Richard Davis Car Accident Mystery

[Joe Car]

princedragna, thanks for posting Photoplay article - June, 1963.

Photoplay article mentioned Harvey Hensling was the one that died.

I google Harvey Hensling and found an article in Ocala Star-Banner-May 12, 1963 Santa Monica, Calif. (AP) Elvis Faces Lawsuit In Death Of Gardner...

Date of accident March 13, 1963 - Widow of Gardner filed a $501,400 damage suit against Elvis - Richard E. Davis, 23 identified as an employee of Presley, who was driving the car...

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19630512&id=RQIkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LwUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1540,2810750

It was obvious that this hit everybody involved, very hard. Thanks for posting the details folks! Just wondering if Priscilla knows of this, or if she ever has mentioned it.

[Good Time Charlie]

Interesting revelations. A tragic story. But now it is confirmed that the accident happened in 1963, I wonder what it was that cancelled the mystery sessions of 1967?!

[Marko]

Photoplay article - June, 1963.

The last day of shooting for "Fun In Acapulco" was March 13, 1963.

Presumably the date of the accident.

Thanks for uploading the article! Very interesting read.

[Daryl]

Hello,

Is there any confirmation (photographs, contemporary newspaper and magazine articles) that Elvis did go to Las Vegas in August, 1967. Where was Elvis at when these sessions were cancelled? If that can be ascertained, I think we all have a better chance of finding out why the August, 1967 sessions were cancelled. Has anybody ever asked Billy Strange or any of the musicians.

Daryl

[drjohncarpenter]

Interesting revelations. A tragic story. But now it is confirmed that the accident happened in 1963, I wonder what it was that cancelled the mystery sessions of 1967?!

Indeed, that is the key question.

[rjm]

Okay, I'm still not sure exactly where this is going but I'll play.

Is this what you're saying, rj?

a) In 1963, Richard Davis, one of Elvis' employees, is involved a motor related death? (The possible implication being that maybe Davis was a "patsy" for Elvis himself.)
b) Elvis, deeply affected by the incident, loses all interest in his career for the next two years.
c) He spends this time searching for his spiritual side.
d) Having found some deeper meaning to his existence, he records a sublime Gospel album.
e) He begins to put his career back on track and plans to record a new secular single and album.
f) Some other mysterious event takes place (possibly related to the Davis incident) and Elvis is whisked away out of the state.

Am I reading too much into previous posts or is this what's being suggested?

It was the working theory. Untested.
Gotta go through what I missed now.

rjm

[rjm]

So thre WAS a FILED lawsuit! Guralnick missed it?

Is there a way to dredge up the police records? For the TIME of the accident. And interesting that "Dicks's" memory was gone. And how do they know that Elvis felt "different" that morning.

We know that when the cops came, Richard was alone. That's a given.
Who called Parker? Who was interviewed for the magazine?

As to Aug. 67, still darkness. We know the session was cancelled suddenly but thy got paid..
Perhaps. Why did this get tied to 67?

Very close. Great work people!

rjm

[rjm]

I cannot read the newspaper article re: lawsuit.

Could someone post? We found what few have.

Now the matter of the sessions.

rjm

[rjm]

Date of accident: March 13 {from filed lawsuit}
Date of publicity stills: March 14 {Day By Day, Ernst and Peter}
Date of party for cast and crew, photographed: MARCH 13 {Day By Day, Ernst and Peter}

Date of completion of dubbing: March 18 {DbyD}
Date EP released, returns to Memphis and Cilla: March 22 {DbyD}

Doc, are these dates consistent with your research materials? The cast party photo date?

rjm
P.S. The identity of the dead man was not disclosed in these books, and placing it in August 67 is puzzling.
What stopped the sessions when they were waiting at the altar?

[TJ]

Not sure what I've missed here. What evidence has emerged that contradicts the idea that it was in 1963 and that Richard Davis was behind the wheel?

[rjm]

Nothing, exactly. But if the pub photos were taken on the 14th, while Elvis attended the cast party on the 13th, this is not quite what the article states. Perhaps the photo session was indeed postponed, but Elvis is seen at the party on the day of accident. Did not rush home after accident.

Look, "Dick" was probably driving, but there is no way to be certain.

He oddly stressed to Hopkins that he was with Elvis 24/7, every day. Hyperbole, sure, but why did he say it? Perhaps the cast party was the day after? Either way, Parker seems oblivious inthe photo. Weird, no matter what.

rjm

[rjm]

Just curious: Elvis did not come to work in tights. One assumes his wardrobe was on set.

So why did Richard have to pick up his wardrobe at home?

Could the accident have happened after the cast party {photographed}. Still could put Richard behind the wheel. That cannot be in doubt, since there will never be evidence to prove otherwise.

Still, what about 67? Is there any connection . . . ?

rjm

[drjohncarpenter]

I cannot read the newspaper article re: lawsuit.

Could someone post? We found what few have.

Now the matter of the sessions.

Here is AP report, from the Florida newspaper:

630512_Ocala Star-Banner p27.jpg

Ocala Star-Banner, Sunday May 12, 1963
The fatality occurred on Wednesday, March 13, 1963.

The insinuation that Elvis was the actual driver seems a bit far-fetched.

[Elvis Australia]

I cannot read the newspaper article re: lawsuit.
Could someone post? We found what few have.
rjm

[rjm]

Far fetched. Agreed. But unpleasant and muddied unnecessarily.

1. Col. got this whole matter buried for over 30 years. Amazing.
2. It got slapped onto Aug. 67. That remains unknown. If that was bad, what the hell happened in 67?

rjm
P.S. Thanks Doc and David for the article! Damn Kindle couldn't get it otherwise.
The sessions, the sessions . . . gosh, this is rather exciting.

[TJ]

Just curious: Elvis did not come to work in tights. One assumes his wardrobe was on set.

So why did Richard have to pick up his wardrobe at home?

Could the accident have happened after the cast party {photographed}. Still could put Richard behind the wheel. That cannot be in doubt, since there will never be evidence to prove otherwise.

Still, what about 67? Is there any connection . . . ?

rjm

With just one scene left to film and that being the scene in tights, Elvis could have taken the wardrobe home the day before I guess. He did keep clothes from his movies.

My guess is that the cast party was going on in the afternoon after the final scene was shot and that the photoshoot was put off until the next day when the news came through of the accident.

[TJ]

1. Col. got this whole matter buried for over 30 years. Amazing.

No he didn't. This thread alone contains two examples of how it was covered in the media at the time.

[Daryl]

Again, do we have any photo documentation that Elvis was in Las Vegas on August 22-23, 1967? Has anyone ever questioned some of the guys like Marty, Red, etc to see if they know anything about it?

[drjohncarpenter]

P.S. Thanks Doc ...

Happy to be the first to oblige.

[rjm]

The Col. did a pretty good job. Give the old coot some credit! {wink and grin}

rjm

[drjohncarpenter]

To be honest, there was not much of a job to do. Elvis was only connected as the employer of Davis.

Evidently, the widow received an out-of-court settlement to drop the lawsuit and stay mum to the press.

[rjm]

Again, do we have any photo documentation that Elvis was in Las Vegas on August 22-23, 1967? Has anyone ever questioned some of the guys like Marty, Red, etc to see if they know anything about it?

Elvis had a thinner crew at the time of the Runaway Singer. Sonny. Joe. Jerry. Billy Smith. And three others have bitten the dust. But those four probably do know.
Red and Larry were not around, tho very much alive and well. I doubt anyway they'd say anything since they did not.

And Priscilla wouldn't tell even if you could fix her Botox "accident." {lopsided grin}

rjm

[rjm]

Now that we've pretty much taken care of 63, what of the real question?
What happend in 67?
Now, this is strictly out of my own deranged mind, you think maybe they got wind of a possible drug bust and fled just in case?

Just a wild idea. . .

rjm

[TJ]

Sonny does mention it in his book. He says that Davis kept reliving the moment over and over, and was distraught that he had accidentally killed someone. Sonny also says that it happened while shooting Roustabout, but I guess he is mistaken.

I'm pretty sure that I recall Jerry mentioning it in his book too, but I can't find my copy right now.

[TJ]

What does it say about 1967 in the Guitar Man FTD liner notes? I don't have it and I have no idea what people are talking about.