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

[ricardo b. prospero]

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

[EnigmaticSun]

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

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

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

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

[Rover]

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

[spanish eyes]

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

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

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

[EnigmaticSun]

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

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

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

[ksimms2]

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

[EnigmaticSun]

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

[KPM]

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

[franny]

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

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

franny

[ksimms2]

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

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

[Getlo]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[BrianK]

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

[MissyM]

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

[presley31]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[KPM]

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

[Diane]

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

Diane

[rickb]

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

[Wendy56]

YES!

[Natalie]

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

[hounddog]

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