1956 Publicity Photo!

Allow me to weigh in on this debate, even though I have not researched this as extensively as Ger, Brian or DJC. I tend to agree with Ger here that this shots were made in NYC in early July, becasue his hair looks very much like it did in the middle of 1956. The sides are rich with Pomade and the pompador is well defined, unlike the rather curly look of late 1955 and early 1956.

I tried to look but I can't tell if Elvis still has a wart on his hand - if he does, that would help us narrow it down a little.

mike.. da wart on the right hand is there..
Now it's in a pickled mayo jar in Adal Georgia

Brian, Ger, can either of you bring anything more to this topic? It looks like we have a photo session in New York with David B. Hecht, which occured in March or July. I'm really curious if we can nail this one down.

DJC

I have to agree with Brian and go for either Dec 55 or January 56 in NY. The guitar is the same as the one used in Posie's prom pix and I don't believe it is or ever was Elvis'. He never used a sound hole pick in any of his Martins. It was likely either borrowed or rented for the occasion. Its not likely one that would've been hanging around the studio, RCA never left anything in there.
Jim

Watches, Rings, shirts, jackets... man, I thought I was bad.

Doc, I think we're gonna have a hard time nail this one. Maybe if we could get a real good shot of the ring and watch that Elvis wore in the Hecht photos. I don't think it't the horseshoe ring but I can't say for sure.

I still tend to believe the photo-shoot took place during the first three months of 1956.

Ger! did you ever get them shorts on and dug out those Hecht-photos you had

Sincerely
Brian

http://www.brian56.dk

http://www.fly.to/brian56

Come on, Ger!!!

DJC

And of course there is also this pic from this session...

Although the Dec '56 magazine cover is an amalgam of two images, you can pretty clearly see the diamond "horseshoe" ring on Elvis' left hand.

Brian, how long did he have that ring? IIRC, he bought it in March, donated it to charity in June.

DJC

... So that ends the July date. Ive found my shorts, but not the

photos. The mag cover, above, is one of the missing ones. The

others, are mainly mag clippings, not giving anymore info, far

as I remember...? Brian, Hecht had his own studio, in NYC. No

way, the session took place at the RCA studio. The multi colored

backgrounds, as on the 2nd Album cover, could be airbrushed, at

the art- dept. But I doubt that very much. They used a lot of

these so called ready background wallpaper sheets, coming

from big rolls, like in carpet shops. Maybe Hecht used those,

for part of the photo session? By the way, the shoes E is

wearing, cant remember seeing them before... or after ? They

spot a little flap on top. Noticed that? Shoes, rings, guitar,

pompadour... where does it all end ?!

Doc, the ring that Elvis gave away at the Dance Party in June 1956 was his initial ring with EP in diamonds, not his horseshoe-ring. Anyway, I'm still not convinced it really IS the horseshoe-ring on Elvis' finger. You can clearly see A ring on Elvis' finger but I can't see if it's the horseshoe ring or another one.

Ger, thanks for pointing out Elvis´ shoes. I had forgotten all about them as they only appear in one photo. We DO actually see those shoes in other photos. I'm almost certain it's the shoes Elvis wears in the pix after signing with RCA in NOvember 1955 and here they are on Feb 4, 1956 at the Dorsey show


So the shoes clearly puts the Hecht-photos back to the spring of 1956 as do the shirt, and the jacket, and the watch.

Sincerely
Brian

http://www.brian56.dk

http://www.fly.to/brian56

Ohhh, Great clear pic Fool, thanks for contributing.

Sincerely
Brian

http://www.brian56.dk

http://www.fly.to/brian56

Doesn't that magazine cover pic look strange ?

Like an Elvis from a parallel universe where he's lost his 'cool' look !

The input on this has been terrific. This is an intriguing mystery, one which I really want to solve. We need more pictures from this session!

Brian, the Feb '56 Dorsey Brothers shot is not viewable, for some reason.

DJC

Don't know why you can't see the pic Doc as it's shown clearly on my PC but here it is again. Just for you

Sincerely
Brian

http://www.brian56.dk

http://www.fly.to/brian56

Don't know why you can't see the pic Doc as it's shown clearly on my PC but here it is again. Just for you ...

I can see it now! Thanks.

Can we solve this one?

DJC

You're welcome Doc.

I sure hope we can. Maybe not down to the date but at least down to a week. That would really be great.

Sincerely
Brian

http://www.brian56.dk

http://www.fly.to/brian56

C'mon, Ger, help us poor boys out!

DJC

We DO actually see those shoes in other photos. I'm almost certain it's the shoes Elvis wears in the pix after signing with RCA in NOvember 1955 and here they are on Feb 4, 1956 at the Dorsey show ...

Well Brian, a Presley expert I contacted off the MB regarding this query did not pan out, so I'm going to make an educated guess about this.

If we assume the photos were taken in NY, as evidenced by the guitar, and sometime close to the February 4, 1956 "Dorsey Brothers" appearance, based on those shoes:

Elvis likely had a photo session with David B. Hecht between January 26 (Thu) and February 4 (Sat).

1/26 was his first full day in NY, and he didn't leave town until Sunday morning, 2/5. This was the longest extended period of time Elvis ever spent in the "Big Apple," or at least in 1956.

DJC

I think you hit it right on the nail Doc.

Elvis spent an entire week in New York and vicinity and this is by far the most probable time for the photo-session to have taken place.

I'll re-date my photos to 560126-0204-Hecht session.

Sincerely
Brian
http://www.brian56.dk
http://www.fly.to/brian56

FYI--for those of you who "photo collect"

http://www.simplyclassics.net

Run by a girl named Megan--register to view her gallery--she has 2 of these publicity photos and in a quality so great you can see the pores on his face--others are available there as well for other classic stars, including Ann-Margret and Natalie Wood--I love it there. But just wanted to let you know you can get those pictures without GETTYIMAGES all over them there...

- Stace

I just found this photo in a Canadian Liberty magazine from March 1957.

... How fast memory fades...!

Not too long ago, I started a topic on the photo session done fore the

2nd album, by David B. Heght [ with a G ] , run for quite a long time,

here! I talked to him on the phone, in NY, back in 89.

It all took place in NY, around the time of The Steve Allen Show!

I also did a story on this photo shoot in The Man And His Music,

years ago... Doc and Colin had their facts right. OOOhhh Brian!

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One day I'll read something about Parker that will actually surprise me !

Did he ever treat anybody in a decent fashion ?

cool Article!

One day I'll read something about Parker that will actually surprise me !

Did he ever treat anybody in a decent fashion ?

Sure! I can think of two straight away:

Marie (his wife)
LBJ (his best friend)