Elvis and mystery date at the Sahara '57 --> IDENTIFIED!

[JamesVRoy]

Aunt Delta makes a convincing argument and I'm in agreement that it is a dimple and not a defect in the photo. There is an equal symmetrical dimple/defect on the other side of her face in that photo also. I do however agree in the belief that it still is Venitia. Pretty girl though, whoever she is/was.

[drjohncarpenter]

Aunt Delta makes a convincing argument and I'm in agreement that it is a dimple and not a defect in the photo. There is an equal symmetrical dimple/defect on the other side of her face in that photo also. I do however agree in the belief that it still is Venitia. Pretty girl though, whoever she is/was.

James, do you know anyone who might have an alternate shot of the couple?

I agree that Mamie was too old in October 1957 (26) to match the gal at the Sahara, who can't be older than 22.

[JamesVRoy]

The only person that would come to mind that might have one you probably already thought of, that would be Brian, or possibly Ernst now. You might try to cross post the thread in the photo section and let them have at it. The Flaming Star people also seem to turn up with some interesting shots but I don't know anyone there http://flaming-star.no/ .

[Aunt Delta]

Unfortunately the camera didn't get the end of the table, but seeing as he was giving autographs to everybody the girl of picture could be just a fan that wanted her picture taken with Elvis after all.

..

[drjohncarpenter]

Unfortunately the camera didn't get the end of the table, but seeing as he was giving autographs to everybody the girl of picture could be just a fan that wanted her picture taken with Elvis after all.

..

Nice screen grabs. You can see friends George Klein and Arthur Hooten at the table with Elvis. It would make sense they hit Vegas as a "boy's club," on the hunt for girls.

If only we had some more photos of the night.

[promiseland]

Everyone has put some great info into this topic , and some alternate shots would be awesome as this is really bugging me . I don't think she was just a fan as Elvis looks pretty proud to be with this beauty .
Maby James could run the picture by Scotty maby he might remember her from possibly some other hangout or party around the time that he may have attended?

Once again you come up with some very interesting topics doc another one that makes FECC a great place to visit.

[drjohncarpenter]

Once again you come up with some very interesting topics doc another one that makes FECC a great place to visit.

Thanks!

[stevelecher]

She's hot as can be in the photos from August, with Elvis looking very cool in his shirt with "EP" emblazoned on it.

[Aunt Delta]

Nice screen grabs. You can see friends George Klein and Arthur Hooten at the table with Elvis. It would make sense they hit Vegas as a "boy's club," on the hunt for girls.

If only we had some more photos of the night.

OK, it's official now, the girl is not Venetia Stevenson. According to George Klein's latest book it was indeed a "guys only" trip to Vegas. He mentions Elvis meeting a stunning young girl at a casino (amongst other local females and Tempest Storm during those 10 days) and taking her home in a car the Sahara had provided for him. She could be the girl in the picture since she certainly was stunning...

[drjohncarpenter]

Nice screen grabs. You can see friends George Klein and Arthur Hooten at the table with Elvis. It would make sense they hit Vegas as a "boy's club," on the hunt for girls.

If only we had some more photos of the night.

OK, it's official now, the girl is not Venetia Stevenson. According to George Klein's latest book it was indeed a "guys only" trip to Vegas. He mentions Elvis meeting a stunning young girl at a casino (amongst other local females and Tempest Storm during those 10 days) and taking her home in a car the Sahara had provided for him. She could be the girl in the picture since she certainly was stunning...

This is a great update! Thanks, Aunt Delta.

Unless we can dig up a newspaper article or additional photos to the contrary, this lovely gal remains a mystery ... but at least my hunch that she is not actress Venetia Stevenson is confirmed.

[ekenee]

Nice screen grabs. You can see friends George Klein and Arthur Hooten at the table with Elvis. It would make sense they hit Vegas as a "boy's club," on the hunt for girls.

If only we had some more photos of the night.

OK, it's official now, the girl is not Venetia Stevenson. According to George Klein's latest book it was indeed a "guys only" trip to Vegas. He mentions Elvis meeting a stunning young girl at a casino (amongst other local females and Tempest Storm during those 10 days) and taking her home in a car the Sahara had provided for him. She could be the girl in the picture since she certainly was stunning...

This is a great update! Thanks, Aunt Delta.

Unless we can dig up a newspaper article or additional photos to the contrary, this lovely gal remains a mystery ... but at least my hunch that she is not actress Venetia Stevenson is confirmed.

Yes, we agree that it is not Venetia Stevenson.

[Joe Car]

Great work everybody!

[drjohncarpenter]

Great work everybody!

Thanks, Joe.

[Old Shep]

Pretty gal...

O.S.

[The fool]

Could it be that this girl in question is Sandy Preston?

I posted an article in the picture section a few days ago. It was written by Elvis´ friend Cliff Gleaves. Here´s part of that article with a photo of Sandy. She looks a lot like that girl with Elvis. Can anyone find a better photo of Sandy from those days?

[vbgt]

Interesting research Doc. All I know is, the mystery girl is absolutely gorgeous and one of the best-looking girls I've ever seen on a date with Elvis. Just look at Elvis' smile, I've never seen him so happy!

Exactly. That chick is hot!

[drjohncarpenter]

Could it be that this girl in question is Sandy Preston?

I posted an article in the picture section a few days ago. It was written by Elvis´ friend Cliff Gleaves. Here´s part of that article with a photo of Sandy. She looks a lot like that girl with Elvis. Can anyone find a better photo of Sandy from those days?

Stop the presses -- as far as I'm concerned, you have confirmed my suspicions, and identified the MYSTERY DATE!

It is indeed Brooklyn model Sandy Preston!




Her hairline, eyebrows, cheekbones, lips, neck, shoulders and arms are all too close to be a coincidence. This, coupled with Cliff Gleaves' detailed story of the October 1957 Las Vegas trip, seals the deal. It's Sandy!

It was impossible to find another photo of her, but she did have a tiny bit of a career, including singing in a New York nightclub with standup comedian Jackie Clark, and a possible role in 1960's "Ocean's Eleven."

571207_Toronto Blade_Sandy Preston.jpg

Toronto Blade, Saturday, December 7, 1957
Sandy gets a mention in Dorothy Kilgallen's nationally-syndicated gossip column.

Looking at Hollywood‎
Hedda Hopper, Los Angeles Times
Saturday, January 15, 1960

Spanish 'Bardot' in Stone Film
Bob, Natalie Plan '7th Heaven'; Greer Plucks Zsa Zsa's Plumes
Carmen Sevilla of Latin America, called the Spanish Brigitte Bardot, all set by Andy Stone for his next film, "The Time, The Place, The Body," for Metro. This will be her first American picture ...

That pretty Sandy Preston from Brooklyn didn't know when she became a cigarette girl at Puccini's that she'd land in "Oceans 11."

The role may not have come to fruition for Sandy.

Although their appearance in the film has not been confirmed, a Hollywood Reporter production chart adds Cosmo Sardo to the cast and Hollywood Reporter news items add Sandra Preston, Billy Snyder and Bob "Sarge" Allen.

Ocean's Eleven (1960) - Notes - TCM.com
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/18360/Ocean-s-Eleven/notes.html

Is she in there?

Anyway, when all is said and done, it seems almost for certain Sandy Preston is the gal in that beautiful photograph from the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas.

I am updating my post. Thank you, The fool!

[The fool]

Anyway, when all is said and done, it seems almost for certain Sandy Preston is the gal in that beautiful photograph from the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas.

Thank you, Doc! I was hoping you would do the research on this. It really seems like Sandy is the girl with Elvis on that picture. But it would be great if someone could find another photo of Sandy smiling. That wonderful smile of hers. That would be it.

[drjohncarpenter]

Anyway, when all is said and done, it seems almost for certain Sandy Preston is the gal in that beautiful photograph from the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas.

Thank you, Doc! I was hoping you would do the research on this. It really seems like Sandy is the girl with Elvis on that picture. But it would be great if someone could find another photo of Sandy smiling. That wonderful smile of hers. That would be it.

Agreed. But, still, look at her neck and shoulders in those photos -- they are the same. It is the same woman.

[The fool]

Agreed. But, still, look at her neck and shoulders in those photos -- they are the same. It is the same woman.

I agree. It´s just that it would be very interesting to see another photo of her from that time period. She is really quite beautiful, isn´t she.

[drjohncarpenter]

Agreed. But, still, look at her neck and shoulders in those photos -- they are the same. It is the same woman.

I agree. It´s just that it would be very interesting to see another photo of her from that time period. She is really quite beautiful, isn´t she.

She sure is, perhaps one of the most stunning Elvis ever dated, given that one photo.

BTW, do you have that Sahara '57 picture in better quality than mine?

[promiseland]

Why are the noses different? The cheekbones on the picture the fool provided are indeed much higher.

[drjohncarpenter]

Why are the noses different? The cheekbones on the picture the fool provided are indeed much higher.

I don't see any of this. But it is very noticeable how Cliff Gleaves makes three mentions of Sandy in recounting the Las Vegas vacation at the Sahara.

[promiseland]

I have just went to my most reliable source on this matter My 67 year old Mother who is an absolute Elvis expert of the 50's and she says you are wrong Doc it is not Sandy Preston, but Dottie Harmony! She says that Elvis first dated her in 56 and remembers reading the article from the picture from 57 in a teen magazine and that Dottie and Gladys were very close at the time and that Elvis even spent christmas with her at his house at Audubon Dr. I trust my mother to this to what she says She also still has her 1955 Country Song Roundup which she claims has the first article to ever be published on Elvis in a magazine.
Not to mention the woman in the photo is also identified by an Elvis photo collector on Flicker and is a spit image of Dottie Harmony!
Note: There is also mention in day by day of Elvis dating Tempest Storm in 1957 at the Sahara at the time but that doesn't make her the woman in the photo either.

Photo downloaded from "Up Close And Personal With Elvis Photostream" Flicker
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thekingelvispresley/page2/

[pauls35]

The fool is right she sure looks like Mrs. Sandy Preston