Michael G. & The TV serie ELVIS from the 90s (info, please)

[Wendy56]

Do you remember the Elvis TV serie? Was only one season, right? I had a crush on Michael St. Gerard, the actor who plays Elvis. I read about him recently and discovered that he's a priest (or something like that) now. He worked in a few movies, the one I remember more is Hairspray. Michael also appeared on the Beverly Hill 90210 show.

Anyway, if you have information about the Elvis serie, please let me know.

[Leroy]

I recorded the TV serie on video cassette. What exactly do you want to know about it?

[Wendy56]

You can tell me whatever you want to tell me about it, really. I was five or six years old by then, and all I remember is some scenes... well, also that cool feeling when I saw "the King" on tv, can't explain it.

But if you prefer questions: how much did this serie last?, which were the names of each program?, who else acted there?...

Thank you very much Leroy.

[cutiepie]

Wow! I didn't know there was an entire TV series based on Elvis! When did it air? Was it in the US? The actor they have playing Elvis looks better than the one inthe miniseries...

[Wendy56]

Wow! I didn't know there was an entire TV series based on Elvis! When did it air? Was it in the US? The actor they have playing Elvis looks better than the one inthe miniseries...

Yeah! Michael St. G. was almost perfect for the role. See the largest version of the images posted here, this actor looks pretty good!!!

[Leroy]

Okay Wendy56, here it comes. First of all I found a little bio on Michael St. Gerard which was in my opinion the best actor ever to play Elvis in the fifties.

This moody, baby-faced hunk had the slick, sullen, magnetic good looks and rebel attitude of an Elvis Presley, not to mention a startling resemblance. Sure enough, the timing would prove right for Michael St. Gerard, making a killer impression on teenage girls first on film, then TV -- as greaser types and even Elvis himself -- in the early 90s. Born in New York Mills, New York, he developed an early interest in acting and first found work in Japanese commercials and the off-Broadwaystage. He made a strong impression in an otherwise mediocre teen film Senior Week (1987), then really set the wheels in motion with his second film, the John Waters' retro classic Hairspray (1988)_ in which Ricki Lake pines for the St. Gerard amid an American Bandstand type setting circa 1962. The amiable and tuneful satire worked perfectly and St. Gerard managed to stand out among the cult figures who appeared, including Divine, Sonny Bono and Deborah Harry. He got to play Presley twice in films with Heart of Dixie (1989) and Great Balls of Fire! (1989), the latter film a biopic on Jerry Lee Lewis, played all-out by Dennis Quaid. So much attention was placed on St. Gerard's Elvis imitation that the producers of a new TV series looking to recapture Elvis' early years had to look no further. The highly ambitious "Elvis" (1990) ran for 11 episodes and St. Gerard was magnificent in the role, with Millie Perkins and Billy Green Bush equally terrific as his parents, Gladys and Vernon Presley. The show, however, was canceled despite the critical praise heaped upon it. Michael moved ahead to the popular teen show "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990), playing an acting teacher in it second season, but this time Luke Perry and Jason Priestley grabbed the sexy attention. From there a few insignificant direct-to-video exports materialized, such as Into the Sun (1992), Live Wire (1992) and Replikator (1994), but his career had simmered. In 1994, St. Gerard had a spiritual awakening after leading a Sunday School class, and, with it, decided to retire and focus his energies on religious instruction. He subsequently became a pastor in the Harlem area of New York City, extending himself and his church in particular to inner-city youths, and spends little time reflecting on his past stardom.

In the USA the serie was aired in 1990 but here in Holland at the beginning of 1991. There were 11 episodes of 30 minutes and they all began with a short introduction. After that the leader started which gave the impression of a black & white 8 mm film.

These were the episode titles:

Money, Honey
The Locket
Bell Air Breakdown
Hole in the Pocket
Roots
The Grand Ol' Opry
Su Sessions
Four Mules
Bodyguards
Moody's Blues
Let It Burn

The regulars cast was:

Elvis Presley : Michael St. Gerard
Gladys Presley : Millie Perkins
Vernon Presely : Billy Green Bush
Scotty Moore : Jesse Dabson
Bill Black : Blake Gibbons
Mattie Walker : Kelli Williams
Sam Phillips : Jordan Williams

And off course there were a lot of guest roles.

One of my favourite episodes was "Moody's Blues" where they three of them were on tour and stopped in a town in front of a pawn shop. There's a guitar hinging in the window and Elvis walks in and see two black man talkin' in the corner of the shop. One of them is a legenday blues singer who is the former owner of the guitar. Elvis and the singer started to talk and Elvis get's lessons in singing the blues from the soul.

This really is the best piece of work ever made about Elvis. We only got to see Elvis during the period of his climbing to fame and although some things in the serie didn't happen as the were in real life is (which is told at the beginning of each episode) it's very enjoyable to watch.
As you can see Millie Perkins is playing Elvis mother. It must have been a very strange feeling for her to play the mother of an actor she once worked with in "Wild In The Country".

[cutiepie]

Hi Wendy!

Here is link of the Michael St. Gerard fansite--

http://groups.msn.com/MichaelSt-Gera...is.msnw?Page=1

hope it works...it has some interesting pictures!

[Wendy56]

Okay Wendy56, here it comes. First of all I found a little bio on Michael St. Gerard which was in my opinion the best actor ever to play Elvis in the fifties (...)

In the USA the serie was aired in 1990 but here in Holland at the beginning of 1991. There were 11 episodes of 30 minutes and they all began with a short introduction. After that the leader started which gave the impression of a black & white 8 mm film.

One of my favourite episodes was "Moody's Blues" (...)

This really is the best piece of work ever made about Elvis. (...) and although some things in the serie didn't happen as the were in real life is (which is told at the beginning of each episode) it's very enjoyable to watch.
As you can see Millie Perkins is playing Elvis mother. It must have been a very strange feeling for her to play the mother of an actor she once worked with in "Wild In The Country".

Thank you SO MUCH for all this information Leroy. I agree with you about Michael St. G. By the way, thanks for that bio too.

Not everything was based on Elvis' real life?... Anyway, as you said, it was an enjoyable tv show. I'm curious about why the serie was cancelled, it was a good one. Eleven episodes are not enough. And yes, I'm sure that Millie Perkins did a fine job playing Elvis' mother. What a lucky woman! She worked with Elvis twice!

Again Leroy, thank you!!!.

[Wendy56]

Gracias cutiepie. It's a nice link.

[NEA]

I vaguely remember only viewing one or two episodes of this Mini-Series fifteen years ago, so I can't really give a comment about it at all.

But, do you think Michael's portrayal of Elvis was better than Kurt Russell's performance in "Elvis The Movie"...anybody?

NEA.

[Leroy]

Yes, it sure was. Nothing against Kurt Russell as an actor but not as Elvis. To be honest I never liked the film either. It full of of cliche's on the wrong places. It's suppose to end in 1969 when he made his triumphic comeback on stage. Did you ever saw Elvis wearing his customized glasses before June/July 1970? Did you ever hear Elvis singing "The Wonder Of You" and "Always On my Mind" in 1969? And since when did Elvis wear the "Adonis" jumpsuit in 1969? Thses are just a few flaw that comes to mind immediatly.

The difference between Michael St. Gerard and Kurt Russell in their role of Elvis is that Michael does not only have the right looks but also has the complex mixed emotional personality Elvis had. Kurt Russell didn't even come close in his looks.

[waymore44]

The thing that bugs me about Michael is the accent is all wrong. It's like I'm watching "In The Heat Of The Night". I'm from the south and we don't talk like that. To his credit, at least he didn't over-do it like the latest jake leg, Jonathan.

[NEA]

Hi Leroy,

Thanks for your information about this interesting TV Series...

Do you think there would be a possible DVD release of all the episodes in the future?

NEA.

[Leroy]

NEA, I'm affraid a DVD release will not happen unless a lot of fans will make a fuss. I recorded them on video and gonna put them on DVD. Maybe for trade???

[T_J]

I vaguely remember only viewing one or two episodes of this Mini-Series fifteen years ago, so I can't really give a comment about it at all.

But, do you think Michael's portrayal of Elvis was better than Kurt Russell's performance in "Elvis The Movie"...anybody?

NEA.

No it wasn't. People aren't seeing past the looks. He didn't talk, walk or dance like Elvis. Kurt put in a more accomplished performance, but Michael had a better physical resemblance.

[T_J]

These were the episode titles:

Money, Honey
The Locket
Bell Air Breakdown
Hole in the Pocket
Roots
The Grand Ol' Opry
Su Sessions
Four Mules
Bodyguards
Moody's Blues
Let It Burn

There were 13 in total. The Storm and Old Man are missing from the list. I think all 13 aired in the UK.