who insist that Danny sing a song.

Danny’s natural talent attracts the attention of the owner of the King Creole night spot, who offers him a job. Danny is at a crossroads. He is torn between the love of good girl Nellie, played by Dolores Hart, and his attraction to the ill-fated Ronnie. Danny is also torn between his desire for a singing career and the temptation to join a street gang. A violent altercation with the gang’s leader, played by Vic Morrow, leaves Danny with a serious knife wound. After Ronnie nurses him back to health, a jealous Maxie shoots her in cold blood. Maxie in turn is shot by a gang member Danny had once befriended. Danny returns to singing at the King Creole, reconciled with his family and with Nellie.

Elvis Presley as Danny Fisher,
performing at the King Creole.

Behind the Scenes of King Creole

Generally considered Elvis’ best narrative film, King Creole benefited from the talents of several Hollywood notables. Producer Hal Wallis chose one of his closest associates, the well-respected Michael Curtiz, to direct the film. Best known as the director of Casablanca, Curtiz was an expert craftsman known for his deft handling of a wide variety of film genres during his 30-year career.

The tight control over the many twists and subplots of King Creole reflects Curtiz’s expertise. Other Hollywood veterans who made up the crew included cinematographer Russell Harlan, who photographed the film in a dark, moody lighting style that captured the seedy but seductive atmosphere of the French Quarter. The level of experience that Wallis, Curtiz, and Harlan brought to the production of King Creole would never be matched in another Presley feature.

Elvis’ supporting cast represented some of the finest Hollywood actors of the 1950s. Carolyn Jones, who appeared as Ronnie, had received an Oscar nomination the previous year for her brief but electrifying performance in The Bachelor Party. Such notable character actors as Paul Stewart (the butler in Citizen Kane), Dean Jagger (the retired general in White Christmas), and Vic Morrow (the juvenile delinquent in The Blackboard Jungle) helped maintain a high caliber of acting; thus, any rough edges in Elvis’ performance would go unnoticed. Though relatively unknown in 1958, Walter Matthau would go on to star in such classic comedies as The Odd Couple and The Sunshine Boys.

While on location in New Orleans, the crowds of curious onlookers and excited fans were so large that Wallis had to arrange for tighter security. The entire top floor of the Roosevelt Hotel was booked for the film’s cast. Pinkerton guards patrolled the floor, the elevators, and the staircase to keep overzealous fans from Elvis. As an added precaution, Wallis insisted that the elevator should not be allowed to run to the top floor to prevent any outsiders from getting onto Elvis’s floor. Simply returning to his hotel room at the end of the day proved difficult for Elvis because there were always large crowds waiting for him in the lobby. To avoid the crowds, Elvis entered an adjacent building, climbed out a window, crossed the roof, and entered his hotel via the fire escape.

In his autobiography, Wallis recalled a particularly sad moment for Elvis. Eager to try some of New Orleans’ famous cuisine, Elvis was disappointed to learn he could not dine at the legendary Antoine’s because no one could guarantee crowd control. During his stay in New Orleans, Elvis ordered room service. This isolation was part of the price Elvis paid for stardom, and by this point, it had begun to affect his lifestyle.

Cast of King Creole
Character	Actor
Danny Fisher	Elvis Presley
Ronnie	Carolyn Jones
Nellie	Dolores Hart
Mr. Fisher	Dean Jagger
“Forty” Nina	Liliane Montevecchi
Maxie Fields	Walter Matthau
Mimi Fisher	Jan Shepard
Charlie LeGrand	Paul Stewart
Shark	Vic Morrow
Sal	Brian Hutton
Dummy	Jack Grinnage
Eddie Burton	Dick Winslow
Mr. Evans	Raymond Bailey
Mr. Primont	Gavin Gordon
Ralph	Val Avery
Dr. Patrick	Alexander Lockwood
Dr. Michael Cabot	Sam Buffington
Hotel Clerk	Ned Glass
Doorman	Candy Candido
Street Vendor	Kitty White

Songs Featured in King Creole

Crawfish
Steadfast, Loyal and True
Lover Doll
Trouble
Dixieland Rock
Young Dreams
New Orleans
Hard Headed Woman
King Creole
Don’t Ask Me Why
As Long as I Have You
Turtles, Berries and Gumbo (sung by street vendors)
Banana (sung by Montevecchi’s character)

Credits for King Creole

Paramount Pictures
Produced by Hal B. Wallis
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Screenplay by Herbert Baker and Michael Vincente Gazzo
Based on the novel A Ston�e for Danny Fisher by Harold Robbins
Photographed by Russell Harlan
Music by Walter Scharf
Vocal accompaniment by The Jordanaires
Choreography by Charles O’Curran
Released July 2, 1958

To learn more about Elvis Presley, see:

G.I. Blues

Elvis Presley performs in an Armed
Forces show in G.I. Blues.

In G.I. Blues, his first musical comedy, Elvis Presley stars as lady-killer Tulsa MacLean, an Army sergeant stationed in West Germany. Tulsa and his buddies hope to make enough money to open a small nightclub upon their return to civilian life. At the urging of his pals, Tulsa accepts a bet with a group of G.I.s to win the heart of Lili, a beautiful cabaret dancer at the Cafe Europa. Lili, played by dancer Juliet Prowse, has a reputation for resisting soldiers, so Tulsa’s finesse with females is required to break through her cool exterior.

Just as Tulsa realizes that he is in love with Lili, she finds out that she has been the target of a wager. Lili manages to overcome her anger to help Tulsa out during a troublesome night of babysitting for a friend’s infant son. At a rehearsal for an Armed Forces show, Lili discovers that Tulsa has called off the bet, proving he truly loves her.

Behind the Scenes of G.I. Blues

G.I. Blues marks the debut of the new Elvis Presley. Taking advantage of the good publicity Elvis received for serving his tour of duty in the Army, the Colonel launched a new, more clean-cut image for Elvis after his discharge. Film critics and movie magazines alike noticed the differences in Elvis’ image, including changes in his personal appearance and attire. Gone were the sideburns the press had found so offensive, and gone was the flashy, hip attire. The new look was more conservative -- befitting Hollywood’s latest leading man.

As produced by Hal Wallis, G.I. Blues borrowed some details from Elvis’ personal life to flesh out his character, Tulsa MacLean. This was nothing new for Wallis and his production team. They had used a similar strategy in Elvis’ pre-Army features, particularly Loving You but also in King Creole. The intent was to attract Elvis’ legion of fans who were already familiar with Elvis’ life. In G.I. Blues, Tulsa MacLean is an entertainer soon to be released from the Army. Tulsa is stationed in West Germany and is a member of a tank division, just as Elvis had been.

The character of Tulsa MacLean is a
member of a tank division, just as
Presley himself was.

Despite borrowing tidbits from Elvis’ own life, the film differed a great deal from the singer’s previous efforts. The major change was in terms of genre: His pre-Army films had been musical dramas; G.I. Blues was a musical comedy. His pre-Army films were based on previously published novels or stories; G.I. Blues was specifically written for the screen and followed a simpler, more formulaic story structure.

Elvis’ management team and the film’s production team also attempted to soften the singer’s screen image. His character is older and more mature, and in one sequence he sings "Wooden Heart" to a group of children at a puppet show; in another he baby-sits an infant.

Other notable differences included toning down Elvis’ controversial performing style in hopes of capturing a family audience, not just teenage fans. In G.I. Blues, Elvis no longer swung his hips when he sang, long-legged costar Juliet Prowse did it for him. Even though some of the songs in G.I. Blues are fast-paced, they lack the hard-driving sound, emotional delivery, and sexual connotations of his pre-Army recordings. "Mean Woman Blues" had given way to "Pocketful of Rainbows."

A great deal of publicity was generated during the production of G.I. Blues, much of it designed to showcase the new Elvis. Visiting dignitaries from other countries were paraded through the set at a rapid rate. Elvis met the King and Queen of Nepal as well as Princess Margrethe of Denmark, Princess Astrid of Norway, and Princess Margaretha of Sweden. Elvis met so many foreign notables during the film’s production that he had difficulty getting the protocol straight. He once asked, "Is this another of those highness deals?"

The changes in terms of image and film genre do not mean that G.I. Blues was an inferior film, which many Presley biographers have implied. It remains a well-crafted musical comedy with a number of solid songs and a strong female costar. The only negative result of the film was that Elvis would be discouraged from making other types of movies. G.I. Blues is considered the prototype for the other Presley musicals, which, unfortunately, declined in quality as the decade progressed.

Cast of G.I. Blues
Character	Actor
Tulsa MacLean	Elvis Presley
Lili	Juliet Prowse
Cookey	Robert Ivers
Tina	Leticia Roman
Rick	James Douglas
Marla	Sigrid Maier
Sergeant McGraw	Arch Johnson
Jeeter	Mickey Knox
Captain Hobart	John Hudson
Mac	Ken Becker
Turk	Jeremy Slate
Warren	Beach Dickerson
Mickey	Trent Dolan
Walt	Carl Crow
Papa Mueller	Fred Essler
Harvey	Ronald Starr
Trudy	Erika Peters
Puppet Show Owner	Ludwig Stossel
Musicians	Scotty Moore and DJ. Fontana

Songs Featured in G.I. Blues

What’s She Really Like
G.I. Blues
Doin’ the Best I Can
Frankfort Special
Shoppin’ Around
Tonight Is So Right for Love
Wooden Heart
Pocketful of Rainbows
Big Boots
Didja Ever

Credits for G.I. Blues

Paramount Pictures
Produced by Hal B. Wallis
Directed by Norman Taurog
Screenplay by Edmund Beloin and Henry Garson
Photographed in Technicolor by Loyal Griggs
Music by Joseph J. Lilley
Vocal accompaniment by The Jordanaires
Choreography by Charles O’Curran
Released November 23, 1960

To learn more about Elvis Presley, see:

Flaming Star

As Pacer Burton in Flaming Star, Elvis Presley starred in one of the few dramatic roles of his career. A western with an excellent supporting cast of some of Hollywood’s most notable actors, Flaming Star tells a story of racial intolerance toward Native Americans in the Old West. Pacer, the son of a white father and Kiowa mother, lived a peaceful existence with his racially mixed family until members of the Kiowa nation massacre the Burtons’ neighbors. Pacer’s loyalties are divided between the white man’s civilized world and the freer existence of the Kiowas.

When white settlers murder his mother, played by longtime Hollywood star Dolores Del Rio, Pacer joins the Kiowas. But the confused young man finds no peace with the tribe, particularly after they kill his father and seriously wound his brother. Pacer abandons the Kiowas to rescue his brother; he sends the injured brother back to town and then prepares to battle the pursuing Indians. The next morning, a wounded Pacer returns to his brother to bid farewell because he has seen the flaming star of death and knows he must ride into the mountains to die.

Angry over his treatment by other
ranchers in the valley, Elvis Presley,
as Pacer Burton, takes a hard line.

Behind the Scenes of Flaming Star

Some Presley biographies have indicated that the role of Pacer Burton was originally written for Marlon Brando, adding credence to the commonly held notion that Elvis could have been another Brando if he had not been stuck with so many musical comedies. This is too simplistic an interpretation of what really transpired in terms of the script for this film. Hollywood projects often go through many studios, changing focus and casts at every turn, and this was certainly the case with Flaming Star.

In 1958, Twentieth Century-Fox had purchased the rights to Clair Huffaker’s newest novel, which was not yet complete. Titled The Brothers of Broken Lance at the time, the storyline focused on two characters instead of one. Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra were offered and accepted the two main roles, that of the Burton brothers. Later, negotiations broke down with both stars, and neither decided to star in the film.

When the novel was completed, it was retitled Flaming Lance. While the novel was being adapted to the script, the focus of the film shifted to one brother. Elvis was the only actor offered the role of Pacer Burton. During production, the film went through a number of title changes, including Flaming Heart, Black Star, and Black Heart, before finally being released as Flaming Star. The role Elvis accepted differed from the original conception of the character that had been offered to Brando. To imply that Elvis replaced Brando in this film is misleading.

In Flaming Star, Elvis was given the opportunity to prove himself as a serious actor. That this film was considered an important feature is indicated by the choice of director, scriptwriter, and supporting cast. Don Siegel, who had directed the science-fiction classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers and who would later direct Dirty Harry, guided Elvis through Flaming Star. With author Clair Huffaker, respected scriptwriter Nunnally Johnson adapted the screenplay. The cast included the legendary Dolores Del Rio, a screen star in Mexico as well as in America. Flaming Star was her first appearance in an American film in 18 years.

Though the movie provided Elvis with one of his few opportunities to act, the film’s producers and Colonel Parker were nervous about the reaction of fans. To hedge their bets, they attempted to insert four songs into the film. Director Siegel was not pleased with that decision and fought to keep the songs out even after he had shot them. The final version of the film contains two songs.

Siegel realized from his experiences with Flaming Star that Elvis’ chance of pursuing a serious acting career was doomed. He later told Rolling Stone magazine, "I found [Elvis] sensitive and very good, with the exception that he was very unsure of himself...He felt he could have done better things. And his advisors -- namely the Colonel -- were very much against doing this kind of straight role. They tried to get him to sing throughout the picture. Obviously, they didn’t want him to get off the winning horse. But when I was able to calm him down, I thought he gave a beautiful performance."

Cast of Flaming Star
Character	Actor
Pacer Burton	Elvis Presley
Roslyn Pierce	Barbara Eden
Clint Burton	Steve Forrest
Neddy Burton	Dolores Del Rio
Sam Burton	John Mclntire
Buffalo Horn	Rudolph Acosta
Dred Pierce	Karl Swenson
Doc Phillips	Ford Rainey
Angus Pierce	Richard Jaeckel
Dorothy Howard	Anne Benton
Tom Howard	L. Q. Jones
Will Howard	Douglas Dick
Jute	Tom Reese
Ph’Sha Knay	Marian Goldina
Ben Ford	Monte Burkhart
Mr. Hornsby	Ted Jacques
Indian Brave	Rodd Redwing
Two Moons	Perry Lopez
Matt Holcom	Roy Jenson
Indian Brave	Red West

Songs Featured in Flaming Star

Flaming Star
A Cane and a High Starched Collar

Credits for Flaming Star

Twentieth Century-Fox
Produced by David Weisbart
Directed by Don Siegel
Screenplay by Clair Huffaker and Nunnally Johnson
Based on the novel Flaming Lance by Clair Huffaker
Photographed in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope by Charles G. Clarke
Music by Cyril J. Mockridge
Vocal accompaniment by The Jordanaires
Released December 20, 1960

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Wild in the Country

Hope Lange played the ‘‘older woman”
Irene Sperry, who causes a scandal
when she falls for Elvis.

The part of Glenn Tyler in Wild in the Country represented Elvis Presley’s last serious role in a film by a significant director. The story opens as Glenn, a Southern boy from a rural, poverty-stricken background, has just been released from juvenile hall. Central to the character of Glenn is that the brooding young man is at a crossroads in his life, and he must choose the path most suitable for him.

His choices are represented by three women. The sensuous Noreen, played by Tuesday Weld, is Glenn’s country cousin who urges Glenn to stay with his own kind. She offers passion and good times, but such a carefree existence allows little thought for the future.

Hope Lange costars as Irene Sperry, the court-appointed psychiatrist assigned to Glenn’s case, who recognizes in him the raw talent of a budding writer. She encourages him to attend college but causes a scandal when she falls in love with her charge.

Finally, childhood sweetheart Betty Lee, played by Millie Perkins, selflessly places Glenn’s future above her own needs, urging him to leave town and attend college. She is prepared to lose him that he may have an education and a secure future. Glenn follows Betty Lee’s advice, asking her to wait for him.

Behind the Scenes of Wild in the Country

Tuesday Weld was one of the trio of female costars (Hope Lange and Millie Perkins were the other two) who provide strong supporting performances. Only 17 years old during the film’s production, Weld was the hottest starlet in Hollywood. As wild as she was beautiful, Weld had already had romances with two of her costars in the film -- Elvis and 45-year-old John Ireland. So much was written about Weld during the early 1960s that fact and fiction fuse into one long publicity parade. Many of the rumors were spread by Weld herself, who

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Elvis Presley Movies