Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American businessman, entrepreneur, singer and actor. Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, led him to both great success and initial controversy. Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family when he was 13 years old. His music career began there in 1954, recording at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring the sound of European-American music to a wider audience. Presley, on rhythm acoustic guitar, and accompanied by lead guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, was a pioneer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. In 1955, drummer D. J. Fontana joined to complete the lineup of Presley's classic quartet and RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage him for more than two decades. Presley's first RCA Victor single, "Heartbreak Hotel", was released in January 1956 and became a number-one hit in the United States. Within a year, RCA would sell ten million Presley singles. With a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records, Presley became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll, though his performative style and promotion of the then-marginalized sound led to him being widely considered a threat to the moral well-being of the European-American youth. In November 1956, Presley made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Drafted into military service in 1958, Presley relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. He held few concerts, however, and guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood films and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided. Some of his most famous films included Jailhouse Rock (1957), Blue Hawaii (1961), and Viva Las Vegas (1964). In 1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed television comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley gave the first concert by a solo artist to be broadcast around the world, Aloha from Hawaii. Years of prescription drug abuse and unhealthy eating habits severely compromised his health, and he died suddenly in 1977 at his Graceland estate at the age of 42.
Filmography
Motorgasm: a cinematic act of terrorism
as self (archive footage)
Motorgasm: a cinematic act of terrorism
as self (archive footage)
Michael Jackson: A Life in Music
as Self (archive voice)
Michael Jackson: A Life in Music
as Self (archive voice)
In the Shadow of the King
as Self (archive footage)
In the Shadow of the King
as Self (archive footage)
Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness
as Self (archival footage)
Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness
as Self (archival footage)
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
as Self (archive footage)
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: A Life in Music
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: A Life in Music
as Self (archive footage)
TURA!
as archive footage
TURA!
as archive footage
Elvis Presley: Shook Up
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis Presley: Shook Up
as Self (archive footage)
Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley
as Self (archive footage)
Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley
as Self (archive footage)
Larger than Life: Reign of the Boybands
as Self (archive footage)
Larger than Life: Reign of the Boybands
as Self (archive footage)
An Oprah Special: The Presleys - Elvis, Lisa Marie and Riley
as Self (archive footage)
An Oprah Special: The Presleys - Elvis, Lisa Marie and Riley
as Self (archive footage)
The Last Repair Shop
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Last Repair Shop
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Christmas at Graceland
as Self (archive footage)
Christmas at Graceland
as Self (archive footage)
Reinventing Elvis: The 68' Comeback
as Self (archive footage)
Reinventing Elvis: The 68' Comeback
as Self (archive footage)
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
as Self (archive footage)
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis & Priscilla: Conditional Love
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis & Priscilla: Conditional Love
as Self (archive footage)
Little Richard: I Am Everything
as Self (archive footage)
Little Richard: I Am Everything
as Self (archive footage)
Just a Boy From Tupelo: Bringing Elvis to the Big Screen
as Self (archive footage)
Just a Boy From Tupelo: Bringing Elvis to the Big Screen
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Elvis
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rat Pack
as Self (archive footage)
Rat Pack
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis Presley: Meet Me In Memphis
as Self
Elvis Presley: Meet Me In Memphis
as Self
Elvis: The Other Side
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: The Other Side
as Self (archive footage)
My Darling Vivian
as Self (archive footage)
My Darling Vivian
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: The Men Who Knew Him Best
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: The Men Who Knew Him Best
as Self (archive footage)
ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas
as Self (archive footage)
ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis All-Star Tribute
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis All-Star Tribute
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: The '68 Comeback Special
as Self
Elvis: The '68 Comeback Special
as Self
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
as Self (archive footage)
Game Changers
as Self (archive footage)
Game Changers
as Self (archive footage)
The King
as Self (archive footage)
The King
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: Strung Out
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: Strung Out
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis & The Memphis Mafia
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis & The Memphis Mafia
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: '68 Comeback Special: 50th Anniversary Edition
as Self
Elvis: '68 Comeback Special: 50th Anniversary Edition
as Self
Elvis: The Rebirth of the King
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: The Rebirth of the King
as Self (archive footage)
The Seven Ages of Elvis
as Self (archive footage)
The Seven Ages of Elvis
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis and the Girl from Vienna
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis and the Girl from Vienna
as Self (archive footage)
Free to Rock
as Self (archive footage)
Free to Rock
as Self (archive footage)
Tempest Storm
as archive footage
Tempest Storm
as archive footage
Elvis Talks...Elvis On Elvis
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis Talks...Elvis On Elvis
as Self (archive footage)
When the King Held Court
as Self (archival footage)
When the King Held Court
as Self (archival footage)
Joanna Lumley: Elvis and Me
as Self (archive footage)
Joanna Lumley: Elvis and Me
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: A Generous Heart-Collectors Edition Vol. II
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: A Generous Heart-Collectors Edition Vol. II
as Self (archive footage)
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
as Dr. John Carpenter / Change of Habit (archive footage)
Mary Tyler Moore: A Celebration
as Dr. John Carpenter / Change of Habit (archive footage)
Let’s Spend the Night Together: Confessions of Rock’s Greatest Groupies
as archive footage
Let’s Spend the Night Together: Confessions of Rock’s Greatest Groupies
as archive footage
Elvis Presley: Gladiators
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis Presley: Gladiators
as Self (archive footage)
The Rise & Fall of WCW
as Self (archive footage)
The Rise & Fall of WCW
as Self (archive footage)
Sweet Karolynne
as Self (archive footage)
Sweet Karolynne
as Self (archive footage)
Sex in '69: The Sexual Revolution in America
as Self (archive footage)
Sex in '69: The Sexual Revolution in America
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis | Viva Las Vegas
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis | Viva Las Vegas
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: #1 Hit Performances & More Vol. II
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: #1 Hit Performances & More Vol. II
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis & Pat Boone Rockin' Rivals
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis & Pat Boone Rockin' Rivals
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: #1 Hit Performances
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: #1 Hit Performances
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: Love Me Tender-The Love Songs
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: Love Me Tender-The Love Songs
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis - Collection
Elvis - Collection
Louisiana Hayride: Cradle To The Stars
as Self (archive footage)
Louisiana Hayride: Cradle To The Stars
as Self (archive footage)
Why Elvis?
as Self (archive footage)
Why Elvis?
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: The Birth of Rock N' Roll
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: The Birth of Rock N' Roll
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis The Man The Music The Legend
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis The Man The Music The Legend
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: The Journey
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis: The Journey
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s
as Self (archive footage)
Early Elvis: From Country Boy to King of Rock & Roll
as Self (archive footage)
Early Elvis: From Country Boy to King of Rock & Roll
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis The Great Performances Vol. 2 The Man and the Music
as Self (archive footage)
Elvis The Great Performances Vol. 2 The Man and the Music
as Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
as Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis: The Television Years
as Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis: Elvis and the Colonel
as Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis: Elvis and the Colonel
as Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis 25th Anniversary: Vol. 1 The Memphis Years & The Television Years
as Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis 25th Anniversary: Vol. 1 The Memphis Years & The Television Years
as Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis 25th Anniversary: Vol. 5 The Many Loves Of Elvis & The Intimate Loves Of Elvis
as Self (archive footage)
The Definitive Elvis 25th Anniversary: Vol. 5 The Many Loves Of Elvis & The Intimate Loves Of Elvis
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Rocks 'n' Rolls in the '50s
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Rocks 'n' Rolls in the '50s
as Self (archive footage)
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
as Self (archive footage)
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
as Self (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
as (archive footage)
That's Entertainment! III
as (archive footage)
Forrest Gump
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Forrest Gump
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Elvis Conspiracy
as Self (archive footage)
The Elvis Conspiracy
as Self (archive footage)
The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)
The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show (Vol. 1)
The Elvis Files
as Self (archive footage)
The Elvis Files
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
as Self (archive footage)
Mondo Elvis
as Self (archive footage)
Mondo Elvis
as Self (archive footage)
When the Music's Over
as Self (archive footage)
When the Music's Over
as Self (archive footage)
This Is Elvis
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
This Is Elvis
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Elvis in Concert
as Self - vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
Elvis in Concert
as Self - vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
Change of Habit
as Dr. John Carpenter
Change of Habit
as Dr. John Carpenter
Charro!
as Jess Wade
Charro!
as Jess Wade
Speedway
as Steve Grayson
Speedway
as Steve Grayson
The Movie Orgy
as Self (archive footage)
The Movie Orgy
as Self (archive footage)
Harum Scarum
as Johnny Tyronne
Harum Scarum
as Johnny Tyronne
Tickle Me
as Lonnie Beale / Panhandle Kid
Tickle Me
as Lonnie Beale / Panhandle Kid
Girl Happy
as Rusty Wells
Girl Happy
as Rusty Wells
It Happened at the World's Fair
as Mike Edwards
It Happened at the World's Fair
as Mike Edwards
Loving You
as Deke Rivers
Loving You
as Deke Rivers
Jailhouse Rock
as Vince Everett
Jailhouse Rock
as Vince Everett