"What Makes Elvis Tick?" --> October 1956!

October 1956 was a pretty good month for Elvis, overall. Despite a dust-up at a Memphis gas station, he was riding high on radio, TV, stage and in motion pictures.




Elvis, Sunday, October 28, 1956 - post rehearsal, outside CBS's Studio 50, New York


Mid-month, a nationally-syndicated article summarizing the Presley career to date, perhaps in anticipation of his film debut in 20th Century Fox's "Love Me Tender," made the rounds. It was surprisingly accurate, and more than a little funny. Hollywood scribe William Steif refers to the upcoming movie as a "horse opera," and how Hollywood had embraced Presley "heart, soul and cashbox."

It was called "What Makes Elvis Tick?"





Pittsburgh Press, Wednesday, Oct 17, 1956


Pretty cool, man.




Elvis, Friday, October 12, 1956 - Heart O' Texas Coliseum, Waco TX

Thanks for posting this.

You have to wonder where the writer got his "facts" from.


Just two I noticed in a quick read - he describes RCA as a Hollywood outfit.


He also claims that Hal Wallis first noticed Elvis in Las Vegas performing at the New Frontier. In fact Wallis gave him the screen test two months prior.

Contemporary reports are always fascinating on many levels.

Just two I noticed in a quick read - he describes RCA as a Hollywood outfit.


He also claims that Hal Wallis first noticed Elvis in Las Vegas performing at the New Frontier. In fact Wallis gave him the screen test two months prior.

Most of the piece is very accurate.

Note "Hollywood outfit" is an idiomatic expression for "not of the South."

And Hal Wallis first noticed Elvis when his business partner Joseph Hazen was told by a neighbor to turn on CBS-TV's "Stage Show" and check out a kid named Elvis Presley, and, as he remembered years later, he immediately called Wallis in California and instructed him to do the same.

So it's no surprise the Hollywood scribe would be fed a different story by Paramount about how their top man "discovered" Presley.

Pretty cool, man

Indeed,great stuff Doc,i simply love reading these contemporary articles,thanks again for posting
such material.

norrie

Yes,this is a great stuff....

Just two I noticed in a quick read - he describes RCA as a Hollywood outfit.


He also claims that Hal Wallis first noticed Elvis in Las Vegas performing at the New Frontier. In fact Wallis gave him the screen test two months prior.

Most of the piece is very accurate.

Note "Hollywood outfit" is an idiomatic expression for "not of the South."

.

Would a newspaper in Pittsburg really call a major New York company a
'Hollywood outfit" - very strange.

great read Doc i just love these historic findings.

Would a newspaper in Pittsburg really call a major New York company a
'Hollywood outfit" - very strange.

You will be less confused if you read topics with care

Mid-month, a nationally-syndicated article summarizing the Presley career to date, perhaps in anticipation of his film debut in 20th Century Fox's "Love Me Tender," made the rounds. It was surprisingly accurate, and more than a little funny. Hollywood scribe William Steif refers to the upcoming movie as a "horse opera," and how Hollywood had embraced Presley "heart, soul and cashbox."

Great topic! Love the article. 1956 was a great year. .the year when "all hell broke loose"