Elvis in Hollywood (Zoom)

From 1956 to 1969, Elvis Presley made 31 films, playing the above-the-title star in all but one. That’s an extraordinary achievement and it helped make him one of the wealthiest performers in Hollywood as a result. But unfortunately, Elvis’ dream of being taken seriously as an actor and becoming a true movie star was never fulfilled, thanks to the almost insatiable greed and crass commercial instincts of his manager, Col. Tom Parker. This talk will examine the ups and downs of Presley’s Hollywood career, which started off with such promise in films like King Creole and Jailhouse Rock but would ultimately conclude with dozens of cheap, mediocre movies like Harum Scarum and Paradise, Hawaiian Style that dimmed his creativity and his reputation during the 1960s. We’ll also look at some of his movie musical highlights, including “Love Me Tender,” “Return to Sender,” and “Viva Las Vegas.”

Registrants will be emailed the zoom link.