Could Elvis succeed as a good actor if given the chance?

[ricardo b. prospero]

It is a pity that Elvis never got the chance to prove the other facet of his talent. In the movie "King Creole", we witnessed Elvis promising career as a good actor. He has proven he has all the potential to be a great actor and could have been another James Dean or Frank Sinatra in the making.:clap:

[EnigmaticSun]

Frank Sinatra wasn't even that much of an actor, I'd say he's more like a lawyer/diplomat/spy kind of person, LOL!

Elvis was in the line of James Dean, the way River Phoenix was after Elvis and they way I am now. I'd say Elvis was probably least confused and ashamed of everything among these people, because he knew love as a child.

Anyway, yes I think Elvis had the talent to do something with his acting abilities. It's just that Hollywood was the wrong place, just like Las Vegas was the wrong spot for a musician (Las Vegas = showbizz, not music).

He should have met John Cleese. At least Elvis did enjoy "Monty Python's Flying Circus", LOL! I'm talking real actors here, not the showbizz-bullshit you see at the cinemas nowadays.

[Rover]

Maybe he could have...He definilty have some abilities, he shows them on the stage! If he can share emotions through songs, why not through acting. He just needed more serious roles maybe, without singing parts.

[spanish eyes]

Could Elvis succeed as a good actor if given the chance?

IMO yes he could. My fave is Jailhouse Rock because of the way he played the character. You saw Vince Everett change from a sweet, happy go lucky guy to a tough man who put himself first. When Elvis believed in what he was doing it showed whether it was through his singing or his acting. The scene where he gets whipped I can't watch it because of the expression on his face. IMO a good actor is someone who can get the audience to see the character being protrayed on the screen instead of the person playing that character, for me Elvis did that especially in Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, Loving You and Change of Habit.

When the movies started to become the same, he still did the best he could even though I'm sure he was bored out of his skull with them.

[EnigmaticSun]

It's funny you mention "Change Of Habit" - proving that he did have serious roles later on, right?

I also like "Wild In The Country" and "Kid Galahad". I've found these roles to approach the "real" Elvis.

I think Elvis would have been happy with education in "classical" acting, for example Shakespeare's work. I really don't think his brain was "too average" for this!

[ksimms2]

I'm sure he could have been a great actor. I don't know if the public would allow him to be one though - because of our addiction to his music. I would have loved to see him in something serious....man...I bet he'd be a Mel Gibson (in his day) or a Brad Pitt.....sexiest man alive.....too bad we'll never know.

[EnigmaticSun]

Do you determine an actor's quality by his good looks, ksimms2, or is it just a pleasurable extra for you?

[KPM]

I think he was a good actor when he got good scripts and directors. IMO There are probably 8 or 10 movies he did in which he showed he could act.

[franny]

I think Elvis was a great actor! I loved him in King Creole and Kid Galahad to name a few!

An actor is only as good as the roles they land! I think Elvis was great considering most of his movies were the same storylines!

franny

[ksimms2]

Do you determine an actor's quality by his good looks, ksimms2, or is it just a pleasurable extra for you?

no, but I think he could have been the best of the best....I love Mel Gibson in his "Lethal Weapon" days....I also think he's a great actor. I'm just trying to say that not only would he have been a great actor, I think he would have been one of the sexy ones....i.e. George Clooney/Mel Gibson, etc. You get my point? (y)

[Getlo]

Many people have said Elvis could've been another James Dean, but this is mostly wishful thinking from a public wanting to fill the void that Dean left, both as an actor and as a pop culture phenomenon.

Yes, there were cetainly glimpses of good acting in his earlier films, particularly King Creole. Co-star Walter Matthau described him as an "instinctive actor", which is probably accurate.

As I said, there were glimpses only, and very, very fleeting ones at that. As for anything from the post-Army years, there is barely anything to suggest good acting on Elvis' part.

Had he been strong enough, he could've insisted to The Colonel that he wanted to continue with acting.

But he definitely needed training. If he had had the discipline, proper training would've done him the world of good. But he wouldn't have had that discipline.

I've heard Elvis' acting described as "brilliant" at times. No. No way. I'm afraid those rose coloured glasses have been worn by a lot of fans out there.

Elvis was okay as an actor, nothing more. And he was not consistent in his performances. But with training - and the right material - who knows what migth have been.

[BrianK]

Was Elvis as good as James Dean? I don't think James Dean was that great - other than at showing "angst". Marilyn Monroe was a "great" actor too, even though her main talent was in other areas. So yes, by 1950s standards, Elvis was a good actor.

[MissyM]

Of course, he was working hard at being a better actor all the time. He would have continued had he gotten the chance. He was basically green when he started out, with no lessons. And he did well IMO. So with time and effort he would have excelled. He worked hard at being a great singer, he would have with acting as well.

[presley31]

Many people have said Elvis could've been another James Dean, but this is mostly wishful thinking from a public wanting to fill the void that Dean left, both as an actor and as a pop culture phenomenon.

Yes, there were cetainly glimpses of good acting in his earlier films, particularly King Creole. Co-star Walter Matthau described him as an "instinctive actor", which is probably accurate.

As I said, there were glimpses only, and very, very fleeting ones at that. As for anything from the post-Army years, there is barely anything to suggest good acting on Elvis' part.

Had he been strong enough, he could've insisted to The Colonel that he wanted to continue with acting.

But he definitely needed training. If he had had the discipline, proper training would've done him the world of good. But he wouldn't have had that discipline.

I've heard Elvis' acting described as "brilliant" at times. No. No way. I'm afraid those rose coloured glasses have been worn by a lot of fans out there.

Elvis was okay as an actor, nothing more. And he was not consistent in his performances. But with training - and the right material - who knows what migth have been.

Elvis was great in the movies, he would of been great if it was one of the movies like today.

[KPM]

"Flaming Star" was after his army years and here is award winning director Don Siegels take on Elvis and his ablilty:
Elvis contributed his finest performance in Don Siegel's "Flaming Star," released the same year. Written by frequent John Ford collaborator Nunnally Johnson, "Flaming Star" was originally intended for Elvis's acting idol, Marlon Brando. Initially leery of his substitute leading man, Siegel, who had been trained by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, was immediately struck by Elvis's on-set dedication. " Elvis could have been an acting star," the director wrote in his memoir. The rocker "surprised me with his sensitivity as an actor."
In order to take advantage of Elvis's potential and keep the film's downbeat Western tragedy from being rendered ridiculous, Siegel (who would go on to direct "Dirty Harry" and "Escape From Alcatraz") ignored Colonel Parker's request that Elvis perform at least 10 songs in the film. Not including the theme, Elvis performs only one number in "Flaming Star," and that's in the first five minutes of the film. And like Curtiz, Siegel surrounded Elvis with capable pros as co-stars. John McIntire and Dolores del Rio both contribute heartbreaking moments, and Elvis himself rose to the occasion in what was to be his most singularly tragic role and his most affecting.
Martin Sheen has stated "Elvis was an underrated actor" Robert Mitchem thought Elvis was one of the greatest natural actors he had seen in the 50s. The fact that Elvis was offered roles in great movies which would have required more than the usual "walk through roles of the musicals" shows Hollywood directors and producers thought he could act and handle the parts they wanted him for.
Reportedly wanted for "West Side Story" "The Defiant Ones" "Thunder Road" and others.
The director of "Midnight Cowboy" thought of Elvis as his first choice for the role Jon Voight finally played to acclaim. The "A Star is Born" role was a tough role dramatically- but Streisand felt Elvis was the one for the role. A lot of knowledgable people in Hollywood evidently thought Elvis could act.

[Diane]

I think Elvis proved in several of his films that he could have been a very good actor but was never given the scripts he should have had.

Diane

[rickb]

he had the talent and proved it in some good films, but sadly a greedy, short-sighted manager hooked onto a money-making formula, cut the quality, presenting lousy scripts and B-grade directors and left our man with great unfulfilled potential.
He should have been allowed to do supporting roles, more-adult roles and I think he had a good grasp of comedy
rick

[Wendy56]

YES! :irule:

[Natalie]

Elvis had the passion for acting.I really believe given the chance he could have been a brilliant actor. The best example of his talent would have to be king creole. I cannot forgive the colonel for ruining what had the potential to be a brilliant acting career for Elvis. Elvis wanted to be taken seriously as an actor but just like they did to Monroe they put him in stupid roles. Elvis was so over it by the mid 60s... Of if only he took control.

[hounddog]

Elvis showed great potenial. As franny says "An actor is only as good as the roles they land! I think Elvis was great considering most of his movies were the same storylines!" It's interseting when you see what was offered to Elvis that was turned down i think most likely by the Col. he would have been great in some of those roles and also it would have given him a chance to broaden his acting skills.

[malc07]

I think Elvis was a great actor..Flaming star,IMO was one of his finest acting rolls.Jailhouse rock being the other..
I think given the chance he would have been superb...not that he wasnt anyway.
But I like all the movies he made.especially the Hawaiian ones..Blue Hawaii=Paradise Hawaiian style.

[The King's Queen]

I have read, and heard interviews where many co-stars and others who worked with Elvis in Hollywood have stated that he def had the potential to be a really good actor. I just don't think that he had the opportunity to reach his potential, due to the fact that his movies were so much alike and didn't require much effort on his part. I wish he could have had the chance to explore that aspect of his career. It would have been interesting to see if he could have met a challenge like that!

[Lisarose]

My husband showed me an article that said that Elvis had thought of doing the role of Michael Corleone in the Godfather, but never auditioned. Al Pacino was considered too short, but got the role. Elvis was certainly tall enough, had that dark, handsome look, believed in the Mafia, but could he have pulled it off with that charming southern accent of his?

[Awickedreigndrop]

I agree with those of you who said that he never got the chance to reach his potentials because of the Col. I think he did well with the scripts that he was given. I also think that eventually he got quiet bored doing the same story lines over and over again that it showed in his work. He was basically trapped in a box and wasn't allowed to grow.

[Suzan]

I do believe that he would have made a good actor and possibly even a great one had he been given the chance and the challenge of a truly great script, etc...
I think in his earlier films, pre army, we had glimpses of what could have been.

[Merry]

Yes......


Kim

[EnigmaticSun]

no, but I think he could have been the best of the best....I love Mel Gibson in his "Lethal Weapon" days....I also think he's a great actor. I'm just trying to say that not only would he have been a great actor, I think he would have been one of the sexy ones....i.e. George Clooney/Mel Gibson, etc. You get my point? (y)

Hehe yes, I do get the point! I sure do understand the females, so to say.

To me, the acting performances have nothing to do with someone's looks - person may be terribly unattractive but a great actor. But I don't mind people melting for Elvis' good looks, Rudolph Valentino was supposed to be handsome, so why not Elvis?

Anyway, I agree with people saying he had the potential, but probably not the chance to develop it. People such as Dennis Hopper started out acting with James Dean and eventually got to play in Biblical movies (Samson and Delilah).

[Getlo]

Hopper was in an abysmal television version of Samson and Delilah, not a movie version.

But your point is taken ...

[Burning_Love]

My Answer : Yes.

Danielle :D

[ricardo b. prospero]

Perhaps Elvis got the will but lack the drive to be a good actor. He could have easily say no to those thrash roles the Col. fitted him simply for revenue purposes He could have choose better script and role if he wanted to pursue his will to be a fine actor and yet he did not. Just like what I mentioned in my other thread being so obedient is one his traits that became his weakness and was easily exploited to his disadvantage. I should have not said he was not given the chance because he always have it but did not took it because he lack the drive and let the people around him manipulate his life.

[EnigmaticSun]

Hopper was in an abysmal television version of Samson and Delilah, not a movie version.

But your point is taken ...

I don't think it was all that bad and I consider the movie long and serious enough to be considered a movie.

I don't like all of Hopper's roles, but this one did show he can do things out of the spectacular (commercial) Hollywood realm.

I think Hopper also did a good job in "Der Amerikanische Freund" with Bruno Ganz (you may know him by Hitler's role in "der Untergang"). Classic acting.

Elvis did a good job portraying serious roles as well. "Wild In The Country" is a good movie for instance and so are "Flaming Star" and "Kid Galahad".

[KPM]

Perhaps Elvis got the will but lack the drive to be a good actor. He could have easily say no to those thrash roles the Col. fitted him simply for revenue purposes He could have choose better script and role if he wanted to pursue his will to be a fine actor and yet he did not. Just like what I mentioned in my other thread being so obedient is one his traits that became his weakness and was easily exploited to his disadvantage. I should have not said he was not given the chance because he always have it but did not took it because he lack the drive and let the people around him manipulate his life.
The Col played the money card-he pointed out to Elvis that his "acting roles" grossed less than his musicals IMO plain and simple. Also that his contracts were already signed for several years to come-and the people who had made the deals with Parker had the say so as what type movies they would produce. Producer Hal Wallis said in his autobiograhy he did not hire Elvis to be the next James Dean he hired him to sing in the movies and be ELVIS. When he signed his long term contract with Wallis in the 50s he was led to believe his first roll would have been in a non musical movie "The Rainmaker" with Katherine Hepburn and Burt Lancaster. He did a screen test for it. He commented in an interview about this and that he has no desire to sing in the movies. Now it seems to me that what he was led to believe when he signed the contract was not what happened. As soon as the contract was signed he was loaned out to make the movie "The Reno Brothers" (a civil war movie) then several songs were added to it-that movie became "Love Me Tender" The role in "the Rainmaker"
went to Earl Holliman. The contract with Wallis allowed Wallis to decide the projects-did Elvis understand all this? Would he have mentioned the "Rainmaker" if he had not been told it was his first movie? How much did the Col. know about the loan out-before the contract was signed. All very legit questions. Elvis could have complained more-he hated making Clambake by all accounts but he COl took him to task for dragging his feet about making it. Parker seemed not to care how bad they were, as long as it produced and album and fullfilled his contract with the producers.

[Merry]

Interview from the Colonel re Elvis' acting, artistic license, wanting to play more dates, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djd2bmm6nWE

The Colonel IS a "good old boy" .

Kim

[elvislady]

Could Elvis succeed as a good actor if given the chance?

IMO yes he could. My fave is Jailhouse Rock because of the way he played the character. You saw Vince Everett change from a sweet, happy go lucky guy to a tough man who put himself first. When Elvis believed in what he was doing it showed whether it was through his singing or his acting. The scene where he gets whipped I can't watch it because of the expression on his face. IMO a good actor is someone who can get the audience to see the character being protrayed on the screen instead of the person playing that character, for me Elvis did that especially in Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, Loving You and Change of Habit.

When the movies started to become the same, he still did the best he could even though I'm sure he was bored out of his skull with them.

i agree 100 percent with you i watched jailhouse rock this week and elvis played the charactar brilliantly.
elvislady:D

[presley31]

Elvis had enough talent to do anything he wanted. Gosh l would of loved to see him in these today.

[BrianK]

Just watched "Charro" out of the new DVD set & Elvis delivers a good, solid performance. Nobody is saying he was as good an actor as a singer, but this movie shows he was capable of doing a good acting job as late as 1969.

[EnigmaticSun]

I never meant to say Elvis was the next James Dean. Mentioning James Dean, I think of serious acting roles, perhaps with the limitation of not having had a "classical acting education", but with a sense of drama. When James Dean says "you're tearing me apart" it sounds and seems so real.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJO1jFi3Hvo

Elvis did appreciate James Dean. Elvis did fill up the emptiness after Dean's death (and did it with dignity) - he had the same "rebellious" image, though he had a singing talent too. I think Elvis had enough potential, but it's not always easy or possible to really let that talent shine.

[ms_epblvd]

I dont think Elvis ever had a role that he could really bite into. He was an entertainer not necessarily an actor. I wish he would have had the role is A Star Is Born. That would have changed alot about his acting career.(y)