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Elvis' #1 Pop Singles on Cashbox, USA: Heartbreak Hotel (1956) Don't Be Cruel (1956) Hound Dog (1956) Love Me Tender (1956) Too Much (1957) All Shook Up (1957) Teddy Bear (1957) Jailhouse Rock (1957) Don't (1958) Stuck On You (1960) It's Now Or Never (1960) Are You Lonesome Tonight? (1960) Surrender (1961) Good Luck Charm (1962) Return To Sender (1962) In The Ghetto (1969) Suspicious Minds (1969) Burning Love (1972) (The Cashbox chart is now defunct) Elvis Facts: Elvis was 5' 11" tall
Elvis' natural hair color was dark blond
Elvis' blood type was O Positive
Elvis' shoe size was 11D
One of Elvis'( maternal) ancestors, Morning White Dove (born 1800, died 1835), was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian
Elvis' uncle, Noah Presley, became Mayor of East Tupelo on January 7, 1936
The Presley family moved to Memphis on November 6, 1948
Elvis was issued a Social Security card in September 1950 with the # 409-52-2002
In 1954 some of the shows played by Elvis & The Blue Moon Boys were at the Overton Park Shell; the Bel-Air Club; Sleepy-Eyed John's Eagle's Nest Club and the Louisiana Hayride
Elvis' first manager was Scotty Moore, then Bob Neal, before signing with Colonel Tom Parker
The first DJ to play an Elvis record was Fred Cook (WREC), not Dewey Phillips (WHBQ). However, Dewey had the distinction of being the first DJ to play an Elvis record in its entirety
Elvis once dated famous stripper, Tempest Storm
Elvis was filmed from the waist up only during his 3rd and final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show
In the 50s Elvis was friendly with rising stars, Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner and Ty (Bronco Lane) Hardin
Gladys Presley was 46 years old when she died, not 42, as many books suggest
The Roustabout album sold 450,000 copies on its initial release, 150,000 copies more than any of the preceding three soundtrack LPs. It was Elvis' last "soundtrack" album to reach #1 on the major album charts in the US
Elvis received $1m for filming Harum Scarum (aka Harum Holiday). The film grossed around $2m in the US
Elvis and Priscilla married on May 1, 1967
They were officially divorced on October 9, 1973
Elvis earns nearly $3.5m in 1968 and pays just over $1.4m in income tax
Elvis' return to live performing in Las Vegas on July 31, 1969 was in front of an "by invitation only" audience. Stars in attendance included Wayne Newton, Petula Clark, Shirley Bassey, Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickinson
On January 9, 1971, the national Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) announced Elvis as one of "The Top Ten Young Men of the Year". Elvis spoke at the official awards ceremony on January 16
"Elvis: Aloha From Hawai" made entertainment history on January 14, 1973, when it was beamed around the world by satellite. In the Philippines it drew 91% of the audience, in Hong Kong 70%. The viewing audience was estimated at more than 1 billion
For his 4 week Hilton Vegas season in August 1973 Elvis received $610,000 Sales of Elvis' 1973 album, Raised On Rock, were less than 200,000 units on its initial release
Elvis paid $2,959,000 in income tax in 1973
In December 1976 Elvis was sworn in as a special deputy sheriff of Shelby County (Memphis) by Sheriff Gene Barksdale
Elvis' final live concert was in Indianapolis on June 26, 1977 When Elvis died, he and his father Vernon, were embroiled in an FBI investigation called Operation Fountain Pen More than 1,500 books have been published about The King in more than 30 languages
At Dec 2005 Elvis' biggest selling album in the US is the budget priced, Elvis' Christmas Album, with accredited sales of 9 million units (fingers crossed it reaches 10 million to give Elvis his first "Diamond" award)
By early2006, Sony BMG's "collectors label", Follow That Dream, had released more than 50 Elvis CDs
During the 1980s, tour guides at Graceland stated that Elvis' biggest selling album (globally) was Moody Blue, with sales exceeding 14 million
While Sony BMG estimates Elvis' global sales exceed 1 billion, the company is unable to substantiate this figure. Accredited sales worldwide are estimated to be less than 400 million
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Penny Banner with Gerry Hostetler, A Flying Mare Publication, USA, 2004, Hardcover (with dust jacket), 320 pages, Illustrated, ISBN: 0975255703 "The lady wrestler who dated The King" (Feedback at end of review & trivia)
Penny's connection with Elvis, while publicised in the media at the time, was for a long time relegated to that elusive ether full of "lost" Elvis stories. That was, until Penny published her memoir, "Banner Days", in 2004. Elvis met Penny after one of his concerts at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis and they got together several more times including when Elvis attended one of Penny's matches in Memphis and at Graceland before Elvis left for his Army stint. As Penny Banner eloquently describes, she and Elvis "were both from the same thread of life's cloth", and enjoyed each other's company, neither being in awe of the other. So what exactly was the relationship between Penny and Elvis. Were they lovers or just good friends? I'm afraid, as with the insiders knowledge of the ending of a pro wrestling match, I'm not going to be the one who provides the spoiler. To find out, you will have to read "Banner Days". What I will say is that Penny's account of her "dates" with Elvis is both respectful and insightful, confirming a number of characteristics of Elvis' personality, his "kissing" ability, and his unusual attitude to sex. The inclusion of several press clippings about Penny Banner's relationship with Elvis will silence anyone who doubts her story. Their relationship is also noted in the Guralnick-Jorgensen book, "Elvis Day By Day The Definitive Record of His Life and Music" (Ballantine Books, 1999). A strength of "Banner Days" is the authors' ability to bring to life not only the colorful and often misunderstood nature of pro-wrestling, but to also humanise it. Penny also provides "no-holds barred" accounts of several terrible personal experiences which most of us can only imagine just how traumatic it was. Penny Banner literally bares her soul throughout her engaging memoir, and her vivid account of the very long breakdown of her 35-year stormy marriage to wrestler, Johnny Spade, is particularly honest and emotionally wrenching.
Verdict: For Elvis fans only "Banner Days" probably won't be high on your list of Elvis books to buy. For those fans (like this reviewer) with an appreciation of what is today termed sports entertainment, "Banner Days" is a thoroughly entertaining and illuminating read. Visit the Penny Banner website (where "Banner Days" can also be purchased) Click to comment on this review Trivia#1: Both Elvis and Penny shared a primary career spanning 1954 to 1977 #2: "The Honky Tonk Man" (Wayne Farris) has enjoyed a long wrestling career as the jumpsuited ring Elvis #3: Jerry ("The King") Lawler, from Memphis, is a wrestling icon who has also borrowed from The King #4: Jerry Lawler and Wayne Farris are cousins #5: Contemporary wrestling icon, Shawn ("The Heartbreak Kid") Michaels used to have a segment on one of the WWF/WWE TV programs called "Heartbreak Hotel" FeedbackPenny Banner: I really enjoyed reading what was printed about Elvis and I. I'm sure my fans and his will Kelly: Just wanted to thank you for the article...really good! Rick: Great review of Penny's book. Having read the book I can say once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down. It's wonderfully written and one of the best books i read in sometime. It's a must read for any Elvis fan or True old school wrestling fan. Bethany: Neat review.
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Quote: "Elvis Presley is the supreme socio-cultural icon in the history of pop culture" (Dr. Gary Enders) Quote: "Elvis is the 'glue' which holds our society together....which subconciously gives our world meaning" (Anonymous) Quote: "Eventually everybody has to die, except Elvis" (humorist Dave Barry) Quote: "He is the "Big Bang", and the universe he detonated is still expanding, the pieces are still flying" (Greil Marcus, "Dead Elvis") Quote: "I think Elvis Presley will never be solved" (Nick Tosches) Quote: "He was the most popular man that ever walked on this planet since Christ himself was here" (Carl Perkins) Quote: "When I first heard Elvis' voice I just knew I wasn't going to work for anybody...hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail" (Bob Dylan) Quote: "When we were kids growing up in Liverpool, all we ever wanted was to be Elvis Presley" (Sir Paul McCartney) Quote: "You can't say enough good things about Elvis. He was one of a kind" (Johnny Cash) Quote: "And don't think for one moment he's just a passing fancy....he's got enough of it to keep him on top for a long time" (R. Fred Arnold, Fury magazine, Aug 1957) Quote: "It isn't enough to say that Elvis is kind to his parents, sends money home, and is the same unspoiled kid he was before all the commotion began. That still isn't a free ticket to behave like a sex maniac in public" (Eddie Condon, Cosmopolitan) Elvis records reaching #2 & #3 on the Cashbox Pop Singles chart: #2: A Fool Such As I (1959) #2: A Big Hunk Of Love (1959) #3: Hard Headed Woman (1958) #3: One Night (1958) #3: (You're The Devil) In Disguise (1963) Elvis Facts: Tickets for Elvis' show on March 29, 1957 in St. Louis cost $2.00 to $2.50 While in Germany Elvis was hospitalised with tonsillitis in October 1959 Despite being an illegal immigrant, photographic evidence shows Colonel Tom Parker traveled to Canada with Elvis in 1957 Elvis strongly believed there weren't enough good songs in King Creole to justify releasing a soundtrack album. RCA initially agreed, releasing two very successful EPs from the movie. A soundtrack LP eventually followed During the 1960s Elvis had his own football team, Elvis Presley Enterprises, which played in the Memphis touch football league. In the 1962 final, EPE narrowly lost to Delta Automatic Transmission, 6-13 In Clambake, (Elvis) Scott Hayward's driving licence shows February 23, 1940...taking 5 years off Elvis' real age In the 1970s Elvis was offered $5m to stage a concert in front of the Pyramids in Egypt. When the Colonel declined the offer, Saudi billionaires raised the offer to $10m
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