Personal Story 2: Arthur Thompson - On guard in Florida 1961

Moderators: Moderator5, Moderator3, FECC-Moderator, Site Mechanic

Post Reply

User avatar

Topic author
MikeFromHolland
Posts: 7583
Registered for: 11 years 11 months
Has thanked: 2479 times
Been thanked: 6842 times

Personal Story 2: Arthur Thompson - On guard in Florida 1961

#1365420

Post by MikeFromHolland »

.

With the term "Personal Story" in the Subject Title, I want to bring forward some pictures I found on the internet, that has personal story's attached to them. Nice little anecdotes from normal people, who share some memories on personal pages or blogs.


Today Shenandoah (Debra Denman) talks about her grandfather and his time with Elvis during the filming of Follow That Dream:
Grandpa, Arthur Grady ("Grady") Thompson, worked guard-duty on one of the filming sets of the movie, "Follow That Dream", located out on the marsh flats of the Gulf of Mexico, near his home in Inglis, Florida.

When asked by Elvis' 'people', "Where's a good place to eat?", he offered, "My house!"; and Elvis accepted. Grandma told me that Elvis and crew ate "dinner" (an early afternoon meal, in those days) at her little 'Jim Walter' home, several times while working in Levy county, Florida; and showed me the autographed portrait of himself, which he later had his secretary send to her from Graceland (my mother still has it, as far as I know).

And I suspect that's how Grandpa ended up with the "Baby-Blue" Cadillac he was so proud of, although the family wouldn't have bragged about how he got it. They only broke out in grins, when mentioning it.

I still have a picture of Grandpa on the actual set of "Follow That Dream", in Yankeetown, Florida. The beach was artificially created with semi-truckloads of sand. Dad took me over to see it while some sand was still left on it. Now it's all gone -- washed away by the tides.
Elvis around time of filming Follow That Dream in Florida 01.jpg
Elvis around time of filming Follow That Dream in Florida 02.jpg
Elvis around time of filming Follow That Dream in Florida 03.jpg
Elvis around time of filming Follow That Dream in Florida 04.jpg
In these b&w photos from a newspaper account, an older gentleman dressed in 'Summertime Florida' Sheriff's uniform - with white helmet - exactly like my grandfather (and looking like him too, as far as I can tell) -- is never far from Elvis' side. In the first one he escorts Elvis at the man's left elbow; in the second picture he follows Elvis, emerging from a doorway; in the third one he is hiding behind the palmetto branches, so as to keep out of a fan-photo.

Source: http://truthfreedom-shenandoah.blogspot.nl
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Mike

------
lay back,
take it easy
And try a smile...

.

User avatar

jurasic1968
Posts: 12403
Registered for: 11 years 7 months
Has thanked: 13291 times
Been thanked: 2586 times

Re: Personal Story 2: Arthur Thompson - On guard in Florida

#1365452

Post by jurasic1968 »

Thanks a lot, Mike. Very interesting article.



User avatar

Topic author
MikeFromHolland
Posts: 7583
Registered for: 11 years 11 months
Has thanked: 2479 times
Been thanked: 6842 times

Re: Personal Story 2: Arthur Thompson - On guard in Florida

#1365459

Post by MikeFromHolland »

jurasic1968 wrote:Thanks a lot, Mike. Very interesting article.
You're welcome.

It's nice to hunt for these kind of little personal anecdotes ...


Mike

------
lay back,
take it easy
And try a smile...

.
Post Reply