Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley Facts
| Sign | Capricorn |
| Born |
Jan 8, 1935 Tupelo, MS |
| Died |
Aug 16, 1977 Memphis, TN |
| Age | Died at 42 |
| Total Facts | 203 |
"Heartbreak Hotel", which spent 17 weeks at #1 on Billboard's country chart (and 10 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100) was the #1 country song of 1956.
Hal B. Wallis, producer of eight of his films, wanted to make a western with Elvis and John Wayne, but it never came about.
Barbra Streisand originally wanted Elvis to play the role of John Norman Howard in A Star Is Born (1976), but the studio couldn't meet Tom Parker's demands ($1 million plus equal billing with Streisand).
Elia Kazan had expressed interest several times in casting Elvis in his films, Elvis' manager Tom Parker refused to allow it.
The Beatles were admirers of his work and, although John Lennon said they enjoyed his company very much, Elvis himself, ironically, thought that they were a bad influence on America's youth.
Robbie Williams dedicated his song "Advertising Space" to him.
A remix of his song "A Little Less Conversation" was featured on the soundtrack to the film Ocean's Eleven (2001) and became a Billboard #1 hit single, over 20 years after his death.
According to Tommy Steele, Presley did visit London once in 1958. However, this has not been substantiated.
According to a show on the A&E Biography channel, he once attended a concert for singer Connie Francis and had to leave for emotional reasons once he heard her sing the old Italian song "Mama", as his mother had recently died.
According to Elvis and his manager Tom Parker, Elvis' return to TV in 1968 was in part due to NBC (Universal Pictures) agreeing to finance the remaining movies he was scheduled to make.
After his concert in Hawaii in 1961, Presley concentrated on making movies and did not perform before a live audience again for seven years until his 1968 TV special and subsequent return to Las Vegas in 1969.
After not having a Top 20 hit single since 1966, Elvis' Nov. 68 "comeback" TV Special spawned the now standard "If I Can Dream", (#13 US Pop). This was followed in 1969 by "Memories" (#35 US Pop), which was also performed on the Special, "In The Ghetto" (#3 US Pop), "Suspicious Minds" (#1 US Pop), and "Don't Cry Daddy" (#6 US Pop).
After production of his 1968 NBC television special he told producer Steve Binder he would never make another movie or song he didn't believe in.
After seeing him in concert, Liberace suggested adding flashy costumes into his act. Elvis took the advice, and became famous for his gold lame jackets and jeweled white jumpsuits. He later reserved a seat for Liberace at a majority of his concerts, as his way of saying thanks.
Along with Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins, Elvis was a member of the celebrated "Million Dollar Quartet", so named because they were money-makers for Sam Phillips' Sun Records label.
Although his height was measured as 6' when he joined the army in 1958, photographs show Elvis was wearing his army boots at the time which may have slightly increased his height.
An earlier take of Elvis' 1956 hit "I Want You, I Need You,I Love You" is titled "I Need You, I Want You, I Love You". This earlier version of the song appeared on some copies of his debut album titled "Elvis" and was later issued in a 1977 compilation package..
As a young man, Elvis idolized a gospel group called The Statesmen. According to Elvis' backup singer and lifelong friend Joe Moscheo, Elvis' leg-twitching dance moves were inspired by The Statesmen's bass singer, "Big Chief" Wetherington, who was famous for his leg twitching.
At the time of his death in 1977, he was the second best-selling recording artist of all time, second only to longtime successful crooner, Bing Crosby.
Between 1957 and 1969, he performed only two concerts and made just two television appearances.
Both his father Vernon Presley and grandmother Minnie Mae outlived him. Vernon died in 1979 at age 63 and Minnie Mae died in 1980 at age 90.
Bought former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt's yacht "Potomac" for $55,000 in January 1964.
Died with about $5 million in his bank account.
During his 21-year association with RCA Recorfds (1956-77), the only year he failed to have a single in the Billboard Top Pop 20 was 1967.
During his third and final appearance on Ed Sullivan's "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1948) weekly program, on Sunday, January 6, 1957, he strongly angered Sullivan by singing the gospel song "Peace In The Valley" on his show, after Sullivan asked him not to.
During the 1970s he had 28 singles reach the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Posthumously, he had a #1 single on the Hot 100 in 2002 with the remix of "A Little Less Conversation".
Earned a black belt in karate, in 1960.
Elvis did not like confrontation. He wanted to fire his manager, Tom Parker, many times. He would tell his friends "Tell Parker, he's fired." His friends would go tell him, then Parker would say "Tell Elvis to tell me personally". Elvis never did.
Elvis dreamed of playing Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather (1972), but when he asked to audition for the part he was turned down.
Elvis owned one of the world's first mobile phones. He had to have one after seeing Sean Connery use a car phone in the James Bond movie From Russia with Love (1963). Elvis's phone was contained in a suitcase-size carrying case with his name in black letters on a gold label on the front. He would use it to talk from his limousine.
Elvis topped the Forbes Magazine list of deceased highest earners for the fourth consecutive year, with earnings of $45 million in 2004.
Elvis was a good friend of Johnny Cash, going back to their Sun Records' days recordings, after being discovered by Sam Phillips.
Elvis' body was placed in a family crypt in Memphis on Thursday, August 18th, 1977. Eleven days later, Monday, August 29, 1977, however, an attempt was made to steal his body but the plan failed and three men were charged with trespassing and released on bond. Because of this incident, Vernon Presley, received approval from the Memphis Adjustment Board to allow re-interment of the bodies of Elvis and his mother, Gladys Presley to the Meditation Garden behind Graceland, which took place, on Sunday, October 2nd, 1977.
Elvis' original combo (Elvis, Scotty Moore and Bill Black) were nicknamed and known as "The Blue Moon Boys featuring that Hillbilly Cat" after their popular rendition of Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon Of Kentucky". Moore acted as Elvis' first manager. Black in the late '40s was a member of Gene Krupa's band and later had a successful recording career with Bill Black's Combo.
Father of Lisa Marie Presley (birthdate, Thursday, February 1st, 1968).
Former wife Priscilla Presley opened up their home Graceland to the public in 1985. Elvis' Aunt Delta remained living on the estate until her death in 1993.
From the time they met up until his death, Elvis always sent a roomful of flowers to Ann-Margret whenever she opened up a show in Las Vegas.
Grandfather of Riley Keough (b. May 29, 1989), Benjamin Keough (b. October 21, 1992) and fraternal twins Harper Vivienne Ann & Finley Aaron Love Lockwood (b. Wednesday, October 7, 2008).
Had 18 Billboard #1 songs, the first being "Heartbreak Hotel" in March of 1956. His 18th and final #1, "Suspicious Minds", was released in September 1969.
Had glaucoma in the 1970s.
Has been portrayed by Val Kilmer, Harvey Keitel, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Kurt Russell, Don Johnson, Bruce Campbell, David Keith, Rob Youngblood and Peter Dobson.
Has more multiplatinum album sales than any other performer, with twelve albums selling over 2 million copies.
Has sold 1.8 billion records worldwide, more than any other artist or music group.
He and Andy Griffith debuted together, but at different times, on Steve Allen's weekly program "The Steve Allen Plymouth Show" (1956), on July 1, 1956. It was Steve Allen's second show and Elvis' appearance skyrocketed it in popularity.
He asked his father Vernon Presley to pick TV evangelist Rex Humbard to officiate at his funeral.
He bought Graceland mansion on Tuesday, March 19, 1957, from Mrs. Ruth Brown Moore for $102,500. The mansion, built of tan Tennessee limestone, consists of 23 rooms and 13.7 surrounding acres. The Music Gates were installed in April of 1957. The name "Graceland" came with the mansion, from the days when it was originally used as a church.
He did an early '60s concert in Hawaii, and donated the proceeds to help build the USS Arizona memorial.
He had two full face-lifts and rhinoplasty during the mid-1970s. On one of these visits to hospital he was accompanied by Linda Thompson.
He is credited as a co-writer of "(I'll) You'll Be Gone" (1965). This was the B side of the hit from his film Girl Happy (1965), "Do The Clam". It is found in his five-CD box set of '60s recordings. Elvis composed the lyrics and brought the song to a recording session.
He is credited as a co-writer of "(I'll) You'll Be Gone" (1965). This was the B side of the hit from his film Girl Happy (1965), "Do The Clam". It is found in his five-CD box set of '60s recordings. Elvis composed the lyrics and brought the song to a recording session. He is also listed in the writer's credits to "Heartbreak Hotel".