Reply With QuoteGreat question.I do not think this is the same shirt but Im not sure.
Hi Guys,
I'm wondering if anybody can add any information to a query regarding Elvis' red shirt that is on display amongst some of the "That's The Way It Is" items in the Graceland trophy room :
Elvis wore this shirt whilst rehearsing on stage at the International Hotel in Las Vegas during the filming of "T.T.W.I.I." - see "Mary In The Morning" & "Words" and from the original movie see "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" & "Polk Salad Annie".
Is this red shirt the same red shirt he wore whilst rehearsing "Separate Ways" & "Always On My Mind" during the filming of the "Elvis On Tour" documentary in 72?
I know it's possibly hard to distinguish as Elvis is wearing a white scarf around his neck/shoulders during the aforementioned rehearsals for "On Tour".
Anybody know?...
Cheers,
NEA.
Great question.I do not think this is the same shirt but Im not sure.
Destination deals the cards we're just playing.
Thanks for your reply, Michu...I can't be certain either, but another photo has come into play regarding this red shirt - there were a few photos that fans took of Elvis on his fave horse 'Rising Sun' at the Graceland Gates in the summer of 1970. On this occasion he was wearing a red shirt (which is possibly the one from 'T.T.W.I.I.' anyway). He is also wearing a white neckerchief on these photos. I think there is at least one photo of this moment in Elvis' First Cousin, Harold Lloyd's book entitled 'The Graceland Gates'.
The shirt that's on display at Graceland is NOT the shirt he wore in "That's The Way It Is" although the say it is.
The shirt in "That's The Way It Is" has a regular collar and not a high one while the shirt in Graceland has an Edwardian collar. This shirt could be the one he wore during the March 1972 recording session.
Thank you Leroy - a new angle on things!
How did you find this out Leroy? And, what's happened to the red number of "T.T.W.I.I."?
Cheers,
NEA.
Hey Leroy,
That's some great wardrobe detail you've provided about the Red Shirt trivia - well done!
That has surely got to be the red number from "On Tour" which is displayed in the Trophy Room?!
I can't believe EPE have got the audacity to maintain their ruling on the shirt when the photographs you have provided clearly state two different stories - they must think that we are complete fools and will accept any story about any Graceland artefact!
There also appears to be some controversy about the 'Aloha' cape - apparently it isn't the same one that Elvis threw into the audience at the end of the show?
Another item that springs to mind immediately is the giant American Flag that was/is on display in the Racquetball Court - the story states something about this flag was displayed on stage at the concert which Elvis first performed "An American Trilogy"?!
To quote a great saying: "Panther Piss!"
LOL...
NEA.
Graceland or better said...Elvis Presley Enterprises is doin' very well in rewriting the myth into something they wanted us to believe. Something that stands far beside the real history. One of the facts that proves it is the declaration that Elvis recieved his "Gold Attendance Belt" in September 1970 just before he went on his first national tour.
I guess we're all familiar with the picture of Elvis, dressed in his "White Cossack Top" next to mr. Alex Shoofy and receiving this gold belt. That's a 1969 picture, probably taken after his closing performance.
I have pictures of Elvis taken in September 1970 where his hair and sideburns are inches longer than the above mentioned picture. Also in this case I've mailed EPE Archives to confront them with this mystery. The only answer I got was: "Elvis received this belt on September 7th, 1970".
How ignorant can you be?
As for the American flag you mentioned... that was only used a couple of times during his Summer Festival August/September 1973 in Las Vegas.
As far as I know the cape of the "Aloha Bald Headed Eagle" is original. At the end of the concert Elvis tossed it into the audience and it was caught by a journalist Bruce Spinks. Later the cape went to a private collector called Andrew Kern who returned it to Graceland.
What I do not understand is why a lot of Elvis costumes still remain in private hands. The only place where it belong is on display for the public.
Hi Leroy,
So, it is somewhat true about that American Flag being used on stage during Elvis' shows?...so, I presume it was a backdrop that was unveiled at the start or during a performance of 'American Trilogy' in August/Sept 73 - could this be happening during the show on the 'Closing Night' FTD CD??
I know what you mean about that photo of Elvis with Mr. Shoofey...I can't actually recollect Elvis wearing the belt on stage until around 1971 though?
I think I've got my story mixed up re: Aloha cape...is it the jumpsuit, itself, that is not the original?
NEA.
Well, it's half the truth. The "Aloha Suit" at Graceland is an original but not from Aloha Satellite Show. After the special and his January/February 1973 engagement Elvis gained some weight. So a second version was made to be used on tour. It's this version he used throughout 1973 and during the March tour of 1974 and is now on display.
The original one is on display at the Hilton.
You are right about the closing show on September 3rd, 1973. That's one occasion where the American Flag was used in combination with a screen to project images of the civil war during the intro and the first verses of the song.
Elvis didn't use the "Gold Attendance Belt" on stage prior to 1971. At first he considered it as a trophy not as a belt to wear. In the beginning of 1970 Elvis wasn't as flashy as he became in the last part of that year.
Below you'll find two pictures. The picture with Alex and the belt is suppost to be taken on September 7th, 1970.
The second picture was taken two days later on September 9th.
Note the hair and sideburns
Great observations with the photos, Leroy...I see what you mean.
Wouldn't it make more sense to have the Aloha show jumpsuit on display at Graceland than at the Hilton - just to keep both pieces together?
The combined Flag & Screen projection for "Trilogy" - WOW! this blows me away...whose idea was this?...And, it is actually happening on the 'Closing Night' FTD CD? - A Startling Revelation!
NEA.
Last edited by NEA; 07-17-2005 at 12:45 PM.
I wonder how many more so-called Elvis artefacts EPE are passing off as the real deal at Graceland?...hmmm...
"I oughta break you in half!"...
"If you do, you'll have two very short friends!"
That is a great piece of information that's certainly news to me as well about the Civil War footage being played during Trilogy. A lot of you have probably seen but forgotten about a great black and white photo of Elvis onstage in '73 with an American flag above. I thought I had it saved somewhere but I can't seem to find it. Someone post it please, if you've got it.
Regarding the red shirt worn on horseback at Graceland in the summer of '70 and at the TTWII rehearsals, I once read somewhere that Elvis had duplicate wardrobes in Memphis and Los Angeles. So if that's true, even if they are identical, they may not be one and the same. Not sure how that/those compare with the EOT rehearsal. I don't recall getting a good look at that collar, which may be partly obstructed from view by the scarf.
As to why all the costumes remain in private hands and aren't at Graceland, isn't it as simple as the private owners of such goods don't wish to part with them and EPE would likely not pay for them what they are worth? I don't know--I'm asking. Or is your question, Leroy, more directed at why were the ones that were previously in EPE's possession let go in the first place (not items EP gave away)?
Great work, by the way, Leroy. It's ridiculous that EPE is not interested in correcting their mistakes after having them clearly pointed out to them. It would be one thing if the truths you revealed to them were not in keeping with their version of the Elvis story (not to imply that would then be perfectly acceptable); they are simply points of information that need to be presented accurately and one would think that would be a priority to them.
...you won't forget me when I go.
Meant to ask one other thing...
I've flipped through but don't own the book Caught In A Trap, which has lots of great photos from the Closing Night show. I don't remember this though: are there photos in that book like the one I mentioned with the flag above the stage?
...you won't forget me when I go.
Lonnie, I know exactly what picture you're talking about. I must have it somewhere on my harddisk and I'm gonna find it too. It is possible that I'm mixing some things up here. That the flag was used several times on tour and the screen was used on closing night on September 3rd. The point is I never saw photo's of that event. I do remember it was short lived because of the embarrasing pictures it displayed, especially for someone from the South.
You are perfectly right about the clothing. He had multiple versions in several homes. One thing's for sure, after 1971 he rarely used shirts without Edwardian collars.
What I meant with my point of the items in private hands is that every now and then an important piece (like a jumpsuit) goes up for auction. In my opinion EPE must stand first in line to buy it. And for the jumpsuits and other items that were giving away by Elvis during his lifetime must be special arrangement. If I had a jumpsuit I would be proud if it was on display with the mentioning "Made possible by Leroy Smith". On the other hand working with EPE is not my turf.
Last edited by Leroy; 07-17-2005 at 11:17 PM.
Lonnie, I've found the picture with the flag. It's from June 9, 1972, Madison Square Garden. That means that the flag event went further back.
We all know that when Elvis liked something, he could not just have one of an item, he had to have as many as he could, be it horses, cars, motor cycles...anything, so the idea of him having a few copies of one piece of clothing is feasible. I know when I was looking at the items on display at Graceland, I was wondering just which items were actually worn, and not just copies.....Mind you, I didn't dare mention this out loud, there were too many fans there that would have jumped on me....
Carolyn
"Walk A Block In My Socks"
Many thanks to you all for the information on this thread.
Leroy, that's fantastic you have found this photo - the first show at MSG too!!
Lonnie, that's one of the very pics from that time that I am talking about...EP's obviously wearing his 'Memphis version' of that red shirt there...LOL...
It is so unprofessional for EPE not to correct their mistakes - they don't even attempt to try either!
NEA.
"I oughta break you in half!"...
"If you do, you'll have two very short friends!"
That's right--the photo was from '72. That was the power of suggestion, I guess.Thanks for posting it, Leroy, and for the rest of the great info you've shared with us. Nice thread, NEA.
...you won't forget me when I go.
Ithink this picture comes closer to the shirt on display at Graceland. Another thing I would like to add to the EPE case. They do not have the slightest idea what they're doin'. A very simple thing (maybe others would go: "Hey, is that really important?" But I'm a man of details.) there are no matching scarves on the jumpsuits on display. There's a purple scarf on the "Aloha Suit", black scarves on the "Chinese Dragon", "Blue Rain", "Black Conquistador", "White Conquistador", "Egyptian Pharao", "Black Butterfly", "Light Blue Teal", "Red Bird" and the "Tiffany". There's a white scarf on the "White Pyramid". And blue scarves on the "Ace of Spades", "American Eagle" and the "White Tapestry".
Why not the original colours as it was when Elvis entered the stage? There is enough photo material to verify. It would at least give the visitors a more perfect vision.
Last edited by Leroy; 07-18-2005 at 09:32 PM.
Sorry, Leroy, but that's just too logical.
Being as meticulous as the archive preservationists (or whatever they are called) surely must be, you almost get the feeling that they would like to take the time to do the proper research to get all such details down, but are not encouraged to do so.
That's pure speculation of course, but I can see that being the case..."That's fine, Sarah, it's done. Just throw the purple one on there. Who's gonna know the difference? You're so anal! Let's go--on to the next!" "Yes, Mrs. Presley."
...you won't forget me when I go.
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