1952 - filling station helper
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1952 - filling station helper
67 years ago: 12 june 1952 - employment application for filling station helper
colonel snow
colonel snow
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
Interesting. Can you imagine applications now with questions of Nationality and Religion, among others? Oh to be in HR then.
Christopher Brown
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
colonel snow wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2019 1:08 pm67 years ago: 12 june 1952 - employment application for filling station helper
colonel snow
Looks like you found that document here:
Lot #348
ELVIS PRESLEY HANDWRITTEN EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION
SOLD
Sold price
$6,250 (5 bids)
An Index Employment Company Confidential Information Form filled out by Elvis Presley on June 12, 1952, for a "filling station helper" position. The form has Presley’s handwritten Social Security number, name, address, date of birth, and other personal information. Presley also lists his previous employers and duties as well as salaries received.
https://www.julienslive.com/lot-details/index/catalog/261/lot/102364/ELVIS-PRESLEY-HANDWRITTEN-EMPLOYMENT-APPLICATION
It's a fascinating little piece of history, Elvis at 17, having just finished his junior year at Humes High, looking for a summer job.
But everyone missed what Elvis actually wrote on the form.
He was looking for TWO possible positions:
Filling Station Helper or drug store carpenter helper
Also interesting was the "PAST EMPLOYER" information Presley included, including why he left each job:
3 wks - Bill Stafford, Poplar - putting fuses in rockets - $35.60 - under age
1 mo - Arthur Groom, Loew's State - chief of service - $18.00 - interferring with school work
Not sure what happened after this card was submitted, did he work that summer?
For a short while in the fall he worked the assembly-line at Marl Metal Manufacturing on 208 West Georgia Avenue. The business made chrome-plated tubular steel tables and chairs. He quit because he was falling asleep in class.
Just a bit more information about the pre-fame Elvis.
'
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Last edited by drjohncarpenter on Sun Apr 28, 2024 12:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
What a fantastic piece of history. Thanks for sharing!
Who did Elvis name as his nearest close relative? I cant make that out.
Who did Elvis name as his nearest close relative? I cant make that out.
"I've learned very early in life, without a song, the day would never end. Without a song, a man ain't got a friend. Without a song, the road would never bend, without a song. So I'll keep on singing the song."
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
Digging into the history tells us just a little bit more about the man and his music.
For "Nearest Close Relative" he wrote:
Mr. Charlie Mann
368 Carol St. - Memphis - Tenn.
It was his uncle.
Lillian (Smith) Mann was Gladys' oldest sister, six years her senior. Her husband was Charlie. He passed away on 6-03-1957.
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Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
Interesting that 17-year-old Elvis checked the box indicating that he was divorced.
MT
MT
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
MysteryTrain wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 11:02 pmInteresting that 17-year-old Elvis checked the box indicating that he was divorced.
MT
Actually Elvis didn't. The two boxes he checked were "Male" and "Single."
He was both at the time.
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Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Re: 1952 - filling station helper
368 Carol St. - Memphis - Tenn
It seems that Carol Street does not exist anymore. There is a Carol Drive, would that be the same street but with a different name?
It seems that Carol Street does not exist anymore. There is a Carol Drive, would that be the same street but with a different name?
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
Cool, thanks for clearing that out!drjohncarpenter wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 10:05 pm
Digging into the history tells us just a little bit more about the man and his music.
For "Nearest Close Relative" he wrote:
Mr. Charlie Mann
368 Carol St. - Memphis - Tenn.
It was his uncle.
Lillian (Smith) Mann was Gladys' oldest sister, six years her senior. Her husband was Charlie. He passed away on 6-03-1957.
"I've learned very early in life, without a song, the day would never end. Without a song, a man ain't got a friend. Without a song, the road would never bend, without a song. So I'll keep on singing the song."
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
No, Elvis just miswrote "Street" instead of "Drive." Carol Drive existed in 1952.
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Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
These facts are not mentioned in the book “Day by day” by Peter Guralnick & Ernst Jorgensen. In this book is not much mentioned about the year 1952.
Elvis starts working 13 june 152 according the documents.
colonel snow
Elvis starts working 13 june 152 according the documents.
colonel snow
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
1952 - job application
colonel snow
colonel snow
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
No.
The document surfaced at an online auction in 2019, the book went to the publishers in 2012.
Not sure that it's relevant to the timeline or story anyway.
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Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
You are correct, Doc. My mistake.drjohncarpenter wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2024 12:18 amMysteryTrain wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 11:02 pmInteresting that 17-year-old Elvis checked the box indicating that he was divorced.
MT
Actually Elvis didn't. The two boxes he checked were "Male" and "Single."
He was both at the time.
MT
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
Elvis did what he had to do. In 1952 he didn't know that in 4 years he will be the number one singer in the USA and in the world, too.
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
No biggie. I actually thought the exact same thing the first time I looked at it.
It's a layout anomaly. Usually the checkboxes sit to the *left* of the item, not the right.
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Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
Neat share, but I think you're misreading this one as well.
What it shows is that the agency wanted to put Elvis into a job at Klyce Motors at 7 South Cleveland (at Monroe) in Memphis. They sold cars there.
But it does not show Elvis signing and accepting the job. So we must assume he did not work there after all.
It goes unmentioned in the Guralnick and Jørgensen book because they likely did not have the documents back in 1999.
What it shows is that the agency wanted to put Elvis into a job at Klyce Motors at 7 South Cleveland (at Monroe) in Memphis. They sold cars there.
But it does not show Elvis signing and accepting the job. So we must assume he did not work there after all.
It goes unmentioned in the Guralnick and Jørgensen book because they likely did not have the documents back in 1999.
colonel snow wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2024 3:32 pmThese facts are not mentioned in the book “Day by day” by Peter Guralnick & Ernst Jorgensen. In this book is not much mentioned about the year 1952.
Elvis starts working 13 june 152 according the documents.
colonel snow
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Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
Another neat one. What this appears to be is more information for the employment company, the same two jobs from the first file are listed here. The cool part is that Elvis lists the start and end dates of both of them.
He lasted at the movie theater for four weeks! We know he was fired. Why? Because of a fight with another usher who snitched on him for sharing candy with a girl, without charging her. Heh.
From the form:
Good to learn Bill Stafford was the guy in charge at Precision Tool. Elvis did not mention this on the other form, just his name.
He lasted at the movie theater for four weeks! We know he was fired. Why? Because of a fight with another usher who snitched on him for sharing candy with a girl, without charging her. Heh.
From the form:
FORMER EMPLOYERS
June 3, 51 to July 1, 51 - Precision Tool Co. - $30.00 - under age
April 17, 52 to May 28, 52 - Loew's State Theatre - $14.00 - x
Good to learn Bill Stafford was the guy in charge at Precision Tool. Elvis did not mention this on the other form, just his name.
REFERENCES
Mrs. S. Frate - 185 Winchester - Sewing - 3 years
Vester Presley - 37 N. Bellevue - Precision Tool Co. - 13 years
Bill Stafford - x - Precision Tool Co. - 1 year
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Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
Dr. John Carpenter, M.D.
Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
Wasn't it the case that the usherette was giving him free sodas, candy and popcorn, and not as you have stated above? Details are important.drjohncarpenter wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2024 12:14 am
He lasted at the movie theater for four weeks! We know he was fired. Why? Because of a fight with another usher who snitched on him for sharing candy with a girl, without charging her. Heh.
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Re: 1952 - filling station helper
Another document from 1952 – 24 march 1952 driver’s license till 1 january 1953.
colonel snow
colonel snow
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