Straight vodka...

[Sammycakes]

Does anyone remember that part in TTWII when Elvis was backstage and he takes a sip from a glass and says, "Straight vodka, it's good for you?" I've always believed it was just water and he was just kidding around. What do you guys think?

[U.S. Male]

I'm almost positive that it was just water.

I've read (and listened) to countless stories from people around him that said he did not enjoy partaking to the sauce, although he does take a tiny sip of some champaign from a person sitting stage side during one of the scenes in TTWII.

[TCBnAflash]

I think he was kidding, from what I understood, Elvis hated drunks cause he grew up around it. we all know that while singing he loved, water or Gatorade. He'd say, "it's made of Gator","They say it works twice as fast as water, so I'll be making more trips to the bathroom".

[Lonniebealestreet]

...although he does take a tiny sip of some champaign from a person sitting stage side during one of the scenes in TTWII.
Yes, and he gives an honest grimace to that, I might add. No way that was really vodka. Just Elvis being funny.

...Which is not to say I would have any strong opinion if it was. That's just the way it was.

[Frankieg]

I'm not saying this to be mean or pessimistic, but with all the pills and such Elvis was consuming in 1970, especially the downers, if Elvis was into drinking any amount of alcohol, especially "straight vodka", it most likely would have put him into a coma.

Besides, the humour Elvis displays in that classic scene was just Elvis' uncanny way of being funny without trying ... :)

[utmom2008]

He'd say, "it's made of Gator","They say it works twice as fast as water, so I'll be making more trips to the bathroom".

Yeh, and he would also say it will "aid your Gator" or "it looks used", etc. I think that was just Elvis and his sense of humor.:P:king::king:

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

I do find it odd that Elvis didn't drink? Perhaps seeing how it affected his Mother stopped him.....

[Joe Car]

I believe I read where he got really drunk twice, and didn't enjoy it at all. Some people don't like the devils brew!:lol:

[Getlo]

I do find it odd that Elvis didn't drink? Perhaps seeing how it affected his Mother stopped him.....

Sorry JJ, but Elvis did drink. It's a myth that he was teetotal. It wasn't an overly regular thing, but he did consume alcohol. He was partial to an occasional scotch among other beverages.

He was only ever fully drunk maybe three or four times in his life.

[TotallyInsane]

Sorry JJ, but Elvis did drink. It's a myth that he was teetotal. It wasn't an overly regular thing, but he did consume alcohol. He was partial to an occasional scotch among other beverages.

He was only ever fully drunk maybe three or four times in his life.

Getlo,
All of your posts are written with such certainty. Seems to me you're either someone from the inside or you've read a lot of books. If it's the latter, how do you decide which stuff in the books to believe and pass on as the gospel?

[Getlo]

Getlo,
All of your posts are written with such certainty. Seems to me you're either someone from the inside or you've read a lot of books. If it's the latter, how do you decide which stuff in the books to believe and pass on as the gospel?

Both, perhaps? You'll never know. ;)

It's very simple: if several different versions of a story are going around, it's pretty easy to determine whether it's real or not. There are enough sources out there that indicate Elvis did drink. And he did. There is no debate about this, except in the minds of some fans who want to believe he was teetotal when he wasn't. Like him not ever smoking cigarettes, which is total crap. The story of him getting drunk on the set of Wild In The Country and having a boil busted on his arse is well known. Like most people, he drank responsibly and was rarely drunk ...

[Rover]

the straight vodka things sounded like a joke to me...Look at the way he drank it, would you drink vodka so easily?

[Elvis_Priestly]

I believe I read where he got really drunk twice, and didn't enjoy it at all. Some people don't like the devils brew!:lol:

Jerry Schilling tells a story of the two of them going down to the bar in the early hours of the morning in Vegas once. They sat for quite a while chatting and drinking and saying hello to the ocassional person who would walk over to shake hands. He says they got quite drunk and eventually headed out the door and got into a taxi to bring them back to the hotel only to have the driver tell them they were already there!

[TotallyInsane]

Both, perhaps? You'll never know. ;)

It's very simple: if several different versions of a story are going around, it's pretty easy to determine whether it's real or not. There are enough sources out there that indicate Elvis did drink. And he did. There is no debate about this, except in the minds of some fans who want to believe he was teetotal when he wasn't. Like him not ever smoking cigarettes, which is total crap. The story of him getting drunk on the set of Wild In The Country and having a boil busted on his arse is well known. Like most people, he drank responsibly and was rarely drunk ...

OMG - Elvis smoked cigarettes??? Please, do tell.

Perhaps - I already do.

[Lonniebealestreet]

Jerry Schilling tells a story of the two of them going down to the bar in the early hours of the morning in Vegas once. They sat for quite a while chatting and drinking and saying hello to the ocassional person who would walk over to shake hands. He says they got quite drunk and eventually headed out the door and got into a taxi to bring them back to the hotel only to have the driver tell them they were already there!
That's a great one, hadn't heard that.

And I would suggest that there were more than a few occasions during which Elvis was drunk, mostly in the sixties. Apparently there was a phase where he was he was rather into it (getting drunk) for a while there, but it ended up being for the most part just that: a phase. This was while they were spending a lot of time in Vegas. I can confidently say Elvis never had a problem with it but it was as though he wanted to see what the attraction was with getting drunk and had to try it out for a while.

There is a story from a few years later on the set of Change of Habit in which someone had some blackberry brandy and Elvis was offered some and thought it was pretty good. So on the way back to the house they stopped at a liquor store and he had the guys get some more. So he kept drinking it and before they got home he managed to throw up all over the back seat of the car (and Joe) and felt rather miserable, saying he was dying, LOL.

So obviously this was not someone who drank all the time. But throughout the years he would partake every now and then, and he did have a few too many his share of times. I haven't heard many accounts at all of him drinking in the seventies, except for in Jerry Hopkins' The Final Years it mentioned that he got drunk at his New Year's Eve party ('71-'72), though there were more than a few factual errors in that book.

In addition to scotch he also liked a few vodka-based drinks...not straight up though. :lol: And no beer.

[Tony Trout]

Elvis actually smoked the little "cigarillos"--not cigarettes.


And yes...I totally believe that was water Elvis was drinking and not Vodka in that scene from TTWII before going onstage. The scene of him taking a sip of champagne from that audience member shocked me actually when I first saw it. did anyone notice him asking the audience member if he could keep the glass of champagne (at least I think that's what he's asking her)? I find that rather revealing....

[presley31]

Elvis actually smoked the little "cigarillos"--not cigarettes.

And yes...I totally believe that was water Elvis was drinking and not Vodka in that scene from TTWII before going onstage. The scene of him taking a sip of champagne from that audience member shocked me actually when I first saw it. did anyone notice him asking the audience member if he could keep the glass of champagne (at least I think that's what he's asking her)? I find that rather revealing....

Tony.. according to marty lacker elvis was a serect smoker and theres a picture with a cigarette in his mouth so it muct be true that she smoked now and than, but like the cigars better.

Source: revelations from the memphis Mafia in the picture section.

[Lonniebealestreet]

did anyone notice him asking the audience member if he could keep the glass of champagne (at least I think that's what he's asking her)? I find that rather revealing....
He kept it but didn't do anything else with it, I don't believe, Tony.

[Tony Trout]

He kept it but didn't do anything else with it, I don't believe, Tony.


Yep, you're right. He took one other sip from the glass then set it down beside one of the members of the Imperials.



And Jen (I think that's your name, right?), you are correct. Me forgot 'bout that picture.

[Getlo]

OMG - Elvis smoked cigarettes??? Please, do tell.


Elvis actually smoked the little "cigarillos"--not cigarettes.

Tony, Elvis smoked cigarettes as well, at least occasionally.

Fifties: several photos show him smoking at various times.

Sixties: he mentions his "cigarettes" during the Blue Hawaii recording sessions; also a photo of him smoking from around '65 appeared on the cover of a bootleg LP (Memphis, Tennessee I think was its name).

Seventies: Myrna Smith tells of Elvis smoking her cigarettes, often smoking almost the whole pack.

http://www.tcb-world.com/showthread.php?t=16562&highlight=cigarettes

[presley31]

Yep, you're right. He took one other sip from the glass then set it down beside one of the members of the Imperials.



And Jen (I think that's your name, right?), you are correct. Me forgot 'bout that picture.

yep tony thats my name:D just saw the picture last night while reading.

[Diane]

I don't think it was anything but water in that glass from the way he drank it as Cameron stated. When someone drinks alcohol of any kind there is always that little grimace for some reason.:) I don't doubt that he did drink a bit off and on but wasn't particularly interested in it.

I can't believe he was a secret smoker Jen with all the many many photos out there that show him smoking his cigarillos and there are some very early pictures of him smoking as well. That no smoking, no drinking image was started by Colonel Parker.

Diane

[Getlo]

That no smoking, no drinking image was started by Colonel Parker.

And by Elvis himself actually.

Listen to the TV Guide interview from '56 ...

"Well, I don't smoke and I don't drink ..."

Yeah, right! ;)

[presley31]

I don't think it was anything but water in that glass from the way he drank it as Cameron stated. When someone drinks alcohol of any kind there is always that little grimace for some reason.:) I don't doubt that he did drink a bit off and on but wasn't particularly interested in it.

I can't believe he was a secret smoker Jen with all the many many photos out there that show him smoking his cigarillos and there are some very early pictures of him smoking as well. That no smoking, no drinking image was started by Colonel Parker.

Diane

Nope diane l didn't think elvis was a secret smoker either, but l was just telling tony what the book said about elvis with a smoke in his mouth. Nancy also states that elvis smoked but didn't want anybody knowing about it(not his fans)

[Lonniebealestreet]

It's funny...There is that photo of him with the lit Tarreyton in the Revelations book and the caption hints at his being a closet cigarette smoker, but to my recollection nowhere in the book does it really address it, except perhaps for the mention of that list that Marty (then foreman) came up with of all that things that Elvis needed, which included both cigars and cigarettes.

Priscilla did buy him a cigarette case as a Christmas gift in '62.

I recall one account (I don't remember the source) that talked about Elvis spending his nights in his Vegas suite surrounded by women who would light his cigarettes and cater to his every whim. That has sort of a sensationalistic feel to it but I only mention it because there aren't that many stories about Elvis smoking cigarettes...that I have heard anyway.

FWIW in The Death of Elvis I remember that someone who had been involved in the autopsy commented that Elvis had one of the driest sets of lungs that he had ever seen. Admittedly that seems like a weird comment; either someone did not smoke and they had dry lungs or they did and had some degree of gunk in them. But the point he seemed to be making was that Elvis must not have been a very heavy smoker at all.

Certainly if he was it was not reflected in his speaking or singing voice.

[john carpenter]

I was always curious about the scene in "This is Elvis", Its where Elvis is having a party or some get together in the early fifties at Graceland. And someone with a funny looking mask tries to sit on his lap. Well they are passing around something that looks like a cigarette.Elvis takes a hit and passes it back to the guy.In the same scene a blonde woman takes off her (looks like) small hat and puts it on Elvis' head. Has anyone seen this scene? He was smoking a cigarette or Marijuana. It's the way they passed it is why i say marijuana.They showed the scene and the song Merry Christmas Baby was played over the scene, after Vernon and Gladys get out of thier car and eat snow off the car.

[Lonniebealestreet]

That always struck me as a bit funny as well, for what it looks like there.

[Diane]

I don't think Elvis was a heavy smoker but I do believe he enjoyed it more often than most know.

I'm sure Elvis was told by the Colonel to say that he didn't drink or smoke in that interview Getlo. Part of the new image the Colonel started when all the hoopla started about how a bad influence he was on the young.

As far as I know I've read he only tried marijuana once and didn't like it. Was that the time Priscilla ended up in a closet lol? Or was that the time they all tried LSD?

Diane

[Getlo]

As far as I know I've read he only tried marijuana once and didn't like it. Was that the time Priscilla ended up in a closet lol? Or was that the time they all tried LSD?

No, he used dope quite a bit around '65 or so, on and off for a while. He became bored with it, and he said it began to hurt his throat.

I think the closet thing was while on LSD ... is that in Cilla's book? It's been 23 years since I read it. I do recall they ended up watching fish in their aquarium while tripping for quite a while; a rather hilarious story which tallies up with my own youthful experiences with that strangest of all drugs! :D

Trippy, man ...

[Sonny]

I think we can say Elvis smoked quit a lot. And he started the cigarsmoking in the fifties. If you check out the LaGross interview clip you can see some early pics of him smoking.

And there are pictures around of him smoking cigarettes, not too many of those pics though. He did however smoke a lot of cigarillos in the seventies for sure.

Sonny

[Tony Trout]

No, he used dope quite a bit around '65 or so, on and off for a while. He became bored with it, and he said it began to hurt his throat.

I think the closet thing was while on LSD ... is that in Cilla's book? It's been 23 years since I read it. I do recall they ended up watching fish in their aquarium while tripping for quite a while; a rather hilarious story which tallies up with my own youthful experiences with that strangest of all drugs! :D

Trippy, man ...




If I'm thinking correctly, it was in Priscilla's book.

[presley31]

If I'm thinking correctly, it was in Priscilla's book.


you and gelto are correct, it is in priscilla's book. Wasn't this in jerry book too??

Its in the revelations too.

[Sonny]

Yes, this is also in Jerry's book.

[Burning_Love]

I heard he didn't like drink, not even people drinking it around him. So i guess it was jus water because i reckon he was nervous at the begining of the show and so you get scared and de hydrated so he had some water. Maybe :hmm:

[Joe Car]

I know there's a great photo of Elvis wearing a mask during a Halloween party in 1957, in his hand he had a beer! I believe the woman he was photographed with, just passed away. If anybody could post that pic, that would be awesome!

[Getlo]

I know there's a great photo of Elvis wearing a mask during a Halloween party in 1957, in his hand he had a beer! I believe the woman he was photographed with, just passed away. If anybody could post that pic, that would be awesome!

This is the one.

The blonde is B-grade (more like Z-grade) actress Jeanne Carmen. She died late last year.

Carmen dated Elvis for a while in the 50s. She told a story of she and Elvis getting hot'n'heavy at a drive-in one night, but his boys kept interrupting them.

The pic was taken at designer Sy Devore's 1957 Hallowe'en party in Beverly Hills.

Devore was later to design Elvis' outfits for It Happened At the World's Fair.

[utmom2008]

Jerry Schilling tells a story of the two of them going down to the bar in the early hours of the morning in Vegas once. They sat for quite a while chatting and drinking and saying hello to the ocassional person who would walk over to shake hands. He says they got quite drunk and eventually headed out the door and got into a taxi to bring them back to the hotel only to have the driver tell them they were already there!
I was just about to tell that story...that has to be one of the funniest stories in the book. I love the way Jerry tells of the driver turning around, looking at Elvis and saying "Sir...you are already at the Hilton".....:lol::lol: Jerry goes on to tell that they had quite a hangover the next day. :D

[utmom2008]

If I'm thinking correctly, it was in Priscilla's book.
It's also in "Down At the End of Lonely Street"....

[utmom2008]

There is a story from a few years later on the set of Change of Habit in which someone had some blackberry brandy and Elvis was offered some and thought it was pretty good. So on the way back to the house they stopped at a liquor store and he had the guys get some more. So he kept drinking it and before they got home he managed to throw up all over the back seat of the car (and Joe) and felt rather miserable, saying he was dying, LOL.

That is funny!:P Makes me think of early college..the sweeter something was the more we drank it. And...I can sympathize with Elvis..there were times I thought I was dying as well..or at least hoped I would!:lol::lol:

[presley31]

This is the one.

The blonde is B-grade (more like Z-grade) actress Jeanne Carmen. She died late last year.

Carmen dated Elvis for a while in the 50s. She told a story of she and Elvis getting hot'n'heavy at a drive-in one night, but his boys kept interrupting them.

The pic was taken at designer Sy Devore's 1957 Hallowe'en party in Beverly Hills.

Devore was later to design Elvis' outfits for It Happened At the World's Fair.

Thanks, didn't know she was elvis elvis dated, thought they were friends.

[Tony Trout]

It's also in "Down At the End of Lonely Street"....

*goes to Ebay to find a copy of the above mentioned book*

[Diane]

Thanks for the info on the picture of Elvis in '67 at Devore's party because I'd been under the impression that this was a party he attended in Europe while in the army. He wore that same sweater in the army pictures a lot.

Diane

[cameron]

There is a story from a few years later on the set of Change of Habit in which someone had some blackberry brandy and Elvis was offered some and thought it was pretty good. So on the way back to the house they stopped at a liquor store and he had the guys get some more. So he kept drinking it and before they got home he managed to throw up all over the back seat of the car (and Joe) and felt rather miserable, saying he was dying, LOL.


Perhaps he learned the hard way. Twice being sick was enough for me.
Never understood why anyone liked to drink too much .

[utmom2008]

*goes to Ebay to find a copy of the above mentioned book*
You will like that book Tony...for the most part I think it's fairly accurate. (y)

[Lonniebealestreet]

I agree. You know one thing I really liked about that book? The way it told the story of Elvis' stint in the Army. It painted a picture of a hardworking soldier...something I haven't gotten as much from other accounts. He was a special soldier, yes, but not one that got all these special privileges or did not care about doing a good job.

[utmom2008]

I agree. You know one thing I really liked about that book? The way it told the story of Elvis' stint in the Army. It painted a picture of a hardworking soldier...something I haven't gotten as much from other accounts. He was a special soldier, yes, but not one that got all these special privileges or did not care about doing a good job.
You are right about that. It was very detailed through that time period, and you came away with the feeling that Elvis was a really decent young man! :notworthy:

[Getlo]

. It painted a picture of a hardworking soldier...something I haven't gotten as much from other accounts.

Sorry, but I've never read or heard an account of Elvis' army life where he was painted as anything but a hardworking soldier.

His efforts during his military service has never really been called into question ... he never shirked his responsibilities, and I've never heard anyone accuse him of doing so.

[Lonniebealestreet]

In agreement here...I haven't read reports to the contrary either but this book better than most, I felt, really emphasized how upstanding he was by devoting a lot more print to the period than most biographies (covering his entire life) with many great anecdotes I hadn't read elsewhere.

I just remember getting through that section of the book and being really impressed with it.

[cibetty]

Does anyone remember that part in TTWII when Elvis was backstage and he takes a sip from a glass and says, "Straight vodka, it's good for you?" I've always believed it was just water and he was just kidding around. What do you guys think?

Maybe he was just joking. :) :) But if he really drank vodka, I don't see anything wrong in it. But he never got drunk on stage, I'm sure, especially not in TTWII...

[utmom2008]

Maybe he was just joking. :) :) But if he really drank vodka, I don't see anything wrong in it. But he never got drunk on stage, I'm sure, especially not in TTWII...

Elvis may have had chemicals flowing through his system when he was on stage, but alcohol was not one of them.;):supriced::blush:

[cbg84]

I think it was just water.

[elvislina]

I think Elvis joke with people and he always like to joke with people.
I think that was a joke because he hate Alcohol ,

Hugs Anna

[Elvis_Lady_1984]

I was always curious about the scene in "This is Elvis", Its where Elvis is having a party or some get together in the early fifties at Graceland. And someone with a funny looking mask tries to sit on his lap. Well they are passing around something that looks like a cigarette.Elvis takes a hit and passes it back to the guy.In the same scene a blonde woman takes off her (looks like) small hat and puts it on Elvis' head. Has anyone seen this scene? He was smoking a cigarette or Marijuana. It's the way they passed it is why i say marijuana.They showed the scene and the song Merry Christmas Baby was played over the scene, after Vernon and Gladys get out of thier car and eat snow off the car.

I have seen this in the movie. I thought the same thing myself. I read in an interview with Charlie Hodge that Elvis did some marijuana occasionally. Who really cares if he did or didn't. He was a human. As for the topic, I think it was Elvis just being funny, kidding around saying it was vodka.

[cibetty]

Elvis may have had chemicals flowing through his system when he was on stage, but alcohol was not one of them.;):supriced::blush:

LOL... :) :) I think something was flowing in those women's blood as well who saw him on stage. Sorry, I couldn't resist... :lol: :lol: :lol: :P :P

[elvispresleytheking]

If he really was drinking straight vodka, he wouldn't let MGM cameramen see him doing so.

[Elvis&me]

I really don't know. but when i was at graceland, and in Lisa Maire and they said that they crew would keep lots of Gadorade on hand cause elvis liked that drink and really didn't like drinking. Who knows