Merry
01-26-2009, 02:07 AM
This interview was conducted as an informal chat between Charlie Hodge
and Nigel Patterson (from EIN, then known as the ACT Elvis Presley
Appreciation Society) over a few drinks during Elvis Week in 1986. It
was one of two chats between Charlie and Nigel. This interview first
appeared in the monthly fan newsletter, 'The Man From Memphis' in
1986. It has not previously been published on the Interrnet.
(I have snipped the history of how Charlie and Elvis met, if you don't know the story, and wish for me to post it, please let me know.......:D Kim).
EIN: Elvis took up karate during his Army stint. What do you recall
about his interest then in the martial arts?
CH: When we were in Germany Elvis heard about the karate champion,
Jurgen Seydel, who was also in Germany. He arranged to meet Jurgen and
they started training together. As I wrote in my book, Me 'n' Elvis,
karate was a physical art that caught Elvis' passion. Elvis and Jurgen
became very close and they'd work out together on weekends. Rex
Mansfield, who was with us in Germany, also took lessons, and Elvis
would work out with him whenever Jurgen wasn't around.
EIN: Elvis was a big fan of Mario Lanza?
CH: Elvis loved all types of music. He always wanted to know more
about how the music came about, how particular singers and musicians
did certain things. And he was a big, big fan of Mario Lanza. He
watched movies like The Student Prince over and over again. He
especially liked how Lanza projected his powerful voice and the notes
he could reach. I think Elvis would have loved to have been an opera
singer. Just imagine how that could have changed music history!
EIN: Charlie, tell us about life at Graceland.
CH: Let me tell you, Elvis just loved Graceland. It was his island
away from the world where he could unwind with his family and the
boys. I was very fortunate to have lived there until after Elvis died.
I remember that Elvis would wander around Graceland singing. I'd hear
him and pick up the harmony. Sometimes we weren't even in the same
room.
EIN: Elvis also loved Hawaii.
CH: You got that right. Elvis used to say the people of Hawaii were
among the friendliest he ever met. He loved their customs and their
peacefulness. And he could go there and they wouldn't mob him like
they did everywhere else he went. We'd go to Hawaii for a holiday, to
relax on the beach and play on the beach and in the water. Elvis
didn't like to swim much but he sure liked to play around in the
water.
And of course he did his world famous Aloha concert from Hawaii, the
first ever satellite concert beamed right around the world. Over 1
billion people watched that show!
One of Elvis' favorite TV shows was filmed in Hawaii, Hawaii 5-0. He
was a fan of its star, Jack Lord. Elvis got to meet Jack backstage
after one of his shows in Vegas. Elvis also liked The Brian Keith Show
which was also made in Hawaii. Anything that reminded him of one of
his favorite places.
EIN: How much TV did Elvis watch?
CH: Elvis could be a TV junkie. He had a TV set in every room at
Graceland and four in the TV Room so he could watch all channels. He
liked watching sport and he liked a lot of the comedies like Lucy and
The Beverly Hillbillies. He was big on war movies too. He admired John
Wayne and Patton was one of his all-time favorite films. A lot of the
time though if he was making a picture or out on the road we didn't
get to see much TV.
EIN: The Colonel?
CH: The Colonel was a character. I got on well with him and he used to
entertain us with stories of his days as a carny. He especially liked
telling Elvis and the boys his stories around the dining table. He'd
puff on a big cigar and tell us stories he'd told us a hundred times
before. But he was a natural born entertainer and he could make you
laugh. He wasn't the ogre many people make him out to be.
One of his favorite stories was the hot dog trick he pulled on
customers during his carny days. The disappearing hot dog. The Colonel
would drop a hot dog in the dust in front of the counter where the
customers lined up to buy the hot dog. The carny would wipe a bit of
mustard and catsup on an empty bun and give it to the customer. Of
course the customer would complain there was no hot dog and the carny
would look at the hot dog on the ground and say, "Look there, you must
have dropped it." The Colonel could be a rogue, but he was also very
likeable. And his stories kept us in stitches a lot of the time. He
was such a colorful character.
Opposite: Charlie with the legendary Gene Autry
The Colonel was not a person you messed with. He could be very, very
tough when he was displeased about something, but usually he was a
fair person.
EIN: The Memphis Mafia. How well did you guys get on?
CH: We got on real well. We laughed, we cried, we partied, we played
practical jokes together. Like any group closely living and working
together, there were times when tempers ran hot but they cooled off
quickly. It was a fun time and there were a lot more good times than
not so good times.
There were many members of the MM. Some of us were there from the
start and others drifted in and out over the years or were there for
only a short time. Elvis knew who he liked and who he wanted to be in
the group.
EIN: Elvis used to give the Memphis Mafia guys nicknames. What was
yours?
CH: Elvis called me a few names but the main one was "Slewfoot". It's
a well known name in country music circles in the Southern states of
the US. Jerry Schilling was "Cougar", Joe was "Lion", sometimes
"Diamond Joe", Lamar was "Buddha" or "Lardass" because of his size.
Elvis always liked nicknames, I think for him they symbolised
closeness between friends and also the secret nature of groups where
only those inside know what it's all about. A lot of the nicknames
Elvis gave out were influenced by his love of karate.
EIN: The Colonel is well known as a gambler. What about Elvis?
CH: Elvis didn't care for gambling. He might do it if he was bored to
pass the time. But he never gambled much. I remember one time in Vegas
he put a $ coin in a slot machine and he hit the $100.00 jackpot.
Elvis went on playing the machine and every few coins he'd hit the
jackpot again. It turned out the machine was faulty. The pit bosses
got upset but they couldn't stop Elvis from playing the machine and he
wasn't going to stop, he was having too much fun.
EIN: Do you think Elvis would have married Ginger Alden?
CH: Well, they were engaged. I can confirm that. But whether Elvis
would have married her I don't know, but I doubt he would. There was
some friction between them when Elvis died.
EIN: Elvis not touring overseas is one of the frustrating parts of the
Elvis story. What can you tell us about it?
CH: Man, touring overseas was a real big issue for Elvis. He wanted to
tour Europe badly and especially wanted to perform in Germany and
France as he had such happy memories of being in both countries. He
wanted to repay the people for their hospitality and of course his
fans in other countries. There were so many big offers for Elvis to
perform in other countries and we never really knew why the Colonel
said no to them. We used to talk about why it never happened.
Sometimes the Colonel would say it was security concerns or there
weren't suitable auditoriums and other times the price of tickets
would be too high. But it used to annoy the hell out of Elvis. He got
very angry about it more than one time.
EIN: You appeared in several of Elvis' movies. What was that like?
CH: I had small parts in Clambake, Speedway and Stay Away, Joe. I cut
Elvis' father hair in Clambake and he wouldn't sit still for me to do
it. It's a funny scene. James Gregory played Elvis' father in the
film. Most of the boys got to appear in one or two of the films. Elvis
loved making pictures and even though he got tired of it towards the
end it was usually a fun time on set. Some of the directors didn't
like how we played up but most realised it helped us let of steam and
the frustrations of a boring day on the set. And it was Elvis who
would usually start it all. He was a real practical joker. It was his
way of unwinding from the boredom and pressure.
It was the same when we were on the road. It was tiring and boredom
could set in quickly. Spo the practical jokes kept everyone up. J.D.
Sumner was just as bad as Elvis. He loved a good practical joke
especially if it wasn't on him.
Elvis had an accident before filming started on Clambake and while it
wasn't one of his favorite experiences we sure had fun. I remember
coming out on set one morning and , splash, they got me with a bucket
of water. And as I looked up, splash again, they threw a second bucket
of water on me from high up in the catwalks.
My shirt was soaked through and I took it off and put it near a heater
to dry. I got a new shirt from wardrobe and every so often I'd go back
and check to see if my shirt had dried. Well it hadn't and I couldn't
work it out. Then one time I looked around the corner (laughs) and
there was Elvis spraying it with a fire extinguisher.
Arthur Nadel was the director of Clambake and he got hit so many times
by firecrackers he started coming to the set wearing a Nazi war
helmet.
The crew got their own back on Elvis one time though. It was at the
end of filming of That's The Way It Is. Arthur Nadel was the director
of that one too. As soon as he yelled "WRAP" Elvis got hit, as did
anyone around him, by hundreds of pies. It was mayhem and there were
so many pies hitting the floor that it became very slippery. People
were falling like 10 pins. Even though he was the victim of the
practical joke this time, Elvis loved it.
EIN: Do you still get royalties for your role in Clambake, Speedway
and Stay Away, Joe?
CH: (laughs) If only! The number of times Elvis' films are shown on TV
I could be rich if I only got a $1 each time they are on.
EIN: Charlie, thanks so much for talking to us.
CH: You're most welcome
and Nigel Patterson (from EIN, then known as the ACT Elvis Presley
Appreciation Society) over a few drinks during Elvis Week in 1986. It
was one of two chats between Charlie and Nigel. This interview first
appeared in the monthly fan newsletter, 'The Man From Memphis' in
1986. It has not previously been published on the Interrnet.
(I have snipped the history of how Charlie and Elvis met, if you don't know the story, and wish for me to post it, please let me know.......:D Kim).
EIN: Elvis took up karate during his Army stint. What do you recall
about his interest then in the martial arts?
CH: When we were in Germany Elvis heard about the karate champion,
Jurgen Seydel, who was also in Germany. He arranged to meet Jurgen and
they started training together. As I wrote in my book, Me 'n' Elvis,
karate was a physical art that caught Elvis' passion. Elvis and Jurgen
became very close and they'd work out together on weekends. Rex
Mansfield, who was with us in Germany, also took lessons, and Elvis
would work out with him whenever Jurgen wasn't around.
EIN: Elvis was a big fan of Mario Lanza?
CH: Elvis loved all types of music. He always wanted to know more
about how the music came about, how particular singers and musicians
did certain things. And he was a big, big fan of Mario Lanza. He
watched movies like The Student Prince over and over again. He
especially liked how Lanza projected his powerful voice and the notes
he could reach. I think Elvis would have loved to have been an opera
singer. Just imagine how that could have changed music history!
EIN: Charlie, tell us about life at Graceland.
CH: Let me tell you, Elvis just loved Graceland. It was his island
away from the world where he could unwind with his family and the
boys. I was very fortunate to have lived there until after Elvis died.
I remember that Elvis would wander around Graceland singing. I'd hear
him and pick up the harmony. Sometimes we weren't even in the same
room.
EIN: Elvis also loved Hawaii.
CH: You got that right. Elvis used to say the people of Hawaii were
among the friendliest he ever met. He loved their customs and their
peacefulness. And he could go there and they wouldn't mob him like
they did everywhere else he went. We'd go to Hawaii for a holiday, to
relax on the beach and play on the beach and in the water. Elvis
didn't like to swim much but he sure liked to play around in the
water.
And of course he did his world famous Aloha concert from Hawaii, the
first ever satellite concert beamed right around the world. Over 1
billion people watched that show!
One of Elvis' favorite TV shows was filmed in Hawaii, Hawaii 5-0. He
was a fan of its star, Jack Lord. Elvis got to meet Jack backstage
after one of his shows in Vegas. Elvis also liked The Brian Keith Show
which was also made in Hawaii. Anything that reminded him of one of
his favorite places.
EIN: How much TV did Elvis watch?
CH: Elvis could be a TV junkie. He had a TV set in every room at
Graceland and four in the TV Room so he could watch all channels. He
liked watching sport and he liked a lot of the comedies like Lucy and
The Beverly Hillbillies. He was big on war movies too. He admired John
Wayne and Patton was one of his all-time favorite films. A lot of the
time though if he was making a picture or out on the road we didn't
get to see much TV.
EIN: The Colonel?
CH: The Colonel was a character. I got on well with him and he used to
entertain us with stories of his days as a carny. He especially liked
telling Elvis and the boys his stories around the dining table. He'd
puff on a big cigar and tell us stories he'd told us a hundred times
before. But he was a natural born entertainer and he could make you
laugh. He wasn't the ogre many people make him out to be.
One of his favorite stories was the hot dog trick he pulled on
customers during his carny days. The disappearing hot dog. The Colonel
would drop a hot dog in the dust in front of the counter where the
customers lined up to buy the hot dog. The carny would wipe a bit of
mustard and catsup on an empty bun and give it to the customer. Of
course the customer would complain there was no hot dog and the carny
would look at the hot dog on the ground and say, "Look there, you must
have dropped it." The Colonel could be a rogue, but he was also very
likeable. And his stories kept us in stitches a lot of the time. He
was such a colorful character.
Opposite: Charlie with the legendary Gene Autry
The Colonel was not a person you messed with. He could be very, very
tough when he was displeased about something, but usually he was a
fair person.
EIN: The Memphis Mafia. How well did you guys get on?
CH: We got on real well. We laughed, we cried, we partied, we played
practical jokes together. Like any group closely living and working
together, there were times when tempers ran hot but they cooled off
quickly. It was a fun time and there were a lot more good times than
not so good times.
There were many members of the MM. Some of us were there from the
start and others drifted in and out over the years or were there for
only a short time. Elvis knew who he liked and who he wanted to be in
the group.
EIN: Elvis used to give the Memphis Mafia guys nicknames. What was
yours?
CH: Elvis called me a few names but the main one was "Slewfoot". It's
a well known name in country music circles in the Southern states of
the US. Jerry Schilling was "Cougar", Joe was "Lion", sometimes
"Diamond Joe", Lamar was "Buddha" or "Lardass" because of his size.
Elvis always liked nicknames, I think for him they symbolised
closeness between friends and also the secret nature of groups where
only those inside know what it's all about. A lot of the nicknames
Elvis gave out were influenced by his love of karate.
EIN: The Colonel is well known as a gambler. What about Elvis?
CH: Elvis didn't care for gambling. He might do it if he was bored to
pass the time. But he never gambled much. I remember one time in Vegas
he put a $ coin in a slot machine and he hit the $100.00 jackpot.
Elvis went on playing the machine and every few coins he'd hit the
jackpot again. It turned out the machine was faulty. The pit bosses
got upset but they couldn't stop Elvis from playing the machine and he
wasn't going to stop, he was having too much fun.
EIN: Do you think Elvis would have married Ginger Alden?
CH: Well, they were engaged. I can confirm that. But whether Elvis
would have married her I don't know, but I doubt he would. There was
some friction between them when Elvis died.
EIN: Elvis not touring overseas is one of the frustrating parts of the
Elvis story. What can you tell us about it?
CH: Man, touring overseas was a real big issue for Elvis. He wanted to
tour Europe badly and especially wanted to perform in Germany and
France as he had such happy memories of being in both countries. He
wanted to repay the people for their hospitality and of course his
fans in other countries. There were so many big offers for Elvis to
perform in other countries and we never really knew why the Colonel
said no to them. We used to talk about why it never happened.
Sometimes the Colonel would say it was security concerns or there
weren't suitable auditoriums and other times the price of tickets
would be too high. But it used to annoy the hell out of Elvis. He got
very angry about it more than one time.
EIN: You appeared in several of Elvis' movies. What was that like?
CH: I had small parts in Clambake, Speedway and Stay Away, Joe. I cut
Elvis' father hair in Clambake and he wouldn't sit still for me to do
it. It's a funny scene. James Gregory played Elvis' father in the
film. Most of the boys got to appear in one or two of the films. Elvis
loved making pictures and even though he got tired of it towards the
end it was usually a fun time on set. Some of the directors didn't
like how we played up but most realised it helped us let of steam and
the frustrations of a boring day on the set. And it was Elvis who
would usually start it all. He was a real practical joker. It was his
way of unwinding from the boredom and pressure.
It was the same when we were on the road. It was tiring and boredom
could set in quickly. Spo the practical jokes kept everyone up. J.D.
Sumner was just as bad as Elvis. He loved a good practical joke
especially if it wasn't on him.
Elvis had an accident before filming started on Clambake and while it
wasn't one of his favorite experiences we sure had fun. I remember
coming out on set one morning and , splash, they got me with a bucket
of water. And as I looked up, splash again, they threw a second bucket
of water on me from high up in the catwalks.
My shirt was soaked through and I took it off and put it near a heater
to dry. I got a new shirt from wardrobe and every so often I'd go back
and check to see if my shirt had dried. Well it hadn't and I couldn't
work it out. Then one time I looked around the corner (laughs) and
there was Elvis spraying it with a fire extinguisher.
Arthur Nadel was the director of Clambake and he got hit so many times
by firecrackers he started coming to the set wearing a Nazi war
helmet.
The crew got their own back on Elvis one time though. It was at the
end of filming of That's The Way It Is. Arthur Nadel was the director
of that one too. As soon as he yelled "WRAP" Elvis got hit, as did
anyone around him, by hundreds of pies. It was mayhem and there were
so many pies hitting the floor that it became very slippery. People
were falling like 10 pins. Even though he was the victim of the
practical joke this time, Elvis loved it.
EIN: Do you still get royalties for your role in Clambake, Speedway
and Stay Away, Joe?
CH: (laughs) If only! The number of times Elvis' films are shown on TV
I could be rich if I only got a $1 each time they are on.
EIN: Charlie, thanks so much for talking to us.
CH: You're most welcome