Celebrities with Connections to Elvis Who Died in 2015

Donna Douglas:

Donna Douglas passed away on January 1, 2015 at the age of 82. Most of the memorials to her reference her role as Elly May Clampett on the TV show  The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971).

However, we Elvis fans remember Donna Douglas for her role as Frankie in the movie Frankie and Johnny. During the 1966 summer hiatus of The Beverly Hillbillies, she made the movie with Elvis. It was her only starring feature film appearance.

Sue Ane Langdon, Donna Douglas, and Nancy Kovack in Frankie and Johnny

B. B. King:

B. B. King passed away on May 14, 2015 at the age of 89. There are photos that show him and Elvis together on two different occasions. The photo below of Elvis, Claudia Ivy, and B.B. King was taken at the WDIA (Memphis radio station) Goodwill Review on December 7, 1956. Elvis and George Klein hung out backstage. Elvis made a brief emergence from behind the curtain, and received rousing applause from the audience.

Here’s a great quote from B.B. King about Elvis: “I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun Studio. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra’s. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness.”

To read other quotes from B.B. King about Elvis, click here to read a May 2015 ElvisBlog article posted a few days after the blues master’s death.

Kirk Kerkorian:

Elvis and Kirk Kerkorian Signing Contract at International Hotel

Kirk Kerkorian died on June 15, 2015 at the age of 98. He was a very successful businessman, investor, and developer. In 1969, he opened the largest hotel in Las Vegas at the time, the International Hotel. Barbara Streisand was the first entertainer he signed to perform in the hotel’s showroom. But he signed Elvis to be the second act, and Elvis set a new Las Vegas record by bringing in 4,200 people a day for 30 straight days.

Jerry Weintraub:

Jerry Weintraub died on July 6, 2015 at the age of 77 after a hugely successful career as a talent agent, concert promoter, and film producer He may not be a familiar name to many Elvis fans, but he had a significant role in Elvis’ career. In 1970, after Elvis had returned to live performances at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, Jerry Weintraub convinced Elvis and Col. Parker that Elvis should take his show on the road and do concerts in 18-25,000 seat venues. It was a bold move at that time, and Weintraub had to come up with a $1 million cashier’s check to convince Col. Parker to close the deal. From that point on, the three men made a lot of money together.

Yvonne Craig:

Yvonne Craig died on August 17, 2015 at the age of 78. Like Donna Douglas she was more noted for her acting career on TV than for her parts in Elvis’ movies.

In a Star Trek episode in 1967, “Whom Gods Destroy,” Yvonne Craig played Marta, a green-skinned inmate at the Federation asylum on Elba ll. She was delusional, seductive and skilled in exotic dance. The evil Garth of Izar coerced her to carry out a plot to assassinate Captain Kirk.

Her biggest TV success was in the role of Batgirl in the 1967 season of the Batman.

Regular readers of ElvisBlog know that Yvonne Craig is my favorite Elvis co-star. Here she is as Azalea Tatum in Kissin’ Cousins.

But it is this scene from It Happened at the World’s Fair that I could watch over and over. Craig’s part is small, but she makes the most of it. Elvis is all over her trying to score, but she wiggles away somehow. Very hot scene.

To read more ElvisBlog articles on Yvonne Craig, click here and here.

Dean Jones:

Dean Jones died on September 1, 2015 at the age of 77. He had a successful movie career, especially while working in Walt Disney films for thirteen years. He co-stared with Elvis in Jailhouse Rock, playing disc jockey Teddy Talbot. In addition to helping Elvis’ character Vince Edwards’ singing career, Jones also served as another suitor for Judy Tyler that gave Elvis a little competition.

Fred Thompson:

Fred Thompson died on November 1, 2015 at the age of 73. He is well know as an actor, Senator, and Presidential candidate. What isn’t well know is that he is kin to Elvis Presley.

Specifically, they are eighth cousins once removed, according to research by Washington genealogist William Addams Reitwiesner. Thompson’s late father, Fletcher Thompson, and Elvis shared a set of great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents, Jasper Hood and Tryntje Andries. For what it’s worth, Elvis is Jimmy Carter, sixth cousin once removed.

George Barris:

George Barris died on November 5, 2015 at the age of 90. While Elvis was the King of Rock, Barris was the king of customizes cars.

George Barris in 2010 with the Batmobile he designed for the TV show

Perhaps you are familiar with Elvis’ customized Cadillac that toured all over Australia in 1968. It has an interesting story. Elvis wanted to have his own classic-styled luxury limousine, so he bought a 1960 Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood for $10,000, and he took it to Barris Kustom City in North Hollywood, California.

Elvis told Barris what features he wanted, and Barris gave him many designs, artist renderings and engineering drawings before the modifications were decided. The price tag was $65,000, which is $487,000 in today’s dollars.

It is not recorded just how much Elvis used his dream car, but souvenir-seeking fans caused enough damage to the car that he ultimately stopped using it. He sold it to RCA who used it for promotional purposes across the country from 1965 to 1967. Next, the car was shipped to Australia for a tour to raise money for the Benevolent Society of New South Wales. It made almost four-dozen stops and was viewed by almost 400,000 people.

This is one of six photos showing the innovative touches George Barris gave Elvis’ Gold Cadillac. Click here to see them all and read more about the story.

Happy New Year, Everybody

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