Did P & P conspire against Elvis?

[TJ]

The story goes Elvis asked/begged/charmed her parents to let her move in.
But was the moving to Memphis his idea? May have been HER idea. Or Parker's?

And if Elvis hadn't wanted her to move in, do you think a then 17 yr old girl could have forced him to? Of course not. He wanted her there. I believe he had a rather stupid notion in his head that with her being so young he could mould her into his perfect woman; a woman who would act, talk and even dress exactly how he wanted her to. The problem with that idea is that you can't create a new personality for someone. In time, their sense of individuality will creep through and upset the apple cart. For her part, like the majority of teenage girls on the planet in that period, she was totally blown away by Elvis. Of course she wanted to go and live with him. That hardly makes her some kind of cunning lolita. In fact, it makes her a perfectly normal teenage girl.

Her moving in with Elvis may not be a literal "jinx"
but look at the '63-67 sales figures & chart positions =
she did not help his career. A jinx theory is plausible!

Equally you could say, look at the sales figures between 1967 and 1972 when they were married. Wow, a huge improvement and the man was back on track. So if your argument says that she was responsible for the downturn, was her influence such that she was responsible for the upturn too? No! Elvis' choices were his own. She had no impact on the films he made or songs he sang, so therefore no impact on his sales figures and chart positions. Besides, she was home in Memphis most of the time during the Hollywood period, so far from being the distraction that you make out. He had all the distractions he needed with a string of affairs with his leading ladies.

I do think it's feasible that the Colonel could have used the underage point to his advantage. I wouldn't put it past him. That said, she was 17 when she moved into Graceland, not 14, so it's hardly shocking.

[Simon1]

You can make a conspiracy out of everything if you want to.
Kennedy assassination, Diana crashing, James Dean crashing, Elvis dying, Mama Cass choking on a piece of meat..

Maybe it was a plot between Parker an Cilla and some aliens who wanted to kidnapp Elvis to their planet so they could have him for themselves. Cilla is into the Scientology crap and they believe that the earthlings come originally from an Alien race that got stranded here.
That's it! I am convinced now, Parker and Cilla sold him to the aliens, oh my god, this is mindblowing stuff.
Can't wait to see ''Elvis Aloha from Mars''

[Luuk]

You can make a conspiracy out of everything if you want to.
Kennedy assassination, Diana crashing, James Dean crashing, Elvis dying, Mama Cass choking on a piece of meat..

Maybe it was a plot between Parker an Cilla and some aliens who wanted to kidnapp Elvis to their planet so they could have him for themselves. Cilla is into the Scientology crap and they believe that the earthlings come originally from an Alien race that got stranded here.
That's it! I am convinced now, Parker and Cilla sold him to the aliens, oh my god, this is mindblowing stuff.
Can't wait to see ''Elvis Aloha from Mars''

Aloha from Mars is cancelled. The Colonel nixed it after Elvis would not let him have 99,9% of the fee.
Sh*t I start to sound like GG.

[Silver]

Luuk - I don't think that I can reason with you. You have your mind made up, as I felt most would. Most of the others of you can't and won't change your minds. I know this.

TJ - I think you are a reasonable man who could be persuaded with enough evidence, although I don't think I can provide you with enough evidence. Of course, Elvis asked Priscilla to move in with him - a 17-year old underage girl! Jerry Lee Lewis was just ruined by a similar situation. Elvis, being Elvis, thought he could get away with it, and he did!! This is VERY typical of a bipolar personality!! Believe me, the risk-taking, the compulsivity, the impulsivity, the persuasive tendencies!! It is VERY typical!!! It is NOT easy living with a bipolar personality!! It is sometimes hell on earth. I am not kidding. You know how Elvis sometimes lost it (threw the cue stick at a girl; got into a scuffle at a service station, got into screaming matches with his beloved mother? There are numerous instances of temper episodes!! And, this is uncontrollable - not his fault!!) He also made so many errors of judgement and you know he did!! The errors of addictions were NOT his fault!! It is part of the syndrome. The errors of conceding to authority (like the colonel) were also not his fault (part of the syndrome). I do know this VERY well because having lived with it for over 25 years, I have researched and read every article I could find. I still get annoyed, even though I know it is NOT his fault. Sometimes, it is just very annoying!

[InMemphis]

I don't think Elvis was bi-polar or clinically depressed.

What he did have was unparalleled success and fame at an extremely young age, tons of money to spend on a whim, unbelievable sex appeal and a public that could not get enough of him.

He had bad management that we are still learning about and wondering why he couldn't walk away from it. That bred boredom and dissatisfaction during the movie era.

We all know how fast time passes. One day you're twenty, then bam, all of a sudden twenty years have passed and you don't know what hit you.

He fell in love with Priscilla, and like most guys probably would have liked to have been single as long as possible before finally taking that big step. And hey, like 50% of the marriages in the US, even less in show biz, it just didn't work out.

No sinister plot.

[Juan Luis]

I agree with silver.

[TJ]

Luuk - I don't think that I can reason with you. You have your mind made up, as I felt most would. Most of the others of you can't and won't change your minds. I know this.

TJ - I think you are a reasonable man who could be persuaded with enough evidence, although I don't think I can provide you with enough evidence. Of course, Elvis asked Priscilla to move in with him - a 17-year old underage girl! Jerry Lee Lewis was just ruined by a similar situation. Elvis, being Elvis, thought he could get away with it, and he did!! This is VERY typical of a bipolar personality!! Believe me, the risk-taking, the compulsivity, the impulsivity, the persuasive tendencies!! It is VERY typical!!! It is NOT easy living with a bipolar personality!! It is sometimes hell on earth. I am not kidding. You know how Elvis sometimes lost it (threw the cue stick at a girl; got into a scuffle at a service station, got into screaming matches with his beloved mother? There are numerous instances of temper episodes!! And, this is uncontrollable - not his fault!!) He also made so many errors of judgement and you know he did!! The errors of addictions were NOT his fault!! It is part of the syndrome. The errors of conceding to authority (like the colonel) were also not his fault (part of the syndrome). I do know this VERY well because having lived with it for over 25 years, I have researched and read every article I could find. I still get annoyed, even though I know it is NOT his fault. Sometimes, it is just very annoying!

Well I'm far more open to the possibility of Elvis having problems with depression than I am the P and P conspiracy theory Silver. That said, these temper episodes could be judged as just that - episodes. If each of us scrutinise our lives, don't you think we can pick out several instances of poor behaviour caused by bad moods? The episodes we are all familiar with happened over years in a very complicated, out of the ordinary life. The bipolar theory could explain his mood swings and erratic behaviour, but the pressures and frustrations of fame, coupled with his increasing reliance on prescription meds could also be responsible.

[midnightx]

[TJ]

Thanks for that inspiring contribution

[Juan Luis]

I think there were less explosive situations regarding temper because people new Elvis and avoided contradicting him. That is why I think there are so many stories of rooms becoming very quiet when an outsider had an opinion that the inner circle would not dare speak out in front of him.

[Silver]

Somehow got a repeat so am deleting the first one!!!

[Silver]

Got another repeat. Hope this doesn't go on.

[Silver]

Yes, JLGB, they certainly were "Taking Care of Business!!" Also, E had a lot more "episodes," TJ, than the rest of us. I don't think you can put that down to his sudden fame, coming from a poor background, and not really understanding what he was getting into. He wouldn't have the addiction problems without his affliction. This manifests itself ususally in puberty, which is when I understand he discovered his mother's diet pills. However, he did have earlier episodes which I recognized when I read Elvis and Gladys and The Revelations of the Memphis Mafia and Peter Guralnick's books (both).

I think I understand Elvis because because I lived his youthful life - being poor, having to use an outhouse, having only cold running water, living next to a dairy in a two room shack (unpainted). I understand his adult life through my husband. I don't know many people who have these experiences. The things that people think are just part of life are NOT, not when they are repeated over and over. These things are arranged in a pattern. If the pattern fits, it's probably a true pattern. Gosh, this doesn't make sense. Getting way too tired. Guess I'll give up and go to bed.

[TJ]

Also, E had a lot more "episodes," TJ, than the rest of us.

Perhaps, but episodes that occur in a regular person's life over a 20 year period are not collected together in books that can be read in a few sittings. This practice can give us a somewhat exaggerated view of Elvis' temperament. I'm not rejecting your theory by any means, but I don't think we can draw firm conclusions.

[ElvisAhlgren]

Of course Parker liked to have Elvis marrying and having a family. He liked to have complete control and a married Elvis would seem easier to control than a crazy bachelor going wild every night. So both Priscilla and Parker wanted Elvis to stay home and behave like a husband should. In that way they probably understood each other.

But after a while Elvis couldn't be stopped. The drugs took control and Elvis lost his wife and Parker eventually lost his star. Elvis' life was so crazy and he had changed so much that no ordinary person could control or influence Elvis enough to save him from self destruction. Elvis could see it coming but he just didn't care.

I find this subject rather silly. Priscilla just wanted a good husband and a good life and that greedy Colonel wanted more easy money. It's as simple as that. Everybody wanted control but nobody could get it when Elvis lost it himself.

[Luuk]

Luuk - I don't think that I can reason with you. You have your mind made up, as I felt most would. Most of the others of you can't and won't change your minds. I know this.

Everybody can discuss anything with me as long as they don't have the attitude "everything Colonel Parker did was wrong" and "The Colonel took all of Elvis' money". Elvis was no fool. He knew that 50% of millions was more than 75% of tens of thousands.
The Colonel always kept his promised to Elvis. First he promised him "you have a million dollar worth of talent, I make sure next year you have a million dollars".
The Colonel let Elvis do 2 serious movies (Flaming star & Wild in the country). The fans did not show up! The fans proved The colonel weas right with the musical movies. So do not blame Elvis' movie career on The Colonel but blame the fans!
Elvis was not so succesful in Vegas in 1956. The Colonel made sure the same thing was not going to happen in 1969. By then Elvis was the highest paid performer (or did the articles at the time lie?) and all shows were sold out. People from all over the world travelled to Las Vegas.
Which proved that Elvis did not have to tour the world: the world came to Elvis!
But looking back, there are people who say that everything Parker did was wrong. Please people, take off your blinders!
(If The Colonel was such a bad manager, how come everybody asked The colonel for advice hwo to promote their star? This included Brian Epstein, manager of a group called The Beatles!)

[InMemphis]

Also, E had a lot more "episodes," TJ, than the rest of us.

Perhaps, but episodes that occur in a regular person's life over a 20 year period are not collected together in books that can be read in a few sittings. This practice can give us a somewhat exaggerated view of Elvis' temperament. I'm not rejecting your theory by any means, but I don't think we can draw firm conclusions.

thanks TJ, you hit the nail right on the head. The only thing that makes Elvis's moods, temper, etc. seem so extravagant is that everyone and his brother has written a book about it and attempted to anaylyze him.

Just a dude man, that's all, who has now had all of his dirty laundry exposed to millions.

[Simon1]

Hi Luuk, exactly!
I am also amazed by the gullability of so many fans. Elvis did what he wanted to do himself. If he didn't want to do something he made Parker his scapegoat. Colonel Parker was the greatest manager that ever lived, why? Because, even 28 odd years after Elvis' death we still talk about him! It was Parker who invented the secrecy surrounding Elvis, he wanted him to be like an old fashioned movie star that was completely out of reach.
To make him an enigma, and boy did he succeed. Parker shielded him throughout his career, Elvis was the greatest performer ever but he wasn't exactly politically correct, I mean, do you remember the remark, ''why buy a cow if you can get free milk''? In responses to whether he was going to get married soon.
Also it was a wise decision for Parker to not put him on the Carson Show for instance. It would have ruined his image, Elvis was NO talker, plenty of evidence in the interviews, and when he did talk it was only about gospel music.
Still, many fans blame him for killing Elvis or whatever. Driving him into the ground with gruelling schedules. When Elvis wasn't working early Jan. 1977 he had to convince the Colonel to book tours as Parker thought it not wise to tour given his medical state.
It is so easy to blame someone else for Elvis' own flaws.
Yes, he was the greatest performer and not only because of Parker, but I am sure if he hadn't met the old Dutchman we wouldn't still be talking about him in 2005.

Cheers
Simon

[Steve_M]

GG, I disagree, but my reasons are the same examples as you've used.

I don't think they conspired against Elvis at all.

But I do agree that independantly of one another both fought from their respective corners for more than Elvis could give both of them.
The timings you produced are when Elvis was at his most self confident, but that would cause Cilly and Parker to try and take back control of their respective holds that wanted to have, or thought they deserved or thought they had a right to, but not that they did it together nor for the same reasons, just that the result for Elvis was always going to be the same and further Cillys and Parkers respective wishes anyway.

But I see the reason why you followed that pattern of thought.

[Daryl]

Hello,

One of the problems I have regarding Priscilla is her apparent ignorance to the fact that she too was one of the people who picked Elvis apart. If you watch the Elvis By The Presleys DVD she says something about others picking Elvis apart but yet she fails to realize that she too was is in that very same boat and continues to dwell in that same boat to this very day. Seriously though, does anyone think that she would have been able to get as far in her own personal career (movies, television) without first being Mrs. Elvis Presley. I personally do not think she would have. It's like television today with all the reality shows. Most of these people wouldn't be able to get in the music industry or on television or in a movie but since they went on a reality show, Hollywood and the music industry seem to think that qualifies a person to put them on another reality show or in a movie or give them a record deal even though they finished 5th in American Idol.

Another problem I have is that shortly after Elvis' death she was in kahoots with the Colonel about the Always Elvis and all that crap. Now, in Elvis By The Presleys she practically throws the Colonel in front of the bus to take all the blame for Elvis' problems. Priscilla comes across as a person who tries to manipulate others to meet her own personal agenda. Otherwise, she and her daughter as well as the entire staff at EPE would know alot more about his music, his movies and his career in general. Why does EPE always have to rely on others to do their work. Take for example all the licenses that they issue to various companies to use the image and likeness of Elvis. All they have to do is just sit back and collect the checks. Granted, I would like to have a few of those checks that make Elvis the top-earning deceased celebrity but doing that constantly would obviously make a person very lazy and they would have no reason to want to create something that would be self-gratifying as well as pleasing the fans. EPE wants to talk about how they have a long-form documentary planned on Elvis' career but the question I have is have they conducted any in-depth interviews with people who were there and actually worked with Elvis. These people are not getting any younger. And I'm not talking about the Joe Espositos and the George Kleins and the Jerry Schillings but rather people like Bill Porter, Al Pachucki, Scotty, D.J., James Burton, Glen Hardin, Ronnie Tutt, Jerry Scheff, John Wilkinson, Steve Binder, Bones Howe, Marty Pasetta and others. It just seems to me that the opportunity to do a longform documentary on Elvis justice has seemed to pass. Just think how many people Elvis came across in the recording studio, his personal appearances and in his movies who are no longer with us. Guys like Bill Black, Sam Phillips, Steve Sholes, Bob Neal, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Floyd Cramer, Denis Sanders, Pierre Adidge, Robert Abel, Colonel Tom Parker, and of course Elvis' parents Vernon and Gladys. Granted some of these people passed away before Elvis did but I hope I got my point across that for EPE to do a major and I mean MAJOR longform documentary right you are going to need to interview people that worked with Elvis alot.

Lastly, speaking of Elvis' mother, Gladys, why is it that on the Elvis By The Presleys DVD they hardly use any audio interview clips of her. I do know that there are recordings made of Vernon and Gladys singing gospel in addition to the brief audio of Gladys from Tupelo 56. I think it speaks volumes that a documentary entitled Elvis By The Presleys and features interviews with his father, his ex-wife, his daughter, his grandparents, his cousin, one of his employees, and even his manager yet fails to include probably the person he trusted the most, his mother.

Daryl

[Silver]

Also, E had a lot more "episodes," TJ, than the rest of us.

Perhaps, but episodes that occur in a regular person's life over a 20 year period are not collected together in books that can be read in a few sittings. This practice can give us a somewhat exaggerated view of Elvis' temperament. I'm not rejecting your theory by any means, but I don't think we can draw firm conclusions.

Okay, TJ, take a 20 period of your life, age 22-42; are you 42 yet? You know you better than anyone. Did you make the same mistakes over and over? Blow up at tiny incidences? Spend like it it was going out of style (in other words, I presume you do have some savings). You probably have not come across a prescription drug that made you feel really good, so I won't ask about addiction. If you had the chance to seduce every good looking girl you met, would you (I mean, really)?

I have 4 friends who were married to diagnosed bipolars. All the ones I know have had short life spans (Gladys and Elvis) because they committed suicide either purposefully (shot themselves) or by destructive lifestyles. ALL of them. Excuse me, one is not. The two mates have come to an understanding.

Again, I have to say, Elvis was a phenomenal talent!! Anyone defending him, good for you!! He is an artist beyond compare!!! He still gives pleasure to many, many all over the world - as does DaVinci - (bipolar).

[elvis_mania54545]

shes still goes by presley after being divorced from him for over 30 years. love to know why, couldnt be that she liked having that name makes the spotlight shine a little brighter on her now doesnt it. i dont like her and yes i know elvis made mistakes etc. he by no means was perfect but she is one that i have my own oppions of and you either like her or you dont. i for one dont. one day elvis is great loving husband next time she talks he was biggest jerk that ever walked this earth. this is why i for one stick to the music and bypass most storys done on elvis. i dont know what is was like living with him or even being around him, but do love the music. that is all

[Luuk]

shes still goes by presley after being divorced from him for over 30 years. love to know why, couldnt be that she liked having that name makes the spotlight shine a little brighter on her now doesnt it. i dont like her and yes i know elvis made mistakes etc. he by no means was perfect but she is one that i have my own oppions of and you either like her or you dont. i for one dont. one day elvis is great loving husband next time she talks he was biggest jerk that ever walked this earth. this is why i for one stick to the music and bypass most storys done on elvis. i dont know what is was like living with him or even being around him, but do love the music. that is all

On Dutch TV there are various women who use their maiden name because they got "famous" under that name. They did not adopt their husband's name.
Others use their ex-husband's name because they got "famous" under that name. And if they re-marry they still use their ex-husband's name.
Priscilla no doubt always was asked about Elvis. So she perhaps she thought that if they ask about Elvis anyway, why not keep the name Presley? Just my opinion.

(I talked to quite a few "stars" and some got really pissed off when I asked about them meeting or working with Elvis. Other did not mind talking about working with or meeting Elvis instead of about their own career)

[TJ]

Okay, TJ, take a 20 period of your life, age 22-42; are you 42 yet? You know you better than anyone. Did you make the same mistakes over and over? Blow up at tiny incidences? Spend like it it was going out of style (in other words, I presume you do have some savings). You probably have not come across a prescription drug that made you feel really good, so I won't ask about addiction. If you had the chance to seduce every good looking girl you met, would you (I mean, really)?

I don't have the unreal existence that Elvis had. I have a simple life, not one where if I leave my door I will be mobbed by a legion of fans. Not one where I keep turning on the tv and seeing myself. Not one where people who have never met me either praise me or unmercifully criticise me. Unlike Elvis, when I walk in a room, people have no preconceived ideas about who I am. There was constant pressure on Elvis to be Elvis and that's going to produce mood swings, temper outbursts and a growing sense of alienation from regular life.

No I have never been addicted to any drug, nor spent crazy amounts of money in a spontaneous fashion - I've never had crazy amounts to spend. As for seducing every good looking girl I've ever met, no of course not. But, I know they won't all say yes! Besides, Elvis didn't go with EVERY good looking girl he ever met and he hardly had to seduce those he did go with. Most threw themselves at him and in those circumstances a lot of guys will say yes. For Elvis, it was like being a kid in a candy shop. As I said before, your theory is by no means outrageous, but neither is it certain.

Again, I have to say, Elvis was a phenomenal talent!! Anyone defending him, good for you!! He is an artist beyond compare!!! He still gives pleasure to many, many all over the world - as does DaVinci - (bipolar).

I'm not really defending Elvis. If he was bipolar I don't think that's something that would need defending. It would just be very sad. And now Da Vinci was bipolar too? That's another unsubstantiated assumption.

[Melanie]

One of the problems I have regarding Priscilla is her apparent ignorance to the fact that she too was one of the people who picked Elvis apart. If you watch the Elvis By The Presleys DVD she says something about others picking Elvis apart but yet she fails to realize that she too was is in that very same boat and continues to dwell in that same boat to this very day. Seriously though, does anyone think that she would have been able to get as far in her own personal career (movies, television) without first being Mrs. Elvis Presley. I personally do not think she would have. It's like television today with all the reality shows. Most of these people wouldn't be able to get in the music industry or on television or in a movie but since they went on a reality show, Hollywood and the music industry seem to think that qualifies a person to put them on another reality show or in a movie or give them a record deal even though they finished 5th in American Idol.

Another problem I have is that shortly after Elvis' death she was in kahoots with the Colonel about the Always Elvis and all that crap. Now, in Elvis By The Presleys she practically throws the Colonel in front of the bus to take all the blame for Elvis' problems. Priscilla comes across as a person who tries to manipulate others to meet her own personal agenda. Otherwise, she and her daughter as well as the entire staff at EPE would know alot more about his music, his movies and his career in general. Why does EPE always have to rely on others to do their work. Take for example all the licenses that they issue to various companies to use the image and likeness of Elvis. All they have to do is just sit back and collect the checks. Granted, I would like to have a few of those checks that make Elvis the top-earning deceased celebrity but doing that constantly would obviously make a person very lazy and they would have no reason to want to create something that would be self-gratifying as well as pleasing the fans. EPE wants to talk about how they have a long-form documentary planned on Elvis' career but the question I have is have they conducted any in-depth interviews with people who were there and actually worked with Elvis. These people are not getting any younger. And I'm not talking about the Joe Espositos and the George Kleins and the Jerry Schillings but rather people like Bill Porter, Al Pachucki, Scotty, D.J., James Burton, Glen Hardin, Ronnie Tutt, Jerry Scheff, John Wilkinson, Steve Binder, Bones Howe, Marty Pasetta and others. It just seems to me that the opportunity to do a longform documentary on Elvis justice has seemed to pass. Just think how many people Elvis came across in the recording studio, his personal appearances and in his movies who are no longer with us. Guys like Bill Black, Sam Phillips, Steve Sholes, Bob Neal, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Floyd Cramer, Denis Sanders, Pierre Adidge, Robert Abel, Colonel Tom Parker, and of course Elvis' parents Vernon and Gladys. Granted some of these people passed away before Elvis did but I hope I got my point across that for EPE to do a major and I mean MAJOR longform documentary right you are going to need to interview people that worked with Elvis alot.

Lastly, speaking of Elvis' mother, Gladys, why is it that on the Elvis By The Presleys DVD they hardly use any audio interview clips of her. I do know that there are recordings made of Vernon and Gladys singing gospel in addition to the brief audio of Gladys from Tupelo 56. I think it speaks volumes that a documentary entitled Elvis By The Presleys and features interviews with his father, his ex-wife, his daughter, his grandparents, his cousin, one of his employees, and even his manager yet fails to include probably the person he trusted the most, his mother.

Mirrors my opinion.
Dead on.

It would be so refreshing to see an in-depth documentary, where the usual suspects don't get as much time to tell and alter their same ol stories over and over again. Surely all those people you mentioned would have some interesting stories to contribute. Pity they never got / get interviewed. I mean they can't all be asking for too much money. But in the wake of "Elvis By The Presleys" which often felt like the Beaulieu Show, I have given up all hope, if ever there was any. More like wishful thinking.