bogarcon
01-08-2006, 04:57 PM
CAPE ELVIS TOSSED TO AUDIENCE IN ``ALOHA FROM HAWAII`` COMES HOME ! from the Graceland archives and the club archives.
``ELVIS ALOHA FROM HAWAII, VIA SATELLITE``, the singer`s historic 1973 concert television special, was seen live and on taped delay by 1.5 billion people in 40 countries, an unprecedented achievement for an entertainer. Elvis was in top form and the pinnacle of superstardom. Tickets proceeds from the show benefited Hawaii`s Kui Lee cancer Fund. For the occasion Elvis wore a specially designed jumpsuit called the American eagle, which was a design he commissioned specially as his personal patriotic message to his worldwide audience. For the closing song, ``Can`t Help falling In Love``, he put on a matching cape. Then, as the song ended, he surprised the audience and most of his band by tossing the cape out into the crowd.
Bruce Sprinks, a sports writer who was in the audience as a fan, caught the cape. Miraculously, he made it out of the crowded arena and home with the cape completely intact. (This was after a securityguard declared Sprinks the rightful owner, nothing that Sprinks was holding about two-thirds of the cape and the person trying to wrestle it from him had only a third in hand!) Not long after this, Sprinks sold the cape to Andrew M. Kern, an avid Elvis fan and collector in his mid-twenties who lived in Miami, Florida. Kern, who later developed a career as financial consultant, kept th e cape in perfect condition, and it continued to be his most prized possession until his death from cancer in May 1995. He was 42.
Kern established contact with Graceland management soon after the home opened for tours in 1982. On several occasions over the years, the possibility of his loaning the cape for Graceland`s exhibits was explored, but never came to pass.
When he became ill, Andrew willed the bulk of his collection to be sold, with proceeds benefiting the Memphis chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organisation that grants special wishes to terminally ill children. Noted Elvis memorabilia expert, Jerry osborne, was a friend of Kern`s and was engaged to organize the combination sale and auction to take place in Memphis during Elvis Week `95. But, Kern entrusted the American Eagle cape to his parents, Herbert and Yvette Kern of Miami Beach. It was their choice to make the cape a gift to Graceland. Osborne, a longtime friend and associate of the Graceland staff, championed the kern`s decision and put them in contact with the Presley Estate in July `95. Within a few days, Graceland`s Todd Morgan was dispatched on a one-day round trip flight to Miami to receive the cape and bring it home. The cape went on display in Elvis` trophy room the second week of August, just as Elvis Week was getting underway and fans were pouring into Memphis.
In keeping with the kern`s wishes, Graceland will acknowledge the gift with special sign anytime the cape is on display, and is making a donation to the Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center in Memphis in the amount required to have Andrew`s name placed on the center`s ``WALL OF HONOR``. As an added gesture of appreciation to Andrew and his family, Graceland also donated $5,000 from its ELVIS PRESLEY MEMORIAL FOUNDATION to the Memphis chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Andrew`s memory. The check was presented by Elvis Presley Enterprises CEO Jack Soden at a fund-raising dinner for this charity, hosted by Elvis` friend Marian Cocke during Elvis week. Yvette Kern and daughter Kathy Kern attended.
In a statement at the time the cape was given to Graceland, the Kern`s remarked ``This cape meant so much to Andy that we actually grew to associate it more with our son than we did with Elvis, whom we greatly admired. It was very painful to part with it. But, if it`s on exhibit at Graceland it will be enjoyed by millions of other fans, and we know it will be properly cared forever. It seemed right to share it. We feel that Andy would approve.``
Hope ypou enjoyed this from the ARCHIVES OF GRACELAND and the fan club. Have a nice day, BOGARCON
;)
``ELVIS ALOHA FROM HAWAII, VIA SATELLITE``, the singer`s historic 1973 concert television special, was seen live and on taped delay by 1.5 billion people in 40 countries, an unprecedented achievement for an entertainer. Elvis was in top form and the pinnacle of superstardom. Tickets proceeds from the show benefited Hawaii`s Kui Lee cancer Fund. For the occasion Elvis wore a specially designed jumpsuit called the American eagle, which was a design he commissioned specially as his personal patriotic message to his worldwide audience. For the closing song, ``Can`t Help falling In Love``, he put on a matching cape. Then, as the song ended, he surprised the audience and most of his band by tossing the cape out into the crowd.
Bruce Sprinks, a sports writer who was in the audience as a fan, caught the cape. Miraculously, he made it out of the crowded arena and home with the cape completely intact. (This was after a securityguard declared Sprinks the rightful owner, nothing that Sprinks was holding about two-thirds of the cape and the person trying to wrestle it from him had only a third in hand!) Not long after this, Sprinks sold the cape to Andrew M. Kern, an avid Elvis fan and collector in his mid-twenties who lived in Miami, Florida. Kern, who later developed a career as financial consultant, kept th e cape in perfect condition, and it continued to be his most prized possession until his death from cancer in May 1995. He was 42.
Kern established contact with Graceland management soon after the home opened for tours in 1982. On several occasions over the years, the possibility of his loaning the cape for Graceland`s exhibits was explored, but never came to pass.
When he became ill, Andrew willed the bulk of his collection to be sold, with proceeds benefiting the Memphis chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, an organisation that grants special wishes to terminally ill children. Noted Elvis memorabilia expert, Jerry osborne, was a friend of Kern`s and was engaged to organize the combination sale and auction to take place in Memphis during Elvis Week `95. But, Kern entrusted the American Eagle cape to his parents, Herbert and Yvette Kern of Miami Beach. It was their choice to make the cape a gift to Graceland. Osborne, a longtime friend and associate of the Graceland staff, championed the kern`s decision and put them in contact with the Presley Estate in July `95. Within a few days, Graceland`s Todd Morgan was dispatched on a one-day round trip flight to Miami to receive the cape and bring it home. The cape went on display in Elvis` trophy room the second week of August, just as Elvis Week was getting underway and fans were pouring into Memphis.
In keeping with the kern`s wishes, Graceland will acknowledge the gift with special sign anytime the cape is on display, and is making a donation to the Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center in Memphis in the amount required to have Andrew`s name placed on the center`s ``WALL OF HONOR``. As an added gesture of appreciation to Andrew and his family, Graceland also donated $5,000 from its ELVIS PRESLEY MEMORIAL FOUNDATION to the Memphis chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Andrew`s memory. The check was presented by Elvis Presley Enterprises CEO Jack Soden at a fund-raising dinner for this charity, hosted by Elvis` friend Marian Cocke during Elvis week. Yvette Kern and daughter Kathy Kern attended.
In a statement at the time the cape was given to Graceland, the Kern`s remarked ``This cape meant so much to Andy that we actually grew to associate it more with our son than we did with Elvis, whom we greatly admired. It was very painful to part with it. But, if it`s on exhibit at Graceland it will be enjoyed by millions of other fans, and we know it will be properly cared forever. It seemed right to share it. We feel that Andy would approve.``
Hope ypou enjoyed this from the ARCHIVES OF GRACELAND and the fan club. Have a nice day, BOGARCON
;)