Tag Archives: Barbara Hearn

Some Elvis Pictures I’ve Never Seen Before — Part 6

Posted on July 7, 2018 by | 31 comments

Young Elvis is Cool jacket

This is a shot of young Elvis that’s new to me. I was tickled with the caption for it on Pinterest describing what Elvis is wearing:

A jacket given to John W. Heath by one of hiHumes High Scteachers who was the son of a man who got the jacket from a girlfriend who got it from Elvis after a concert.

I’ve complained before about incorrect tags on some Elvis photos, but this one is just plain confusing. Here’s another look at the jacket.

a jacket given to John W. Heath by a Humes High School teacher who was the son of a man who got the jacket from a girlfriend who got it from Elvis after a concert.

 

How about a little quiz? This picture was tagged “Only photo that shows the entire wedding party at the Presley Wedding in Las Vegas, May 1, 1967.” I had fun trying to figure out who everybody is.

Only photo that supposedly shows the entire wedding party at the Presley Wedding in Las Vegas, May 1, 1967

I missed the first guy on the left. He is Harry Levitch, Elvis’ jeweler. Then, Richard Davis. Jerry Schilling, and Joe Esposito’s wife Joan. I needed help on the next two: Jerry Schilling’s girlfriend Sandy Kawelo, and Priscilla’s sister Michelle Beaulieu. Next, Vernon’s wife Dee, Priscilla’s mother Ann, Priscilla, Elvis, and Vernon. I needed help on the two fellows on the bottom left: Priscilla’s brother Donny and her father Paul. Then Joe Esposito and Charlie Hodge.

However, the caption on this picture is wrong. Although the reception had a lot of folks, only four Elvis buddies were in the very limited wedding party at the actual ceremony.

Marty Lacker, Elvis, George Kline at Elvis' Wedding

Marty Lacker and George Kline made the cut, but they are not part of the above group picture, so it shouldn’t be labeled the “entire Elvis wedding party.”

Billy Smith

Elvis’ cousin Billy Smith was also at the exclusive wedding ceremony, and he is missing from the group picture.

 

Elvis at June 5 1955 Watermelon Party, Hope Arkansas

I’m pretty confident the caption on this one is correct: “June 5 1955 Watermelon Party, Hope Arkansas.” See the watermelons back there?

 

Priscilla Sticking Out her Tongue

How do you like this shot of Priscilla sticking out her tongue? I cropped it from a photo of her at the top of the stairs leading to her and Elvis’s bedroom at Graceland.

Priscilla at top of stairs leading to Elvis's bedroom at Graceland

To be completely honest, when I first found this picture, I never even noticed the stair railings until I read the caption. Cropping was an improvement

 

casual Hair Elvis

I really like this picture of young Elvis. Apparently, he was doing the low open-shirt thing way back in his teens. But the casual hair style is so different from what we think of as typically Elvis. Does anybody have any idea when and where this was taken? If you do, please put it into Comments.

 

Elvis - Interesting Outfit

Here we have a totally different spectrum of style on older Elvis. That’s not just a regular white shirt. It’s got ruffles on the sleeve cuff, elastic bands around the upper arm, and a big fancy collar. How about the blue scarf with the neckerchief slide half – way down. You don’t see scarves in many Elvis photos. The big attraction for me is the humongous belt. This is like a jumpsuit belt worn over regular pants, not a jumpsuit. It even has chains on the side. Nice wardrobe, Elvis.

 

Elvis Presley AND THE GIRL THAT FAINTS - Copy

I may have seen this one before, but it is nice to look at it again. The tag on the photo said “Elvis Presley AND THE GIRL THAT FAINTS.” Elvis was holding her hand with his. How lucky she was. She’s gonna come out of it with Elvis’ face just inches away from hers.

 

Elvis Presley and Eric Clapton

The caption said, “Backstage with Clapton before his opening night performance in Las Vegas. January 26th 1974.” I can kind of see this as Eric Clapton.

Elvis backstage with Eric Clapton before his opening night performance in Las Vegas. January 26th 1974

Then there’s this profile, and I don’t know. Looks more like another Eric — Eric Burdon (lead singer of The Animals and War).

Eric Burdon

What do you think?

 

Editor’s note:  Alert reader Paul made a convincing argument about why the person with Elvis is neither Eric Clapton nor Eric Burdon.  Alert reader Sandy said it was Sean Shaver, a photographer.  Here’s a different photo of him with Elvis

Elvis and Sean Shaver

I think Sandy is right.  Sean Shaver has published numerous photo books about Elvis:

1979 – The Life Of Elvis Presley
1981 – Photographing The King
1983 – Portrait Portfolio
1984 – Our Memories Of Elvis
1987 – The Elvis Book, vol II
1987 – The Elvis Book, vol III
1991 – The Elvis Book, vol IV : The Candid Elvis
1992 – Elvis In focus

 

Elvis with Badge on

There was no information with this one. Elvis almost looks like a real law officer with the badge and the jacket passants (shoulder-straps). How do you like that huge TCB ring?  I wish the photographer had snapped Elvis with his head up and smiling.

 

Elvis Gtrating on Stage Floor, New Orleans 1956

No wonder Elvis’ early concerts drove the teenage girls bananas. The tag said this photo was taken at a New Orleans concert in 1956. Just for kicks I cropped and blew up the crowd watching Elvis.

Fan Close-up at Elvis Concert ,New Orleans 1956

Not many guys in attendance, and I think I see a couple of dads.  See the two kids on the front left that are leaning?  Scroll back and you will see why.

 

Elvis and Priscilla Caricature

I have a file with 124 caricatures of Elvis in it, but this is the first time I’ve seen an artist do Priscilla, too.  I think he did a good job. Maybe someday I should do a post of my winners and losers in the Elvis Caricatures file.

 

Gladys, Dodger, and Barbara Hearn at Elvis concert, Russwood Park Memphis, TN July 4, 1956

There are many photos out there of Elvis’ July 4, 1956 concert at Russwood Park in Memphis. Al Wertheimer had his camera clicking all night, but I don’t know if this one of his. It’s interesting because of the three women in it. I’m sure you recognize Gladys. Next to her is Elvis’ paternal grandmother Minnie Mae, whom Elvis called Dodger. Do you think she was freaked out when she saw what her grandson did for a living?

And the young lady is Barbara Hearn who was Elvis’ girlfriend at the time.

Barbara Hearn and Elvis' Grandmother Dodger

Here are Barbara and Dodger at Elvis’ home on Audubon Drive prior to the concert.

 

I believe this was taken on the day he graduated high school....1953. Gladys looked so young & pretty here.

Let’s do one more family picture. I like this one especially because of the sentiment of the person who posted it

“I believe this was taken on the day he graduated high school….1953. Gladys looked so young & pretty here.”

 

 

©  2018    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

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Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of  Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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Organizing My Elvis Pictures – Part 2

Posted on October 21, 2017 by | 5 comments

Elvis Signing Something

I’m on the internet all the time looking for stuff to inspire an ElvisBlog post. Like a news item or a historical story, but often I will type something Elvis-related in the Google search box, and just check out the images that pop up. Surprisingly, I find some of the best pictures after scrolling down four or five pages where the images start to waver off your original search term. Like the picture above with Elvis writing something, or more likely, autographing a page for a fan.

I have a nice file of Elvis autographs compiled from dozens of auction results, but this photo didn’t seem right to file there. So, to save time when I discovered it, I just put it in my humongous master folder called Photos for Blog Articles.

Photos For Blog Articles File

Here you can see the first fourteen files in my blog photo folder. There are a total of 145 files with hundreds of sub-files. But there are also hundreds of individual pictures just in the folder, but not filed.

So, I will do this post about organizing some interesting ones into the proper files. Like the photo at the top. Believe it or not, that file is Elvis in the Army. The site where I found it said it was taken in Bad Nauheim, Germany.

 

Elvis in Thonburi, Thailand

The website information on this one said it was a giant Elvis billboard in Thonburi, Thailand. I had no idea where to file it. It just didn’t fit anywhere. So, I’m going to put it in Images, which is kind of a catch-all for interesting pictures of Elvis himself or his first name. Like this:

On Sun Record

Or this.

Elvis plus Guitar

 

Here’s one that’s pretty strange.

Born on January 8

It is kind of distressing to know that Kim Jong Un shares the same birthday as Elvis. I had no idea where to file this, but I’m now putting it in Elvis and Other Stars. David Bowie already has a sub-file in there.

Speaking of Kim Jong Un, did you know his father was a big Elvis fan?

Kim Jong Il in Elvis Jumpsuit

That’s Kim Jong Il in an Elvis jumpsuit. He’s filed in Elvis Impersonator Losers, a file with way too many crummy looking Elvis wannabies. Then I got curious about whether Kim Jong Un inherited the same genetic preference for Elvis.

Kim Jong Un as Elvis Presley

The best I could find was this Photoshopped image. I made two copies and filed one in Altered Elvis and the other in that loser file with his dad.

 

Elvis Presley's Memphis

Do you remember when EPE opened an Elvis-themed restaurant in the old building where the Lansky Bros. clothing store used to be? The restaurant folded after a few years, but Graceland still owned the name Elvis Presley’s Memphis and used it again when they opened the new entertainment complex this year. I have decided to file this picture under Lansky Bros.

 

Linda Thompson and Bruce Jenner

I don’t know why I didn’t immediately file this one in the Linda Thompson sub-file of the Elvis Girlfriends folder, but it’s in there now. How do you like the good-looking fellow Linda paired up with after Elvis? I think his name is Bruce, but I could be confused.

 

Elvis Bacon

This one is now in Products. It’s not a good fit, but where else can I file a piece of bacon that looks like Elvis? Somewhere in my master folder there’s a potato chip that looks like Elvis. And a cloud, too, I think. Maybe I can find them and start a folder called Stuff That Looks Like Elvis.

 

British Passport - Elvis Autograph on Page 32

This could have been put in the Autographs folder, but I didn’t initially do that because I thought I could use the interesting story about it in a blog post. Well, here it is. This is page 32 of the British Passport of Pauline Mary Harvey. Apparently, she met Elvis in 1963 and needed something for him to autograph. I believe the little picture of Elvis was pasted in later.

British Passport - Pauline Mary Harvey - 1963

 

I am sure you all have seen the photo of Elvis making a face while getting a shot. It’s filed in the Caption Contest folder.

Elvis Getting A Shot

This blood pressure picture will go in there, too, although it will be harder to come up with a funny caption.

Elvis Having Blood Pressure Taken

 

Woodstock From back of Stage

This doesn’t really belong in any Elvis folder because it is a shot of the crowd at Woodstock taken from the back of the stage. I saved it because I thought it was such a cool photo, but it will stay in limbo because I just don’t know where to file it.

 

Sketch of Elvis made by Jimi Hendrix in 1957 - 14 years old

Speaking of Woodstock, one of the best performers there, Jimi Hendrix, made this drawing of Elvis in 1957 when Hendrix was fourteen years old. Look hard and you can make out all the Elvis song titles he added. This picture is now filed in Elvis and Other Stars.

It hasn’t been widely reported that Elvis was an influence for Hendrix. What do you think?

 

24 Hour Church of Elvis

How about the 24 Hour Church of Elvis in Portland, Oregon? It just doesn’t fit in any folder category, so I put it in Odds and Ends, which is not much of an improvement over not filed at all.

 

Album of Elvis Novelty Songs

Here is a two CD set containing 25 Elvis novelty and tribute songs. You can buy it on Amazon right now for $12.99. I put it in Elvis Records even though it’s not one of his own.

 

Barbara Hearn Dancing With Elvis

I must have discovered this picture early in my days of collecting Elvis photos and wasn’t sure who the girl was that Elvis danced with. Now, I immediately recognize her as Barbara Hearn, because there are several other photos of her wearing this dress. So the photo has now been filed in the Barbara Hearn sub-file of the Elvis Girlfriends folder. Look what else I have in that file – One of the shortest but expressive love letters to Elvis you will ever see.

Barbara Hearn Dancing With Elvis

Elvis not only made the girls swoon, he made them sigh.

 

The last time I did a post about organizing my Elvis photos was back in June 2014.  Click here to check it out.

 

 

© 2017 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

 

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Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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Posted in CAPTION CONTESTS, CDs / RECORDS, ELVIS and OTHER STARS, IMAGES, Main Page

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A New Name in the History of Elvis’ Teenage Girlfriends

Posted on May 31, 2015 by | 3 comments

Sandy, Mac, Brenda - Copy

Brenda Lee, Mac Davis, Sandy Martindale

On May 20, Graceland announced the special guests for Elvis Week 2015. Very little was said about each guest, and none was needed for Brenda Lee or Mas Davis. But, what about that the third name on the list – Sandy Martindale? All the press release said was “she used to date Elvis.”

I consider myself pretty knowledgeable on Elvis’ girlfriends, but I had never heard of Sandy Martindale. So, it was time to do a Google search and see what her story is. I found four good references from 1997, 2004, 2008, and 2014, plus a few photos, mostly of her and long-time husband Wink Martindale.

Sandy and Wink Martindale

It turns out Sandy Ferra was fourteen when she first met Elvis, many years before she met and wed his friend Wink Martindale. This makes her one on a long list of teenage girls Elvis is known to have dated. Let’s look at the more notable ones in chronological order, followed by some detail about Sandy Ferra Martindale.

 

Elvis and Regis at Senior Prom 1953

Regis Wilson: 14 when Elvis took her to the Prom in 1953.

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Barb Pittman

Barbara Pittman: Three years younger than Elvis when they met in high school and started dating. She later recorded a few songs at Sun Records.

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Dixie Locke and Elvis 1955

Dixie Locke: 15 when Elvis started dating her in 1953 after he had graduated from high school. Dated him for a year or two.

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Elvis and Barbara Hearn

Barbara Hearn: Met Elvis through her friend Dixie Locke. Started dating him when he and Dixie broke up.

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June Jaunico and Elvis

June Juanico: 17 when she met Elvis on June 26, 1955. In March 1957 she said goodbye because “I couldn’t wait in the wings while Elvis got on with his career.”

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Natalie Wood and Elvis

Natalie Wood: 18 when she met Elvis in Hollywood in 1956. Elvis was 21.

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Young Priscilla Beaulieu

Priscilla Beaulieu: 14 when Elvis met her in Germany in 1959. Elvis was 24.

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Sandy Ferra with Elvis - 1960

Sandy Ferra: 14 when she met Elvis in Los Angeles in 1960. He was 25.

Soon after Elvis got out of the Army in 1960, he went to Los Angeles to film G.I. Blues at Paramount Studios. One night, he went to The Cross Bow nightclub in Panorama City in the San Fernando Valley. While in the club owner’s office, Elvis was bowled over by a photo of Sandy, his fourteen-year-old daughter.

He told Mr. Ferra he’d like to meet his daughter, so the man called her at home. Mom got on the line and told Elvis she would not drive Sandy back to the club because she was only fourteen and it was a school night. So, Elvis said he would be back the next week and he asked if Sandy could meet him then. In the meantime, her dad came home and told her that Elvis was a ‘gorgeous guy,’ because at the time, she didn’t even know who Elvis Presley was.

So, the next week her mother drove her to the club. Sandy wore a frilly dress and had her hair in a ponytail, while Elvis showed up with a beautiful actress. Sandy just sat there and stared at him because he was so good looking. He held her hand and kissed her on the cheek, and as Sandy has revealed, “That was it. I was hooked.”

Later Elvis called and told her mother he wanted to date Sandy, and her mother said, “I don’t care if you’re King Farouk; my daughter’s only fourteen and she can’t go out with you.” So Elvis said to her mother, “Well, you can come on the date.” In fact, she came on their first three dates.

Elvis was staying at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, so Sandy and her mother went there and enjoyed pizza, hot fudge sundaes, banana splits, as well as watching television, talking, and dancing. Then, after the first three dates, Elvis promised her mother that he’d be a ‘gentleman’ and ‘take good care’ of her, if she said it was okay for Sandy to go out with him unchaperoned. According to Sandy, “He stuck to his word and was a perfect gentleman. He loved and respected my parents and was a wonderful part of my life.”

The only thing Sandy has revealed about their romance is, “We kissed a lot. We did a lot of necking. Elvis was the best kisser.” There are some media reports stating that Elvis once asked Sandy’s mother if she and her daughter would consider moving to Graceland, where he would “raise” Sandy as his future wife, but Sandy’s parents refused. In 1962, another young lady Elvis had met when she also was fourteen moved into Graceland. Could Priscilla be considered Plan B?

According to these same reports, Elvis and Sandy were an item, on and off, for the next six years — right up until he married Priscilla.

According to a July 4, 2008 article on www.elvis.com.au, Sandy said, “I danced in six of his movies because I was going with him. In Viva Las Vegas that’s me with Ann-Margaret and Elvis dancing at the roulette table.” (actually a huge roulette wheel painted on the stage)

Sandy Ferra Dancing in Viva Las Vegas
Sandy Ferra during “What’d I Say” dance sequence in Viva Las Vegas.

If you go to Elvis Week this year and attend the Graceland Insiders Conference, you will hear Sandy Ferra Martindale talk about this and a lot more. I’m not going this year, but if I was, I’d be sure to take in that event.

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Sandy Martindale

 

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© 2015 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

 

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Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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