The King Creole Recording Sessions

[davide]

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[Terry]

Great files ! Thnx

[ColinB]

Some great photos there, Davide - thanks !

I remember when the media started using this one [without any explanation]:



And we wondered what was going on !

Elvis songs simply didn't have trombones or trumpets on them !

With the release of King Creole, later, everything was revealed !

[davide]

Just found this one ,which wasn't included originally. Now updated.



With thanks
Davide

[Joe Car]

Brilliant Davide, thanks again!

[debtd1]

Fantastic...........thanks Davide

[jon_burrows]

Great post davide!!

The time and effort you put into your posts is much appreciated.

Thank you, and keep up the great work.

[thefunkyangel]

davide, stand up and take a bow, son!

[jeanno]

Great thread and wonderful record. For me, KING CREOLE was Elvis' greatest movie soundtrack: all the songs may not have the same quality but the overall result is coherent and very listenable. CRAWFISH remains as stunning as the first time I listened to it.

[memphisflash]

simply fantastic !!!!

[midnightx]

AWESOME.

[pjdlibra]

Davide this is absolutely fabulous. So much appreciated for all the time and research you have done.
oodles
phyllis

Just found this one ,which wasn't included originally. Now updated.



With thanks
Davide

[davide]

A new alternative to photo's 1 and 2

Davide

[Laila]

Wow, what an amazing job you have done with this! I really enjoy seeing all these pictures, most of them new to me. Thank you very much!

[nachman]

I am simply amazed by your researching talents! Thank you so much for sharing them with us!

[davide]

Thanks for the comments. For those who may have missed it , The following information - which I previously posted in the King Creole movie topic.http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=44952

()

I have identified that the singer in the opening 'Turtles,Berries and Gumbo' as the part of the street vender 'Turtles',is 'Blanche Thomas' and can be seen in the very first shot that we see (after the opening Paramount caption) with baskets on a pole slung over her shoulder.

"Turtles, sweet ole turtles,I've got some turtles for you ladies". This was filmed by the second unit and was shot between 2nd and 4th of January 1958 on location in New Orleans.

This has been discussed previously here : http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=49201&hilit=Turtles%2CBerries+Gumbo the track as stated was written by Al Wood & Kay Twomey on Gladys music,but was not sung by Kitty White as I believe that Blanche Thomas provided the vocal for the Turtles sections,and not Fred Winston who played the part of the part of Vic Morrow's brother.

From The Jet Magazine dated 31st July 1958 : Singer Blanche Thomas,who works in white New Orleans night clubs,has a minor role in King Creole,Elvis Presley's new movie.

Blanche Thomas "You Ain't So Much A Much"

Blanche Thomas grew up singing in New Orleans and became known all around the country. She was featured in Chicago and then became a prestigious headliner in Florida before returning home to weekly engagements at Dixieland Hall in New Orleans and eventually singing at Carnegie Hall in New York.

After the opening 'Turtles,Berries and Gumbo' sequence, is the Main Title sequence which has an Instrumental version of 'King Creole' playing whilst a shot of the 'Mississppi River with the sidewheeler pulling away from the dock (shot by the second unit on the 6th of March 1958.)


Note : I have been unable to establish if Blanche Thomas recorded her vocal as part of the main soundtrack recording in Hollywood, or if it was recorded on location in New Orleans or both.

Scotty Moore : (Walter Scharf) called me one day. I was at the hotel,and he said,"Have Scotty bring his amp and guitar and report to the sound stage. "I thought," Oh crap!..What did I do wrong? So I went out there and he had the whole damn orchestra out there,thirty something violins,the whole deal. We recorded the instrumental heard during the opening credits. It starts off on the soundtrack when I'M doing that bass string on the guitar. It seemed like I had to play it forever. They played all the other instruments,around me during that.




Davide

[drjohncarpenter]

Awesome as usual, David.

One note:



Photo 10 --> L-R: Walter Sharf, Michael Curtiz, Elvis

[davide]

Awesome as usual, David.

One note:



Photo 10 --> L-R: Walter Sharf, Michael Curtiz, Elvis

corrected.


As can be seen - here is the full uncropped image so now Walter Sharf Michael Curtiz, Elvis and maybe Paramount Producers Phil Khagan?

Davide

[drjohncarpenter]

As can be seen - here is the full uncropped image so now Walter Sharf Michael Curtiz, Elvis and maybe Paramount Producers Phil Khagan?

My guess is that it is indeed Paramount music contractor Philip Kahgan.

You should update the references above -- he was never a producer, and is not listed at all in the "King Creole" opening credits.

Kahgan, was one of the leading contractors in Los Angeles for several studios (including MGM, Fox, and
Paramount) ... Kahgan, a violist and music contractor, died in 1986 at the age of 93 and left his principal archives of concert programs, photographs, and memorabilia in a collection of 36 boxes to the UCLA Performing Arts Special Collection.

http://www.promusic47.org/archives/SidelinerPhotos.pdf

[Michael puplett]

I found these images in a magazine " Elvis in the Army " , would be great to see them nice and clear , I've never seen them published anywhere else

Great thread Davide

[javierTCB]

I found these images in a magazine " Elvis in the Army " , would be great to see them nice and clear , I've never seen them published anywhere else

WOW!
Absolutly new for my eyes.
Thanks for posted Michael.

[davide]

Yes thank you very much Michael for posting these shots,There is hope the photo's exist in the EPE archives in decent quality. I have included them in the main post. Davide

[Michael puplett]

Hello again , looking through an old scrap book from 1958 , I found this image , again the quality is poor but it's one we haven't had posted yet . Keep up the good work Davide I'm left speechless by your posts , truly brilliant

Michael

[drjohncarpenter]

David, don't forget to update your credits. Philip Kahgan was a Paramount music contractor, not a producer. And Hal Wallis is the sole producer in the opening credits of "King Creole."

[davide]

I hadn't forgotten,just trying to research into who did what - hence the delay.

The reference to Paramount Producers: Walter Scharf and Phil Khagan,was sourced from Ernst Jorgensen's 'A Life In Music' page 99,although I can't any find any other reference/credit to Mr Khagan in connection with the picture. I have updated the credits,also with Walter Scharf's credit being 'Music adapted and scored by'.

Hal B Wallis was the Producer,and Associate Producer was Paul Nathan.

Thanks Michael for the kind words, and the new photo from these recording sessions - which looks to capture a meal break.

Davide