Elvis as an Actor...

[Elvis and Johnny]

I think he is one of the BEST actors ever! He is just as good as James Dean, Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, etc...

His dramatic acting in Jailhouse Rock and Wild in the Country is so natural and amazing!

His comedy acting in Follow That Dream, G.I. Blues, and Tickle Me, etc... is so funny, and his facial expressions are hilarious!

Kid Galahad and Loving You are also some of his best work.

He is a much better actor than people give him credit for.

[rocknroll]

One of the best ever? Really?

[Jungleroom76]

I think he is one of the BEST actors ever! He is just as good as James Dean, Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, etc...

He is a much better actor than people give him credit for.

I agree completely that Elvis was a much better actor than people gave him credit for. But the main reason the critics were so hard on him were because of the quality of the scripts, not so much because of Elvis' acting. I truly believe that if Elvis had received more quality scripts (along the lines of JAILHOUSE ROCK, KING CREOLE & WILD IN THE COUNTRY) that he could have really showed off his acting abilities.

Unfortunately, because Elvis was locked into the endless stream of musicals, most producers and directors wouldn't even look at Elvis for a more dramatic role. Again though, I don't think it was because of Elvis' acting ability...some of the lesser quality movies were only decent because Elvis was the star...but because of the quality of the scripts!

TCB!
Mike

[rickb]

Umm, no, he wasn't one of the best ever but there were enough glimpses of talent to show that he was a decent actor in both dramatic and comic roles. Sadly he was mostly assigned rubbish scripts and el-cheapo directors and crappy songs and his film career never reached its potential

[shelley.m.]

Elvis could have been a great actor! It's too darn bad that the Col. Parker had to interfere.

[Jungleroom76]

It's too darn bad that the Col. Parker had to interfere.

TCB!
Mike

[Genie]

One of the best ever? Really?

Elvis revealed in large ways and in small unexpected ways in the films he did, that he did have a great talent other than singing inside of him.
He was so much more than he was allowed to be. So sad that anyone doubts this.

[Getlo]

I think he is one of the BEST actors ever! He is just as good as James Dean, Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, etc...

Oh, come on ...!

That's like saying Clint Eastwood sang as well as Elvis, when he did Paint Your Wagon!

[May]

I agree completely that Elvis was a much better actor than people gave him credit for. But the main reason the critics were so hard on him were because of the quality of the scripts, not so much because of Elvis' acting. I truly believe that if Elvis had received more quality scripts (along the lines of JAILHOUSE ROCK, KING CREOLE & WILD IN THE COUNTRY) that he could have really showed off his acting abilities.



TCB!
Mike

[debtdbruno]

I agree completely that Elvis was a much better actor than people gave him credit for. But the main reason the critics were so hard on him were because of the quality of the scripts, not so much because of Elvis' acting. I truly believe that if Elvis had received more quality scripts (along the lines of JAILHOUSE ROCK, KING CREOLE & WILD IN THE COUNTRY) that he could have really showed off his acting abilities.

Unfortunately, because Elvis was locked into the endless stream of musicals, most producers and directors wouldn't even look at Elvis for a more dramatic role. Again though, I don't think it was because of Elvis' acting ability...some of the lesser quality movies were only decent because Elvis was the star...but because of the quality of the scripts!

TCB!
Mike

Agree Mike............however those roles made him very rich. Gave him the money to be able to spend on what he liked, and it kept him working in the 60's when some Rock n' Rollers went out of fashion.
Blame the fans too, they wanted to go see Elvis sing, not act, hence why the more serious roles didn't do as well at the box office.

One ot the best actors?............no not quite IMO.
Shame he didn't get the opportunity to stretch himself

[Junebug]

Agree Mike............however those roles made him very rich. Gave him the money to be able to spend on what he liked, and it kept him working in the 60's when some Rock n' Rollers went out of fashion.
Blame the fans too, they wanted to go see Elvis sing, not act, hence why the more serious roles didn't do as well at the box office.

One ot the best actors?............no not quite IMO.
Shame he didn't get the opportunity to stretch himself

Elvis' musical films also provided alot of revenue for the movie studios enabling them to front 'bigger' productions with A-list actors.

Elvis was one of the highest-earning actors of that time although not one of the highest-regarded.

A well-known quote from movie producer Hal Willis in the '60s - "A Presley picture is the only sure thing in show business".

And I agree - It is a shame he was not given more diverse opportunities.
I think he would have been able to make notable contributations in this area as well. I think he could have really been magnificent!

[monk37]

I agree there's places that he showed real acting talent - but Elvis should have gotten an acting coach and used a different agent

Parker was out of his league in Hollywood - he was only a powerful manager because he had the client everyone wanted. Parker just bullied to get the cash and didn't think about what was standard for other actors like script approval.

Elvis' career can be likened to the porn industry

in the early days, there was effort to make a story - and then, it was just crank them out to maximize profit because the audience of the day isn't demanding better


in fact, Flaming Star and Wild in the Country didn't do as well as GI Blues and Blue Hawaii - and that sealed Elvis' fate and created the Elvis picture.

[Jungleroom76]

Agree Mike............however those roles made him very rich. Gave him the money to be able to spend on what he liked, and it kept him working in the 60's when some Rock n' Rollers went out of fashion.
Blame the fans too, they wanted to go see Elvis sing, not act, hence why the more serious roles didn't do as well at the box office.

Yeah, but I really wonder if Elvis wouldn't have traded in all the money he made on all of those films for a few better quality movies that he could be more proud of the job he did in them???

TCB!
Mike

[Nicole Presley]

Elvis is my favorite actor!

[GIORGIA]

Elvis is my favorite actor! :-)

Me too!Example?Love Me Tender and Change Of Habit!
Are also My Favourites!

[Unchained Melody]

One of the best ever? Really?

No way.

[KPM]

Elvis did some good work in a few of his films, but the rest just were not the type of movies where it really mattered-they were light musicals with light scripts.
Elvis had potential, I truely believe it he had little training and yet in his first 4-5 films was very credible-but after those first films.......

[ForeverTheKing]

Umm, no, he wasn't one of the best ever but there were enough glimpses of talent to show that he was a decent actor in both dramatic and comic roles. Sadly he was mostly assigned rubbish scripts and el-cheapo directors and crappy songs and his film career never reached its potential

I agree...one of the best is being too generous but sure there was so much potential in him, and he was better than many others, "real actors" I mean.
A shame he couldn't express himself as he wanted...but first of all Elvis was an great singer and interpreter

[Dino78]

It's impossible to say what quality he had as an actor. His movies were not made to show him as a academy award winning candidate. Could he had been a great actor in that way? Maybe yes. Sinatra made it (specially "Man With The Golden Arm"), Dean Martin made it ("Rio Bravo" and "The Young Lions") but Elvis? Who knows. His movies were made as vehicles to show Elvis the singer, a weak story, no conflicts etc. King Creole and Flaming Star are showing his skills but he just went the other way. And it's too easy to blame Parker alone. Elvis was the highest-paid actor in the Sixties in Hollywood. So why to change too much? Sinatra and Martin made their own vehicles too. It was Elvis who said that only the director is his teacher, that he doesn't study Stanislawski etc. No method acting, etc.
So again. He was a good actor. He was perfect for the movies he made. Could he had been better? Of course but everyone (!!!) who was involved let these chances pass by.

[Dino78]

It's impossible to say what quality he had as an actor. His movies were not made to show him as a academy award winning candidate. Could he had been a great actor in that way? Maybe yes. Sinatra made it (specially "Man With The Golden Arm"), Dean Martin made it ("Rio Bravo" and "The Young Lions") but Elvis? Who knows. His movies were made as vehicles to show Elvis the singer, a weak story, no conflicts etc. King Creole and Flaming Star are showing his skills but he just went the other way. And it's too easy to blame Parker alone. Elvis was the highest-paid actor in the Sixties in Hollywood. So why to change too much? Sinatra and Martin made their own vehicles too. It was Elvis who said that only the director is his teacher, that he doesn't study Stanislawski etc. No method acting, etc.
So again. He was a good actor. He was perfect for the movies he made. Could he had been better? Of course but everyone (!!!) who was involved let these chances pass by.