This photo shows why Elvis had to ditch the gold lame pants. He liked getting down on his knees while performing, but after a while, the gold started to wear off. According to the tag on this picture, it was snapped on April 1, 1957 in Buffalo NY.
Here’s Elvis at it again later that year in Seattle.
I labelled this one, “Elvis’ Smallest Concert Crowd.” To be honest, I screen grabbed it from an Elvis movie. Do you know which one it was?
I’ve had fun trying to figure out who is who here. The easy ones are Charlie Hodge – top right, Ronnie Tutt – bottom right, John Wilkinson – bottom left, and James Burton top left,. I’m pretty sure that’s Jerry Scheff in front of Burton. So, that leaves the two guys in the middle. Any ideas? I did some research, and one of them has to be Larry Muhoberac, the keyboard player for less than a year before Glenn D. Hardin joined the group.
This is the cover of a bootleg album. It featured the songs Elvis performed on the three Ed Sullivan shows.
Obviously, this shot didn’t appear in the movie Girl Happy, but Elvis and Mary Ann Mobley seem to be enjoying themselves during a break in the filming..
This is Eddie Arnold with Elvis. Neither one seems to be enjoying this encounter. Both have their arms folded, and Elvis is looking away.
I like to put photos of young Elvis into these pictorials. Unfortunately, the tag said nothing about where or when it was taken.
( Thanks to two reader comments, we now have the uncropped photo and an explanation of what is going on.)
This is cousin Gene Smith with Elvis on May 27, 1956. in Dayton, Ohio. They are playing a made-up game they used to play when they were bored to pass the time. It was possibly a truth or consequence type, where the loser would get smacked on the forehead when they answered wrong.
Thank you Sandy and Leon’a for providing this.
In the second Eye Candy for Elvis Fans post, I showed a poster for his 3am performance at the Las Vegas Hilton on September 3, 1973. Here is a photo that is supposed to be from that concert, but I don’t believe it. The audience is too big for a hotel ballroom.
I enlarged and cropped to get this view of the stage. It might hold Elvis and the band, but where would the Stamps and the Sweet Inspirations fit? The background is too plain for a classy hotel venue. This has to be somewhere else.
This is the dirtiest you will ever see Elvis. It was on the screen in Jailhouse Rock for a just a couple of seconds, so you hardly had time to notice it.
The caption under this is hard to read, but it says, “Charlie, Lamar, Elvis and Rex (laughing) in front of the house with a dog.” Charlie Hodge, Lamar Fike, and Rex Mansfield were Elvis’ buddies when they served together in Germany. However, I don’t see a guy laughing.
Anyway, the house mentioned in the tag is this one:
Elvis enjoying free time before performing at the Warrior Hotel, Sioux City, Iowa, May 23, 1956. Guess he hadn’t gotten into big, expensive watches yet.
Think about this. Your brother gives you an autographed Elvis photo he got while they were in the Army. Then a friend of yours who doesn’t like Elvis tears it up. That would make her an ex-friend in my book.
Reader Kathy Kessel says the other fellow in the picture is not her brother and wonders who he is. It’s a long shot, but does anyone have an idea?
Let’s end with a splash. How do you like that gold curtain? I didn’t know that Elvis made curtain calls.
(Note: The movie with Elvis’ smallest concert crowd is Loving You, and he sang the title track.)
© 2019 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net
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‘CC Rider’ is correct….it is Tony Brown….the other, is David Briggs. The photo is clearly not 1969….it is 1976-1977.
Thank you.
Hi Edward: Thanks for your help in identifying the TCB members. But wasn’t David Briggs only a member of the band in 1969? After that, wasn’t it Glen D Hardin?
Phil Arnold, Original ElvisBlogmeister
The caption below was on the young Elvis picture at https://www.shorpy.com/node/14854?size=_original
“May 27, 1956. Dayton, Ohio. A 21-year-old Elvis Presley with his cousin Gene Smith backstage at the University of Dayton field house, where they sang for a zillion swooning coeds. 35mm negative by Phillip Harrington.”
My sister and I were part of the crowd of swooning girls at his afternoon concert that day, but unfortunately we did not get backstage…how exciting that would have been!
More of same pictures at: https://picclick.com/1956-ELVIS-PRESLEY-Dayton-Ohio-PHOTO-Backstage-with-153183092941.html
Always enjoy reading your blogs!
Hi Sandy. I’m sorry you had to comment on this twice. I got a little behind on replying to Comments. Your link and explanation are great, and I will go back to the article and add the picture and information to it. At the same time, I will incorporate information about what Elvis and Gene Smith were doing in the picture, thanks to reader Leon’a Wilson-Mann’s comment. Thanks for being so persistent to get the right stuff about Elvis printed.
Phil
As for the photo of Eddie Arnold with Elvis… I’m wondering if Eddie is telling Elvis not to trust Colonel Parker. (Col. Parker managed Eddie Arnold in the mid-1940s)
Hi Paul. Sorry it took so long to post your comment. You may be on to something about Eddie Arnold. Thanks.
Phil
Phil, I have seen the 8th picture down from the top before. I believe it references a game he and his cousin Junior used to play when they were bored to pass the time. I don’t remember much about the game other than it was maybe a truth or consequence type, where the loser would get smacked on the forehead when they answered wrong. ! It was a ‘made-up’ game and just the kind of fun Elvis loved. !! lol I’m sure it is in one of my many reference books. I could probably find it if I took the time to look for it. Maybe another fan might have seen it too. If you look carefully, you can just see a piece of Juniors’ shirt at the edge of the picture.
Hi Leon’a: I am soo sorry it took so long to reply to your comment. I am going back to the post and revise it to include your information.. At the same time, I will include an expanded photo, thanks to reader Sandy Van Horn, that shows Gene Smith with Elvis. Thanks.
Phil
Looks like Elvis and Eddie Arnold are both looking at something Elvis wouldn’t be so rude as to look away!!!
Hi Teresa: You may have something. Elvis was very polite.
Phil Arnold
Hello Phil: Regarding the photo of Eddie Arnold and Elvis, I have a possible explanation for Elvis’ stance with his arms folded. They were both probably happy to see each other, but it could have been a cold day (or a cold wind blowing). Elvis’ hair appears to be wind blown and he looks like he is cold.
Hi Gerard: Until something more conclusive comes in, we’ll go with your hypothesis. Elvis could have turned away to keep dust from blowing in his eyes.
Phil
Hi Phil
I think the guy seated next to James Burton and Charlie Hodge is Tony Brown , pianist , and former member of the Stamps who play on stage with Elvis in the last years.
Keep rocking
Hi CC: Your suggestion could be right, but the photo was taken in 1969, not during Elvis’ last years. Thanks for your comment.
Phil
Hi Phil,
Excellent points to ponder about our main man Elvis. It is amazing how many photos are out there of him with very few good captions included. Does make it rather interesting for true Elvis fan like you and me.
Regards
Billy
Longview, Tex.
Hi Billy. You are so right about photos of Elvis without captions on the internet. Also, incorrect captions. It’s good to hear from you again.
Phil