CBS "Elvis" mini series (cast & updates)

[nabelt24]

This is the current known cast for the CBS four-hour mini series "Elvis"...

Jonthan Rhys-Meyers ........... Elvis
Randy Quaid ....................... Colonel Tom Parker
Camryn Manheim ................. Gladys Presley
Rose McGowan .................... Ann-Margret

In this upcoming film, Rhys-Meyers will lip-sync to the original Presley recordings licensed especially for the program.

The miniseries will air over two nights: May 8th and 11th, respectively. There will be another related special, "Elvis by the Presleys", airing May 13th. That latter program will feature new interviews with Priscilla and Lisa Marie.

Who would you have chose for the cast of "Elvis". Share who you think would make the best cast in the story of our heros life!

[nabelt24]

IGN FilmForce exclusively reports that the following actors have been cast in the forthcoming CBS miniseries Elvis. Cast as Vernon Presley is X-Files vet Robert Patrick.

Ironically enough, Patrick is playing the dad of Elvis' pal and Sun Records contemporary Johnny Cash in the Fox biopic Walk the Line. Patrick's other credits include Cop Land and Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Twenty-three-year-old British actress Antonia Bernath will play Priscilla Beaulieu Presley. The miniseries recounts Elvis' relationship with teenage Priscilla even as he fell for Hollywood starlet Ann-Margret (Rose McGowan).

Bernath appeared in the Bollywood period drama Kisna and has been cast in Living Neon Dreams opposite Marilyn Manson. According to this report, Bernath studied at the Old Vic Theatre School in London but dropped out to star in Kisna.

Also joining the miniseries is Tim Guinee who portrays the late Sun Records producer Sam Phillips. Guinee's credits include Ladder 49 (opposite Robert Patrick), Blade and John Carpenter's Vampires. He also starred in the short-lived TV series Strange World, and guest-starred on The Practice opposite Elvis co-star Manheim.

In related news, The IMDB has revealed some of the actors cast in supporting roles in the miniseries.

Elvis airs in two parts on May 8th and 11th on CBS. James Sadwith directs from a screenplay by Patrick Sheane Duncan.

[nabelt24]

Some more cast info on the mini series.

Mark Miller .................. Scotty Moore
Bryan Lee McGlothin .... Judge Friedman
Dane Rhodes ............... Edd Hopper
Ryan Rilette ................. Charlie Hodges
Stephen Rue ................ Southern Politician
Joseph B. Smith ........... Lamar
John Boyd West ........... Red West

[nabelt24]

Here's some pics I found on Robert Patrick (L), Antonia Bernath (C) and Tim Guinee (R). In my opinion, Robert Patrick is almost identicle to Vernon Presley!!!

[Lonniebealestreet]

Wow, that is perfect casting for Vernon there. I wouldn't have thought of that guy for the role, but looking at him, there really is a strong resemblance there.

Red's son is playing him--that's pretty neat.

And, once again, say hello to my girlfriend Rose.

http://www.tcb-world.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8757&stc=1

Thanks for the informative post, Nathan.

[nabelt24]

Hey, you're welcome my friend!!!

[Cryogenic]

It's a good sign that they've taken the casting this seriously.

I hope we're in for a rather epic treatment.

[Cherokee]

The guy for Vernon is the best of the cast so far, I think.

This is the girl who is to play Priscilla Beaulieu in her gear for another part:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/yeahbaby02/f40cb1c3.jpg

[nabelt24]

Antonia Bernath has spoken with Glamsham Entertainment Magazine about the project. They reveals that Bernath flew to New Orleans last weekend to begin work on Elvis.

"It is always difficult to portray a real person, particularly someone who is still alive," Bernath said of her role as the late rock star's ex-wife. "Priscilla first met Elvis when she was 14 and so it is very much about a young girl who is in love with a famous star."

Bernath added that "I have heard that Priscilla has seen the script and although she insisted a couple of scenes be removed she is happy with it."

[nabelt24]

According to Variety, actress Jennifer Rae Westley has joined the cast of the forthcoming CBS miniseries.

The trade says Westley will portray Elvis' (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) first girlfriend and high school sweetheart Dixie Locke. This is the first biopic of The King that has depicted Locke; in other biopics her character is fictionalized.

Westley's credits include Traffic: The Miniseries, Levity and Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story. Her resume can be found here.

(Elvis Trivia Note: the Dixie-like character in the short-lived 1990s Elvis TV series was named Mattie Walker. She was played by Kelli Williams who later starred in The Practice opposite Camryn Manheim, who portrays Gladys Presley in this miniseries.)

[nabelt24]

Here's the first official still photos from CBS' forthcoming miniseries. The two photos seen below show Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as young Elvis Presley during his early days at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee.

In related news, Entertainment Tonight paid a visit to Graceland this past weekend where they interviewed the stars of the miniseries. The production filmed for a day at the Memphis estate.

Rhys-Meyers stayed in character for most of his interview, ostensibly so the Irish thesp can prove to American audiences that he can drawl like a King.

"There is a challenge in playing one of America's biggest icons," Rhys-Meyers advised ET. "Where does an Irish person get the temerity to play Elvis Presley? When I told the people at home that I was going to play Elvis, first I got a giggle as if I was telling them a joke. Then when they found out I was serious, there was a look of horror."

Rhys-Meyers recalled then when the filmmakers "offered me the part and then they wanted to see if I could really look like Elvis Presley. ... So at 7 o'clock on a Monday morning, I found myself at Shepperton Studios outside of London. I had no script, so I had no lines. They blackened my hair a little bit and put on some sideburns."

[nabelt24]

Here are some recent screen captures of Jonathan Rhys-Meyers from 'Access Hollywood'. Looks like they're really trying for an honest, authentic approach to this film. What do you think?

[nabelt24]

Here are some more pics of Jonathan Rhys-Meyers from the recent filming at Graceland.

[Joe Car]

Great pictures and info, thanks! Before I pass judgement I first want to see it, the cast looks solid as well, so that's a good sign.

[Cherokee]

He does resemble him, but I still think he's got too much of a forehead going on :blink:

[dennyelvis]

I have to admit im not a big fan of these things (n) i quite liked Elvis the
Movie ... because Kurt Russell was pure genius in the role :cool:

Im sorry but this guy as El is a total loser (n) ... u can even tell by the few screenshots we have ... he has none of Elvis's looks or screen presence.
And looking at the girls pics ... :hmm: who are they playing ? ... they dont resemble anyone ! :cursing:
Good choice for Vernon + the Colonel .... but im glad we wont get it in the UK ... AS I THINK IT WILL BE A HUGE FLOP !

So please i hope they dont do anymore of these ... unless they can get
someone who may pass for the King in the daylight ... and not a closet with the light off :mad:

[pacer1965]

I saw Bend It Like Beckham the other day and it has put me off watching the mini series abit.To me he looks nothing like Elvis,but who does ? It can't be any worse than the last mini series they done with Dale(forget his last name) can it ? I could not even watch all that mini series it was awful.I am not keen on anyone acting as Elvis.

[dennyelvis]

Hey Pacer id forgotten that mini - disaster - series ....
yeh Dale ...... Midkiff ...something or other .....

he looked nothing like El either :'(

Lets not spend millions on a second rate docurama .... but instead put it into
bringing us deluxe versions of On Tour & CBS Specials :cool:

[nabelt24]

I think we should at least give CBS and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers a chance. I've met the director of this film and he is an Elvis fan. He has longed for a respectful movie about Elvis that is based on facts and authenticity.
I'm pretty hard-core when it comes to authenticity, probably more so than others, and from what I've seen and heard so far, we might be in for a treat. You have to realize that no matter who it is they use in a film about Elvis, it'll never compare to the real thing. So, try to have fun with it and hope for the best!

[U.S. Male]

What I am ancious to see is how he will look when they begin depicting the 70's style, with the longer hair, sunglasses, and wearing the jumpsuits. I'm also interested to see how they depict Elvis performing styles in the 70's as well. Will be interesting to see.

[Little Sister]

What I am ancious to see is how he will look when they begin depicting the 70's style, with the longer hair, sunglasses, and wearing the jumpsuits. I'm also interested to see how they depict Elvis performing styles in the 70's as well. Will be interesting to see.
Do you meen in this series? 'Cause how I understood it they will only do it 'til 1969, or something like that. So not all the way until the 70's. Or will they?

[nabelt24]

The series will depict his beginings at Sun Records on through the Army years, and will close with his 68 Comeback Special.

[circa1956]

Linda! *waves* :) Hope Boston's treatin' you well.

Here are two tiny photos from Entertainment Tonight.

I loved "Elvis & Me" when I saw it...I'm actually waiting for it to come on VH1 again so I can tape it finally...

Dale Midkiff, who I also love, was a major step up from DON JOHNSON :lmfao: Don't tell me you've all forgotten about "Elvis & The Beauty Queen"?

- Stace

[nabelt24]

I have seen the Don Johnson movie 'Elvis & The Beauty Queen' and I recall how incredibly HORRIBLE it was!!! I think he wore a jumpsuit in every seen!?!
I'm sorry, but I wasn't a fan of 'Elvis & Me' either. I thought that film was so 'one-sided' it wasn't funny. Priscilla ain't no angel!

[dennyelvis]

Im sorry .... but i would find no interest at all in seeing some guy try
to be the King in a jumpsuit (n) .... hey only El could have got away with
wearing those suits !
I mentioned on another site once about having Elvis songs by other artists put on a cd .... hey these guys hated the idea because its NOT THE KING !

I love all things Elvis ... because ITS ELVIS ..... not some nobody ;)

[pacer1965]

Sorry but I did not like Elvis and me at all.I could not get into that mini series.It felt like it was not Elvis(Dale Midkiff)he was playing but somebody else, I could not relate to him playing Elvis at all.The only one I don't mind watching is the one with Kurt Russell in it.The Don Johnson one I never bothered watching.Let's hope Jonathan can do a good job.

[circa1956]

I watch Elvis and Me for Dale and since it's mostly about Elvis that's an added plus. But other than that...it's understandle why that mini didn't win any awards.
- Stace

[eileen]

Clips of four promos for the miniseries:
http://mysticbliss.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6635

A number of folks have told me their unpleasant view of Elvis comes straight from the "Elvis and Me" tv movie. I think we underestimate the negative impact of this movie and it's frequent broadcasts.... especially on stations like VH1.

Eileen

[Cherokee]

Clips of four promos for the miniseries:
http://mysticbliss.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6635

A number of folks have told me their unpleasant view of Elvis comes straight from the "Elvis and Me" tv movie. I think we underestimate the negative impact of this movie and it's frequent broadcasts.... especially on stations like VH1.

Eileen

Thanks for the links. Personally I must say the guy gets on my nerves. It's like he's trying way too hard in the movie/series, and certainly in the interviews: what's with that? :blink:
From the shots of the scenes it looks like a) he's too small and scrawny looking b) the hair in the back is all wrong c) his lip sync in no way resembles the way Elvis performed d) his speaking voice is all wrong....

Now I know, the only perfect depiction of Elvis would be by Elvis himself. Still, as much as this guy resembles Elvis in some photos from some angles, the feel is all wrong to me :oops:

[JerryNodak]

I liked Elvis:The Movie w/ Kurt Russell. I thought the first half of Elvis and Me, through the army years was good. I didn't care for the rest. Elvis and The Beauty Queen. It was baaaaad! No. It SUCKED!!

I probably won't watch the upcoming movie. I just don't care one way or the other. BUT........ I do hope for a really good soundtrack album.

[Cryogenic]

Ugh.

So I just watched a video clip for this upcoming special.

I was not impressed. To be honest, I think it was more the way they presented the production than anything else - but I also have some reservations about the guy playing Elvis. Why is it that no one can resist spewing out the tired cliches - "the king", the "legend", "all shook up"...? Purrrlease. It's this kind of ridiculous childish reductionism that Elvis himself hated (e.g. "I don't like being called Elvis The Pelvis. That's gotta be one of the most childish expressions I've ever heard coming from an adult."). Jonathan Rhys Meyers also looks a little furtive and overwhelmed as Elvis. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Elvis may have been shy and insecure... but he really let rip once he always inevitably overcame that side of his personality. And none moreso than in the 68 Comeback Special! Finally, what's with the emphasis on the gold lame jacket? Again, Elvis hated that thing!!!

I'll tell you what... I've not even seen the original Elvis TV movie with Kurt Russell - but he IS one of my all-time favourite actors and I DO have some sound clips on my PC. Kurt totally nailed Elvis. The inflection, the tempo of his voice, the timbre, the texture... everything. And that's not as easy as the mass media would have people believe.

I've really tried to be positive about this new upcoming special but that video has just put a big fat downer on everything.

(The one I watched >> http://www.elvis.com.au/audio/mini_series.wmv )

[dennyelvis]

I agree so much with the last few comments :clap: :clap: i think at last we are hearing the real body of opinion on this already a fiasco of a movie (n)

Yes ! ! ! ... Kurt did nail his performance ... but hey he had an advantage over this loser ! ... Kurt can act :cool:
also he did have a striking resemblence to our man ... u could tell he had worked hard on his performance. Okay a perfect film it was'nt ! ... but at least if you can believe in the lead characters portrayal ... u gotta chance.

I REALLY HOPE THIS IS THE LAST ONE OF THESE AWFUL FILMS .. that they try to make about Elvis. :'(

[Cryogenic]

Well, the words "fiasco" and "loser" are a bit overly harsh, in my opinion. There's obviously a great deal of thought and effort that's gone into this thing. I really want it to be good - but I need something else to wipe away the memory of that video clip!

[dennyelvis]

Yep ... a bit harsh maybe :hmm: but i believe that his legion of loyal fans out there deserve something better than this drivel .... hey ive seen the clip too .... and its giving me nightmares as well.

It just seems that Sony/EPE/BMG .. whoever ... seem to think that his fans have stuck with Elvis this long .... that they will accept any old tosh :angry:

[pacer1965]

I don't think I will bother watching this mini series.To me if it's not Elvis it's not worth watching

[EP4MEUK]

I totally agree with all them that say that Kurt nailed it:blush: not a saying I would normally say but I know what you mean:cool: just everything about him was so Elvis. I have posted a few shots of Kurt doing such a fine job:clap:

[waymore44]

They need to stop putting this guy on TV doing these interviews. To a lot of Elvis fans he's coming off like an *** and ruining the mystique of his portrayal. It looks to me that some of his performance will be good. He looked a lot like him in the Hound Dog clip. The first ET clip that had him in the office at Graceland was actually pretty good I thought. I agree with a previous post about the lip syncing. One thing this guy is not doing is closing his eyes. Elvis closed his eyes a lot when he was singing. The other thing is: Who is doing the hair styling? They've got it all wrong a lot! Where is the hair GREASE? Why is his hair not black in the '68 Comeback scene? Why is there no eyeliner or mascara on? I know that may sound silly but that's part of why Elvis's eyes looked like they did. Why is he lip syncing to the studio version of "Big Boss Man" for the '68 Comeback Special scene? I think that the King deserves a movie made about him that is filmed in more than 2 mo's with little attention paid to detail.

The Kurt Russell Elvis movie was very good. The hairstyles were pretty much dead on from 1956 till the end of the movie. Kurt talked like him very much . The only things that it suffered from was:

1. Not having an actual Elvis soundtrack
2. Facts were wrong sometimes
3. It was whitewashed.

If Kurt Russell were 28 right now and had the opportunity that Johnathan has right now, we would be happy Elvis fans.

[Cryogenic]

The second picture looks anachronistic. Since when did Elvis ever wield large silver microphones like the one shown? He either held small ones (like for the 68 Comeback Special and at Vegas) or large ones with those fuzzy air-shield things over them. Kurt's jumpsuit also looks a little strange. For one thing, the collar looks a little too wide and flimsy. There are no band aids on his ringed fingers, either. Attention to detail matters! Kurt may have been fantastic but other aspects of the production let him down. Thanks for those pictures, however.

See... this is why a fictionalised documentary can never hope to compare to a real documentary. Even if I'm wrong on the microphone issue, dennyelvis is correct in that EPE always seek to embellish and sanitise "Elvis: The Human Being". They're much more concerned (for obvious commercial reasons) with "Elvis: The Image". Again, this means a fictionalised documentary done with their approval will always be lacking. Sadly, this latest one looks to be packaged and marketed the same way. Jonathan Rhys Myers claiming he wanted Elvis "to look good" is fine (you certainly wouldn't want to claim the opposite) - but why say it in the first place? The concept is so logical and obvious that it doesn't need to be articulated; the fact that it is suggests this is yet more EPE-influenced "image protection". How about eschewing positive and negative approaches and just presenting Elvis - shock, horror - as he actually was?

It's a good job EPE released the 3-disc Comeback Special last year. Much more than a television production, it's a full-blown documentary in its own right. If you pay close enough attention, you'll see that it's replete with examples of Elvis' psychology - his initial nervousness in the Stand-Up segment show where he flubs the timing in the Heartbreak Hotel/Hound Dog/All Shook Up medley, his flirtatious behaviour with a blonde extra on the bordello set, his anger at failing a take during the "Guitar Man" road scene ("God **** it!"), his genuine surprise and adulation at the audience's response at the conclusion of the Heartbreak Hotel/Hound Dog/All Shook Up medley, his utter conviction and concentration when performing "If I Can Dream" (after all the joking around in the Stand-Up segment, he can be heard talking to an audience member/group of audience members in a serious tone about how difficult it is to psyche himself up or some such). Really... it has a LOT of revealing moments within it.

waymore... you're right about this guy coming off as an ***. The way he says "I wanted Elvis to look good" is either a terribly bad impression of the way he feels Elvis would have said it or him literally just being an ***. Who speaks like that? Your point about hairstyling also cuts deep. In a side-by-side clip of Elvis and Myers, Elvis has long jet black hair - whereas Myers has medium length brown hair!!!! What's going on? I think they're trying to attain a more natural-looking black under proper lighting... but screw that! Up close, Elvis' hair was incredibly stylish but somewhat artificial in appearance - that's the way Elvis did his hair and that's the way it should be depicted!

[waymore44]

I agree with your post as well. You're probably right about the lighting, natural appearance. This guy could look MORE like Elvis if the right person were in charge of the image. Take for example Martin Fontaine who does "The Elvis Story" in Canada. He looks NOTHING like Elvis, but with makeup and GREAT wigs, and GREAT costumes he pulls it off. I wish he sang better, but nothing's perfect.

Watch this video! (http://www.elvisstory.com/3_en_image/quicktime/fs-quicktime-ang.html )

[Cryogenic]

:supriced:

I thought that WAS Elvis in that still image on the left-hand side of the screen! (Only the sideburns gave it away).

****.

VERY good makeup and wig work. Although... his hair is completely wrong at the back in the 70s era. It looks like an 80s mullet! :lmfao:

Shame about his singing. I sound more like Elvis than him. And I don't even sing professionally.

[waymore44]

Yeah I'm with you on the 70's wig. It is a little mullett-y (is that a word?). :D
I'll tell you what though, if that guy was lip syncing to the actual Elvis records it would completely ROCK! Visually he has got it down.

[Cryogenic]

I'll say.

Sometimes the resemblance is a little off but other times it's uncanny.

And I should clarify about the still image. I just brought that page up to have another look at it and it's changed. I originally saw a picture of the guy made up to be Elvis from the 50's. THAT's the one that fooled me. The one that came up just now isn't anywhere near as deceptive.

[Cherokee]

:supriced:

I thought that WAS Elvis in that still image on the left-hand side of the screen! (Only the sideburns gave it away).

****.

VERY good makeup and wig work. Although... his hair is completely wrong at the back in the 70s era. It looks like an 80s mullet! :lmfao:

Shame about his singing. I sound more like Elvis than him. And I don't even sing professionally.

Yeah, what he said :D The guy does, thanks to make-up, stylists, wigs and wardrobe, truly capture the look of Elvis quite well (you can see how incredibly FUGLY the guy is in real life on the cast list :blink: ), but the voice is dismal (n)

[Cryogenic]

Who wants an MP3 of me singing "I'll Remember You"? :D

I could show this guy a thing or two!

LOL.

I'm getting ahead of myself a little - but he's no Elvis in the vocal department. That's a shame as he's obviously a competent enough singer in himself.

Did anyone see the UK programme "Stars In Their Eyes" a few weeks ago? They had a pretty decent guy singing "Suspicious Minds".

[nabelt24]

Ok, Guys! I'm excited to see that you're using this thread to discuss the upcoming mini series!!! Your raw, honest opinions are appreciated!!! I, for one, am looking forward to the series, but am prepared for a chance at dissapointment. Who knows, this could be a great film?

Anyway, here is the latest on the film... We've scored six new photos of the cast and crew, including shots of Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as Elvis, and Camryn Manheim as Gladys.

Also seen for the first time are Clay Steakley and Mark Miller as Elvis' bandmates Scotty Moore and Bill Black, respectively.

[curtis simpkins]

I will see this movie because i like Rose McGowan.
because the show she in "Charmed" she'll do fine to play ann.
And the last season She sing the song Fever and she did a fine job of it.

[dennyelvis]

Yep ... there have been some good + bad opions of this mini-series .... which makes for a healthy debate :) ... and im afraid these latest screenshots dont change my view on this .... this guy is a very .. very ... dismal Elvis (n)
and if u cant get the main character right .... u are doomed to fail :'(

[eileen]

There is more information & cast interviews in this article:
http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/entertainment/stories/030605dnartselvis.10c51e203.html

If I wasn't supposed to include the text or should have put it elsewhere, my apologies. I did look around a bit for some guidelines however no luck.

Eileen

=====================

Young actor will bring Elvis back to the small screen
05:26 PM CST on Saturday, March 5, 2005

By ED BARK / The Dallas Morning News


NEW ORLEANS ? Just 21 days old on the day Elvis Presley died, high-intensity Irishman Jonathan Rhys Meyers is the latest ascender to The King's throne.

So here he is onstage at the Scottish Rite Temple on Carondelet Street, where Masons usually call the tune. Preparing to replicate Elvis' first national TV performance, on the Jan. 28, 1956, edition of Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey's Stage Show, Mr. Rhys Meyers revs himself by furiously wriggling his hands near his hips.

"Well since my baby left me, I found a new place to dwell ..." Guitar in hand, he slams into "Heartbreak Hotel," deftly matching his lips and gyrations with a piped-in recording of Elvis' one-and-only original. A couple of dozen extras whoop and squeal on cue to help prime the kid's pump during a taxing regimen of start-and-stop musical mimicry.

It's another day in the life of CBS's four-hour Elvis, scheduled to wrap this Wednesday after a nearly two-month shoot. Director James Sadwith, with the acclaimed 1992 CBS miniseries Sinatra to his credit, then will have just two months to meet a May 8 premiere date. Camryn Manheim and Randy Quaid also star as Mr. Presley's beloved mother, Gladys, and his controversial manager, Col. Tom Parker.

The production covers Elvis from ages 18 to 33, when he made his now-fabled 1968 "comeback" appearance via an NBC special. So there could, of course, be a sequel, particularly if Part 1 of Elvis somehow holds its own against ABC's Desperate Housewives.

"They'd have to pay me a helluva lot of money, baby!" Mr. Rhys Meyers, 27, laughs during a break from filming. "I'd become Vegas Elvis then! I'd get my own Colonel on it!"

Then he downshifts. "I don't know. Let's see how this one works first. I don't think it's an option right now. I'd have difficulty putting on that weight, first of all. I'd have difficulty taking it off, too."

For now he's a stick-thin, heavy-smoking daredevil best known for the 2002 feature film Bend It Like Beckham. His first response to the idea of playing Elvis is unprintable as he tells it. Then he warmed to the idea of putting himself in the crosshairs of The King's still fanatic fandom.

"I thought, 'Hold on a minute. I've gotta be brave. I've gotta be brave as I can be.' It's like that for any actor. I'm sure it was daunting for Jamie Foxx when they said, 'We want you to play Ray Charles.' But I have the guts to do it, the guts to fall down flat on my face if people don't like it."

Many others have gone before him, including pacesetter Kurt Russell in ABC's 1979 version of Elvis. Don Johnson then gave it a go in 1981's Elvis and the Beauty Queen, and Dale Midkiff starred in 1988's Elvis and Me.

The CBS treatment is the first to use Mr. Presley's master recordings rather than sound-alike vocals from the likes of veteran Elvis impersonator Ronnie McDowell. It's also being made with the "full cooperation and participation of the Elvis Presley Estate," which isn't necessarily a plus. ABC's 1990 weekly series Elvis, which also dramatized his early years, likewise had the full blessing of Priscilla Presley. But largely favorable reviews weren't enough to save it from a quick cancellation. Its star, Michael St. Gerard, hasn't had a screen credit of any kind since 1994's Replikator.

As a kid in Dublin, Mr. Rhys Meyers was "aware of Elvis Presley's music, but it wasn't something I was particularly into until I got this role. A lot of people my age, they get duped into thinking Elvis Presley was this guy in a jumpsuit on a Vegas stage who was very overweight and sweating profusely and then died in the bathroom. This is what you hear when you're a kid. But I now know he once was a young artist whose medium hadn't really been invented yet."

Mr. Quaid, a Houston native who "grew up with cousins with the ducktails emulating Elvis," rejected an earlier offer to play Col. Parker. He's more comfortable with this script and also newly determined to just say no to lunkhead roles such as Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure and the Fox sitcom The Grubbs, which never aired.

"I love comedy, but I'm just kind of over it right now," says Mr. Quaid, who received an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Lyndon Johnson in 1987's LBJ: The Early Years.

"I really think it's an open question as to whether Col. Parker led Elvis astray," he says. "As long as Elvis had pocket money and could whip out the cash and buy what he wanted for his friends, he was happy.

"The way I'm playing Parker, it's more of a father-son relationship. The colonel is very adept at sizing people up. From his carnival background, he had a philosophy of either you're being hustled or somebody's being hustled by you. In a way he hustled Elvis. He's selfish in the way he operates, but at the same time he did take care of Elvis' career in such a way that who could argue with the stature of it. If Col. Tom hadn't of been there, would Elvis have attained that popularity?"

Mr. Quaid is game for a sequel but not sure that the Presley estate is.

"There's another 10 years, and there are a lot of warts there. It's amazing how they kept the whole show afloat with what was going down. It's not as romantic as the early years."

Elvis and the colonel don't have any scenes together on this particular day of shooting. This enables Mr. Quaid to relax in his downtown hotel while Mr. Rhys Meyers keeps his motor running. In the morning he shares a scene with young producer Steve Binder (Jack Noseworthy), architect of Mr. Presley's triumphant NBC special in times when The Beatles were in full flower.

"Let's be frank," Elvis is told. "I don't think most kids know who you are anymore."

A streamlined King in black leather would put him back on top. But first he had to buck both the colonel and the Peacock network.

"There is a problem, Elvis," Binder says. "The colonel and NBC want you to sing just Christmas songs. Yeah, well, I think that's too limiting, and exactly the opposite of what you should be doing. What do you think?"

"I think, let's do it," Elvis says. "I think it's gonna be great, Steve."

In his next scene, Mr. Rhys Meyers must rewind 12 years to Elvis' inaugural appearance on the aforementioned Stage Show. First the future King and his combo are backstage, which in this case is a tiny upstairs room in the Scottish Rite Temple.

"Imagine, being on TV at the same time as Perry Como," says one of Elvis' men.

"Perry Como's a square, man," says another.

To which Elvis retorts, "Whatcha talkin' about? I like Perry Como."

The scene ends with a call to arms of sorts.

"Well, this is it, man. This is TV!" Elvis says, popping to his feet and pivoting smartly toward the new world awaiting him.

"Could you imagine havin' that for real?" Mr. Rhys Meyers asks later while we sit on a concrete ledge of an adjacent balcony. "You can't act that. That's something you have to feel inside, and I hope I can portray a little bit of it. But it's very difficult to feel like The King. If this is good and people like it, then I'll feel like The King. Then I can sit back and go, 'Yeah, baby.'

"But until then, it's work."

[waymore44]

I have to really wonder about the quality of this movie. He shoots a scene set in 1968 talking with Steve Binder then the next scene he shoots is set in 1956 on the Dorsey Bros show? That's a 12 yr difference in a matter of minutes. Are they concerned at all about the difference in the image and the difference in the evolution of the character? I'm definitely going to watch it. I want to like it. I'm afraid I'm just going to get pissed off again.

Let's all pray together.

"Please God don't let this movie suck."

[nabelt24]

The Mercury News visited the New Orleans set of the upcoming CBS miniseries where they chatted with stars Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Randy Quaid.

Filming was taking place at the Scottish Rite Temple on Carondelet Street, which was doubling as the Dorsey Brothers' Stage Show where Elvis made his TV debut in 1956. Another scene being filmed there is Elvis' 1968 comeback special. Jack Noseworthy (Idle Hands, Dead at 21) portrays Steve Binder, the TV producer who convinced Elvis it was time to forsake playing it safe and return to his rock n' roll roots.

Rhys-Meyers was initially reluctant to portray The King but then, "I thought, `Hold on a minute. I've gotta be brave. I've gotta be brave as I can be.' It's like that for any actor. I'm sure it was daunting for Jamie Foxx when they said, `We want you to play Ray Charles.' But I have the guts to do it, the guts to fall down flat on my face if people don't like it."

The Irish thesp says he was "aware of Elvis Presley's music, but it wasn't something I was particularly into until I got this role. A lot of people my age, they get duped into thinking Elvis Presley was this guy in a jumpsuit on a Vegas stage who was very overweight and sweating profusely and then died in the bathroom. This is what you hear when you're a kid. But I now know he once was a young artist whose medium hadn't really been invented yet."

Quaid had rejected an earlier offer to play Elvis' notorious manager, "Colonel" Tom Parker, but eventually signed on after warming to the script. "I really think it's an open question as to whether Col. Parker led Elvis astray," said Quaid. "As long as Elvis had pocket money and could whip out the cash and buy what he wanted for his friends, he was happy."

"The way I'm playing Parker, it's more of a father-son relationship. The colonel is very adept at sizing people up. From his carnival background, he had a philosophy of either you're being hustled or somebody's being hustled by you. In a way he hustled Elvis. He's selfish in the way he operates, but at the same time he did take care of Elvis' career in such a way that who could argue with the stature of it. If Col. Tom hadn't of been there, would Elvis have attained that popularity?"

The topic of a sequel comes up since Elvis only covers Presley's life and career until 1968. Elvis went into a drug-induced decline after that, dying in 1977. "They'd have to pay me a helluva lot of money, baby!" Rhys-Meyers laughed. "I don't know. Let's see how this one works first. I don't think it's an option right now. I'd have difficulty putting on that weight, first of all. I'd have difficulty taking it off, too."

Quaid added, "there's another 10 years, and there are a lot of warts there. It's amazing how they kept the whole show afloat with what was going down. It's not as romantic as the early years."

[Cryogenic]

Thanks for keeping us updated with pictures and articles, nabelt and eileen (although the last article that was posted features all the same quotations as the previous one!).

To be fair to Jonathan Rhys Meyers, he has a certain Elvis-like intensity and danger in his eyes - very important. Further, while his hair doesn't quite match that of Elvis (a contentious issue I talked about earlier in the thread), I can at least see the logic in going for a more natural look: perhaps the makers of the mini series want to distance themselves from the steady stream of wig-wearing impersonators out there?

Nevertheless, the new mini series' limitations are in evidence even at this stage of the game. First and foremost, this thing has the word "whitewashed" written all over it; it has the approval of EPE and only charts Elvis' life and career as far as 1968. Then there are Rhys Meyers' comments that make me wonder if a "sequel" filling in Elvis' final decade will EVER happen: "A lot of people my age, they get duped into thinking Elvis Presley was this guy in a jumpsuit on a Vegas stage who was very overweight and sweating profusely and then died in the bathroom. This is what you hear when you're a kid. But I now know he once was a young artist whose medium hadn't really been invented yet." While his conveyance of the average person's perception of Elvis is bang on the money... that last sentence has me a tad worried. Rather than moderating his negative comments of Elvis' later years with equally positive obsvervations of that same time period (such as noting some of Elvis' incredible set lists, his vocal performances and Elvis' own unfailing charisma and human vulnerability), he instead balances them out by referring to how good Elvis was in his early years; the implication is that the Elvis of the 70s is a waste and not worth pursuing.

There's one final issue that's bugging me. Take another read of this:

"There is a problem, Elvis," Binder says. "The colonel and NBC want you to sing just Christmas songs. Yeah, well, I think that's too limiting, and exactly the opposite of what you should be doing. What do you think?"

"I think, let's do it," Elvis says. "I think it's gonna be great, Steve."

This exchange seems overly simplistic and rings false to me. While I'm sure Binder may very well have said what he said almost exactly as is written above, Elvis' response seems too obvious. Would he really have agreed with Binder so quickly? I'm not convinced. To me, his answer there trivialises the kind of person Elvis was and the relationship he had with Parker. Even when things were bad, Elvis was very reluctant to push off from the shore and violate his and Parker's implicit trust and potentially set himself up to fail. At the very least, I think the dialogue needed expanding here to show that Elvis was WILLING to listen and KNEW deep down what he had to do but needed a bit of extra pushing. To me, the scenario described here seems much truer to Elvis' psychology, and written/directed/edited in the right way, would tell the viewer a LOT about the way he thought (as well as simply making a great scene) :


From http://www.furious.com/perfect/elvis69.html :

Most importantly, there was the gospel-bluesy "If I Can Dream," written especially for the close by musical director, W. Earl Brown. Elvis resisted Colonel Parker's standing order that the special close with a standard Christmas carol and avoid any kind of social comment. Steve Binder, the producer, felt a message song about peace, humanity and brotherhood would be a bold and fitting send off. Binder sold the idea to Elvis:

Earl sat down at the piano and played it through. Elvis sort of sat there listening. He didn't comment; he just said, "Play it again." So Earl sat there and played it again - and again. Then Elvis started to ask some questions about it, and I would venture to say Earl probably played the song six or seven times in a row. Then Elvis looked at me and said, "We're doing it."

It was a significant and unusual moment. Elvis rarely over-ruled Parker, and it demonstrates the confidence he felt as he began to retool his image.

See... Elvis didn't just over-rule Parker at the drop of a hat; it took him time to find the balls to do it. Imagine seeing that event depicted. With each rendition, we would see the cogs turning more and more as Elvis' face changed from casual indifference to nervous enthusiasm to full blown acceptance. The sequence could be accomplished with a series of fades/dissolves in which we hear a fragment of the song between each fade/dissolve and see Elvis' expression subtly changing between each. It would generate the opportunity for a great and subtle piece of acting from the person playing Elvis, and dramatically/artistically, it would be more realistic and compelling than a banal exchange of dialogue in which Elvis is told to do something and he instantly accedes.

I dunno... maybe it's just me. But I feel that between us all, we could write the ultimate script and show everyone else a thing or two!

[Lonniebealestreet]

Excellent post, Cryo. I too was a little bugged by the implications of JRM's "Vegas Elvis" comments...not so much for what he said, but that he didn't realize that he was affirming the negative notions. It's like he was saying that people, himself included, have got Elvis all wrong. :blink:

Your assessment of the Binder exchange is right on as well. They might as well have had Elvis say, "Yes, sir, Mr. Binder," without a moment's pause.

[TheTiger77]

This seem to be EPE once again telling the world that Elvis' life and work after 68 is not worth knowing about. That in fact they find it too shameful to even speak of!

It really does tick me off. With the world, in general, they don't go past 68 and with us fans, minus the FTD collection which i'm sure they'll cut the miniute its not profitable, they don't like to go past 73!


Unfortunately, as far as the world is concerned. Elvis will always be fat and worthless past 74! With EPE never stepping up the plate and actually defending him and saying he has worth while work after this period, nobody will find out. Course we scream it from all roof tops but most of the world at large thinks Elvis fans are all nuts anyway. And why is this? Because when ever there is any Elvis event any where the media runs around trying to find the one person dressed and or acting like a nut case to put on TV! The rest of the world is watching going, oh my gosh these folks need to get a life!

Trish

[nabelt24]

Wondering if anyone has seen the new trailer for the upcoming film.... I was told that they are now showing one on CBS, and I have yet to see it. Would love to catch it sometime if anyone has a link for it?

[Cherokee]

It's good to be King

Elvis returns to small screen in four-hour biopic

Friday, May 6, 2005 Posted: 1:55 PM EDT (1755 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) --
When Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers was asked to play American icon
Elvis Presley, his first instinct was to reject the role.

"In my head I was saying, 'No, no, no,' because I wasn't quite sure, first, about playing
rock 'n' roll stars and second, somebody who's so well known to everybody," Rhys Meyers
told The Associated Press. "Then I thought to myself, 'Really, how often do you get to be a
king? Wouldn't it be just a little bit of fun to be the king of rock 'n' roll for eight weeks.' "

The result: "Elvis," a four-hour movie airing over two nights on CBS, 9-11 p.m. EDT
Sunday, May 8, and 8-10 p.m. Wednesday, May 11. The cast includes Camryn Manheim as
Presley's mother; Randy Quaid as his manager "Colonel" Tom Parker and Rose McGowan
as actress Ann-Margret.

In a mini-Elvis festival timed to the May ratings sweep, CBS also is airing "Elvis by the
Presleys" (8-10 p.m. EDT Friday, May 13), a special including interviews with Priscilla and
Lisa Marie Presley and others.

(The marketing bonanza doesn't stop there: a two-CD set and a book, both also titled
"Elvis by the Presleys," is out in May.)

Rhys Meyers, 27, isn't the first offshore actor to nab the part of a famous American. Other
recent TV examples include Kenneth Branagh as Franklin D. Roosevelt in a new HBO film
and Jeremy Northam as Dean Martin in a 2002 made-for-TV movie.

In this case, Rhys Meyers notes, there are certain parallels between his own life and
Presley's.

"I was brought up a poor boy from southern Ireland. He was brought up a poor boy from
the south of America," he said. "There's not that much of a difference in being poor.

"You can relate to that, and having dreams. Having dreams and being successful at what
you do and the pressures of that, the loneliness of it."

'Oh, he's actually a sweet boy'

He gained insight into Presley's style and personality from studying his music and movies
and talking to those who knew him. He sought to evoke but not mimic him.

"I didn't try to do an Elvis impersonation because there are so many better ones than me.
... People making a living out of being Elvis Presley."

Rhys Meyers also shares with Presley the sort of dramatic good looks -- including a full,
pout-ready mouth -- that make him a convincing young Elvis. (The movie follows the
singer's life from age 18 to 33.)

Then there's the actor's bad-boy screen quality, useful when he's playing a man who
shook the innocence out of pop music with his sexually charged stage performances.

Although Rhys Meyers softened his image with the soccer romance "Bend It Like
Beckham," he's played an assortment of dark and difficult characters in films including
"Vanity Fair" and TV's "The Magnificent Ambersons."

"People's perception of me was that I was quite a feral character and there was something
quite dangerous about me," the actor said. "Then I did 'Beckham' and people said, 'Oh,
he's actually a sweet boy, too.' "

Presley is a hybrid, Rhys Meyers suggests, "slightly dangerous and a little bit overtly
sexual but still a very pleasant Southern boy who says, 'Yes, ma'am,' 'No, ma'am.' "

The film depicts Presley's rise, his personal and professional relationships and the start of
a pill addiction that some have linked to his 1977 death at age 42 (heart disease was the
coroner's official finding).

Singing wasn't an issue for Rhys Meyers: the Presley estate allowed access to master
recordings for such classics as "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Don't Be Cruel."

But there was that foreign accent, apparently not a serious challenge. During a phone
interview from New Orleans, where most of the film was shot, he dropped easily into a
Southern drawl and, later, a comic impression of Woody Allen. (He's in Allen's next film,
"Match Point.")

An admitted practical joker and a vivid storyteller, he described meeting a social-climber
who looked "like he'd walked off a Brooks Brothers poster with the most wonderful set of
Gucci teeth."

Rhys Meyers claims a desire to star in a big action film ("It's mainly for my twisted little
ego," he said, cheerfully), but up next is "A Playwright," in which he plays Shakespeare
contemporary Christopher Marlowe.

"I've been studying Marlowe for a few years. He's another dangerous boy."

[Cherokee]

Apparently Rhys-Myers is NOMINATED FOR AN EMMY for his portrayal of Elvis......:supriced: http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/wuerg/vomit-smiley-015.gif