Elvis Presley made a name for himself as ‘The King of Rock ‘N’ Roll’ and a new musician has yet to overthrow him for the title. He created some of the most famous music of all time. Fans lined up for Elvis tickets wherever he went. Together with his wife and his daughter, The Presleys became one of the best-known families of the time. They did not get good press all the time, quite the contrary. From drug dependency to unfaithfulness, the Presley family went down in history for numerous reasons.
The King Had A Twin
Although you might think Elvis is one of a kind, not many people know that he was born with an identical twin brother. Named Jesse Garon Presley, he was born 35 minutes before the King. Unfortunately, he was stillborn.
The King Had A Twin
Long List Of Lovers
There is no denying that Elvis was a good-looking and charming fellow, which is why he had many female admirers. Although he was married to Priscilla, the musician had numerous love affairs. After the death of his mother, he especially wanted attention and companionship. Some of these women confronted him about his marriage, although he insisted that they had an open marriage. This meant that he could do anything he pleased. Unfortunately, many of his lovers claimed that he acted differently because of the pills he had been taking.
Long List Of Lovers
The King Was A Germaphobe
It was in 2015 that Priscilla shared that her husband had a big problem with germs. It was so bad that he could not cope with it at times. He refused to use other people’s silverware. She explained, “He never liked to go to people’s homes to eat because [he] didn’t like eating with other people’s silverware, so he would take his own silverware.” Aside from this, he did not like to drink from cups other people were using. If he had to, he always sipped by the handle since most people did not drink from there.
The King Was A Germaphobe
No Choice But To Marry
Elvis asked for Priscilla’s hand in marriage back in 1966. However, reports say he felt forced into doing it. At the time, Priscilla claimed she would sell the story to the press if he refused to marry her. Moreover, her father would sue him for “taking a minor across state lines for sexual purposes.” In those days, the contract he signed with RCA had a “morals clause”, so he knew he had no choice but to do it. This is allegedly why he had been crying just before the ceremony.
No Choice But To Marry
He Was Not One To Blend In
When he was a high school junior, Elvis did not blend into the background thanks to his rather mature appearance. He had sideburns and used Vaseline and rose oil to style his hair. Many people believe that his distinctive appearance gave him a leg-up when he was on his way to becoming a star. His look was not at all the norm in those days. Aside from this, his teenage self preferred to spend any free time he had on checking out the blues scene on Beale Street in Memphis.
He Was Not One To Blend In
Their First Night Together
Elvis had a reputation for liking ‘pure’ girls, which is one of the reasons he fell for Priscilla. Apparently, they only ever went to bed together on their wedding night. It therefore makes sense that Lisa Marie was born nine months after this. It was rather ironic that he no longer found his wife attractive after she gave birth to their daughter. Apparently, he was so turned off by the fact that she was a mother that he developed a wandering eye.
Their First Night Together
Lisa Marie Was His Sole Heir
Lisa Marie was only 9 years old when Elvis died. Even though she was a little girl, she was about to inherit the huge estate her father left her. There were two other heirs on his will: his father Vernon Presley and grandmother Minnie Mae Presley. After their deaths in 1979 and 1980, his daughter ended up becoming the only heir to his estate. Among other things, Graceland went to her. In 1993, she turned 25 years old and inherited the estate worth $100 million. At this point, she has sold three-quarters of it.
Lisa Marie Was His Sole Heir
Not All That Innocent
Although the majority of the extramarital rumors are focused on The King, it would be wrong to say that Priscilla was innocent. Since her husband had zero interest in her, she also engaged in relationships with different men. Apparently, she fell in love with Mark, her dance instructor. Aside from this, it was said that she had an affair with Mike Stone, her karate teacher. When Elvis learned about this, he attempted to pay her the attention she craved. Unfortunately, it was likely too late by then.
Not All That Innocent
His Father Spent Jail Time
To protect the public image of The King, it was kept a secret that his father was locked up. People only found out about it after Elvis’ death. In 1976, Vernon Presley went to Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman for forging a check. Before this, he already spent 6 months in the Tupelo jail while awaiting a trial. He received the check over the sale of a hog, although he was not impressed with the value. He added a couple of zeros, but it did not go without notice.
His Father Spent Jail Time
Elvis Loved His Guns
Since he was born and raised in the south, The King was a huge collector of guns. He was even known to carry them around with him! Apparently, he had 37 different kinds of rifles, guns, and machine guns overall. People even recalled that he hated Robert Goulet and Mel Torme so much that he would use the firearms to point and shoot the television whenever they appeared on the screen. After his death, a gun of his was sold at an auction for $28,000.
Elvis Loved His Guns
Priscilla And Elvis Got A Divorce
Considering the fact that Elvis and Priscilla decided to live separate lives in different cities with other people, it was no wonder their relationship suffered so much. In 1973, he filed for divorce and grew more paranoid about the men in her life. After the divorce was made official, they shared custody of Lisa Marie. Priscilla was also paid a divorce settlement of $726,000 on top of the child and spousal support. Despite everything, the two stayed close and allegedly held hands as they walked out of the courtroom.
Priscilla And Elvis Got A Divorce
She Lost Her Childhood
Priscilla has talked about losing her identity when she suddenly found herself under the limelight at such a young age. She said, “I was kind of lost really in who I was earlier in my life, I really didn’t have teenage years, I learnt so much about him and was with him so much that I thought the way he did, I knew what he liked…I knew his thoughts, I knew everything as far as you could possibly do when you live together at such a young age.”
She Lost Her Childhood
The Ballad Of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson
Not even three weeks after divorcing her first husband, Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson tied the knot in 1994. She was a pillar of support during the trying child harassment trial he underwent. She explained, “I believed he didn’t do anything wrong, and that he was wrongly accused and, yes, I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it.” Michael filed for divorce two years later. Although Lisa asked him not to do it, she eventually filed for divorce on her own.
The Ballad Of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson
Weight Gain And Depression
Elvis fell into depression and gained weight after going through a life-changing moment in his life. He hit his head on the bathtub. Apparently, the injury was so bad that he was knocked unconscious and brought to the hospital. After the mild concussion, he packed on extra weight, experienced insomnia, complained about headaches, and acted erratically. These were all common signs of head trauma. His health further deteriorated after this, causing him to rely on pills to get rid of the pain.
Weight Gain And Depression
Plotting Against Her Lover
Four men went to the stage with the intention of attacking him during one of his shows in 1973. Elvis believed that Mike Stone, Priscilla’s lover, sent them. After the alarming event, Elvis became obsessed with the idea and even said, “There’s too much pain in me … Stone [must] die.” Although he was seeking medical help and consuming high doses of medication, they failed to calm him down. His bodyguard and friend even suggested hiring a hitman, although Elvis declined the rather over-the-top suggestion.
Plotting Against Her Lover
A Pregnancy Under Wraps
In 1971, Elvis Presley started an affair with Joyce Bova, a Capitol Hill staffer. In the beginning, the two bonded over the fact that they were both identical twins. Elvis even told her about how much impact his twin brother’s death had on him. He truly fell in love with her and even considered asking her to move into Graceland. He wanted to leave her for Priscilla. However, Joyce later got pregnant with his baby and got it aborted in secret. The King never knew about it.
A Pregnancy Under Wraps
Following In His Footsteps
She grew up known as the daughter of Elvis, so it was no surprise that Lisa Marie eventually went into the music industry. In 2003, she came out with a debut album called To Whom It May Concern. It even reached the fifth spot on the charts and became certified gold! However, she released her most poignant record in 1997. It was a video of “Don’t Cry Daddy”, which included vocals by her and her deceased father. The record acted as a sort of tribute to her late father.
Following In His Footsteps
The Presleys And Scientology
Priscilla indoctrinated Lisa Marie into the Church of Scientology back in 1977. Elvis’ daughter admired the controversial religion and even received the Humanitarian Award courtesy of the Scientology-affiliated group, the World Literacy Crusade. After spending a long time with the Church, she defected in 2016. Apparently, Lisa Marie had already been feeling out of touch with the church as far back as 2008. Despite her choice, her mother and daughter remain active members of the Church.
The Presleys And Scientology
Extreme Weight Loss Technique
After experiencing a lot of public shaming for his weight, Elvis took it upon himself to lose weight as fast as possible. He chose to do this in a rather bizarre way as well. He chose to undergo two weeks of sedation! During this period, he slept the entire day away and only woke up to head to the bathroom and eat small portions of food. The sedation only made him rely more on his pills and deteriorated his health in a significant manner.
Extreme Weight Loss Technique
The New Girl
Only five months after Elvis and Priscilla called it quits, he found love with a Memphis beauty queen called Linda Thompson. She looked like a pure woman herself. They were together for four years, and she has since revealed that she was surprised by how much substance the musician was taking. Although they adored each other, she knew he did not remain faithful to her. The two went their own ways only nine months before his death.
The New Girl
Like Father, Like Daughter
We all know the saying that the apple does not fall far from the tree, right? It seems like Lisa Marie inherited her father’s drug dependency problem. She was only a teenager when she started taking drugs, which was a result of the media pressure. She thanks Scientology for helping her sober up for a while, although her divorce from Michael Lockwood made her return to her vice. In 2016, she finally checked into the Los Angeles facility called Hills Treatment Center.
Like Father, Like Daughter
Her Botched Surgery
Priscilla felt a certain pressure to look perfect, which was how she went under the knife. Unfortunately, the surgery was conducted by an unlicensed physician by the name of Dr. Daniel Serrano. In 2008, he injected silicone into her face, although the chemicals he used were not meant for cosmetic use. As a matter of fact, they were used in auto parts in Argentina. She was handing him about $300 to $500 for each injection. It was a good thing that justice was served. The feds indicted him on account of administering unapproved operations and smuggling substances into the States.
Her Botched Surgery
The King And The President
Elvis tried to organize a meeting with President Nixon at the White House in 1970. During the appointment, The King expressed his patriotic feelings as well as his contempt for hippies and illegal substances. Elvis even asked the POTUS for a badge from the Bureau of Narcotics since he wanted to add it to his collection of patriotic items. Apparently, the President was not comfortable during the encounter. He told the singer that he could send a positive message to the youth and instructed him to “maintain his credibility”.
The King And The President
His Secret Surgery
As Linda Thompson revealed fairly recently, The King got a facelift in secret when he was 40 years old. The singer had been experiencing a midlife crisis at the time and believed surgery would help with his insecurities. Thompson revealed that he was especially self-conscious about his “skinny little chicken neck”, which was why he opted for his signature high collars. Over the years, people thought The King underwent several other procedures, though Linda insisted that it was the only one.
His Secret Surgery
Deterioration After The Divorce
The divorce between Elvis and Priscilla took its toll on him. His health deteriorated a lot after it was finalized. Twice in that year, he overdosed on different substances and spent three days in a coma in the confines of his hotel room. After this, he was brought to the hospital for a concussion after suffering the effects of his pill addiction. He was consuming lots of substances, although he apparently never considered it to be an addiction. After all, his doctor George C. Nichopoulos always administered it.
Deterioration After The Divorce
Tiring Touring Schedule
Despite all his health concerns, he still managed to go on the busiest touring schedule of his career. IN 1973, he actually had 168 concerts! The following year was much the same. In September of that year, his Maryland concert made his fans feel concerned for him. He walked on stage and needed to hold onto the mic stand for half an hour. He also slurred his words, which meant the songs were all intelligible. Although his staffers saw him slumped over in the dressing room, he declined when they told him to rest for a bit.
Tiring Touring Schedule
Priscilla And Tom Jones
Just a year after the death of his wife, Tom Jones entered a surprising romance with Priscilla. They had been friends for many years by then since Tom and Elvis had always been close. This was what Tom had to say about the relationship: “I really don’t know how Elvis would feel about us having dinner together. He probably wouldn’t be too sure.” It did not end up lasting a long time, although the two remain close friends to this day.
Priscilla And Tom Jones
His Last Girlfriend
When Elvis and Linda Thompson broke it off, it did not take long before he found someone else. Ginger Alden was her name, and their relationship happened quickly. Can you believe that Elvis popped the question only two months into the relationship? Even though this happened, many of his friends reported that he was not interested in remarrying. This was what she said about the relationship: “‘I knew I had fallen in love and couldn’t imagine not being with him.” Ginger was the person who found his body.
His Last Girlfriend
Pills Aplenty
It was no secret that Elvis had been suffering from addiction, but it still surprised many people to hear how many pills he had been consuming. His doctors prescribed The King about 10,000 different pills at the time of his death. According to Linda Thompson, Elvis tried the get those pills every time he could. During a trip to the dentist, she recalled how “Elvis opened the cabinet and took out gigantic jars of pills. He began taking handfuls of pills and stuffing them into random pockets.”
Pills Aplenty
Found Dead In A Bathroom
It was on August 16, 1977 that Ginger Alden found the star dead on the toilet. She brought him to the hospital right away, but he was pronounced dead after a couple of resuscitation attempts. The autopsy and death certificate claimed that the musician died of a heart attack, although it was eventually revealed that it happened thanks to the unbelievable amount of substance in his system. The overdose was basically the catalyst. Despite this, many people thought it was a criminal act because of the sheer amount of pills found in his system.
Found Dead In A Bathroom
Problems With The Paparazzi
When he died, numerous publications wanted the last picture ever taken of The King. They tried their hardest to obtain it. However, it was National Enquirer who got it after bribing Bobby Mann, Elvis’ cousin, to sneak a spy camera into Graceland and snap a photo of the body before he was buried. It cost them $18,000 to do this. After the photo was published, it became the most famous cover picture in history with 6.5 million copies sold. Whoa.
Problems With The Paparazzi
Going Into Acting
Throughout the relationship, Priscilla was not allowed to have her own career. Elvis was a traditional guy who wanted her to stay at home and look after the family. Although many producers made her offers, she had no choice but to decline them. After the death of her former husband, she finally made the leap and took up acting. Among other things, she starred in the hit television show Dallas. She spent five years there and left to work on big screen projects.
Going Into Acting
His Hairdresser
Aside from his lovely voice and guitar-playing skills, his style was his most distinctive feature. He apparently loved his hair a lot and only trusted several people to cut it for him. Mr. Gill, his mother’s hairdresser, would be flown in whenever The King needed to get a trim. Mr. Gill knew just how much of an honor it was to do this and even kept some hair clippings. They were auctioned off after Elvis died of an overdose.
His Hairdresser
The King Is A Mamma’s Boy
Although he had quite a number of lovers and girlfriends over the years, there was just one woman in his life. It was none other than his mother, Gladys Presley. The two had a very good relationship, called each other by pet names, and even communicated in baby talk every now and then. They tried to remain close to each other. When her son was no longer around a lot, Gladys grew sicker and sicker. Needless to say, Elvis was heartbroken by her death.
The King Is A Mamma’s Boy
A James Dean Fan
A lot of people are under the impression that he took after James Dean when it comes to his style and person. Elvis liked the bad boy attitude and ease with the ladies of the actor. True enough, this might have served as a motivation of sorts for him. Aside from becoming a ladies’ man, he also chose to focus on relationships with actresses and singers. He was even involved with Natalie Wood at some point. She was a good friend of James Dean’s and starred in Rebel Without a Cause with the actor.
A James Dean Fan
His Favorite Sandwich
Elvis was also known for his obsession with a specific kind of sandwich. Containing peanut butter, bacon, and banana, it has since been dubbed the Elvis Sandwich. He first heard about this intriguing treat when he was chilling with some of his friends. Someone mentioned trying it out when in Colorado. He was so fascinated by the idea that he took everyone to Denver to see it for themselves. After returning to Memphis, he gave his chef the recipe!
His Favorite Sandwich
Death During The Funeral
Elvis Presley was interred at Forest Hill Cemetery right beside his beloved mother on August 18. Even though it was a Thursday, tens of thousands of his admirers joined the funeral procession route to the cemetery. However, a tragedy occurred during the wee hours of the same night right outside the gates. A car drove into the crowd of people holding the candlelight vigil. The driver hit three women and killed two of them. Tammy Baiter was tone was the sole survivor of the unfortunate attack.
Death During The Funeral
The Book That Led To His Death
Only two weeks before Elvis was discovered on the bathroom floor, three former bodyguards of his came out with a tell-all book called Elvis: What Happened? They were fired the year before that to cut costs, though it ultimately cost The King more than he bargained for. He attempted to pay them to keep the book under wraps, though they turned down his offer. Elvis only started deteriorating further after the release of the nonfiction book.
The Book That Led To His Death
The Physician Who Prescribed Too Much
It goes without saying that Elvis did not get a prescription pill addiction without some help. Those pills were prescribed to him by Dr. George C. Nichopoulos, his personal physician. Many people still consider him somewhat responsible for the addiction and subsequent death of The King. After all, he was the one who prescribed him more than 10,000 doses of amphetamines, barbiturates, narcotics, and sleeping pills. In 1980, he was suspended for overprescribing to Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, and more celebrities.
The Physician Who Prescribed Too Much
Brand Loyalty Is The Name Of The Game
During the ‘50s, The King started to develop a love for cars, particularly Cadillacs. He bought his very first one in 1955. It was a Cadillac Fleetwood Series 60 in pink and white. Unfortunately, a roadside fire destroyed it, although he replaced it with the newer version the following year. He decided to go with a blue one with a black roof this time, although he repainted it in a color called “Elvis Rose”. Rumor has it that he purchased more than a hundred Cadillacs for himself, friends, family, and even strangers.
Brand Loyalty Is The Name Of The Game
Only This Side Of The Globe
It was true that he met Priscilla in Germany and had countless fans from all over the world. However, Elvis never went on tour on the Eastern Hemisphere! He only made several appearances outside of the United States. Apparently, he got into a big argument with Col. Tom Parker in 1972 after he was forbidden to go on a Europe tour. Even though the two men were friends, Elvis never got over the fact that he was held back from pushing through with what he wanted.
Only This Side Of The Globe
Walking Out On Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys wanted to leave an impression on The King during their meeting in the mid ‘70s. However, the opposite happened. Wilson was aware that Elvis was a karate fan, so he decided to show The King some moves. It was still early in the encounter when he jumped at Elvis with his karate chops and a “HI-YAH”. The King asked him not to do it again, but Wilson kept going at it. Needless to say, Elvis was unimpressed and chose to walk out instead.
Walking Out On Brian Wilson
Comedy Lover, Johnny Carson Hater
Elvis had been a big fan of comedy his whole life. He was known for frequently quoting whole monologs and screening the newest comedies. For a while, he liked watching The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson, though this changed after a joke the host made in 1975. Carson called Elvis “fat and 40” during The King’s 40th birthday. He was not amused and stopped watching the show completely. Yikes!
Comedy Lover, Johnny Carson Hater
Their First Trip Together
After he left Germany, he stayed in touch with Priscilla through the phone. It took them several years and a lot of pleading before her parents allowed her to go to Los Angeles to visit him. Of course, they made sure he was paying for her first-class round-trip flight. They also wanted her to be chaperoned the entire time and asked her to write home on a daily basis. At the time, Elvis wanted to take her to Las Vegas without her parents finding out. This was when she took pills to keep up with her future husband.
Their First Trip Together
The Problem With The Nanny
In 2009, Lisa Marie delivered a pair of twins and needed help attending to the girls. She hired Christine White to help out. She did not only help with raising the twins, but she actually worked seven days a week without any days off! She even reported that she worked without overtime pay and meals. Presley countered her lawsuit by saying that she breached the confidentiality clause of the contract by taking pictures of the children.
The Problem With The Nanny
A Lisa Marie Impostor
Only one person in the world can say that they are the child of The King. However, there was someone who called Lisa Marie an imposter! Lisa Johansen sued the Presleys for $130 million after alleging that she was the true daughter of The King. She even published the 1988 memoir called I, Lisa Marie: The True Story of Elvis Presley’s Real Daughter. According to it, Priscilla told her to assume a different identity after Elvis died in 1977.
A Lisa Marie Impostor
Losing His Movie Theater Job
We know that Elvis had not always been the star he now is, but he apparently got into a lot of lady troubles even before he made it big. When he was a teenage boy in Memphis, he worked at the Loew’s State movie theater. He did not have the job for a long time since he was fired just five weeks later. Apparently, another usher felt jealous about his interactions with the girl working the concession stands.
Losing His Movie Theater Job
Coloring His Hair And Eyelashes
Did you think that Elvis naturally had his trademark black hair? If so, you thought wrong. He was actually born blonde, although he always wanted darker hair like Tony Curtis, his idol. He first got his hair dyed professionally when he worked on the set of Loving You. They used the mink brown shade to make his hair look black onscreen. Apparently, he later suffered migraines during his later years thanks to his eyelash coloring habit.
Coloring His Hair And Eyelashes
Breaking Down Racial Barriers
Even when he was just starting out, Elvis made a name for himself by breaking down racial barriers. The singer often performed for the black community without any hesitation whatsoever. This was why the white conservative community, who supported segregation, did not support his music career! His accepting nature came about as a result of his admiration for many black artists when he was a young boy. He used to perform regularly during “colored nights”.
Breaking Down Racial Barriers
Priscilla Helped Protect His Legacy
After the death of her ex-husband, Priscilla worked hard to uphold his legacy and memory. After dealing with tax problems and other financial issues, she decided to hire a CEO to convert Graceland into a museum. This proved to be a great move, as we all know. She then took over as the president and chairwoman of Elvis Presley Enterprises until the day their daughter turned 21 years old. Thanks to her guidance and work, the Elvis trust increased its worth to more than $100 million.
Priscilla Helped Protect His Legacy
Lisa Marie Did Not Want To Have Kids
Lisa Marie has revealed that Michael Jackson tried to force her into having a child even though she did not want one. She explained, “We would have three-day arguments, taking a break to eat or sleep”. After the divorce, she thought it was offensive that Debbie Rowe got pregnant only two months later. “He would tell me, ‘Debbie said she’ll do it.’ That’s how he knew to handle it, ‘If you’re not going to do it, this person will,” she explained.
Lisa Marie Did Not Want To Have Kids
She Wanted to Save The King Of Pop
Lisa Marie talked about the death of her former husband and expressed that she now wishes she did more to help the King of Pop. In an interview with Oprah, she said, “I wish I’d saved him, I know it’s naive to think that I could’ve, but I wanted to.” She has also revealed that she suspected he had a substance abuse problem but only realized it when she filed for divorce. It dawned on her when he was hospitalized for a viral infection, although clues pointed to substance abuse.
She Wanted to Save The King Of Pop
How They Met
Elvis Presley and Priscilla Wagner met at a party in his house back when he was living in Germany as a soldier. At the time, she was just a 14-year-old girl, although she looked older than that. Priscilla made an impression on him, although it was not smooth sailing. Her stepfather was a US Navy Pilot himself, so he was angry that the young girl went home so late. He even banned her and Elvis from meeting again! Elvis had to charm him by promising it will never happen again.
How They Met
Money From Her Father
Lisa Marie found a lot of money to her name when she was still a young girl. Back then, she did not know how to keep the money, and she nearly went bankrupt at some point. She used to get a monthly inheritance check of $100,000 every month from her deceased father’s estate. Despite this, she claimed she did not have any money and even had problems with debt. She also explained that she preferred to live without rent as she could not afford the cost of upkeep.
Money From Her Father
The Ann-Margaret Affair
One of the most famous relationships Elvis got into was with Ann-Margaret, the American actress and singer. They first met while filming Viva Las Vegas in the year 1964. They reportedly got along right away. They had a short-lived affair, and she had the code name “Thumper” whenever she called him. Priscilla later learned of the affair and confronted him about it. Elvis only denied the allegations and said they were only doing it for the sake of publicity.
The Ann-Margaret Affair