2020
Happy 4th of July to our American Neighbors!
Be Safe. Stay Strong. Celebrate Responsibly.
Elvis (1990 TV series)
For your viewing enjoyment, I present the following TV series, Elvis. Also known as Elvis – Good Rockin’ Tonight, the American drama series concentrates on the early life of Elvis Presley. It aired on ABC from February 6th until May 19th, 1990, before being cancelled due to low ratings. The ten episodes, along with three non-aired episodes, were edited into a four hour mini-series titled Elvis: The Early Years. The series stars Michael St. Gerard as Elvis Presley, with Elvis voice-impersonator Ronnie McDowell providing the singing voice for St. Gerard. Created by Ricky Husky and Priscilla Presley, the series offers a re-creation of Elvis’s time before becoming a major star and focuses on the years 1954 and 1955 as Elvis was just beginning his recording career at Sun Records. Some of you may have watched the series when it first aired, but hopefully you will enjoy it a second time. Others might be seeing it for the first time, and I hope you enjoy the docudrama as much as I did. Michael St. Gerard is a good actor, but he doesn’t sing. We all know great ETAs who can definitely sing, and some may be able to act, since they do a form of acting when they do their tribute to Elvis; so, here is my question for you: Who would you cast in the role of Elvis in a 2020 remake of the series? I hope to see you answer in your the comments on Facebook…maybe with an explanation why you think the ETA you selected is right for the part. Cheers!
Interesting facts: Michael St. Gerard had played Elvis twice before: First in two 1989 films, Great Balls of Fire! and Heart of Dixie, and once again, in a 1993 episode of Quantum Leap. Millie Perkins starred as the real Elvis Presley’s love interest in the 1961 film, Wild in the Country. In the 1990 series, Millie plays Elvis’s mother, Gladys. Actors, Matt Dillon and Scott Valentine, were the first two choices for the role of Elvis. Michael St. Gerard’s audition consisted of a line read through and a performance of him lip syncing to “Baby, Let’s Play House”. He was flown to Memphis the next day to start filming. The brown-eyed St. Gerard refused to wear blue contacts for the role.
Actors in the series: Michael St. Gerard as Elvis Presley, Millie Perkins as Gladys Presley, Billy Green Bush as Vernon Presley, Jesse Dabson as Scotty Moore, Blake Gibbons as Bill Black, Kelli Williams as Mattie Walker, Jordan Williams as Sam Phillips, Howard French as Harley “Red” Calder. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, with edits by Carolyn MacArthur).
ELVIS: A Boy From Tupelo, MS
I also offer the following video for your viewing pleasure. It is one of the best, and most complete, documentaries I have seen about Elvis Presley. The 1987 three hour long documentary contains fascinating interviews, clips from Elvis’s movies, TV performances and newspapers, and lots of photos. It covers Elvis’s life from his humble beginning in Tupelo, Mississippi, to his rocketed rise to fame, and ends with his tragic death in 1977. I hope you enjoy watching, or re-watching, ELVIS: A Boy From Tupelo, MS, Documentary (40th Anniversary Extended Version).
Photo Album
ETAs from all parts of the USA entertain us with their wonderful tributes to American icon Elvis Presley. We thank you for your inspired performances and wish you all a very Happy 4th of July!
Aloha from Hawaii
Elvis Presley in his American eagle jumpsuit singing “American Trilogy” (1:00:30)—perfect for the 4th!