Sandi : Elvis and erm....Cleanliness!

[Liverbobs]

Hi Sandi, having read many biographies on Elvis, quite a lot of them say that Elvis didn't or wouldn't bathe regularly, although of the many 1000's of pictures I've seen of Elvis with other people none of them are holding their noses and going "Pheeee-oooh Get a shower, man" , as someone who was often in his presence can you put this story to bed (or bath?)

[rickeap]

i might need a shower if i watch your avatar for much longer!

[Liverbobs]

i might need a shower if i watch your avatar for much longer!

Lol!

[DutchLA]

Hi Sandi, having read many biographies on Elvis, quite a lot of them say that Elvis didn't or wouldn't bathe regularly, although of the many 1000's of pictures I've seen of Elvis with other people none of them are holding their noses and going "Pheeee-oooh Get a shower, man" , as someone who was often in his presence can you put this story to bed (or bath?)

**I've read those stories too and I'll have to say, I never got the impression that he didn't bathe regularly. Quite the opposite in fact - he had the faint smell of soap on him most times . Occasionally he'd have on cologne but it didn't seem to be something he used every day. Dial soap, to this day, reminds me of how he smelled. His hair was always clean and his fingernails were always clean - the two things that I think would be the first to show lack of personal hygiene.

[Joe Car]

Hi Sandi, having read many biographies on Elvis, quite a lot of them say that Elvis didn't or wouldn't bathe regularly, although of the many 1000's of pictures I've seen of Elvis with other people none of them are holding their noses and going "Pheeee-oooh Get a shower, man" , as someone who was often in his presence can you put this story to bed (or bath?)

**I've read those stories too and I'll have to say, I never got the impression that he didn't bathe regularly. Quite the opposite in fact - he had the faint smell of soap on him most times . Occasionally he'd have on cologne but it didn't seem to be something he used every day. Dial soap, to this day, reminds me of how he smelled. His hair was always clean and his fingernails were always clean - the two things that I think would be the first to show lack of personal hygiene.

Sandi, thanks as always, your posts are always much appreciated!

[dreambear]

Those stories came from Albert Goldman, if I´m not mistaken.

//Björn

[Monique]

Hi Sandi, having read many biographies on Elvis, quite a lot of them say that Elvis didn't or wouldn't bathe regularly, although of the many 1000's of pictures I've seen of Elvis with other people none of them are holding their noses and going "Pheeee-oooh Get a shower, man" , as someone who was often in his presence can you put this story to bed (or bath?)

**I've read those stories too and I'll have to say, I never got the impression that he didn't bathe regularly. Quite the opposite in fact - he had the faint smell of soap on him most times . Occasionally he'd have on cologne but it didn't seem to be something he used every day. Dial soap, to this day, reminds me of how he smelled. His hair was always clean and his fingernails were always clean - the two things that I think would be the first to show lack of personal hygiene.

Dial soap? The men soap or the regular soap?

[Liverbobs]

Thanks for answering, I hoped as much!

[Rob]

Does anyone know what his favorite colored soap was? I always prefer the light blue, but sometimes a yellow bar makes me feel especially clean.

Thanks in advance.

[DutchLA]

Hi Sandi, having read many biographies on Elvis, quite a lot of them say that Elvis didn't or wouldn't bathe regularly, although of the many 1000's of pictures I've seen of Elvis with other people none of them are holding their noses and going "Pheeee-oooh Get a shower, man" , as someone who was often in his presence can you put this story to bed (or bath?)

**I've read those stories too and I'll have to say, I never got the impression that he didn't bathe regularly. Quite the opposite in fact - he had the faint smell of soap on him most times . Occasionally he'd have on cologne but it didn't seem to be something he used every day. Dial soap, to this day, reminds me of how he smelled. His hair was always clean and his fingernails were always clean - the two things that I think would be the first to show lack of personal hygiene.

Dial soap? The men soap or the regular soap?

**I didn't know there was a choice! I'd guess just regular ole soap - don't think they had the fancy alternatives back then.

[Monique]

Hi Sandi, having read many biographies on Elvis, quite a lot of them say that Elvis didn't or wouldn't bathe regularly, although of the many 1000's of pictures I've seen of Elvis with other people none of them are holding their noses and going "Pheeee-oooh Get a shower, man" , as someone who was often in his presence can you put this story to bed (or bath?)

**I've read those stories too and I'll have to say, I never got the impression that he didn't bathe regularly. Quite the opposite in fact - he had the faint smell of soap on him most times . Occasionally he'd have on cologne but it didn't seem to be something he used every day. Dial soap, to this day, reminds me of how he smelled. His hair was always clean and his fingernails were always clean - the two things that I think would be the first to show lack of personal hygiene.

Dial soap? The men soap or the regular soap?

**I didn't know there was a choice! I'd guess just regular ole soap - don't think they had the fancy alternatives back then.

I'd never heard of that brand of soap until you mentioned it. Had to look it up in google.

[Joe Car]

Does anyone know what his favorite colored soap was? I always prefer the light blue, but sometimes a yellow bar makes me feel especially clean.

Thanks in advance.

"Manly yes, but I like it too!"

[Paula]

Those stories came from Albert Goldman, if I´m not mistaken.

//Björn

Unfortunately, his misssing cleanliness is well mentioned also by Lamar Fike and Billy Smith, in Alanna Nash book "Elvis, Revelations from the Memphis Mafia". Furthermore, in the documentary "The Last Day Of Elvis", Lamar Fike says Elvis smelt a lot bad and they

I hate revelations like these, as in my opinion, they are outrageos, full disripectul and without good taste , mostly if they are coming from people declaring they were his true friends and still love him.

[Xaykev]

Those stories came from Albert Goldman, if I´m not mistaken.

//Björn

Unfortunately, his misssing cleanliness is well mentioned also by Lamar Fike and Billy Smith, in Alanna Nash book "Elvis, Revelations from the Memphis Mafia". Furthermore, in the documentary "The Last Day Of Elvis", Lamar Fike says Elvis smelt a lot bad and they

I hate revelations like these, as in my opinion, they are outrageos, full disripectul and without good taste , mostly if they are coming from people declaring they were his true friends and still love him.

Billy defended Elvis though. He said it was only in the end basically that you maybe could smell Elvis.

[Paula]

Those stories came from Albert Goldman, if I´m not mistaken.

//Björn

Unfortunately, his misssing cleanliness is well mentioned also by Lamar Fike and Billy Smith, in Alanna Nash book "Elvis, Revelations from the Memphis Mafia". Furthermore, in the documentary "The Last Day Of Elvis", Lamar Fike says Elvis smelt a lot bad and they

I hate revelations like these, as in my opinion, they are outrageos, full disripectul and without good taste , mostly if they are coming from people declaring they were his true friends and still love him.

Billy defended Elvis though. He said it was only in the end basically that you maybe could smell Elvis.

That's true! Actually, I feel as Billy Smith is a bit subsueded by the other guys. That's why I can't really "hate" Billy Smith. He is a good guy and I think he really loved Elvis.
Anyway, I'll never appreciate people who deal with so private details od anymone, mostrly on Elvis. I learned and experienced that suffering of mental depression, you normally loose all interests in anythig is connected with your body, like personal hygiene.
In my opinion, along his last months, Elvis was very depressed and if I was his friend I would respect it. Particularly I'd never tell stories like these, to an entire world

PS. You'll surely find lot of grammar mistakes in my post, but I'm Italian and English is not my mother language. Sorry

[Inigo Montoya]

That's true! Actually, I feel as Billy Smith is a bit subsueded by the other guys. That's why I can't really "hate" Billy Smith. He is a good guy and I think he really loved Elvis.

I agree. His was the typically the best and most balanced (in feel) contribution to that Revelations book. Marty Lacker is a world-class putz, who seems to feel he holds exclusive rights to the-truth-the-only-truth when he very clearly doesn't and Lamar Fike is...well......well, for one, I think Lamar still has a lot of anger to work out toward Elvis and it's no coincidence that he's probably the worst offender when it comes to conveying extremely personal info about Elvis (true, exaggerated, or lies...whichever) and was Goldman's inside man.

Elvis could have used more decent people around him. I think Billy Smith was one among them who was a decent man.

[dreambear]

Those stories came from Albert Goldman, if I´m not mistaken.

//Björn

Unfortunately, his misssing cleanliness is well mentioned also by Lamar Fike and Billy Smith, in Alanna Nash book "Elvis, Revelations from the Memphis Mafia". Furthermore, in the documentary "The Last Day Of Elvis", Lamar Fike says Elvis smelt a lot bad and they

I hate revelations like these, as in my opinion, they are outrageos, full disripectul and without good taste , mostly if they are coming from people declaring they were his true friends and still love him.

Billy defended Elvis though. He said it was only in the end basically that you maybe could smell Elvis.

Correct! Billy said it was after 1974. But, a lot of us smell occassionally, don´t we?

//Björn

[iplayastrat]

Those stories came from Albert Goldman, if I´m not mistaken.

//Björn

Unfortunately, his misssing cleanliness is well mentioned also by Lamar Fike and Billy Smith, in Alanna Nash book "Elvis, Revelations from the Memphis Mafia". Furthermore, in the documentary "The Last Day Of Elvis", Lamar Fike says Elvis smelt a lot bad and they

I hate revelations like these, as in my opinion, they are outrageos, full disripectul and without good taste , mostly if they are coming from people declaring they were his true friends and still love him.

These are the type of revelations that tell you just how good of
friends Elvis had. Lamar, Marty and even Billy should be ashamed
to even mention things like this. I understand to some degree why
Elvis kept Billy around, but Lamar and Marty I'll never be able to
figure out. Elvis might has well have had Goldman in the Memphis
Mafia.

[James27]

Well, Elvis was a loyal man.

It's not just a depression that can make you neglect things like personal hygiene, caring for your pets, arriving on appointments in time, holding your promises, etc. but also and very much so the apathy that pill/drug abuse or alcohol abuse drives you into. I've seen that happen to a person close to me, and it's a sad thing to witness but also very human.

That said, what can we believe from these guys ?

[Monique]

Those type of revelations say more about the person that is revealing them, than about the person that the revelations are about.

I'd rather have someone spreading the word that I smell than saying that I cannot be trusted because I go around telling lies and/or revealing things that were not meant for other ears.

[James27]

Very true Monique!

[patricia66]

Those stories came from Albert Goldman, if I´m not mistaken.

//Björn

Unfortunately, his misssing cleanliness is well mentioned also by Lamar Fike and Billy Smith, in Alanna Nash book "Elvis, Revelations from the Memphis Mafia". Furthermore, in the documentary "The Last Day Of Elvis", Lamar Fike says Elvis smelt a lot bad and they

I hate revelations like these, as in my opinion, they are outrageos, full disripectul and without good taste , mostly if they are coming from people declaring they were his true friends and still love him.

These are the type of revelations that tell you just how good of
friends Elvis had. Lamar, Marty and even Billy should be ashamed
to even mention things like this. I understand to some degree why
Elvis kept Billy around, but Lamar and Marty I'll never be able to
figure out. Elvis might has well have had Goldman in the Memphis
Mafia.

So very true. In fact, he had Goldman in his entourage by having Fike and Lacker around.

[poppii]

To be honest with you I found all the MM quite a grubby looking lot . Look at any one of them......take Red West......his hair always looked messy probably because it was thin. Same applies to Marty Lacker with that shabby beard. Lamar was a great fat thing from day one. Where they think they are some authority on hygiene and good taste I have no idea..........
He was just too nice a person for these people.

Elvis always looked nice and positively stunning in the 50;s wearing those suits. He always looked good. I liked his real hair colour best but just about everything suited him because his looks were natural.


https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/barbara-pittman-and-elvis-.shtml


Many biographies have reported that the young Presley had hygiene problems and 'green teeth'. Pittman says that's just not true. 'He had the prettiest teeth I've ever seen in my life. His mother made him take vitamins, brush his teeth, and I never smelled anything but good on him. He washed his hair every day. That's the softest, prettiest hair I'd ever seen'.

[Rob]

Just so everyone is made completely aware, I took a shower before I came to work this morning. Put on clean underwear and everything!

I do it faithfully every Wednesday, whether I need it or not.

[Conrad Birdie]

I think I smell a rat !