Elvis Presley Fights His Enemies (1956 article)

[The fool]

Elvis Presley Fights His Enemies
by Dee Phillips
Movie Life, September 1956

[drjohncarpenter]

These are always a pleasure to read and view. Thank you for your latest share! There are a bunch of shots from the Shrine Auditorium on 6-08-1956, and I've not seen this as uncropped before:







It appears Movie Life writer Dee Phillips may have been at the NBC Studios in Burbank when Elvis performed on 6-05-1956, how cool to read a first-hand account. Sadly, she misremembers that first song ... it was not "Blue Suede Shoes," but "Hound Dog." Maybe she just caught the TV broadcast that evening.

In any event, Phillips was definitely at the Shrine gig three days later to interview him. Notice how she writes in an interesting, third-person perspective, a style which I have not seen before in similar 1956 magazines you have shared with us. Right-hand man Tom Diskin gives her the historical background on the singer, most of which is accurate. And she confirms for us the lovely blonde seen with Elvis in other backstage Shrine photos from that day: Jackie Little. Little is even interviewed a bit herself, which is neat. She was the first act on the bill for Elvis' show. Whatever happened to Jackie Little?

560608_w Jackie Little_Los Angeles.jpg

With singer Jackie Little - Friday, June 8, 1956, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA



Phillips lets us know that tie Elvis chose for his all-black suit that night was red. That's cool for those of us who were curious, or are into colourizing the Shrine images. Then we get yet another piece of the puzzle, Elvis speaking about his first professional evening with Sun Records, on 7-05-1954:

I went and I tried on a slow ballad he gave me, I Love You Because, and I could tell he was real disgusted. Then, when he called a coffee break, I started horsin' around with a rock-n'-roll piece I like, called That's All Right. It was what I did for fun, not for people, but Mr. Phillips made up his mind to tape it.

This statement, "what I did for fun, not for people" dovetails nicely with FECC member George Smith's stunning contention that the song was something Elvis had put together on his own, and had in his back pocket. It is so cool to get just this much more from Presley's own words. This is important stuff for any serious fan of the history!

Otherwise, it is curious that Elvis mentions that Cy Howard is writing a script for his first movie with Paramount producer Hal Wallis. The record indicates nothing ever came of it, and that Howard mostly wrote for television, not films:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0397220/

Reading the rest of the article, I believe we may actually have a photo of our lady journalist:

Seeing his erstwhile feminine interrogator in the wings with her proper jaw agape, he threw her a sardonic smile, on which note she decided to leave. He was far too much for an old lady in her thirties to comprehend.

I'll bet this is her, watching from stage right. Her description fits perfectly, right down to the "in the wings with her proper jaw agape":




Movie Life writer Dee Phillips watching Elvis - Friday, June 8, 1956, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA


Thanks again for the awesome share.

[George Smith]

Oh, this is just lovely, thank you, the fool.

This statement, "what I did for fun, not for people" dovetails nicely with FECC member George Smith's stunning contention that the song was something Elvis had put together on his own, and had in his back pocket. It is so cool to get just this much more from Presley's own words. This is important stuff for any serious fan of the history!

Wow, just wow.

And thank you, DJC.

[drjohncarpenter]

Oh, this is just lovely, thank you, the fool.

This statement, "what I did for fun, not for people" dovetails nicely with FECC member George Smith's stunning contention that the song was something Elvis had put together on his own, and had in his back pocket. It is so cool to get just this much more from Presley's own words. This is important stuff for any serious fan of the history!

Wow, just wow.

And thank you, DJC.

Another piece of the puzzle.

[George Smith]

And you should know that "shaggin'" has a very different meaning in the UK.

[mike edwards66]

Then, when he called a coffee break, I started horsin' around with a rock-n'-roll piece I like, called That's All Right.

And interesting that he should refer to "a rock-n'-roll piece I like".

[The fool]

Thanks again for the awesome share.

Oh, this is just lovely, thank you, the fool.

You are welcome, Doc and George.

[drjohncarpenter]

And you should know that "shaggin'" has a very different meaning in the UK.

Oh, Behave!

970502_Oh Behave.JPG

---

Being curious, I revisited the quote:

The journalist remembered one national magazine's diatribe against the way Elvis sold a song. It called him a rock-n-roll-n-writhe singer. Scathingly, it said that his gyrations were usually described as shaggin', wiggling', jazzing' it up -- or like his jeans were on fire. It compared certain of his acrobatics with those of a burlesque queen.

Hmm. The diatribe from the unnamed national magazine might have been referring to the wonderful Gypsy Rose Lee. Ironically, Elvis and friend Buzzy Forbes saw her in Memphis when they were 14. According to author Alanna Nash, she left "Elvis frozen in his tracks, watching as if transfixed."

490507_Gypsy Rose Lee_Memphis Cotton Carnival.JPG

Gypsy Rose Lee on Front Street at the Memphis Cotton Carnival - Saturday, May 7, 1949
Photo: George Skadding, LIFE magazine

[Elton]

Once again "The Fool" scores with this gem from 1956!!!
A winner in in ever way.

...Many thank yous.Mr.Fool.

[The fool]

...Many thank yous.Mr.Fool.

You´re welcome, Elton.

[hilton22000]

Thank you very much for that magazine, you know how i like these 56 magazines

[James27]

Your threads and posts are pure gold, thank you very much for sharing, The fool !

Elvis Presley Fights His Enemies
by Dee Phillips
Movie Life, September 1956

[jurasic1968]

Thanks a lot, The fool. Mesmerizing!

[The fool]

Thank you very much for that magazine, you know how i like these 56 magazines

Your threads and posts are pure gold, thank you very much for sharing, The fool !

I agree 100% - This section of FECC is my absolute favourite.

Thanks a lot, The fool. Mesmerizing!

You are welcome, Cristi, James27, Bob, and jurasic1968. Thank you for your kind words!

[Rocker]

Always thank you TheFool!!

[The fool]

Always thank you TheFool!!

You´re welcome, Rocker.