Elvis or The Colonel?

[King Of The Whole World]

I have read several sources that say Colonel Parker was the reason for Elvis believing he could not go anywhere out in public with out heavy security or causing a mob of people to try and tear him apart. I guess the idea was to keep Elvis so secluded from the public and even from celebrities that it would be a real treat to see Elvis in person.

I was trying to think of instances where Elvis was out in public alone. The one that really comes to mind is when he had an argument with his dad and Priscilla near Christmas and flew to LA by himself and of course leading to the famous meeting between Elvis and Nixon. He was not mobbed going to the airport or out in public. There are pictures of him riding around Graceland on a motorcycle with not much security too.

I have a feeling the seclusion of Elvis was a little of the Colonel’s doing and Elvis actually being ripped apart. What do you guys think? The Colonel’s genius plan or Elvis causing a mob scene every where he went?

[KPM]

I think Elvis was very apprehensive for good reason-he remembered how in the 50s he had been mauled, scratched, attacked etc.....by loving fans.
Now into the 60s this calmed down some-but Elvis being the creature of habit just more or less stuck with the idea that he could not go out without being mobbed. Cut to 1968 when he and Steve Binder were discussing the 68 special and Binder asked Elvis what would happen it they stepped out onto the street in Burbank-so they stepped out-and Elvis just was not bothered, to the point that according to Binder he began to speak louder to draw attention to himself. So perhaps for a while Elvis was just gunshy......but.......after the 68 special and after the return to live shows once again Elvis had to truely worry about being mobbed and over zealous crowds.
I think the Colonel did worry about Elvis being hurt, I mean Elvis was his meal ticket
But afte

[King Of The Whole World]

I think Elvis was very apprehensive for good reason-he remembered how in the 50s he had been mauled, scratched, attacked etc.....by loving fans.
Now into the 60s this calmed down some-but Elvis being the creature of habit just more or less stuck with the idea that he could not go out without being mobbed. Cut to 1968 when he and Steve Binder were discussing the 68 special and Binder asked Elvis what would happen it they stepped out onto the street in Burbank-so they stepped out-and Elvis just was not bothered, to the point that according to Binder he began to speak louder to draw attention to himself. So perhaps for a while Elvis was just gunshy......but.......after the 68 special and after the return to live shows once again Elvis had to truely worry about being mobbed and over zealous crowds.
I think the Colonel did worry about Elvis being hurt, I mean Elvis was his meal ticket
But afte

I agree KPM. I do think Elvis would have been ok going out in public from the years 63-68. You are right after 68 Elvis was back to being a well protected star.

I just always find it intriguing that sometimes you see Elvis with all the "guys" and then next time he is on a motorcycle by himself on Elvis Presley Blvd. I have heard that the police use to sit across the street at Graceland and wait for Elvis to leave and follow him for extra protection.

[debtdbruno]

Hasn't it been said that at the time, Memphisonians (correct me if I've not pronounced that properly....lol) didn't much care for Elvis' nightime 'activities' and the attention he created?

[Raised on Rock]

The are footage and well know stories about how the crowds went wild during the 50's tour days, and how things when out of control with fans during the filming of King Creole, we have seen footage from Elvis arrivals to Hawaii in '61 or '62 and it was crazy! and no that was not staged, it was just what happened when you put all the fans together and Elvis in the middle.

We also got the story about how he got mobed by fans on a gas station in Memphis, fans that didn't want to hurt Elvis, but that caused enough trouble so that Elvis ended up in a fight and in court!

But it was also true that away from touring and filming, that's when he was at a place without the fans knowing it, he did enjoyed a lot being outside almost as a regular guy. Even during the 50's, he still went often for a ride on his bikes/convertibles back in Memphis or in L.A. although yes, there was always an incident or two, you can't help that.

Now after '62, as KMP says, as the mania faded a bit, he could do it more and more with almost no worries. Of course if it was a public event and fans got to know, even then, there was always going to be a bunch of fans making things a bit difficult for him. Steve Binder also knew that if he had made some kind of anouncement Elvis wouldn't have been ignored that way, so YES, he played with something that Col. Parked knew and Elvis didn't.

True: Col. Parker or not, life wouldn't be 100% normal for Elvis, but it is true that Parker had an agenda, and he used the "Elvis can't go outside like a regular guy" for two main reasons: one was pure marketing, to sell the world the idea that seeing Elvis is a priviledge, I mean the guy didn't even gave a lot of inteviews, now that created certain aura, and from my point of view, it worked in building up the myth and it was genious from Parker up until certain point. The second one was not cool... it only had to do with brainwash Elvis to keep him secluded and controled, so Elvis would never realize that he could do much much better with another manager.

By the 70's things have changed a lot, and as long as it was not around touring and public events, even Lennon in N.Y. or L.A. or McCartney in London, could go out for a walk and pass not unnoticed but unbothered, the days of the hysteric teenagers were way behind and it was no different for Elvis riding a bike in Memphis, eating on a restuarant in Hawaii in public hours, or taking a regular plane to L.A., it hadn't anything to do with his fame doing low (as it might in the 60's) but they where simply different times. That's when it became more than obvious that Parker ideas on managment where obsolete.